How far in advance?

G-Lode · Post by **G-Lode** » Wed May 11, 2005 5:13 am

i try to stay several months behind schedule most of the time. It helps keep my readership/fan base at an absolute minimum. Can't go around having hordes of comic groupies now, can we?

Alschroeder · Post by **Alschroeder** » Wed May 11, 2005 5:24 am

In advance? *Grin*
Hardly at all, when we're talking about the finished page.
Plotting? I've got the general plot all written out before I start. I generally storyboard 3 or four pages in advance. But the finished product---if you don't see it till early morning on some days, instead of just past midnight as I should---that's a sign I just squeaked another one by.---Al

Mr.Bob · Post by **Mr.Bob** » Fri May 13, 2005 5:53 am

I normally upload my comic as soon as I finish it (and more often than not these days happen to coincide with one of my alleged update days).

On the other hand, I plan my strips MONTHS in advance. I scrawl my plot devices, scripts and gags in shorthand in bursts of inspiration on whatever rag, bit of newspaper, or boggroll happens to be closest at hand.

PROBLEM IS is trying to figure out WHAT THE HELL they're supposed to mean when I look at them 8 weeks later. Seriously, I've no idea how many jokes I've lost due to illegible writing and out of context quotes. There is nothing more annoying than reading:

note on back of postcard wrote: "We don't do that anymore." (!!!) (squiggled picture of some kind of bun)

And vaugely remembering that it was funny as hell.

The other outcome is losing the scrap of notes alltogether, and that's slightly easier to live with because I won't have any idea what I lost.

I really ought to get more organised.

Phalanx · Post by **Phalanx** » Fri May 13, 2005 8:24 am

TLS still has a buffer for until... September... Heh.

TheSuburbanLetdown · Post by **TheSuburbanLetdown** » Fri May 13, 2005 8:46 am

Mr.Bob wrote:I normally upload my comic as soon as I finish it (and more often than not these days happen to coincide with one of my alleged update days).

On the other hand, I plan my strips MONTHS in advance. I scrawl my plot devices, scripts and gags in shorthand in bursts of inspiration on whatever rag, bit of newspaper, or boggroll happens to be closest at hand.

PROBLEM IS is trying to figure out WHAT THE HELL they're supposed to mean when I look at them 8 weeks later. Seriously, I've no idea how many jokes I've lost due to illegible writing and out of context quotes. There is nothing more annoying than reading:

note on back of postcard wrote: "We don't do that anymore." (!!!) (squiggled picture of some kind of bun)
And vaugely remembering that it was funny as hell.

The other outcome is losing the scrap of notes alltogether, and that's slightly easier to live with because I won't have any idea what I lost.

I really ought to get more organised.

I keep a small notebook with me all the time for this reason. I have lost too many ideas I wrote down with crayons on paper napkins.
I was flipping through an old notebook and ran into a strange little doodle. It resulted in this guest comic I made for Go For It!.

I dunno, I think it's funny...

Starline · Post by **Starline** » Fri May 13, 2005 10:56 am

I usually try to have a buffer for about a month's worth of strips. It works out most of the time. I haven't missed an update yet!

Starline

Dragonmajik · Post by **Dragonmajik** » Sun May 15, 2005 10:32 am

charlesbrubaker wrote:Just wondering. How far in advance do you draw your webcomic?

For my comic, I just scanned August 14th strip. It's being colored now (it's a Sunday strip)

I've got everything up to page 40 or so plotted/drafted, so I'm set for about a year or more at the rate I draw

For the finished product, I strive to post a new page every 2 weeks, so one weekend (2 days) is spent making last second adjustments to the draft, penciling and inking, then getting it all scanned into the computer. The second weekend is spent finishing up and coloring.

So I'm not really working that far in advance, I spose, but the process works for me as long as life doesn't drag me out of the house all weekend.

Subhuman · Post by **Subhuman** » Sun May 15, 2005 2:45 pm

Mr. Bob wrote:Seriously, I've no idea how many jokes I've lost due to illegible writing and out of context quotes.

Same here. For me it's mostly, "Why did I think that was so funny?" So I try not to plan things too far in advance, or else I'll eventually get to that supposedly genius story arc or character introduction and be all, "This is a dumb idea. I'd much rather have Jeremy fall off a cliff than meet a goth chick." I'm a spur-of-the-moment type.

Ti-Phil · Post by **Ti-Phil** » Sun May 15, 2005 3:28 pm

Well.. I usually have four weeks in advance inked and coloured, and about another month of already drawn but yet to ink pages.

LAGtheNoggin · Post by **LAGtheNoggin** » Sun May 15, 2005 4:11 pm

Mr.Bob wrote:There is nothing more annoying than reading:

note on back of postcard wrote: "We don't do that anymore." (!!!) (squiggled picture of some kind of bun)

*forgets he has a cold*

*snorts laughter*

*splurts snot all over paper and reference artwork*

O_O;

PeppermintAfterlife wrote:
Mr.Bob wrote:I really ought to get more organised.
I keep a small notebook with me all the time for this reason. I have lost too many ideas I wrote down with crayons on paper napkins.

I keep a pocket 4" by 5" notebook ringbinder on me at all times. Emphasis on ringbinder. This way I just punch holes in anything loose (bog paper for example) and file it away, it's awesome. I also keep a big A5 ringbinder for more organised writing/archiving.

I love ringbinders. Even my sketchbook's a ringbinder now, an A4 4-D-ring ringbinder to be precise. It's cheap on resources too,

MixedMyth · Post by **MixedMyth** » Sun May 15, 2005 6:10 pm

How far in advance do I draw them? Why, none! None at all! That's because I'm completly done! MWAHAHAHAHAHAAAW!

...Well, not quite completly. I still need to do an end panel so people don't read the last strip first.

Risky · Post by **Risky** » Sun May 15, 2005 6:55 pm

MixedMyth wrote:How far in advance do I draw them? Why, none! None at all! That's because I'm completly done! MWAHAHAHAHAHAAAW!

...Well, not quite completly. I still need to do an end panel so people don't read the last strip first.

*quickly deletes MM from all the dropdowns*

MixedMyth · Post by **MixedMyth** » Sun May 15, 2005 7:05 pm

Risky · Post by **Risky** » Sun May 15, 2005 7:10 pm

No residuals for you! You and Sortelli...

"How far in advance do you do your comics?"
"I drew the current one over a year ago!"
"... hasn't it been the current one since over a year ago?"
"Yes!"
"

"

Downhard · Post by **Downhard** » Sun May 15, 2005 10:36 pm

Normaly i have my comics scripted and drawn + inked atleast 2 days ahead of schedual but i lazy out when it comes to photoshop and i always update late. on a side note ive had this one comic done cept for photoshop and it took me two weeks to finish, updated today and even then i got so lazy that i made a friend shade and text it.

BERSERKERCREW · Post by **BERSERKERCREW** » Mon May 16, 2005 8:07 pm

i am set up 'till July 25th, whew.
time for a vacation.

[geoduck] · Post by **[geoduck]** » Tue May 17, 2005 9:55 am

I've got months, even years, of plot sketched out, but actual finished drawings? A week ahead is about the best I've ever managed.

McDuffies · Post by **McDuffies** » Tue May 17, 2005 2:58 pm

LAGtheNoggin wrote:
Mr.Bob wrote:There is nothing more annoying than reading:

note on back of postcard wrote: "We don't do that anymore." (!!!) (squiggled picture of some kind of bun)
*forgets he has a cold*

*snorts laughter*

*splurts snot all over paper and reference artwork*

O_O;

Hmm, very nice. Reminescent of Pooblor.

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