Finding the Right Format
I think it’s one of the pervasive mistakes made by webcartoonists today — they’re doing strips when they ought to be doing longform comics. It’s an easy mistake to make, after all. Most of the...
View ArticleDesigning a logo
Designing a logo for your comic can be surprisingly daunting. After all, many of us are either artists or we collaborate directly with artists. But designing a logo requires a slightly different skill...
View ArticleAdd lettering to original art to improve sales
Selling original art is an important part of the business model of an independent cartoonist who works with traditional media (pencils, inks, etc.). But if you use digital lettering, that final art...
View ArticleClip Studio Paint tutorial: Highlights for black hair
Drawing a person with black hair can be tricky. If you’re not careful, you can end up with someone who looks as if a stack of vinyl records melted on their head! This three-minute Clip Studio Paint...
View ArticleDetritus — what it is, and why you need it in your comic
Let’s talk about one of those savvy touches that can help take your art to the next level. And, ironically enough, it’s not all about creating a neater, more tidy image. It’s about adding detritus....
View ArticleClip Studio Paint — Black Friday Sale
From now until Dec. 1, Clip Studio Paint is offering both versions of its software for 50% off. CSP is strongly endorsed for comics-creation by Webcomics.com, and this is a great time to pick it up if...
View ArticleHow to launch a new comic
If you’re thinking about launching a comic, I have ten tips to help you get off on the right foot. (And if you’ve already started, double-check this list to catch some mistakes you may have made early...
View ArticleShould you re-draw old comics?
It’s an inevitable part of getting better at comics. You look back on your earlier work and cringe. (And the better you’ve gotten, the more intense your regret!) Then, perhaps as you’re considering...
View ArticleLine breaks in word balloons
Lettering is crucially important — especially if you’re trying to write a humor comic. Comedy is about timing, and bad lettering kills timing. So let’s look at a seldom discussed aspect of lettering —...
View ArticleHow to lay out a comicbook page
You’ve got your script written, and you’re ready to start penciling pages. The only problem is — how the heck are you supposed to get started?! Let’s take it step by step. The content you are trying to...
View ArticlePage turns and Story beats
A cartoonist was sharing some advice they got on a recent webinar. The instructor suggested that a comics artist should keep a reader moving through a book by placing something enticing at the end of...
View ArticleIdeas are bulls#!+
Tell me if this has ever happened to you. You have a deadline or an assignment is due, and you can’t get an idea — there are no ideas! I have good news for you… The content you are trying to […] ↓ Read...
View ArticleAccepting criticism
I accept criticism on my art from two sources: peers who are on a similar journey who I reach out to for advice (like an art-school critique, for example) and people with a demonstrated proficiency in...
View ArticleDesigning a logo — Do’s and Don’t’s
Designing a logo for your comic can be surprisingly daunting. After all, many of us are either artists or we collaborate directly with artists. But designing a logo requires a slightly different skill...
View ArticleDraft Layers in Clip Studio
The ability to create Draft Layers — and apply Draft Layer settings to entire folders — is a huge part of what makes Clip Studio special. Here’s a brief tutorial to get you pointed in the right direction!
View ArticleChanging how we talk to young artists about education
I’ve been teaching at the university level since 2014, and I’ve noticed something alarming. We’ve been giving young people the wrong idea about education. Worse yet — it’s something I’d been doing with...
View ArticleHow many panels should you have on your page?
A fellow creator once shared that they were told that a comics page should have between 4 and 7 panels per page. Not only is this bad advice, but it removes the focus from where it ought to be. I’m […]...
View ArticleCMYK vs RGB
If you’re saving your comics in RGB mode, you may be making a potentially expensive mistake. The content you are trying to access is only available to members.
View ArticleHow much time should it take you to do a comic?
A person who was just starting to do comics asked a question in a forum for creators: “How long does it take you to do one four-panel strip?” They got a wide range of answers — each one of them […] ↓...
View ArticleWhat is a professional
What do you consider a “professional” cartoonist? Many people define a professional as someone who earns money for their work. But is that all there is? The content you are trying to access is only...
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