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Creating my 1st comic

  • 21-06-2010 8:24pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 29,437 ✭✭✭✭


    Hi,

    I have always had a few ideas on making a comic set in the Crime Noir genre. I recently started writing and have a ton of ideas so would love to put a comic together. Only problem is I can't draw! I just got a book today 'How to draw crime noir for comics and graphic novles'. Excellent book, has the exact style I am going for and great tutorials on how to draw certain models, locations and the very important shadows and shading.

    Can someone suggest what pencils to get? I would like to practice this drawing and eventually work it into my story. Eventually, I would like to scan it onto my computer, put it in Adobe reader or something.

    Any advice for a non-drawer with big ideas?? :)

    Thanks all!


Comments

  • Moderators, Arts Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 10,999 Mod ✭✭✭✭Fysh


    If you're just starting out, the first thing is just draw. Draw lots, draw anything you can think of (whether or not it seems directly relevant to the comic you want to draw) and draw often. You'll find it takes a while to get a feel for proportions and curves, but it comes with practice.

    When you're first starting out, you might not want to worry too much about materials. When you're buying pencils you'll notice they're graded on their hardness or softness - harder pencils (eg 4H) are quite good for sharp, thin lines whereas softer pencils (eg 3B) are better for a sort of smudgy, thick line. Soft pencils will probably be useful if you're planning lots of shadow work.

    That being said, it depends on how you want to work. You can draw lots of different ways:
    • drawing in pencil, then inking over that in india ink
    • drawing in pencil, then scanning that in and working on your picture in a graphics program
    • drawing from scratch in a graphics program using a graphics tablet
    • using a brushpen to draw directly in ink

    and those are just off the top of my head, without going into more complicated things like creating 3-d models and painting on the surfaces...

    The main thing, I suppose, is not to get too hung up about this comic you want to draw right now - because to properly learn how to draw you have to draw all sorts of things, not just the things in your script. It's a fun hobby, even if it does take a while to feel like you're getting anywhere.

    You might also want to have a look at the resources thread - there are a lot of free graphics programs and tutorials in there that might give you ideas on what you want to do.


  • Registered Users Posts: 29,437 ✭✭✭✭Zero-Cool


    Thanks a lot man! Lots of great info there. I remember the different pencil types from Art class back in school (wish I paid more attention :D). Yupp, I plan on getting a pad and just scribbling till it starts looking ok. Just that I know exactly how I want it to look in my head, I want to just be able to draw it :)

    Better get cracking! Thanks again man, that resource page is very useful!!!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,333 ✭✭✭Sairus


    A great way to get practice at comics that keeps you motivated are Original Character Tournaments (OCTs) on deviantART.
    The basic structure is a bunch of comic writers each create a character. They are then paired up in a knockout tournament where each artist much draw their character fighting and beating their opponent.
    Each comic is judged and the winner moves on to the next round where they must fight again.
    They're a lot of fun to enter and watch so you should check them out.
    http://octfollowers.deviantart.com/ is a handy hub for keeping track of any upcoming or ongoing tournaments.
    For some examples of high end OCT entries, check out http://unknown-person.deviantart.com/'s account.


  • Registered Users Posts: 29,437 ✭✭✭✭Zero-Cool


    That sounds class!! I'm gonna keep my eye on that!


  • Registered Users Posts: 105 ✭✭niall mc cann


    Hey! Snap!

    Was in pretty much the exact same position a few months ago. I started drawing, and I'm still drawing. I'm still no Michealangelo, but if you look at the first page, then the last page of my comic (http://bunnymalone.thecomicseries.com), you can definitely see the improvement. I just hope I can keep moving up the curve.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,234 ✭✭✭Thwip!


    sheehy83 wrote: »
    Hi,

    I have always had a few ideas on making a comic set in the Crime Noir genre. I recently started writing and have a ton of ideas so would love to put a comic together. Only problem is I can't draw! I just got a book today 'How to draw crime noir for comics and graphic novles'. Excellent book, has the exact style I am going for and great tutorials on how to draw certain models, locations and the very important shadows and shading.

    Can someone suggest what pencils to get? I would like to practice this drawing and eventually work it into my story. Eventually, I would like to scan it onto my computer, put it in Adobe reader or something.

    Any advice for a non-drawer with big ideas?? :)

    Thanks all!

    by any chance was that by the very cool Chris Hart


  • Registered Users Posts: 251 ✭✭Ring4Fea


    Hey there. I've drawn for the big 4 and for 5 of the top 50 writers in comics but also taught as am artist-in-residence, so my advice shall be considered nigh-heathen:

    Cheat. Only truly draw and ink your pages after you self train to a semi pro level. Until then with today's tech and noir appropriate buildings only a train ride away, photo ref everything, up the exposure lower the brightness hype the contrast after converting to black and white, use a 2008/2009 mac or iMac as a defacto lightbox and basically rotoscope tje p


  • Registered Users Posts: 251 ✭✭Ring4Fea


    Edit function is acting up so to continue:
    get some friends and yourself to pose for the character shots and use the high exposure low brightness trick. Then use something like a 2008 macbook in a darkened room as a lightbox. Basically trace all the major black areas with an HB or 2B lead pencil til you get an image close to what you want or better. Focussing on block shadows emulates the original Noir Films anyway.


  • Registered Users Posts: 251 ✭✭Ring4Fea


    Make sure to do this on some semi transparent paper such as drafting paper or the "frosted" tracing paper found in most art supply shops. Try to focus on getting the shapes of the shadows and their relationship 2 each other and try to ignore rendering and hatching and contour lines as much as possible until you've self trained for around 300 hours. Only hatch and render areas that are easy for you. Only use an inking utensil that's easy for you. Believe it or not, a simple newsagent style colour marker with a tiny bullet tip often does the trick since the fibrous tip has a bit of give but not as much as a real brush or brushpen. Just use the black one in the pack and don't worry about waterproof ink; it's a digital world and scanners/DSLRs mean you can draw with whatever is easiest.


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