You should always be afraid of horses. Even when nowhere near a horse. Because you're always near a horse. They're like spiders. Never more than three feet away from you, always hidden.
I'm not a fan of the SFX myself, and have already removed the THOOM because seriously; the explosion is fairly self-evident.
Anyways I really appreciate the interest.... I've done a few more pages since then but I've stopped posting them here now that the site's sort of a thing with an update schedule and a buffer and blah blah. My sinister business plan is to offer print versions for sale before the book's run its course on the site so if folks want to drop a couple bucks to support me they can get the story earlier and read it as intended, but those who don't want to pay will still get the content eventually.
I guess I could post the pages here once the site catches up ... but by then I'll probably have bundled them into a print version and probably won't be making whatever changes folks might suggest. Which is sort of sad; feedback from you guys really kept me going and almost always caught a bunch of really stupid problems.
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NappuccinoSurveyor of Things and StuffRegistered Userregular
My feeling is that, in comics, you write down things you hear. Including dialogue and sounds. It's consistent! But it's Squidbunnies comic, she can do what she wants.
NappuccinoSurveyor of Things and StuffRegistered Userregular
edited December 2010
I guess i'm more appreciative of the sfx in manga- it a) always seems superbly integrated (to the point where I don't really notice it) and b) they don't have to make up ugly words to replicate teh sfx. Those words already exist for them.
I suppose another thing is that they're often just 1-3 symbols instead of 5-6 letters (often more for emphasis).
I don't know. 99% of the time, sfx in english comics bother me instead of helping me.
Not being able to search or just go "find threads started by so-and-so" is a bummer when you want to revive something from the beforetime, and I didn't want to start a new thread for a sketch this half-assed.
Anyway, anyone remember the much embattled NTO book 1 cover? Plenty of folks hated the finished product but I was too sick of it to go in another direction. Unfortunately, I've now got this notion that I want every two books to have essentially matching covers; i.e. books 1 and 2 share a samish design but reverse the characters' roles/positions, books 3 & 4 do likewise but with a different composition, etc.. Best or worst idea?
Here's the book 1 cover and my super rough sketch for book 2 so you see what I mean:
ugh i want to buy it so badly but book 1 is 5$ and shipping/taxes is $10 for me
although it says "contact store owner if you dont want to use usps"
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NappuccinoSurveyor of Things and StuffRegistered Userregular
edited February 2011
I like the idea of doubling the covers so they look kickass on the store shelf together... but i'm still not entirely sold on the overall look of the cover.
Also, it bugs me that both characters are looking in the same direction on cover 1 but looking at each other in cover 2
I like that idea for the covers, though for some reason the black and white chick is looking way more badass than the dude with a little spark in his hand.
NappuccinoSurveyor of Things and StuffRegistered Userregular
edited February 2011
I think that is attributed to their characters- he's suave, cocky, and dashing (albeit evil [?]) and she's hard a hard worn badass.
Which... actually, the second cover picture seems like it might grab the audience more especially since it seems to feature the main character. Maybe swap the covers and use flipped variations for the respective cover 1 and 2?
Which... actually, the second cover picture seems like it might grab the audience more especially since it seems to feature the main character. Maybe swap the covers and use flipped variations for the respective cover 1 and 2?
She's not the main character, per se; he's equally main but she happens to open most of the action in the early chapters. So, yeah, for that reason you're all right and the covers really ought to be swapped, but unfortunately that's now impossible since Book 1 is already in print & been bought and/or downloaded by a bunch of dudes. But! I can still still run with any feedback on cover 2. So, I'ma go ahead and try flipping his silhouette so it faces away and better matches #1 (thanks, Napp).
Mully, if you don't want to shell out for (admittedly insane) shipping on 1 flimsy little book you could always grab a digital download off the site -- they're quite a bit cheaper and it's still the whole first book and Toji's pinup and blah, blah, blah this is increasingly whorish so I'ma shut up.
Somehow I've managed to not see this thread until now, so I just have to say right now this is awesome! I also like the idea of the related covers. Love to see more!
Sooooo 100 years after I unnecessarily bumped this for feedback on my cover thumbnail, I finally had time to start on it. I'ma include the book 1 cover again for comparison since this is all TOTP, but don't bother critting that no mo' since it's already set in stone and your cries will go unheard.
Napp, I flipped Hunter for ya.
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NappuccinoSurveyor of Things and StuffRegistered Userregular
Minimal though they may have been, the little changes did improve things a lot. You can much more easily tell she's looking at the viewer. I fucking love the sky here, by the way, holy shit.
The only point of criticism I'd offer at this point is that the way she's holding the gun makes it seem much lighter than a gun of that size would be. It only seems to sort of brush her fingertips, whereas you'd expect her to support it with her whole hand. I dunno, does this make sense at all?
