Entry 3 - Story
Posted on 2008-08-08 10:15:10 in category Process

The Story.

Will it be scripted? Some comics are just random and don't follow a storyline (which is fine) and you don't necessarily need a script (and some people just work better not having things scripted!) But if you DO have a lengthily story, and feel that scripting will work for you, it's always good to create a readable and consistent format for yourself and your editors (if any). I personally found it easier to have things scripted because I have a clear view of where I was going, and how I was going to get there. It was also nice because at the beginning of the story I can put in some juicy foreshadowing, that plays a role later on. Not having a script I found just made it easier to paint myself into a corner, or, 'not knowing what to do next' and to avoid the nefarious plots that seem to have you and your characters 'wandering aimlessly'.
Having a script also creates something to look forward to, like, you can't wait to get to 'that part' of the story. It gives the creator something to look forward too, which, can fuel the drive. It can also give you something else to do, but you still get something productive done. When I get bored of drawing I work on the script or thumbnails.

Here is a sample of scripting from TZH from pages 119, 120, 121:

<The girl fastens Milo's dog tags around her neck. She holds them for a moment and frowns sadly. Behind her you see that she has an infected badge on her desk as well as other infected paraphernalia. Here you can see various clippings from old newspapers about the virus tacked to the wall assembled almost in a time line-like fashion. Her hat, shovel, and her bag are also there.
You see a shot of her entire room as she adjusts the dog tags on her person.>

<Someone is walking up the stairs towards her chambers>

<Jenny suddenly sits up straight and looks at the door, it has been bolted many times and there is a chair in front of it. She gets up slowly and grabs her shovel beside her desk. She begins to approach the door slowly. There is a pause. Then, a knock>

Jenny: <startled> Who's there?
Male Voice: Zombies, lots of them.
<Jenny rolls her eyes. She opens up the door, the angle is right in front of her, as if you were the person standing in the doorway>
Jenny: Have a lot of guts coming here Jasper.
<A man with sleek black hair pushed to the side enters, he has a gun. He notices her holding the shovel, and mock laughs> Cute. <He lets himself in>
Jenny: What do you want?
Jasper: What? I can't just drop by and say hello? <Jasper waltzes about her room like he owns the place>
Jenny: <Jenny glares> People like you don’t 'just drop by,' to say hello... unless they want something.
Jasper: Well then, <Jasper sits on Jenny's bed, and then lies down, arms crossed behind hid head.> perhaps I want to thank you for not having the courage to tell your friends about my transfer to your team. Seeing their faces when I told them myself was priceless.

I created my own script format that mirrors almost that of a movie script, but instead of depicting a scene of a movie, it depicts the panels in the comic. Again, this is my way of doing things; there are probably many different formats to accomplish the same goal. Which is basically creating a clear depiction of the dialogue, scene, and mood.

There are shit-tons of tools and recourses about this topic at your library, the Internet, or heck, even that English class that you hate so much that can help you with creative writing. I am not the most seasoned writer myself, so currently I am researching and reading as well :)

Entry 2 - 2 Important things to think about BEFORE you put the pencil to paper...
Posted on 2008-08-05 10:26:45 in category Process

Okay, a lot of people ask me: "How do you start a webcomic?"
Well first off you should decide how into it do you want to get, is it just a fun thing? Or perhaps you just want it to be something more?

I have 2 basic guidelines that would be good to note before your stuff even goes up on the web if you want it to be something more than just a fun project.

Have a plan.
Even if you don't plan on making your webcomic into a business, it's always good to have a plan, and a set of goals for yourself and the comic. Always write things down, even if you think you know everything like the back of your hand, having things in writing can keep all the fine details that you might miss--or help conjure up new ideas that you haven't thought of. This is basically like a mini business plan.

Control Your Outside Involvement.
Who will be involved in your webcomic? How many? Are you going to do this all by yourself? Or will there be inkers, colorists, or someone to do the web-work? It's always a good idea to control your outside involvement, too many cooks in the kitchen spoils the soup.

If there are multiple people involved it's a good idea to create a written plan of what everyone's jobs are, and have an exit strategy if something doesn't work out. Because lets face it, drama is never far from webcomics, people disagree, friendships wane and break off, people move, don't have the time anymore, or even just loose interest and outgrow the comic all together. It may sound fatalistic, but having a plan and an exit strategy may just reduce the stress that can be associated with a webcomic, especially if you are working with multiple people.

Entry 1 - Blog Introduction
Posted on 2008-07-28 21:03:02 in category Process

I have been getting quite a few emails and questions about starting up your own webcomic, about what it takes, what to look out for, coloring, printing, etc etc so I have decided that since I am learning about the whole webcomic production myself, that it would be a fun idea to start up this blog to document my adventures of, um, this, doing the webcomic, that I am doing, to assist people and have them glean off of my mistakes, and my successes, to better help them with their own adventures. This will be updated as often as possible, I'll try to make an update at least 2-3 times a week, or basically when I have a good tidbit of information to share with you all. :)

This thing won't be 'taking away' from comic time. I write this stuff when I am dead from doing comics, but still want to do something productive thats comic related, that's not drawing or coloring. It's like taking a break, but not in a way.

So! This blog will contain:

- Webcomic guidelines
The do's and dont's of the webcomic making.

- The adventures of Graphic Design.
What is it? Why is it important? Branding, advertising, etc.

- Tutorials & Sketches
See the process, tools, and get pointers on doing things and stuff!

- Business Things
Oh this'll be boring, in a useful sort of way.

- Inspiration
Inspirational music, books, people, images, and just random ideas.

- Organizing
Tips for keeping your shit together. (This will help me)

- Traveling
Cons and TZH related trips!

Mind you, these are my own guidelines, experiences, and my own solutions to the problems and issues I have encountered along the way, so basically: this is NOT 'the absolute you have to do it way' of doing things, there are probably multiple different solutions to one problem. Do what works for you!