Comics for Beginners

How to Write & Draw Comics

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The price of praise

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The-loser-takes-it-allI was up for an award here in Denmark this weekend, the Ping, something like the Danish equivalent of the Eisners. I was nominated for my graphic novel, STILETTO, in the main category. I didn’t win, which puts me in a position to talk about the nature of validation and the need for praise, instead of just tooting my horn and talking about how awesome I am.

Of course I would have loved to win that award, I was hoping for it and at the same time trying NOT to hope for it, because dissapointment is not the greatest feeling in the world. But here’s the thing: If I HAD won that award, it would have felt great for a few moments, maybe a few days. But the need for praise and validation never really goes away.

It’s never enough.

The needy little part of an artist’s soul is always going to want more. I don’t know anyone who feels they have enough fan mail or awards on their shelf that it fulfils their need. I don’t belive those people exist. You can never drink enough water that it keeps you from ever being thirsty again.

So while I would loved to have won, it’s more because it would have helped me with press and such going forward. It’s like those booster points you get in computer games, where you pick up the coin or whatever and you get a rocket attached to your back. An award or a great review gives you that boost for a few seconds, and then the effect wears off. The game continues. You start looking for the next gold coin.

What I’m trying to say is, if you ever find yourself up for an award or a job or anything, think of it as a step towards an end goal. Always keep that in mind. And stay busy! Keeping busy and working on your craft is not only great for building a career, it’s also your best defense against the needy, selfish little part of you that worries wether anyone really, I mean REALLY, loves you or they’re all just pretending. The part of you that looks on other people with envy and want to keep you from building confidence and self-sustainability. I don’t know what the purpose of that part of our brain is, but I’m willing to bet good money we all have it.

I try to teach my kids to be grateful of the things they have rather than bitch about what they don’t have. It’s hard for a kid to see another kid with an ice cream. But that’s LIFE. And it goes on like that.

So I’m here at the studio hunched over my desk as the sun is baking outside, grateful for working on the Thomas Alsop comic more or less full time, grateful for the praise I DO get and the support of all the subscribers on Comics for Beginners, thankful for every “like” on Facebook, but not depending on it for my sense of self-appreciation. Grateful for having done work I’m proud of and having it published, and having a supportive wife who takes care of our kids while I’m at work on a national holiday and who never asked me to get a real job instead of wasting my time doing comics. I am so very, very lucky and very happy right now, doing what I love and am relatively good at.

Thank you.

Now back to work.

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Related post: Why you can’t learn from success

 

Digital vs. drawing on paper

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Everything seems to be moving towards going digital – even making comics. But are you ready to make the jump?

While the digital possibilities are vast and very tempting, I still see advantages in the oldschool method of drawing on paper. Here is a list of pros and cons as I see it.

Pros of going digital:

No scanning.

Since you’re drawing your art directly in the computer, there is less hassle scanning and cleaning up your original artwork.

Possibilities

Being able to move and scale ANYTHING, including reference pictures, sketches and word balloons is definetely an upside. With a CINTIQ , you can even draw directly on the pressure sensitive screen (which also turns for maximum line control) and you have everything in one place.

Undo

Am I the only one who sometimes find myself searching for the “undo” button, when I’m drawing on paper? Granted, the so called “lucky accidents” that come from working with a pen or a brush can be a pro as well, but more often than not, you end up with plain old UNlucky accidents – and correcting is a lot easier to do digitally (and with nicer result).

Speed?

It seems for some artists, the possibilities of going digital also offers more speed and momentum to their work. They are simply able to get to a nice result faster. Used efficiently, digital saves you a ton of time.

Cons of going digital:

Speed?

In my experience, any task I take to the computer takes double the time. You can zoom in way too much and nitpick details. You’re working on a device that also has Facebook, Twitter and a gazillion other things running at the same time. I believe “PC” stands for “Procrastination Central”. And the speed of your work depends on the speed of your computer, your software, your file size and all sorts of other fun factors which you have little control over.

Price

You can work digitally with just a computer and a Wacom tablet. But if you really want to go all in, with all the advantages a Cintiq has to offer, get ready to throw almost two thousand dollars on the table. Ouch! You better be sure you can make that money back. Remember though, that equipment you use for your business is usually tax deductable (depending on where you live).

Updates and breakdowns

When has a piece of paper ever asked for an update, or asked for you to plug in the power cord? The reliability on hardware and software is slightly scary (at least for me) because those things can go flaky on you with no warning.

Low mobility

This is a big issue for me. I like being able to sit with a sketchbook or work out of the house for a day. If I had a digital setup, it would most likely be at my studio and too bulky to bring anywhere. However, Wacom has put out a 13.3″ Cintiq  that is really lightweight and portable – But you still need to hook it up to a computer to work on it.

Back up

A piece of Bristol board doesn’t suddenly crash on you and leave you to have to reconstruct hours of work. Unless you spill coffee all over your original art, it will usually outlive any computer. And if you scan it in, you have a digital backup as well, a lot safer than having just one file.

No original artwork!