Although absolutely beautiful, I have to honestly say it looks like she's looking to the right, not at the viewer. I have to focus a lot to perceive her looking at me.
The only point of criticism I'd offer at this point is that the way she's holding the gun makes it seem much lighter than a gun of that size would be. It only seems to sort of brush her fingertips, whereas you'd expect her to support it with her whole hand. I dunno, does this make sense at all?
Not really, because the way I see it all the weight of a rifle is pretty much supported by your trigger arm/shoulder, and you really only need your opposite hand to level and aim. I think this is a ploy to get me to post pics posing with a rifle.
Thanks Awk & Aim. I swear I'm not being obstinate about this eye business but the white sclera with the glowing irises is giving me trouble. Is this any better?
I wish I had more time to work on it; picking at it's getting it all noodley.
That is much improved. The other ones were kind of like a magic eye where you'd stare at it and the right read of the eye slowly comes into focus, but this one read right, right away.
I think I'm bugged a little by the uniformity of the glowing flowers. They all sort of read as midtones to me. Are there any plans to make some hotspots where the flowers are lighter than the highlights they're throwing on Hunter's coat?
I think I'm bugged a little by the uniformity of the glowing flowers. They all sort of read as midtones to me. Are there any plans to make some hotspots where the flowers are lighter than the highlights they're throwing on Hunter's coat?
Definitely; it's all pretty grey back there, yeah.
The only point of criticism I'd offer at this point is that the way she's holding the gun makes it seem much lighter than a gun of that size would be. It only seems to sort of brush her fingertips, whereas you'd expect her to support it with her whole hand. I dunno, does this make sense at all?
Not really, because the way I see it all the weight of a rifle is pretty much supported by your trigger arm/shoulder, and you really only need your opposite hand to level and aim. I think this is a ploy to get me to post pics posing with a rifle.
That makes sense, you know more about guns than I do. And it's not a ploy, honest. That'd be cool, though.
The only point of criticism I'd offer at this point is that the way she's holding the gun makes it seem much lighter than a gun of that size would be. It only seems to sort of brush her fingertips, whereas you'd expect her to support it with her whole hand. I dunno, does this make sense at all?
Not really, because the way I see it all the weight of a rifle is pretty much supported by your trigger arm/shoulder, and you really only need your opposite hand to level and aim. I think this is a ploy to get me to post pics posing with a rifle.
That makes sense, you know more about guns than I do. And it's not a ploy, honest. That'd be cool, though.
The eye is much better - you can figure out what is going on immediately now.
As for the rifle, It's not a big deal, and I'm not an expert on guns, I've only fired shotguns a couple of times, but if I recall correctly with those most of the weight was supported between the shoulder and the forward arm. (Thinking about it, the trigger is at the back of all the metal parts/barrel - the center of gravity is going to be quite a bit forward of the trigger hand)
NappuccinoSurveyor of Things and StuffRegistered Userregular
edited March 2011
Yeah... from what I do remember of shooting guns, I remember my forward arm carrying a lot of the weight. I suppose you could argue that she's letting the gun fall into her hand or something like that but... I also think it could be a bit more exaggerated if that's the case.
For some reason the composition to the right works a lot better.
I know you're finished with both of them (and you've done great work), I just think the one on the left would work better if it were closed in a bit more like the one on the right. The rifle does a great L-composition combined with the stars that's not working as successfully with the fire arm and sunset combo.
Gotta say Squidbunny, this is turning out beautifully. The smoke (mist? Fog? Pollen? I dunno yet, you won't let me see the comic that far ahead, you jerk T_T) in particular I like, the way its broken up is very nebula like, unearthly, really adds to the scene.
So I dredged up the old thread to get your opinion on a thing.
Comics convention dictates using a single stroke upper-case I (no serifs) when lettering except for first-person pronouns. I've been bucking the rules and using the I with crossbars in NTO because I liked how it looked ... but now I'm thinking even liking how it looks is retarded since a serifed I has no business in there with all those sans-serif letters.
I'm not a traditionalist by any means and really don't think comics need to follow these kinds of rules (visual artists shouldn't worry about wearing white after Labor Day), but I'm also not trying to be a brat and stick it to the establishment for its own sake. I just want to know what has the best visual texture for the comic and reads easiest. Here's a side-by-side. Thoughts?
Posts
you dont care for the thoom, crack or hrnff?
(no im not bumping the thread so i can get an update, i really wouldnt wouldnt be counting the days since the last one)
11 but its not like im holding my breath
Anyways I really appreciate the interest.... I've done a few more pages since then but I've stopped posting them here now that the site's sort of a thing with an update schedule and a buffer and blah blah. My sinister business plan is to offer print versions for sale before the book's run its course on the site so if folks want to drop a couple bucks to support me they can get the story earlier and read it as intended, but those who don't want to pay will still get the content eventually.
