Monday 23 September 2013

Cheat week!

Hi Again,

Been a busy week, so I thought I would share something that really helped me realise that it does'nt matter how much life is on your plate, just getting it done is possible!

http://www.michaeleregina.com/blog/?p=1476

Michael is currently Kickstarting the book he talks about in the above link! to check it out go here:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1247384685/adamsville-book-1-the-unknowns


So what excuses are you making for not getting stuff done?

I mean, I don't even know how to colour... and don't have the budget to pay for a colorist...
to get around this problem I'm drawing for black & white, attempting to maximise the high contrast images and shadows to express the world.

This is an example of attempting to convey some menace & mystery...hardly perfect but still worth the attempt....


I have heaps of other excuses, but I have set myself a deadline to complete the story and am still running on time, I am kind of itching to get stuck into some inkslinging but am restraining my self so I can scan my pencils before I go there (just in case I sling my ink to recklessly!!)

I am also planning on starting my CPA studies at the end of the year, but after seeing what Michael has done, I am certain I can still hit my targets.

Any out there got other great time saving tips or suggestions....

If you do please feel free to comment below...

Until next time, don't make excuses, make comics!

Follow me on twitter: @TheDanTribe


All artwork on this page is Trademark & copyright their respective creators.

Monday 16 September 2013

Adventures in Digital workflow

Hi peeps, it's a new week and with a new week a new installment of my blog, apologies for the gap between posts, but I am now back on the wagon after a break...

I previously alluded to the impending delivery of my work process savior, the CINTIQ 13 HD.
Let me tell ya, I'm excited!

Excited Dan
No that's not me with the Cintiq, this is the picture of me being excited when I won the anime DVD prize from www.geekofoz.com! (cool guy follow him on twitter @geekofoz) and Hanabee! (@HanabeeOfficial on the twitters)

Anyway, this picture still reflects my excitement in crossing over to the digital frontier.


You totally just draw on the screen

Cintiq's have largely priced themselves out of the market for hobbyists purely because they are hella expensive, but the CINTIQ 13HD is around $1,100. Not too bad for an investment in productivity...

It takes some getting used to, it also take some time trying to figure out what the optimal pen size to use is because of the frequent zooming in and out that occurs.

I still find it easier to work with a blank piece of paper rather than a blank screen. OS i initially made an A5 booklet with my estimated page count to see if I would make the page count. 
I then thumbnailed the whole story in Manga Studio. This has saved me miles of paper as the failed layout can be covered up by a new layer.


I then got my trusty(?) editor @Andventures to edit my thumbnails in Manga Studio with the old school method of making adjustments in red.



Apparently my work needs to be a bit more Rob Liefeld-esque in the first panel, and a bit less Liefeld inspired in the second. If you can read it the top panel features a suggestion "more pouches" and also a preference for a huge gun instead of an apple. He has also kindly drawn an attempt a huge gun, or blunderbuss if you will. His other observations include "no room for a big gun" and "Liefeld WTF!"- clearly the latter comment somehow suggesting Liefeld considered the 180 degree rule less of a rule and more of a guide only. 

Even though this snippet of advice seems kinda silly, having an editor who doesn't hold back really helps get the best out of you, there's a reason @Andventures is CEO of Bolt comics (its because he has the CEO stamp...)

What I have found is that once you have got the layouts more or less sorted out,doing the pencils on paper seems to go a lot faster.



Til next week when I will discuss in a bit more detail my project, A Brigand's Tale.

Less talk, more comics!

Follow me on Twitter: @TheDanTribe
All characters and their distinctive likenesses thereof  are Trademark & copyright Daniel Tribe.