Newspaper Comics

[DarkCORN!]

I'm a fairly accomplished artist (well, I know my drawings are a hell-of-a-lot better then most of the stuff in newspaper comics), and I was thinking about submitting some of my drawn (not sprite) comics to the local newspaper (which does feature comics before you ask). Any thoughts, concerns, advice, questions?

[Shishio]

Don't do this if you don't honestly have a strong passion for creating comics.

Assuming your strip gets accepted... Never, ever, EVER give up creative control to your work. By which I mean don't give up the rights to your work. You will of course have to accept some editorial control to make your strip suitable for the paper. Unfortunate, but a fact of life.

Make absolutely sure a good lawyer looks over your contract and explains it to you clearly so that you understand exactly what you're getting into.

Not to be an ass, but art is not all there is to comics. You have to be a good writer as well.

And most importantly, if you ever strike it rich, remember who your friends are. *Ahem*

If your strip doesn't get accepted, and you really want to do this, publish it yourself on the internet.

Good luck.

[DarkCORN!]

I would publish it myself, but I lack a scanner that is compatible with my computer.

[Grandmaster_Skweeb]

I don't want to sound like a complete asshole when I say this..but judging from the quality of this here (http://forum.nuklearpower.com/showthread.php?t=869&page=263) you'd be lucky to get even a second glance. This isn't meant to be a trolling post or anything. You've got a long way to go before you get into the funny papers.

If it is your goal then by all means go for it. Shishio is correct about the writing part though. If anything the writing is more important than the visuals.

[Shishio]

In regards to publishing on the internet, do you have any friends that have scanners? Or access to a computer lab with one at school? (If you go to school.)

[DarkCORN!]

I don't want to sound like a complete asshole when I say this..but judging from the quality of this here (http://forum.nuklearpower.com/showthread.php?t=869&page=263) you'd be lucky to get even a second glance. This isn't meant to be a trolling post or anything. You've got a long way to go before you get into the funny papers.

If it is your goal then by all means go for it. Shishio is correct about the writing part though. If anything the writing is more important than the visuals.
That sketch is at least a year old.

[Melfice]

Well, I'd like to see some examples of your current art, before I pass judgement.

[DarkCORN!]

Here's an unfinished drawing I am working on. It's for my mother to get a tatoo of.
http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/5917/fairydraw9ln.jpg

[Major Blood]

Okay....

Thats pretty cool...

[DarkCORN!]

What's that supposed to mean? My mom is thinking of getting a tatoo and asked me to draw a fairy for her.

[Silly Kitty]

That is pretty cool. If you have that kind of drawing talent then just make sure the story line makes sense.

Good luck. ^^

Edit: Also, the left arm is a bit off. I don't think it can bend that way..

[DarkCORN!]

Yeah, it can.

[Dragonsbane]

Very nice work. I actually think the left arm CAN bend that way, SK. So, what did you use to do the cool shading on the leaf-skirt?

[edit] also, nice improvement.

[DarkCORN!]

I just used colored pencils and my finger to smudge it a bit (my version of shading).

[Major Blood]

What's that supposed to mean? My mom is thinking of getting a tatoo and asked me to draw a fairy for her.

I meant that it was a really nice drawing.

[Mesden]

It's a very nice drawing, credit on it and everything. But why is the date set for tomorrow at the bottom left?

Since your location says Canada, I'm fairly sure you're not an Easterner(Australia, Korea and such.)

Just something that passed my mind.

EDIT: also, on your smudging technique, I didn't think you would be able to do it like that with your finger. I (People know of my art browsing obsession) have seen a lot of smudging and it doesn't look quite right. Color pencils don't smudge, to my knowledge.


Just speculation.

[DarkCORN!]

The date was the result of my camera being ahead and/or broken.

[Mesden]

The date was the result of my camera being ahead and/or broken.


Well, it's a lot better than your other camera, so I'll just assume it's the date problem. I'm going of your other pics, as they weren't as clear. But what about the color pencil thing?

I've tested it myself out of curiousity and I CAN'T smudge color pencil with my finger. It takes water or some kind of moitsure and THEN it comes out nasty looking.

Edit:

I just used colored pencils and my finger to smudge it a bit (my version of shading).

I mean...it doesn't seem possible. Are your fingers small enough to get some of those curves in the right place like they were? HOW exactly did you smudge all those parts in that design?

Honestly, it looks like pastels to me.

[DarkCORN!]

Well, I licked my finger a bit and smudged it. Also, when I can't do it like that, I dull the pencil as much as possible and use the edge.

[Mesden]

Um, DC, just one thing. When you lick your finger to smudge it, it does NOT come out that well.

I asked my friend CJ to do a thorough test on it(I love how the pic looks. Just wanted to know how it was done with color pencils)

Well, let me show you.

http://img352.imageshack.us/my.php?image=fu9ph.jpg

See, she tried it with both of the ways you said you do it and it just doesn't come out the same. I know you can color something in well with color pencils, but blend techniques don't bode quite so nicely. Even with moiture, the material used in ALL color pencils(aside from a few I am about to show you) them makes it hard.

There ARE pencils that are made to blend, prismacolor ones, and even THEY don't look like that. I'll give you another example.

http://www.deviantart.com/view/24839139/

See, those blend in well and could possibly do what was done in that picture you showed us, but I doubt it even at that as the way they work. But, the thing is, you said that you used your finger and a bit of licking.

This is just my eye on artistry acting here, but it just doesn't seem possible to do that along the leaves, since your finger wouldn't have been bale to fit like that without messing up the outline as well. And had you done the "Dulled Pencil on the edge" thing, it would look different (As CJ's attempt showed you).

