How far in advance do you usually upload?

[Fishies]

Usually a day to a week ahead of time. I finish pages in batches of twos, so I upload two at a time. (However I may have had the pages themselves finished for months. That time period varies widely.)

[Chickpea]

I've just started and I've got about 30 or so pages waiting (15 weeks?)...but that's mostly because a)I wrote it last year, b) I need a buffer until i figure out what i'm doing for book 2.


....now what am I going to do for that.......

[Ripnormality]

I normally have no buffer, but I'm going to be away for 10 weeks so I kind of need to get on top of that...currently 1 month ahead.

[Redtech]

My readers have given up expecting a strip at any time near midnight. Draw it on the day! It's like a mini 24 hour challenge.

[Cxm]

I typically get a splurge of insiration to do something followed by several months of not paying attention to it, followed by another splurge. I didn't bother signing for an account until I had enough buffer to take me through to next spring. I'm currently on another frenzy of comic making that should take me through to next autum.

Of course, this means any comic I make is going to get badly rail-roaded early on.

[Xwhy]

I'm hoping that my next break from school will give me the opportunity to store up a few or give me time for a couple of more complicated jokes that I've been wanting to do.

About the only thing I already have are some old comics that I sketched back in the 80s. I've made them into a weekly Sunday Comic, so I'm good for a few month of Sundays, but those strips are actually off-topic for my regular comic.

[Truerwords]

In the past I've uploaded comics the day of or the night before because I tend to fall into spells where I'm not motivated to work at all. For my newest project I'm trying to keep a few weeks ahead at the very least so I can take my time and create better pages. Currently I have a month in advance uploaded. But then, since I'm only updating once a week until I get a better buffer size that's not that many comics really...

[MattRo]

Buffers are for noobs. Sporadic updates are where it's at.

In other words, I'm a lazy sack of crap.

Spit my drink out on this one. Thanks for that!

I only run one a week, which should probably be more and probably will in the future, but right now I have about two months worth done but not uploaded. I have a problem with having great (what I consider to be, probably all garbage) ideas and doing them up, but not really having an order for which they should go. So I wait until I have none left in queue and then figure it out. But the work is all done other than that for a couple months. That's also due to the fact that if I have an idea for my comic and I don't do it up right away I'll completely forget it.

[Isukiyomi]

I haven't had a buffer in *years* b/c life and school already called shotgun on any free time they see >__> I do my best to give my readers a good estimate of when there will be/or not be comics available.

[Samuli]

I've got a year and a half worth of strips that I'm uploading once I get the translation done and a few mandatory redraws...

Actually, I'm only half way through with the complete story and really should be making more strips because it took me 10 years to get to this point. It's a full day's work to make one strip and at this rate, I'll be caught in two years or less. By then it should be clear if anyone cares or not.

But right now I'm really enjoying my buffer (I call it the stress slayer)! And yes, you will find lame humour in the comic as well.

[VeryCuddlyCornpone]

I've got a year and a half worth of strips that I'm uploading

HOLY MOLY!!

I commend you, sir/madam. Are you planning to update every day?

Right now I have about 16 pages in varying degrees of completion... some are uploaded, some are colored, some are inked, some are just sketched out, some are just panel layouts... wow. I have a lot to do before Monday, since I'll be back at school and don't know how much time I'll have there (Then again, I only need enough to last to the beginning of May... with updating once a week that's only 8 strips I have to worry about)

Jesus, a year and a half. I want to shake your hand.

[Samuli]

Then consider my hand shaken and yours too! And heavens no, I'm updating only twice a week. Every day would be fun but insane!

I wouldn't worry too much - deadlines are the absolute best muses. And the more you do, the faster you become. Or if you're like me, the more detailed you become... I've been doing this strip for ten years on and off and it's been a tremendously effective rendering school. I wouldn't be a professional illustrator today if I hadn't started this strip.

School really gets in the way of fun things. In art school I stopped drawing for two years because I just didn't have time. It's necessary I guess, so hang in there, I'm sure you'll make your updates!

[MattRo]

Then consider my hand shaken and yours too! And heavens no, I'm updating only twice a week. Every day would be fun but insane!

I wouldn't worry too much - deadlines are the absolute best muses. And the more you do, the faster you become. Or if you're like me, the more detailed you become... I've been doing this strip for ten years on and off and it's been a tremendously effective rendering school. I wouldn't be a professional illustrator today if I hadn't started this strip.

