Drawing comics: help please!

readee · Post by **readee** » 27 Jun 2007, 14:37

Thanks kindly! Hmmm... maybe I'll get into PhotoShop one day... but I just like colouring

NP · Post by NP » 28 Jun 2007, 09:01

All very sound advice.
If you like markers, Copic are good too, with an extremely good bleed time, and flat coverage (when needed). Just use what suits you best. There's no right or wrong way. Photoshop is good because there's no need for refills but the outlay is greater.
You can see all these colouring inks and pens at either Cowling & Wilcox Broadwick Street, Soho, or the London Graphic Centre, Covent Garden.
You could try submitting to the Beano but not the Dandy. And don't expect a full critique. Editors are very busy, and either like what they see or don't. If they like it, you'll know soon enough.
Good luck!

readee · Post by **readee** » 28 Jun 2007, 09:52

Thanks again for the tips. I've been using the Letraset Pantone markers, which I like; have seen the Copic ones but am less familiar with them. Will check out those stores when I'm next in London.

I'm interested in why you say submitting to the Beano rather than the Dandy... Are there better openings there for new artists?

Cheers
Chris

ISPYSHHHGUY · Post by **ISPYSHHHGUY** » 04 Nov 2007, 10:50

D.C.Thomson are a reputable company, and i am pretty sure they will give you some sort of personal response and encouragement, if they see you have an inkling of talent.......i kept my first-ever submission to them, and i looked at it recently, and it looks TERRIBLE.......but they still gave me an encouraging reply [fro then- 'DANDY' editor, DAVEY TORRIE] after about 3 weeks, but it took me a full year before any stuff got accepted [from another Editor, incidentally].................i think they get an awful lot of dross, and they get fed-up seeing stuff that is not quite ready, so just keep on drawing [writing your own stuff can help,too] til you KNOW your stuff is good, that is when you will be noticed..........BEST OF LUCK.

felneymike · Post by **felneymike** » 04 Nov 2007, 18:21

Don't forget the avenue of self-publishing. If your stuff is good enough to be submitted to proper companies, it's going to be far better than most self-published stuff (mine especially XD). According to the blurb along with the self-published pages in the Judge Dredd Megazine (PS-Submit to them!) it's a route by which more and more artists are finding thier way into professional work, a friend of mine included. Produce your own comic that gets people talking and sells out at conventions and who knows, the companies may start chasing you for a change XD

tolworthy · Post by **tolworthy** » 05 Nov 2007, 08:48

NP wrote:Photoshop is good because there's no need for refills but the outlay is greater.

Photoshop Elements is pretty good. It's annoyingly aimed at the amateur photo re-toucher, so there are some unwanted irritations (like a cluttered desktop, offering red eye removal, and installing a downloader) but the core set of tools is all there. I got mine from Amazon and I'm now Photoshop-legal for about sixty quid. And a Wacom Volito tablet was about forty.

I needed the anisotropic filter, a rock solid feel to the brushes, and of course plenty of undos (my old Rotring drawing pen lacked an undo feature). I tried penciling, and a dozen other software solutions (and explored inferior tablets) but you really can't beat Photoshop. Obviously if four hundred quid is not a problem then go for the real thing, but Elements is pretty good. And most of the missing features (such as clever alpha channels) can be had through the GIMP.

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 05 Nov 2007, 13:42

tolworthy wrote:
NP wrote:Photoshop is good because there's no need for refills but the outlay is greater.
Photoshop Elements is pretty good.

Agreed, although there are two main omissions for comic artists with this cut down package. One, you can't do "Actions" and more importantly it doesn't do CMYK.

I used to use Elements, which was ok apart from the above, but then I bought the full Photoshop (version 7) from a reputable dealer on eBay. It cost just under ?300 but that worked out cheaper than buying it from a High Street store.

Lew

steelclaw · Post by **steelclaw** » 06 Nov 2007, 20:45

Someone wrote a letter about drawing etc to Lion & Thunder in 1972, was it anyone on here?

[img

881]http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u283 ... xx/let.jpg[/img]

Steve Bright · Post by **Steve Bright** » 06 Nov 2007, 21:17

Wasn't me, but nice to know I'm a genius.

SH · Post by SH » 08 Nov 2007, 03:12

LOL! steve

Steve Bright · Post by **Steve Bright** » 08 Nov 2007, 09:14

SH wrote:LOL! steve

Ah - Mr Horrocks! A fellow genius, I believe. In fact, I think most of us are.

Hands up, you pathetic comic artists who had to go to art school - come on...let's see you.........

Gary Northfield · Post by **Gary Northfield** » 08 Nov 2007, 11:49

****gingerly puts up hand....****

SH · Post by SH » 08 Nov 2007, 18:58

Lol!
well we missed out on Frat parties though . Did you know they actually do online college classes now, how great is that .

NP · Post by NP » 08 Nov 2007, 22:23

Well I'm sure my work speaks for itself, but just to clarify, of COURSE I didn't go the art school!

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 08 Nov 2007, 23:47

NP wrote:Well I'm sure my work speaks for itself, but just to clarify, of COURSE I didn't go the art school!

Nor me. At 16 I went out to work. I'd had enough of school!

Lew

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