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creatureart — Cheap, Dirty Webcomic Tricks
Published: 2008-10-16 01:03:10 +0000 UTC; Views: 4925; Favourites: 57; Downloads: 82
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Description
A little dig at the quality of some webcomics, including my own attempts. ;]Related content
Comments: 39
LOL i love this, especially the penguin XD
This describes my failed webcomic attempts exactly!
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It also describes my failed attempts well.
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as someone with a webcomic I just have to say....
INSIGHTFUL.
The one I color for is nothing if not as artsy as I can possibly make it. Which actually helps in the long run as I'm a not talent hack as a writer! HAH!
....
for real good tips tho.
....
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Thanks, Akiro-Mitoma. Just a bit of fun I put together a while back. Best of luck for your comic.
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Noted. I will definatly look over this list again when I start drawing my comic.
Thank you.
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Thank you. Now I don't feel like such a freak when people tell me my stories 'slow'. lol
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I tend to tell slow stories too, so at least we're in good company.
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Good advice, I often look at my comics and realise how some look almost exactly the same, but as Charles Schultz said "being a cartoonist is having to draw the same thing over and over again, without repeating yourself." I think I need a little variety, thanks
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So brutally hilarious
Gotta love those artistic crutches. I'm not as familiar with webcomic-ey ones since I'm still rather skittish about doing my own (I once had to do a five page comic for school and it still makes me go 'eeek!' to this day) but quite a few of those points are looking familiar even from mainstream published comics. In any case I can relate because I know that I'm definitely overly dependent on the following in general:
-Crazed scribbling in lieu of comitting to linework
-Mad photoshopped glowing EFFECTS!!1! (but no lens flares, thankfully)
-And when all else fails either a) throw ink splatters at it or b) completely overhaul everything digitally and turn it into an all absorbing, exhausting three month project
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Wow, I cringe when I look back at my first webcomic... even when I look at some of the panels in the one I'm doing at the moment! I'm slowly learning to ignore what I don't like and keep on -- but its difficult at times!
Crazed scribbling: Yes! I hate committing to linework, too! Especially when it feels like I'm just tracing my initial sketch.
Effects: At least you avoid the lens flare filter! 
All Else Fails: Wow, I've never done ink splatters or overhauls but that sounds intense! Do you have any overhauls happening at the moment?
Far out, you made me laugh pretty hard with that. Thank you.
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Lol.
That's true.
I rarely do it because I have a short attention span; I do one panel then get sick of it xD
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I have a medium attention span but the part that gets me with comics is knuckling down and getting started. To each their own struggles I think.
Cheers, thanks Toxiic.
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Lol. I can start alright, finishing is the problem. I have about 3 finished works lol. 
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so true. I have def do the close-ups thing, like... always.
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Hahah I do it a lot, too! I don't think its the worst habit to have -- sometimes its just the best way to carry the story, especially in short-term works or comic strips.
But in long-term stories or comics including other panel types keeps things interesting. Like background or location shots, distance shots or close up on objects/body parts.
Pretty much all of the things I pointed out in this deviation apply to me, unfortunately. Don't feel bad, we're all in the same boat because there's always room to improve and expand.
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right. it helps the reader get the same feel for the situation that you have in your mind with the most detail you have. but it think you do a good just with miing things up and showing set.
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shyeah. Can't do something? Why even try? Just cop out and whine about it in your artist notes.
lolol
Awesome, Rah. I love your little comments, written and typed in.
It's something of a pet peeve of mine when a comic artist doesn't draw background, or heck, doesn't even bother to rip of a google search image, but just draws a little stick figure house/tree/whatever, and makes an actual written note to the effect of "so I can't draw X, I'll fix it later".
Gah! *brandishes a rolled up newspaper*
*kicks away soapbox before setting up a permanent camp*
Very funny commentary. ^_^
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My goodness I find that annoying too! As webcomic artists I think perhaps we should avoid whining, complaining or making excuses for any art we put online. That's something I'd like to work on.
I mean, in your example... most webcomic artists I've seen never go back to fix old pages. Upload, forget about it and work on the next page. :]
I'm glad you like those random notes. They're my version of what a typical webcomicker might comment. Unfortunately I can see a lot of myself in there. Argh, truth hurts.