School really gets in the way of fun things. In art school I stopped drawing for two years because I just didn't have time. It's necessary I guess, so hang in there, I'm sure you'll make your updates!

I found it rather funny that "in art school I stopped drawing for two years". I understand what you mean, just came out wrong lol.

A year and a half eh? Must be nice. Wish I could do that. Then again, if I went that far ahead, when it was time to do new stuff I'd probably lose interest or completely forget where I left off. I think I can only stay a couple months ahead for the sake of the continuance of my comic.

[Samuli]

I found it rather funny that "in art school I stopped drawing for two years". I understand what you mean, just came out wrong lol.

Oh, right - I meant film school. In art school we talked about how we never had time to draw but we still had the classes a few times a week. In film school there literally was no time. I've never been worked so hard, it was just nuts - they had a four year itinerary but after they became a polytechnic, they had to include all these additional classes that were mandatory. So it was more like 6 years of school in 4. We had 24-7 access to the school and we needed it. So I actually didn't draw at all for two years.

This is beginning to sound like the tall tales of the previous generation of how they had to ski to school - 20 kilometres in -30° weather and a snowstorm. Every day, and they never complained (unlike us ingrates). Ok, I'll stop off-topicing now

A year and a half eh? Must be nice. Wish I could do that. Then again, if I went that far ahead, when it was time to do new stuff I'd probably lose interest or completely forget where I left off. I think I can only stay a couple months ahead for the sake of the continuance of my comic.

I know what you mean, I've lost interest in my comic a dozen times but I just can't quit altogether, it's been around so long. Then again, I had a half finished story when I started to publish it here. I don't think I could do what you do, I really need the big buffer!

[MattRo]

A year and a half eh? Must be nice. Wish I could do that. Then again, if I went that far ahead, when it was time to do new stuff I'd probably lose interest or completely forget where I left off. I think I can only stay a couple months ahead for the sake of the continuance of my comic.

I know what you mean, I've lost interest in my comic a dozen times but I just can't quit altogether, it's been around so long. Then again, I had a half finished story when I started to publish it here. I don't think I could do what you do, I really need the big buffer!

To each their own eh? Everyone has a different way about things. It's not easy doing it the way I do it either, it just suits me more. I just got over a bad bout with bronchitis and it hit me so hard that I couldn't do any comics. Well, my measly 2 month stock of comics ran out while I was sick and for the first time since I started I had to take a break from having anything posted for two weeks. It was just today actually that I got two new comics done and they're now ready to post on their respective days. However, I'm feeling the pressure now and I know for the next week or so I'll be busy as hell trying to get another 2 months done so I don't have to worry anymore about it. So yeah, it can suck!

[VeryCuddlyCornpone]

"I've got all my strips that run through May," I says. "I can take a break for a long while," I says. "I don't need to color, ink, sketch, write, anything, for the next month and a half," I says.
Naturally NOW is when the wave of really wanting and being able to work on it hits me. I rushed so fast to finish enough to get me through the end of the school year that it only made me want to do MORE work.

I'm not complaining, I'm just friggin perplexed.

It's kind of an itchy situation though... I have so much finished that I feel like my actual site should have more on it too, but updating once a week means I only have three strips up right now. I want to just upload everything so I can have a sizeable archive and actually start showing this thing to people, but if I do put it all up now I got nothin' once it runs out. I could use some more patience, if anyone has any sitting around.

[Lianweijun086]

I had the SAME feeling. I always do that. When I restarted my comic and switched to the strip format, I found myself drawing episodes way faster. I also finally got a tablet, which may have edged things along. Anyway, when I decided to upload, I told myself that I'd update once a week, but by the second week I have 7 strips complete!! That was 6 weeks where I wouldn't have to draw at all. So I decided, from now on, I'm going to update twice a week, because it's so much easier to draw now, AND I'm going to upload the first 6 episodes all at once. I spread out the dates backwards, so it still looks like I update with the normal schedule, but yea. Every time an episode is completed, I feel so excited to get it out there. When I talk to friends about what should happen in the next episode, I'm like, o! I already drew the next episode. Then I'm torn, because I REALLY want to show them, but I want them to wait until the actual update time... ARGH!!