I guess I could post the pages here once the site catches up ... but by then I'll probably have bundled them into a print version and probably won't be making whatever changes folks might suggest. Which is sort of sad; feedback from you guys really kept me going and almost always caught a bunch of really stupid problems.
Not really? to me it tends to ruin the artistic aspect.
plus, they can be used for dramatic effect as well
like, take for example an issue of Thor
just a single panel of KRAKKATHOOM before a huge reveal of Thor adds dramatic effect
Though SFX can be used poorly and muddle up a piece, which in lesser hands can and will happen
But I believe you could use them quite well squidbunny, if you wanna
INSTAGRAM
I suppose another thing is that they're often just 1-3 symbols instead of 5-6 letters (often more for emphasis).
I don't know. 99% of the time, sfx in english comics bother me instead of helping me.
Anyway, anyone remember the much embattled NTO book 1 cover? Plenty of folks hated the finished product but I was too sick of it to go in another direction. Unfortunately, I've now got this notion that I want every two books to have essentially matching covers; i.e. books 1 and 2 share a samish design but reverse the characters' roles/positions, books 3 & 4 do likewise but with a different composition, etc.. Best or worst idea?
Here's the book 1 cover and my super rough sketch for book 2 so you see what I mean:
although it says "contact store owner if you dont want to use usps"
Also, it bugs me that both characters are looking in the same direction on cover 1 but looking at each other in cover 2
INSTAGRAM
Which... actually, the second cover picture seems like it might grab the audience more especially since it seems to feature the main character. Maybe swap the covers and use flipped variations for the respective cover 1 and 2?
Agreed with this.
She's not the main character, per se; he's equally main but she happens to open most of the action in the early chapters. So, yeah, for that reason you're all right and the covers really ought to be swapped, but unfortunately that's now impossible since Book 1 is already in print & been bought and/or downloaded by a bunch of dudes. But! I can still still run with any feedback on cover 2. So, I'ma go ahead and try flipping his silhouette so it faces away and better matches #1 (thanks, Napp).
Mully, if you don't want to shell out for (admittedly insane) shipping on 1 flimsy little book you could always grab a digital download off the site -- they're quite a bit cheaper and it's still the whole first book and Toji's pinup and blah, blah, blah this is increasingly whorish so I'ma shut up.
Napp, I flipped Hunter for ya.
Although hunter is floating right now lol
I'd darken the white of her eye a bit - I couldn't figure out which way she was looking at first.
And before anyone expresses confusion or outrage at glowing ground clutter, I'm drawing vaguely on this scene in the comic itself:
The only point of criticism I'd offer at this point is that the way she's holding the gun makes it seem much lighter than a gun of that size would be. It only seems to sort of brush her fingertips, whereas you'd expect her to support it with her whole hand. I dunno, does this make sense at all?
Not really, because the way I see it all the weight of a rifle is pretty much supported by your trigger arm/shoulder, and you really only need your opposite hand to level and aim. I think this is a ploy to get me to post pics posing with a rifle.
Thanks Awk & Aim. I swear I'm not being obstinate about this eye business but the white sclera with the glowing irises is giving me trouble. Is this any better?
I wish I had more time to work on it; picking at it's getting it all noodley.
I think I'm bugged a little by the uniformity of the glowing flowers. They all sort of read as midtones to me. Are there any plans to make some hotspots where the flowers are lighter than the highlights they're throwing on Hunter's coat?
Definitely; it's all pretty grey back there, yeah.
Ridiculously so. Fuck.
That makes sense, you know more about guns than I do. And it's not a ploy, honest. That'd be cool, though.
The eye is much better - you can figure out what is going on immediately now.
As for the rifle, It's not a big deal, and I'm not an expert on guns, I've only fired shotguns a couple of times, but if I recall correctly with those most of the weight was supported between the shoulder and the forward arm. (Thinking about it, the trigger is at the back of all the metal parts/barrel - the center of gravity is going to be quite a bit forward of the trigger hand)
I know you're finished with both of them (and you've done great work), I just think the one on the left would work better if it were closed in a bit more like the one on the right. The rifle does a great L-composition combined with the stars that's not working as successfully with the fire arm and sunset combo.
Please keep doing what you do!
Comics convention dictates using a single stroke upper-case I (no serifs) when lettering except for first-person pronouns. I've been bucking the rules and using the I with crossbars in NTO because I liked how it looked ... but now I'm thinking even liking how it looks is retarded since a serifed I has no business in there with all those sans-serif letters.
I'm not a traditionalist by any means and really don't think comics need to follow these kinds of rules (visual artists shouldn't worry about wearing white after Labor Day), but I'm also not trying to be a brat and stick it to the establishment for its own sake. I just want to know what has the best visual texture for the comic and reads easiest. Here's a side-by-side. Thoughts?