Cheers, Sara!
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Indeed. I do find myself being lazy too though, much to my chagrin. If I can reuse the lineart from a background, then by gum, I'm going to. ^^ Though, that never seems to stop me from torturing myself into doing backgrounds that take a dozen hours to complete. Ironic, no?
A little self derision is never a bad thing. ^^
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Laziness and deadlines are a killer. Something's always going to get rushed, eh? 
Oh YES. I know about backgrounds. I've been doing that in the latest Timeloss pages. (7 complete, w00t!).
Hopefully its good to look at our faults every now and then, so we know what we can work on. ^_^
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True, true. I kind of am tempted at times to build up a set of background stock, to if nothing else, reference.
Wootwoot!
Indeed.
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Hahaha so true. Webcomics like that are so difficult to read - so people don't want to read them. In fact, I recall a couple I used to follow - no plot whatsoever, but beautiful man-faces and words in bubbles accompanying them.
Though I have been guilty of some of those charges in the past, hehehe. Always room for improvement!
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Oh, I'm guilty of most, if not all of these! I suspect there's time to use all of them, but with understanding and not exclusively. Just my little opinion though, I'm no expert. :]
I'm also guilty of being a sucker for beautiful webcomics. But I find they don't really catch my interest much....
Cheers Sleepy.
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Good things to keep in mind, especially as I get to the scripting section in my studies.
I like the design of Ll....the fighter....whatever his name is. Quite exotic.
Here's hoping I can avoid the cheap tactics and go for the suggested development. Likewise, keep up the good work yourself. Strive for excellence....never give in to the cheap side of the force!
Go Team Webcomic Creators!
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Oh wow - hows scripting going? I struggle to script... instead I just spend long hours thinking about stories, the flow and overarching plot....
The real problem is -- most of these cheap tricks work. Close ups on dramatic faces are effective, but not over long multiple pages I think. Absolutely - I'll keep trying to improve and branch out in my approach to comics. You strive for excellence, too -- we'll never get it perfect but its worth putting in the effort and being happy whatever results.
Haha you read the 'author notes' then. 
Yes! Go Team Webcomic Creators! I like that battle-cry.
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Scripting....hasn't begun yet. lol Like you, everything is still just floating around inside my head about how I'm going to do things. I've mainly been contemplating how the story fits the three-act structure and, thankfully, it fits pretty well. As far as I see it, my introduction should be roughly three issues.
Oh yes, when you can save some effort and still make it look good, it can be effective. Like you said, though...you just don't want to drag it out too much.
But shucks....I wanted to do a two page spread of a close-up on my main character! >.<
Oh, and don't tell anyone...but I kinda borrowed and modified our battle cry from the Venture Brothers. Just don't tell Adult Swim...
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The transition from head to paper is... hard, isn't it? 
Whoops, guess I let it open for that one. Actually, close ups are good. Just as long as they aren't the only thing used in the comic. I think its great to intentionally decide the shot for each panel and have a general understanding on why that shot was used over others.
No problem, I won't tell if you dont!
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Hmm....did I make it sound like I was taking a jab at you? Certainly not and apologies if it did! I was just joking around... nothing scathing or malicious intended.
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Oh, not at all! I was a bit unclear -- I was more meaning that I should have made things a bit clearer - close ups are really effective in comics and even work well as the most-used shot type. I just disagree when comic artists use close ups almost to exclusion. :]
Apologies for the misunderstanding.
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Heh...not too worry. All worked out in the end. 
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I appreciate that, thank you.
I find it hard to be offended over the internet, though, probably because of the lack of body language and tone of voice in communication.
There are other friends of mine that joke around a lot, too - I like that sort of atmosphere. : D
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HAHAHAHA oh yes. Great art though.
Its always nice when we can laugh at ourselves.
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Thanks! This thing makes me wince, though.
Its so easy to take shortcuts but you learn more by experimenting, I think. At least I hope so, else its perhaps a waste of time!
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Ooh. Loved the insights.
Comic was awesome. Good job, this is being filed away in the black hole that is my fav's folder. Anything that makes me actually laugh goes there, and this one takes the cake.
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I'm glad it made you laugh! I laughed as well, though a little painfully -- I'm often cheap in my comics as well.
Thanks Starry.
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