So week after week I find myself doing something that I never thought I’d spend so much time and effort to improve…. Writing.
Maybe it comes from my art and programming backgrounds, but I am constantly trying to find some kind of formula or exercise that will make the construction of a storyline an easier process. Now that may feel like a kind of clinical and antiseptic way of approaching what is very much an art form. But to be perfectly honest, that’s how I approach my artwork. Now granted, that isn’t how I always thought of art, but in college I learned that a well drawn character begins with a solid construction from basic shapes, so why should writing be any different?
I tend to start my writing sessions by recapping what is happening to the characters, what they might be feeling, thinking, what they want to do… just something to get the writing juices flowing. A little like a warmup sketch.
The next step is for me to write out a series of Plot Points I want to hit. I don’t try to fill up every slot in a month of comics or anything, adding in more points between them to achieve a proper pace for the story can come later. I just throw in anything I can think of that I’d like to have included in the storyline. These Plot Points can be as detailed as fully fleshed out comic scripts or as vague as a single sentence that gives a loose idea of what will eventually become a script.
At this point I look over what I’ve got and I just kinda guess at where I need to add another strip or two between the existing plot points to correct the pacing. This is one part of the process that I don’t fully understand myself. Pacing is just one of those things that I can just tell is off by looking at it. I know it’s not particularly helpful, but it’s true. Sometimes I can just tell that I need to add a strip before a change in location or subject matter, like it needs a transition… I dunno, it’s hard to explain.
This is the point when I’ll often have a hard time coming up with ideas for those filler strips. Luckily I recently discovered a writing trick that helps me come up with some new ideas. It’s a variation of brainstorming I think of it as “the what if game.” I just make a big old list of what ifs that relate to whats currently happening in the strip.
What if the car breaks down on the way to the hospital?
What if Brody discovers he’s allergic to the gel in disposable diapers?
What if Abbey goes into false labor?
What if Max breaks his arm and they all end up in the hospital together?
You get the idea…
So this list will generally generate enough options that SOMETHING in there will spark my imagination that will eventually become a joke. You know it’s been said that ideas are cheap, that the execution of those ideas are what matter. This is true for writing comic strips. I have learned that ANY situation can become a joke, you just need to find the right angle to approach it from. Humor comes from the unexpected. Present a problem or situation and then resolve it in a way your audience wont expect and you illicit a humor response.
The last thing I do when writing a strip is simplify it. Again with the writing as a formula…. This is the point where I take the joke I have and I optimize the script. I try to take the most basic essence of the comic and I try to reduce it down to as few words as possible. Editing down your scripts is important, but there is such a thing as doing it to aggressively. You still need to maintain the tension in the strip. By tension I mean you need to build up the tension in your first two or three panels and then release it on the final panel. That tension can be lost if you edit the script down too far. But that’s what I mean by optimizing…
Anyway, that’s my writing process… Hope you guys find it interesting.
I’d love to hear from you guys regarding your own writing tricks and tendencies.
Rawb
September 9th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Ha, drawing by hand! Awesome! Do you ink by hand as well, or just do your rough work? I know you say you do clean-up in Photoshop, but I ink by hand and I usually have clean-up work to do by the truckload.
What advice or references, if any, can you give on coloring? Color has never been a strong suit for me, and I’d like to learn more. I like your style a lot.
September 9th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Actually all my inking is done digitally these days… the cintiq helps a lot with that. I could ink by hand, but that would probably eat up loads of time, so after the pencil work is done it’s off to the scanner.
I’m actually surprised that you are asking me about colour… I’ve always felt that colour was one of my weak spots, but I’ve always enjoyed the look… it’s usually a struggle for me… but then again I’ve always been a harsh critic as far as my own work goes…. Colour has been mostly trial an error. I’ve spent a little time colour picking off photos and making small adjustments till they look right but I do have a couple of tips I can give.
1) when adding shadows, colour pick the tone you’re making shadows for and then pick a colour slightly further down and to the right of the initial colour (in photoshop) which is the equivilant of picking a colour slightly darker but a bit more saturated then the original….
2) If you are using photoshop you can use the “Hue/Saturation” tool to great affect (Ctrl+U) once your colouring is finished. Adjusting the saturation will allow you to get either a brighter more vibrant look to your colour or a more pastel washed out feel. Also a very slight change on the Hue slider gives you the ability to make your colour palette a little on the cooler or warmer side.
3) Experiment by throwing down a wash of different colours on a new layer and play with the layer oppacity or fill type… you can get some neat effects this way…
Hope that helps!
September 9th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
I’m not a big fan of my color either, for pretty much the same reason…If you can’t be a harsh critic of your own work, you’re not going anywhere.
Those tips are pretty good. I use Photoshop Elements, which basically allows me to do most things people do in Photoshop but with a lot more journeying around my backside to get to my elbow, so to speak. Most of what you said makes sense to me, too, so that’s a good sign!
My main problem with my color at this point is with the colors I choose. I just can’t ever seem to be satisfied, no matter how long I dicker around with the sliders and palette. I’m going to have to grab some photos and play around a bit, that’s honestly not occurred to me. It’s one of those ideas that should have been so obvious it seems profound.
Thanks for talking art with me! I know you probably have better things to do, but it’s really interesting and helpful. Best of luck, with talent and skill like yours I’m sure you’ll be living off your work in no time (current day job aside).
September 9th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
You are so right about that Lou, if you think your art is perfect the way it is you will never improve as an artist. Honestly it’s a long hard slog. But rest assured, my process is definitely not as streamlined as some might think. I’ve seen the videos of Scott Kurtz laying down a perfect line every time and Mike Krahulik laying down a full colour masterpiece in under two hours…. I’m not there yet…. I still spend a good chunk of time repicking colours and redrawing lines… I’m not perfect. In fact I work at an animation studio with this guy… http://www.maverikanim.com/ and I’ve seen him working on his art at the studio and wow…. it’s both inspirational and disheartening… But in the end a critical eye will take you far… keep working hard at your art an solicit as many critics from the professionals you admire…. That is the road to success… and never fear I am always willing to talk shop with people. As far as not being satisfied with colour picking…. well you’re not gonna like this answer but it’s the truth… experience will get you where you want to go. When all else fails, copy another artist’s colours… there’s no shame in it, that’s how you learn. I’ve done the same thing myself.