Having drawn it all on the computer, you have no originals to sell at conventions or exhibit at your local library or whatever. Sure, you can make nice printouts, but that’s just not the same, is it? Note that this con could be a pro, since you don’t need storage space for your original art! You can put it all in your Dropbox or on a portable harddisk.

So, what’s the conclusion?

Given the price, low mobility and given the fact that I don’t have the time for the learning curve that going all digital will require (at least before the result is anywhere near what I can produce with pen and paper), I don’t see myself going digital anyt time soon. And I don’t like having to rely on power and technology to be able to make comics.

What do you guys think? Are there any pros or cons I missed? And what do YOU use to make comics? Comment below!

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The Monthly Grind – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 21

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The rabbit is out of the hat! BOOM! Studios is releasing the first issue of creator-owned book Thomas Alsop in June 2014, an occult New York story, written by Chris Miskiewicz and drawn by yours truly. Bleeding Cool did a nice little write up here: http://www.bleedingcool.com/2014/03/12/are-you-missing-hellblazer-here-comes-thomas-alsop/. I’ve obviously known about this for a while, even recorded an interview with my friend and mentor Peter Snejbjerg (http://www.snejbjerg.com) on the topic of working on a monthly book. Listen for more details.

You can read a 12-page short featuring Thomas Alsop here: http://welcometotripcity.com/2013/05/thomas-alsop-the-case-of-dead-uncle/ and watch the live action promo at http://welcometotripcity.com/2013/05/thomas-alsop-the-hand-of-the-island-official-trailer/

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Video: Tools of the Trade

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What are the “right” tools for making comics? Luckily there is no answer set in stone, you can use whatever tools you feel most comfortable with! In this video I demonstrate some of what I use – see if you can get some inspiration from that.Photo 07-02-14 21.07.32

What if I can’t afford a studio space?

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I often give aspiring artist the advice to get a studio space with peers, to help boost your creative skills and work ethic. But an office in town is pricey and what if you live in a place where there aren’t really any studios that fit the bill?

Sitting in a room full of people working, is a great way to ensure you get some work done too. And an inspiring work environment with people who are better than you, will certainly make you up your game!

Investing in a studio space is actually an investment in your skills and your productivity, not to mention the network of other artist who may become your job entry. I personally think going all in on a studio space I couldn’t afford at the time absolutely made my career. And remember: it’s tax deductable!

If a studio is still out of reach, see if you can’t find some peers to connect with online. Commiting to post a certain number of pages each week or check in every Friday with a report of your progress and next week’s goals, can easily make up for lack of an actual studio spot. Hold each other accountable and try to be constructive in your critiques.

An online peer group should not be too big or to ambitous in terms of tech solutions. A Facebook group or a Skype call should suffice. Find just a handful of talented and dedicated peers with a common interest and start from there.

A lot of creators make good use of coffee shops or the local library for working, especially in the writing phase. But you can also do rough sketches or character designs in a cafe or the like. For some, the noisy public space is where they do their best work. And experts will tell you, that changing location is a proven way to kick your creative brain into gear.

Hope these few tips to beat the procrastination and gain some momentum without the actual studio space. But if you CAN get a spot, even just for a week or a month, give it a try and see if it doesn’t boost morale and skills tremendously. I know it did for me!

Related podcast: Working from home

ProFile: Vince Hernandez

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Vince Hernandez has worked in the comic book industry for over fifteen years and is currently the Editor-in-Chief for Aspen Comics. He has created and written the comic book series Charismagic, Trish Out of Water and the upcoming Damsels in Excess. He also has worked as a writer for Electronic Arts, Def Jam Entertainment and Marvel Comics.

What made you decide to work in the medium of comics?

Actually, working in comics happened rather coincidentally for myself. When I was eighteen years old, I was looking to take on a second job and my brother mentioned a position that was available with the comic book publisher, Top Cow. Since he was already employed there, I certainly had a great start and after interviewing there, I became the assistant to the Director of Marketing, Kate Sherwood. I worked at Top Cow for four years before I took the position with Aspen where I’ve been Editor-in-Chief for the past decade. It’s not the usual route to get into comics but I certainly think I’ve made the most of the opportunities I’ve been presented with.

What part of the process is the most challenging or frustrating to you?

Editing comics in general is a very demanding and oftentimes frustrating position. It encompasses scheduling, talent management and crisis control while also maintaining a professional level of creativity necessary to make a product fans will enjoy. I think if I had to pinpoint one aspect which usually ends up more frustrating than any other, it’s dealing with talent’s schedules and their understanding of meeting a deadline. I can literally name off the small list of creatives that understand this process. The more frequent response I get from artists is that the quality of their work will suffer if they rush, which I have found is little more than an excuse because they can’t meet a deadline.

If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring comics creator, what would that be?

One thing I would tell aspiring comics creators is to be realistic with their work. This is a broad tip of advice, but it’s something that a lot of aspiring artists and writers haven’t yet learned. Realistically look at what professionals are doing and judge your work accordingly. There’s no shame in admitting that you’re not on the level yet, but there are consequences when you put yourself out there prematurely. It marks you as an amateur before your career even begins.

http://www.aspencomics.com/