22 panels that always work plus how not to draw comics

ztoical · 11-07-2008 07:07AM #1

Below is a pretty famous series of panels by Artists Wally Wood - sorry its such a poor image, there was a site that had really high res copies but it appears to be down. If anyone has a link to better quality version please link or else I have a hardcopy of this at home I'll scan when I get back.

Its an often parodied page URL="http://drawn.ca/wordpress/wp-content/images/ivan22.gif"]like here[/URL but still a great reference to have [it can help to redraw each panel out in your own style and stick it up somewhere near your drawing table]

I was promted to post this for two reasons [1] we've got this production forum now and it hadn't been linked before and [2] a friend sent me a link to this site I was very tempted not to post a link to it as I'm worried that some people will read it and go "wow what a great site, I'm going to use it to make comics" but I really hope the people who read and post here have a little more cop on and can see site like these for the pile o crap that they are. The sites whole "art section" involves taking photos into a program like PS and whacking a filter on top in less then 4 mins and their entire design section is just the above Wally Wood panels [who at least they credit] re-drawn in the most awful style.

Please, please, please, please don't use sites like this to make comics!

Fysh · 11-07-2008 07:58AM

Heh, that Wally Wood thing is pretty cool. Reminds me of "99 ways to tell a story" somehow.

As for that other site, eurgh. Most photo-based comics that are made these days are pretty bad, and frankly comics made using CAD software or the likes of Bryce are even worse. It's possible to have reasonable-looking photo-based comics but the pictures have to be taken with that specific intent, and things like exposure time and lighting have to be kept constant so that they look consistent once they've had whatever filters applied to alter their appearance...

magwea · 11-07-2008 04:15PM

Comicbookuniverse is a riot. The Jim lee vs Stan lee interview in the video section more so.

Link for the higher res scan you were thinking of. Cynical joke or sincere art lesson read the drawn comments thread to find out. I'm still kinda uncertain of what to make of it.

On the other hand that Brunnetti parody is sublime, "Isolation, Silence, Repetition, Nancy" sounds like the Dilbert comedy formula to me.

ztoical · 11-07-2008 04:58PM

magwea wrote: »

Link for the higher res scan you were thinking of.

Weird I couldn't get that page to open for love nor money last night - cheers for llinking.

magwea wrote: »

Cynical joke or sincere art lesson read the drawn comments thread to find out. I'm still kinda uncertain of what to make of it.

Like the whole counting x amount heads into a body, or sticking your hand out with a pencil to measure a figure, I think its a handy tool to use when starting that you should then forget - when I first took life drawing classes the first year we had all the measuring kicked into us really hardcore and then the first day of the second year of the program we were told to forget all of it and just draw the figure. Most of the panel shots are cliches but there are reasons why they are cliches and for people starting drawing comics I think its a handy reference that you should use for the first couple of short comic strips and then you should put it away.

The only one I kinda have conflict with is the extreme close up as I had an editor who hated those kind of shots and every time anyone had one he would shout "Wow, we've established that the character has eyes."

Fysh · 11-07-2008 05:06PM

Ah, but in Wally Wood's version we're also establishing that they have a nose :P I understand the hatred of the extreme close-up, but used with restraint by someone who can succesfully convey facial expressions through eyes alone it can be quite effective. Granted, that's not often, but still...

magwea · 11-07-2008 05:19PM

ztoical wrote: »

I think its a handy tool to use when starting that you should then forget

I think thats a fair disclaimer.

ztoical wrote: »

The only one I kinda have conflict with is the extreme close up as I had an editor who hated those kind of shots and every time anyone had one he would shout "Wow, we've established that the character has eyes."

I love extreme close ups, comics are great at this sort of thing, they certainly aren't as garish as they are in film. Modern shojo just wouldn't be the same without it.

magwea · 11-07-2008 05:32PM

I hate to spam but the Lee v lee show is so good, almost candid.

Lee explaining why superheroes have capes is hilarious.

livingtargets · 11-07-2008 06:04PM

that parody page is deadly.
Would I be right in thinking it`s Ivan Brunneti (I think I spelt that right...) who did that parody?

And I`ve never been a fan of photocomics really.It`s rare to find good,unawkward story-telling in a photocomic.And also it looks silly when someone tries to pull an exaggerated "comic expression" in real life.
but that`s just what I think.I`m sure there`re people out htere who love them so to each there own,but I just think it`s a cheap excuse for talent...

magwea · 11-07-2008 06:11PM

Hugh grant started his acting career in fumetti, a perfect fit for an awkward form no doubt.

Fysh · 11-07-2008 07:22PM

James Grant, the guy behind Flem Comics and Two Lumps, did a print photocomic called Darkness & Light which worked quite well. But I think it's the exception rather than the rule...

magwea · 11-07-2008 07:38PM

I would have though the softer world was considered the exceptional one.

I also have an odd fondness for bravo's foto love stories, **** no hyper link, still easy enough to find.

22 panels that always work plus how not to draw comics

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