So, I'm trying to branch out and use different styles. I'd really like some more constructive criticism!
If you don't like the art, I'm cool if you say "I hated it. It made me want to kill myself." Just tell me why you hated it, and, if you're really nice, how to fix it.
I realize this one's a bit like Ctr Alt Del - I think it might be the roundness of the eyes, as well as the proportions of the characters.
The art is not great, and it's sort of Far Side. Just tell me if it works or not - is it at least easy enough on the eyes that you can stand to look at it?
Nah, just kidding. First off, let me say I really think your style and comedy are great, its just your photoshopping skills that need work.
The only thing I'd avoid is gradients in photoshop, and pretty much anything else that has a sharp dropoff to transparency.
PA used it in their earliest strips for backgrounds, and it never did look quite right. Once they abandoned it for quick, solid colors, it looked a lot more professional.
I would suggest that, instead of the faded dots in the background, you draw an actual twinkle or three.
If you really want three-dimensional effects (like on the pants) think about where the light is coming from, then draw a slightly darker color on the edges where the light wouldn't hit directly. (Which might be hard in a boxing ring which has lots of lights) This can be done by either choosing the color you wish to darken, moving the 'scale' downward to something darker, or you can use the dodge/burn tools to go along the darkened/brightened edges for a more realistic effect.
I don't wanna nitpick it to death, just pointing out a couple things that I had fault with when I first began using advanced graphic editors, such as Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro.
Below is a great tutorial for how to get good, clean lines from any piece of art. Even if you've already drawn something digitally, you can bring it in as a layer, lower its transparency, then trace over it on a layer above. (The tutorial calls for a tablet, which I use, but I used to make some nice looking stuff with a mouse.)
If you don't have photoshop, you can usually adjust these tutorials to fit whatever you use. Heck, I'd be glad to ink and color something for ya one day if you wanted to e-mail it to me.
Anyway, sorry that ran long and I hope it didn't seem too critical. I wish you the very best.
Yeah, the solid colors are a big improvement. I think now you just need practice with your photo editor and drawing style, which can be said about pretty much any artist (including me, big time) who isn't cranking out hyperrealistic masterpieces.
Is the yellow dude supposed to be asian? If so, you could emphasize that in a number of ways besides making him yellow. (you know, with the eyes and maybe a bit more pointy hair).
Okay, a new one. I removed the gradients on the pants, and tried some solid colors in the background.
And thanks for the tutorials
As far as this one goes I think it could use some thicker lines around the dialogue bubbles, just to start.
Congrats, this one made me laugh. I also like the look of it much better. I think you need to practice drawing from life more (God I sound like a parrot) because the first thing I noticed in your giraffe comic was that the sky was upside down. It's always lighter toward the horizon and gets deeper blue as you go up. It's those details that will make or break your strip no matter how cartoony it's supposed to be.
As far as advice I'd say pick up some cartooning books and read the hell out of them. This stuff is definitely a big improvement but it still has a bit of a PA look. Reading about good character design and starting from the ground up is the best way to go about creating some unique and memorable looking characters.
Why do those two guys look like they have raging hard ons?
In psychology we call that desire projection.
Haha :P
Anyways, this still strikes me as very PA-ish. I think you're kinda stuck in a groovy (drawing like Gabe), and you should try to get out of that more than anything else. I don't think you'll progress much before you do so.
Batman's neck is there, it's just really really skinny. I've tried drawing necks at a more realistic thickness, but in my comic strips it just doesn't look right to me.
And yeah, this comic was pretty similar to that one, Mertzy. Are you the author?
There's potential here. I'd really try to improve the word balloons a bit, though. How do you do them now?
And while you're at it, improve what goes in them as well. Writing jokes is hard so struggle with it for a bit. Test it on your friends, family and hostages. Get input. In general, humans usually offer a greater wealth of joke critiques, than they can actually offer funny jokes. It doesn't matter how pretty the pictures get, if you have an unfunny or poorly executed joke and your comic is intended to be funny, all your hard work is for naught. Don't opt for the easy way out, and don't succumb to the desire to half ass it, both in your art and your writing. Just take your time, I don't believe you have any deadlines to meet yet. Work on fully realizing a well executed story while taking your artwork further. You may not have a firm grasp yet, but if you work towards going all out and making the best damn thing you could possibly make, you will improve.
