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Chapter 1: part 1 to "How to Draw Comic Books While Having a Family and a Full-Time Job". This is a short video series that was originally planned to be a book. I hope it encourages and get people motivated to create comic books. Four videos have been posted. Please share.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imqMdtytJic

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Comments

  • Thanks Matt. The suggestions you and Brien stated I'll try to implement. I do address in the next two parts how to go,go,go and still create a dynamic story.

    I know I had to push through to keep my quota and the pages sometimes looked rushed and sometimes they came out better than I thought they would. Plus with the rushed pages there is always white out and photoshop. lol!

  • Hey man,

    I took a look at the first chapter (parts 1 & 2) and have a couple comments I'd like to share!

    First off - I think you're doing a good service with this series, and there are some really good principles that you've shared. I do all my drawing outside of my full time job as well, and I can definitely agree that mastering time is critical. I think that you also hit the nail on the head when you said to just knock pages out. To me, that is the most important first step - just do it, and keep doing it.

    Like Brien said, bullet points would be a really nice way to highlight the most important bits. 

    Also I think you might want to consider editing down Ch1 Pt2 a bit as there is a few minutes of dead space while you're looking for some files to demonstrate your point on complicated inking styles. 

    I have an idea for a big thing that would be a lot of work, but really drive home your point on just how efficient the line style can be. I think that a time-lapse (preferably with commentary) of you penciling, and then inking out a page would be an incredibly potent demonstration of just how easy it can be to knock out work. As it is now, your examples are good, but since they are all already completed viewers may not get the full appreciation for how much work it can save using that method.

    The last thing is just something of a personal thought. Like you, I tend to just try and plow through pages and panels with reckless abandon, and my focus has often been to just get it done so I can move on in the story I want to tell. I've personally run into some problems in my own drawing when I focus too much on speed over being as true as possible to the vision in my head. Nothing's ever going to be perfect (especially in an artist's own work; we ARE our own worst critics) but I've definitely dropped the ball and not done my story/scenes justice in the past. So now I'm a little wary of the 'go, go, go!' mindset. It's certainly a fine line either way, and how to walk that line without falling off might be something to touch on in a future video.

    Anyways, thanks man!

  • Thanks for the feedback Chris.

  • Intro was hilarious! LMFO.  That's exactly how I feel.  10 minutes here.  15 minutes there.  I have to sneak off and draw because I'm always interrupted.  Like right now I'm at McDonalds with my Frappe on my laptop.  Just chillin right now just because I need a moment of me time.  

    That was a good point in the first installment about short cuts by using computer software like photoshop, and simplifying the art for the sake of putting out the pages faster to get it done.  I think another good ideal is that maybe the first couple of books should be drawn well just to get the reader's attention and then hopefully after the reader pics it up they will actually be pulled in by the story.  Allowing room for a quicker style to be used.  Your linear style always packs a punch, so you don't really have to try that hard. LOL.

    I think one thing about drawing 15 minutes here and there for me is that it does condition me to be able to draw epic quality at a faster pace.  Which is crazy because back in the day it would take me days to complete a page, now just a few hours(average is 5 hours or less with the pencils and inks.)  And that's with a completed page.  

    I haven't drawn in a while because I've been working on a few other hustles, but I am starting to get back into it. THANK GOD!  But I think now whenever I draw it'll be in my sketch book, and then I'll cam scan it, email it to my self, copy and paste, edit and call it a day.  The reason I say this is because it's easier to sketch on the go for right now.

    Anyway thanks for posting. Gotta go wifey is calling. LOL!

  • Thanks for the feedback Brien. I plan to do that "bullet points" idea you shared.
  • Hey Mel,  Watched the first two of the four part series. You have an easy to listen to conversational style, and the comic asides are fun.  Having thing moving on the screen as you narrate definitely helps hold attention.

    Consider ending with a slide of 'bullet points" of either the main points or a few pieces of take-away advice, which aids the viewers clarity and memory.  Good work, Mel!

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