Hi all,
I've been lurking for about a year and learning as much as possible from you guys. I just started my new comic, HijiNKS Ensue, a couple of months ago. So far my biggest issues are with character design, and character consistency. Each time I do a new comic I want to change something about the characters' appearance (which I guess is OK when you are starting out), but I also find it difficult to keep their features and appearance constant from panel to panel. I assume that as I get more familiar with these characters it will become easier, but any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Here are a couple of my recent comics. The first one was part of a series about "LOST."


Here are the characters from the "About" page.



Comments, crits and ideas are welcomed.
Posts
All I can really say is that it would be nice to see more sketches of the characters outside of the context of the comic.
Edit: It might be a good idea to post more (outside this thread, maybe outside AC too), otherwise it may look like you only signed up to plug your comic.
geek comic
www.hijinksensue.com
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
geek comic
www.hijinksensue.com
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
I just learned a new coloring trick that saved me about 2 hours on the most recent one (posting later today), so as my style evolves I will try to work in some more graphic detail.
geek comic
www.hijinksensue.com
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
...not that anyone cares...:...:
i really dig it man. a lot. i really liked the lost one.
keep it up
I appreciate the feedback.
geek comic
www.hijinksensue.com
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
geek comic
www.hijinksensue.com
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
I'd also try and find a more readable font and make better use of your bubble space. If it's easier for me to read posts than your words you need to change something.
One thing I strongly recommend you work on is perspective. I really like that you're trying to have your characters occupy a 3D space, because a lot of run-of-the-mill starter webcomics don't bother with that at all, but the space you're creating needs some work. That last panel in the first comic looks pretty off because in real life, perspective doesn't work like that. When you look at a room, you NEVER see a bunch of perfectly horizontal and vertical lines connected by angled lines that are all perfectly parallel to each other. If you want to create a believable and dynamic space for your characters to inhabit, then you're going to have to learn how 3D spaces really look.
geek comic
www.hijinksensue.com
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Thanks!
geek comic
www.hijinksensue.com
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
geek comic
www.hijinksensue.com
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
~Jeremy Clarkson
Also, from your site:
So, you win in my books!
#2 Photoshop plain and simple. I do the rough sketch on the bottom layer in photoshop. I was scanning pencil drawings but I erase A LOT and PS made that much easier to deal with. I ink over that with a Wacom Intuos tablet. Then I color on a layer below the inks. My final PSD files are about 50mb with 30 - 40 layers. I use a lot of Shape layers for walls and carpet and such.
Im sure there are better techniques, but this is was I've figured out from tutorials and trial and error.
geek comic
www.hijinksensue.com
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
So I win in your book as in BOOKS, or book as in Afro-Ponytailed Space Preacher?
geek comic
www.hijinksensue.com
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
The only criticism I have is that on the first two panels of the Pirates strip, their poses look really weird. Also, considering the amount of detail you put into the comic, your backgrounds are really dull.
I did like the "Hey, internets! Youtube a podcast or something."
As you make more comics, make sure to enhance the personalities of your characters. This will lead to even more plots and interesting interactions.
Best of luck to you!
geek comic
www.hijinksensue.com
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
geek comic
www.hijinksensue.com
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
I'm going to work on the condensation. Thanks for your input!
geek comic
www.hijinksensue.com
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Sorry. THS in the comic art community is "Talking Head Syndrome" which is when two or more consecutive panels have been copy-pasted and changed slightly so it looks like the characters haven't moved. It's a shortcut not uncommon in PA comics, but avoiding it really enhances the quality of any well-drawn comic.
ie, THS is bad, in my opinion, and you dodged it nicely.
geek comic
www.hijinksensue.com
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
-Excessive use of grammar crutches like the barrage of cusses you used is indicative of poor vocabulary. I mean, you can't find a better word? I'm pretty sure that if you look up a dictionary, you'll find a funnier word.
-To me, cussing is a bit like design: Less is more. These words kinda loose their impact and their funny after you've said them 10 times in a single speech baloon.
geek comic
www.hijinksensue.com
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
I think the point is that a word-for-word transcription isn't good if this is for the masses. Creative rewriting is allowed.
Cursing is a tricky element to incorporate properly. Pulp Fiction won an Oscar for best writing, and was overflowing with strings of swears. There's a place. There's a market. Of course, that was a film about gangsters, drug dealers, and crooks.
One key element to remember, though, is that "actual talk" makes for bad writing. I dare you to listen to the dialogue you exchange throughout an entire day and tell me it's entertaining. Half of speech is full of repetition and filler, often for clarity and timing, as people aren't sitting on witty remarks to every situation. But your liberties as a writer allow you to condense and amplify the very best elements. I think the point trying to be made is that the swears should be selected not because they exist, but because they amply the speech.
Example: When the guys are swinging around the Wiimotes and having what appears to be casual conversation, the use of swears makes them appear crude. However, at the end of that comic, it seems appropriate for the director to be swearing about Keith Richards wandering onto the set as a pirate. He is in a state of disbelief and shock, thus his response needs to be highlighted as such.
The bottom line is we're talking about a stylistic choice. At this stage there are no obvious violations or problems, but it's something to consider are you continue to flesh out the characters and your art style. These people may be vulgar, but remember, as you define characters by those traits they have to be consistent. To give a Penny Arcade example: the strip where Gabe and Tycho visit a school and Gabe struggles to not draw a penis. His past vulgarity was highlighted in an inappropriate setting for comedic effect.
In short, don't feel like you must abandon your love of expletives. Instead, simply find a way to weave them into the tapestry of the characters without having it define them.
And it is worth noting the only reason I took the time to make this post is because there's quite a bit of potential in your comic. Excellent start. You'll find a following if you continue to develop.
Warframe: TheBaconDwarf
geek comic
www.hijinksensue.com
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
geek comic
www.hijinksensue.com
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
I'd actually stay away from using soft brushes in PS for shading, particularly anything close to dodge/burn. Same goes to applying layer effects like "glow". The motion lines for when they're swinging the wiimotes use similar special effects, but the most obvious is Keith Leger when his silhouette comes through the door. You only used it once, but anyone who's used photoshop before can spot it, because the effect is completely two-dimensional. This is the kind of stuff you have to paint in by hand.
geek comic
www.hijinksensue.com
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
geek comic
www.hijinksensue.com
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]