Yeah, I messed up the blond one's crotch. But then, since that's the character that represents me, I may just have to leave it like that. If I can't have a huge penis in real life...
Well if you thought they were funny, Sam, that's great!
Sean C: I think I'll just try thickening the black lines around the word balloons. If it still looks crappy, I'll use the ones from Blambot.
Obiwan: yeah, testing the jokes out is a good idea. And I'm taking my time with the next comic I'm making.
Posts
Nah, just kidding. First off, let me say I really think your style and comedy are great, its just your photoshopping skills that need work.
The only thing I'd avoid is gradients in photoshop, and pretty much anything else that has a sharp dropoff to transparency.
PA used it in their earliest strips for backgrounds, and it never did look quite right. Once they abandoned it for quick, solid colors, it looked a lot more professional.
I would suggest that, instead of the faded dots in the background, you draw an actual twinkle or three.
If you really want three-dimensional effects (like on the pants) think about where the light is coming from, then draw a slightly darker color on the edges where the light wouldn't hit directly. (Which might be hard in a boxing ring which has lots of lights) This can be done by either choosing the color you wish to darken, moving the 'scale' downward to something darker, or you can use the dodge/burn tools to go along the darkened/brightened edges for a more realistic effect.
I don't wanna nitpick it to death, just pointing out a couple things that I had fault with when I first began using advanced graphic editors, such as Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro.
Below is a great tutorial for how to get good, clean lines from any piece of art. Even if you've already drawn something digitally, you can bring it in as a layer, lower its transparency, then trace over it on a layer above. (The tutorial calls for a tablet, which I use, but I used to make some nice looking stuff with a mouse.)
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/51092027/
Here's a great one for simple coloring an shading of your nice, clean lines.
http://www.webdesign.org/web/photoshop/color-management/coloring-anime.7773.html
If you don't have photoshop, you can usually adjust these tutorials to fit whatever you use. Heck, I'd be glad to ink and color something for ya one day if you wanted to e-mail it to me.
Anyway, sorry that ran long and I hope it didn't seem too critical. I wish you the very best.
And thanks for the tutorials
As far as this one goes I think it could use some thicker lines around the dialogue bubbles, just to start.
Keep cranking them out. You're going great.
Flickr ... Myspace
Congrats, this one made me laugh. I also like the look of it much better. I think you need to practice drawing from life more (God I sound like a parrot) because the first thing I noticed in your giraffe comic was that the sky was upside down. It's always lighter toward the horizon and gets deeper blue as you go up. It's those details that will make or break your strip no matter how cartoony it's supposed to be.
As far as advice I'd say pick up some cartooning books and read the hell out of them. This stuff is definitely a big improvement but it still has a bit of a PA look. Reading about good character design and starting from the ground up is the best way to go about creating some unique and memorable looking characters.
In psychology we call that desire projection.
Haha :P
Anyways, this still strikes me as very PA-ish. I think you're kinda stuck in a groovy (drawing like Gabe), and you should try to get out of that more than anything else. I don't think you'll progress much before you do so.
Flickr ... Myspace
And the yellow guy isn't asian, he just has sickly yellow skin. In real life, that is. So that's how I draw him.
I'll try some more styles and draw from life more.
And yeah, this comic was pretty similar to that one, Mertzy. Are you the author?
He didn't have time to prepare.
I've just got to pipe in and mention that the first thing my eye was drawn to in the last comic was the guy's crotch. Make of that what you will.
See my stuff at: http://cain.bombsheltercomics.com
Well if you thought they were funny, Sam, that's great!
Sean C: I think I'll just try thickening the black lines around the word balloons. If it still looks crappy, I'll use the ones from Blambot.
Obiwan: yeah, testing the jokes out is a good idea. And I'm taking my time with the next comic I'm making.
http://www.arfenhaus.com
http://arfenhaus.blogspot.com