Comic Genesis Forums

I always enjoy seeing other artists process behing putting together a strip. Kris Straub put a video together on how he produces his strip. Some very good ideas there for those who are looking to cut production time down a little.
http://www.starslipcrisis.com/howidoit_video.shtml
What little tricks do you use to help speed up the process?

Lack of quality.

I'd say this would be mostly helpful for people who do there's only on the comp like that

I script a long time in advance...got the storyline vaguely written out even farther...and draw a lot of the comic while I'm at work, so that I'll have a bit more free time at home.

Kat North wrote:I script a long time in advance...got the storyline vaguely written out even farther...and draw a lot of the comic while I'm at work, so that I'll have a bit more free time at home.

replace work with school and we are the same

I use panel templates, and just slap the art and dialogue into place.

Script in advance, and plot the overall storyline FAR in advance. When I sit down to do a page, I want to know exactly what I'm doing and have it all blocked out in my head, like a film shoot, with no indecision (as indecision is the biggest time-waster of 'em all).

That said, I've discovered that it's important to be flexible; if a new idea or even just a neat line of dialogue pops into mind during layout, it can be well worth doing a little reshuffling and extra work to accomodate it.

How many of you actually go to great lengths to plan out your comic (like lay them out on paper as a rough draft)...Because of the amount of time I take to shade and draw my comics I personally go right to paper (so I can get one page done a week)...sometimes it can be frustrating for me, but it works!

So how about you guys?

Wood Elf wrote:How many of you actually go to great lengths to plan out your comic (like lay them out on paper as a rough draft)...Because of the amount of time I take to shade and draw my comics I personally go right to paper (so I can get one page done a week)...sometimes it can be frustrating for me, but it works!

So how about you guys?

I draw a rough thumbnail about half size, and then redraw it with more deatil on bristol. Then I ink it. I takes me like 800 years sometimes.

I script out generally what I want to cover and how I want to cover it. Then as I go along, often someone will point out something I need to clarify or ask a side-question and then it screws up my script... but oh well.

I set goals and if I have any freetime am usually working towards my own deadlines.

I generally write down the major plot points of each chapter, and then, when I'm working on a chapter, I write out everything I want to happen (leaving space for sub-plots to crop up).

I then finish the chapter (or act), compare it to the next section's major plot point, and then write/draw the next section, with the same plot, but in relation to the events in the previous section.

All keeping in mind that there will be an ending. Eventually.

I never script or rough my comics. I guess I rely a lot on my spontaneity to make my stuff work =/

every comic page i make, brain cells die.

I'll have a general idea when i start, but whenever I script it out, i think it sucks so i don't do it. I'm a procrastonator by trade.

Wood Elf wrote:How many of you actually go to great lengths to plan out your comic (like lay them out on paper as a rough draft)...Because of the amount of time I take to shade and draw my comics I personally go right to paper (so I can get one page done a week)...sometimes it can be frustrating for me, but it works!

So how about you guys?

I have the basice idea in my head of how I want it drawn, but I don't do a rough draft. Just start drawing until I get as close to what I was thinking of as possible. Or sometimes, it comes out different...but better!

I procrastinate too much to risk planning.

Cope wrote:I procrastinate too much to risk planning.

we should form a Procrastinators union ... after we get something to eat

Every comic I make

ryclaude's brain cells die.

ahaugen wrote:

Cope wrote:I procrastinate too much to risk planning.

we should form a Procrastinators union ... after we get something to eat

But lets get drunk first.. then eat. then..