Sorry for the word vomit, it happens when I'm excited. All my sentences and ideas kind of just run into each other >.<

[W M]

"I've got all my strips that run through May," I says. "I can take a break for a long while," I says. "I don't need to color, ink, sketch, write, anything, for the next month and a half," I says.
Naturally NOW is when the wave of really wanting and being able to work on it hits me. I rushed so fast to finish enough to get me through the end of the school year that it only made me want to do MORE work.

I'm not complaining, I'm just friggin perplexed.

It's kind of an itchy situation though... I have so much finished that I feel like my actual site should have more on it too, but updating once a week means I only have three strips up right now. I want to just upload everything so I can have a sizeable archive and actually start showing this thing to people, but if I do put it all up now I got nothin' once it runs out. I could use some more patience, if anyone has any sitting around.

Sounds like a good problem to have, CCP;
It seems like the "once a week" deadline you have set for yourself isn't enough of a challenge: maybe try twice a week? or heck, thrice a week?

You might actually work faster than you expected, so your update periods might needed to be adjusted time-to-time.

Maybe try building up your archive first before setting update periods, so first-time viewers will have an adequate amount to look at (instead of 5-10 minutes' worth)

(Is strip format really that much faster than page format? I might put some serio0us consideration into switching, or work few strips on the side)

[Lianweijun086]

There are a few things I've noticed between working on a page and working on a strip. Most notably, is the amount of space you have (duh). If you take a look at my comic, or just the signature, you can sort of see the kind of drawing style that I have. I've never really been good with empty space, so when I was working with the page, I found it REALLY difficult to fill in the void. I have the opposite problem with the strip though, I'm actually having difficulties fitting everything in. Speech bubbles, camera angles, etc. I'm not that awesome of an artist, so it's hard for me to get around those obstacles. I'm sure experienced artists probably don't have these problems at all. Also, with a strip, you only have so much space to setup and deliver a punchline, which for crappy writers like myself, poses a huge obstacle in itself. It generally takes me about 4-6 hours to plan out each strip, and then 2-4 hours to draw it, depending on substance. For me, only characters matter. The more there are, the longer it takes.

Also, I feel like each page is probably around 2-3 strips for me, in terms of storyline, planning, and drawing. Although, sometimes, you can skimp out on the drawing, but for my style, it looks really ridiculous. It generally took me about 2-3 hours to plan the page (less than the strip) but about 20 hours to actually draw it. My numbers are skewed, though, because I've never drawn the page with a tablet. I used to use have to sketch, and then scan, and use the pen tool to ink in the lines. Coloring was also much more difficult. Now I use the tablet for everything. No more scanning, no more pen tool, and coloring is a breeze.

Maybe someone else can offer their opinion on the matter? For me, it was definitely a stylistic thing, and I'm REALLY glad I switched.

[W M]

There are a few things I've noticed between working on a page and working on a strip. Most notably, is the amount of space you have (duh). If you take a look at my comic, or just the signature, you can sort of see the kind of drawing style that I have. I've never really been good with empty space, so when I was working with the page, I found it REALLY difficult to fill in the void. I have the opposite problem with the strip though, I'm actually having difficulties fitting everything in. Speech bubbles, camera angles, etc. I'm not that awesome of an artist, so it's hard for me to get around those obstacles. I'm sure experienced artists probably don't have these problems at all. Also, with a strip, you only have so much space to setup and deliver a punchline, which for crappy writers like myself, poses a huge obstacle in itself. It generally takes me about 4-6 hours to plan out each strip, and then 2-4 hours to draw it, depending on substance. For me, only characters matter. The more there are, the longer it takes.

Also, I feel like each page is probably around 2-3 strips for me, in terms of storyline, planning, and drawing. Although, sometimes, you can skimp out on the drawing, but for my style, it looks really ridiculous. It generally took me about 2-3 hours to plan the page (less than the strip) but about 20 hours to actually draw it. My numbers are skewed, though, because I've never drawn the page with a tablet. I used to use have to sketch, and then scan, and use the pen tool to ink in the lines. Coloring was also much more difficult. Now I use the tablet for everything. No more scanning, no more pen tool, and coloring is a breeze.

Maybe someone else can offer their opinion on the matter? For me, it was definitely a stylistic thing, and I'm REALLY glad I switched.

I've worked with both (page-size a considerable amount more than strip-size), and I've found that if you have the time to compose a full page, go for it, because you can get a lot more details in that bigger space, and can ultimately make your comic appear to have much more substance (literally and figuratively).

But strips are by far the best route to take for creating a quick punchline, which makes them ideal for, well, comical comics.