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kevinbolk — The Dark Allure of Copy and Paste
Published: 2011-11-28 05:45:29 +0000 UTC; Views: 73343; Favourites: 2485; Downloads: 331
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Description
So I prepared a couple of new slides for my "10 Things I Hate About Webcomics" presentation at Anime USA. The idea behind the whole thing was to poke fun at common webcomics tropes, cliches, and/or bad habits and to help new creators recognize them and then either avoid them or exploit them (because anything, even tropes, done well can still make for good entertainment). This stuff can be applied to a lot of other media as well and I think most creators (myself included) have been guilty of them at one point or another.This one illustrates copy & paste abuse. I often tell people that a little bit of C&P for background elements, certain gags, and tight deadlines is okay. However, repeated use of this will not only make your comics boring, but it can really handicap you as an artist. Learning to draw things consistently is an essential skill for anyone considering a serious career in cartooning and it's a skill you can only learn through MASSIVE amounts of practice. Remember, kids, you learn to draw by drawing!
Check out some of my previously posted art slides for the webcomics presentation below:
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Comments: 212
I'm guilty of this quite often with minor expression differences especially if the characters are in a car.
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You know something? You are VERY FUNNY -- and very observant, as well! The world could use more people like you.
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I've been tempted to do so, but talked myself out of it with the fact that it would leave a big blank spot on my comic. That's traditional for you.
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doesn't always happen in webcomics. Lazy manga artist do it too. Its so freaking anoying
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This is brilliant! XD And yeah... it really kinda works though, but yeah, some movement and life might help. xD
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I absolutely hate it when others don't make their characters move in comics.
It BUGS THE CRAP out of me.
Show some expression! You're not a mannequin!
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...I've been guilty of this. It's true. OTL OTL
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Partially Clips [link] is a webcomic that is MADE OF THIS. Literally, it is dialog written over three panels of identical clip art. And for the most part, it is FUNNY as HECK. You would love it. Guy calls himself "shoebox"
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But I just learned to copy and paste
But I just learned to copy and paste
But I just learned to copy and paste
But I just learned to copy and paste
But I just learned to copy and paste
But I just learned to copy and paste
But I just learned to copy and paste
But I just learned to copy and paste
But I just learned to copy and paste
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This reminds me of someone but this really isnt the place... lol Ill try not to do it it I ever make a webcomic
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Why are they playing Marco Polo with both their eyes open? :C SHE'S CHEATING.
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because is dark and they could'nt see anything!
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I think, like all things, that uniformity can be a stylistic feature- Men in Hats was one of my favorite web comics back when it existed, and part of what I love about it was how cookie cutter the style was.
I do agree that with most cases it's a no no, but it has it's place.
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You make a good point, and yet you've copied and pasted the description of every deviation in this presentation series...
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What can I say? I like irony. XD
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This reminds me of Head Trip- but, personally, I like the way Head Trip is executed.... soooo.... I don't know hahaha.
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Practice is essential to these things.
I used to be horrid at drawing anything except powerpuff girls.
Not any more....
Maybe...
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Love you lessons... I have broken everyone so far.
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But...but... Dinosaur Comics!
(It had to be said).
And, this is cute. How much more adorable can you get than cute fangirl doing "Marco Polo" with Teh Kevin?
Seriously, this is an excellent slide series. Are you posting the other 6 Things You Hate to DA? Pleaaase?
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This one still has me laughing. It's been a few weeks. Definitely one to remember.
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I was looking at this and thought almost instantly, "wtf is with the copypasta?"
Now I remember why I always read what the artist has to say.
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My gosh, this made me happy, and I like your advice~
I love your comics~
I keep checking for the next Weegie~
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There is but ONE use for repetiveness of such work :
That is to test the content of the text bubbles!
Do this... try finding stories that DON'T need any modifications in the panels and try the find better words to use and better way to show it... then you use that text in the real panels.
Note also that this slide also could be used for the repetive panels where ONLY faces changes... with only some modifications.
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I never copy and paste in my drawings and comics. If I want to duplicate a scene or panel, I draw from the eye.
I read somewhere before that even if it's not entirely perfect from the original, it'll be more interesting to the reader even subconciously.
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This reminds me of a certain Tom Preston fella.... Hmmmm....
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I like this series that you're doing. 
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Copy and paste is both a blessing and a curse to comic artists in the digital age.
Just compare 8-Bit Theater with Ctrl+Alt+Del.
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Did anyone record the presentation? I'd love to hear you talk about it. ^^
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Marco Polo was a huge thing going on during AX this year. They would shout that between skits which I found amusing until after the fifth time it was done. Someone stopped them for a while by shouting, "Silence! I kill you!" in Achmed's voice.
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Please, for the love of all things entertaining, tell me that there's a video of this some where!!
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The Marco Polo or Achmed telling them to silence?
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