I thought I'd get a topic going where people can post a little bit about his/her artistic process and what tools he/she uses when creating a comic.I'll get started to show what I mean...When I do my weekly,- I start out with a rough script/dialogue (hopefully provided by my writer buddy).- I then rough the comic panel-by-panel (or layout first if the strip requires any) in ArtRage 2 with the pencil tool.- I export the panels as a layered PSD and import them as keyframes into Flash where I then ink/paint the characters/FG elements. Inking is done with the brush tool with smoothing turned on (I then use the Cmd key to tweak any misshapen lines as I go)- Once inked/painted, I lay the panels out side-by-side and export as a PNG- I pull the PNG into Photoshop where I begin painting the backgrounds (all together in one layer) and then begin adding texture with custom brushes.- I then finish by adding the dialogue, speech bubbles, and FX in Photoshop.- All this is done on my wonderful Axiotron Modbook :) I use a Cintiq @ work and this feels exactly the same.I'd love to hear how any of you do your comic start-to-finish and what tools you might use! Please share!--Eric
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Wow eric3dee....everything you're saying is coming out of this book I'm reading, Toon Art...about the layers (multiply) and lettering. :P
A bit offbeat relating to programs, but is it possible to find a cheap, legitimate photoshop (say, 8.0?). And yes, I used to use GIMP, but it doesn't register well with my Bamboo Fun, from Wacom.
I'm pretty skeptical about any heavily underpriced version of Photoshop (as far as legitimacy)... that said, look around, because there are many much CHEAPER alternatives that should get the job done just as well too (again, ArtRage is one of my favs - though it doesn't do text... but there is a free online version of Photoshop that does.) You may check into GIMP again, Wacom drivers are so universal that I would think it would HAVE to support your Bamboo.
How I get started is by I come up with a title. Next I start with an outline. Then I get a bible find a script that fits that story that I'm trying to tell then start writing.
I wished I had something fancy like that but my first and current webcomic Deadend is low-maintenance webcomic. I do hope to expand much, much more. But better to get experience.
-I look through the sheets of paper that has sketchy jokes thumbnails. I either choose one and edit the script or come up with some random one on the top of my head.
-I use Micron pens to draw them.
-Use a scanner.
-Use MS paint to edit any mistakes.
I'm confused though about scanning inked drawings into the computer. Let's say you have a drawing of a person with black ink. Then you scan it in. And using your paint software, how do you color the person without overlapping the black lines (and without retracing the lines in the computer). Do you save it as PNG or something?
You should get a hold of some better software- I would highly recommend ArtRage ($20) or GIMP (a free open source alternative to Photoshop). In these apps, you set your scanned linework to a new layer and set the Blending Mode to Multiply- this will allow you to color in a layer underneath without affecting the actual linework. There are many books out there which cover this sort of thing, you may want to check some out. Hope that helps! Keep up your comic- good humor there :)
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A bit offbeat relating to programs, but is it possible to find a cheap, legitimate photoshop (say, 8.0?). And yes, I used to use GIMP, but it doesn't register well with my Bamboo Fun, from Wacom.
-I look through the sheets of paper that has sketchy jokes thumbnails. I either choose one and edit the script or come up with some random one on the top of my head.
-I use Micron pens to draw them.
-Use a scanner.
-Use MS paint to edit any mistakes.
I'm confused though about scanning inked drawings into the computer. Let's say you have a drawing of a person with black ink. Then you scan it in. And using your paint software, how do you color the person without overlapping the black lines (and without retracing the lines in the computer). Do you save it as PNG or something?
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