[DarkCORN!]

Actually, I looked and the ones I used were watercolor pencils.

[Mesden]

Actually, I looked and the ones I used were watercolor pencils.

You used your finger on watercolor pencils?

...

Wouldn't that eat through the paper if you smudged with your finger? Just wondering. That's if there are watercolor pencils...I'm imagining something along the lines of watercolor paint...But pencils?

Might need to look into them if they work that well.

Edit: Ah, found a site. And they're made for blending alright, kind of like prisma. But using your finger(That you licked) would damage the paper and have less of a smooth quality that yours has.

[Mauve Mage]

I think it would depend on the paper. Copy paper, definitely would get ruined. Tougher drawing paper might not be so bad. Watercolor paper wouldn't be damaged at all; it's actually made to be completely submerged before you start painting. But I would think any tough drawing paper should be able to withstand some smudging.

I really haven't messed much with watercolor pencils, (not recently; I think I drew something with them back in middle school), but I'm pretty sure you could smudge 'em like that if your finger wasn't TOO wet. You can smudge graphite, charcoal, and oil pastels, and those tend to work best if your finger is very slightly damp. Regular colored pencils wouldn't smudge much at all, you're right. But I think watercolor pencils are just greasy enough to blend.

But I haven't done any watercolor pencil work in a long time, so it's completely possible that I'm speaking nonsense right now. :sweatdrop:


On topic-- DC, you should try submitting to your school paper first. Some local newspapers might feature your work if you submit it to them. However, it would be much harder to get work published in a newspaper right away. Don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that your work isn't worthy. It's really nice. But it's mainly because they don't want to pay money for a cartoonist or mess with their usual page layout if they could just get the same weekly funnies that run in every paper across the country. School publications generally don't have to worry about paying reporters and cartoonists, and since you're a student, it's more relevant to the publication. I think you'd have a better chance there.

What the big papers want to see is a portfolio of professional work. If you really want to get into being a cartoonist or ANY job at a newspaper, start submitting your work to your school paper, school magazine, et cetera. Then, clip the pictures out of the published works and save them all in a folder. Then when you talk to a town paper's editor, you can show them a portfolio of all your previously published work. This looks really good.

If you just want to have your art published, not get a job, you could TRY submitting it, but like I said, the layout folks don't like having to squeeze things in. You may have to try alternative publications: Art magazines, local newsletters, smaller publications, et cetera. But if you want to try, go right ahead. You never know what might happen!! And you might get some advice from professionals, instead of crazy folks like me.

[PhoenixFlame]

Impressive picture!

One technique I tried using while painting small pewter miniatures used in the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop miniatures game, was to use my finger to attempt to smudge certain areas of the miniature after drybrushing it with a lighter color, to attempt to gain a more realistic effect on items like armors and weapons.

While I had some success with this, I always had trouble with my fingerprints being visible on the miniature's detail after the paint dried. In your work here however, your finger-smudging technique is completely fingerprint-free. Could you enlighten me on any special technique you used to achieve this? Perhaps paper is more forgiving of these sort of mistakes than three-dimensional miniatures? Citadel paints are watercolor, so I imagine there would be some similarity. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Mashirosen]

Mesden, your friend was using cheap pencils on crappy paper, of course the results weren't nice. It's totally possible to do nice dry work with Crayola pencils, but they're made for kids' projects, and whatever it was your friend was using them on wasn't made for any kind of art project at all. Paper quality and pencil quality can make a world of difference when it comes to some techniques. I had a very dear friend in college who could do some wild things with Prismacolors and enough spit. :D

[Mesden]

Mesden, your friend was using cheap pencils on crappy paper, of course the results weren't nice. It's totally possible to do nice dry work with Crayola pencils, but they're made for kids' projects, and whatever it was your friend was using them on wasn't made for any kind of art project at all. Paper quality and pencil quality can make a world of difference when it comes to some techniques. I had a very dear friend in college who could do some wild things with Prismacolors and enough spit. :D

Cool. Really, just started with the initial idea of "I smudged color pencils". That's what didn't set right. The water pencil thing worked until I thought about rubbing the paper. But yeah, retrospect kicking in, high grade paper would solve that problem.

Well, DC, if you could, just finish the picture sometime and post it up. It's very nice and I'd like to see it done. (I'm such an art browsing freak. ^^;; )

[Grandmaster_Skweeb]

I stand corrected.

[DarkCORN!]

Okay, let's see.
1. Sorry if I don't memorize the brand of pencils I'm using. Let's see. They are made by Foohy.
2. It was watercolor paper.
3. I thought they were regular colored pencils. I looked, they are watercolor pencils.
4. I frankly don't care if anyone steals it.
5. That was added by my camera (which is a day ahead for some reason). Its not a stamp.
6. See above.
7. The transformers one was a year old ten minute sketch. This is a week old several hour drawing.
Also:
http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/1809/dcp292883cm.jpg
See: I fixed the date!

[Melfice]

I... have to seriously agree with Skweeb there. Even after seeing you hold it.
I'm not saying you're lying now, but one example is easy to forge. Just print it out, and you have yourself a drawing after some quick editing.

But, as I asked in my original post, I'd like to see examples.
You would always pick your best work, and that may seem enough, but that won't show one if you're consistent in your style, or if that was just an incredibly good work, where the rest is crap. If you get my point.
If you really wish to have your comic published, you'll need to show them your portfolio.

But, if that fairy is your's, it's really good, and if the rest of your work is as good, you're well underway to getting work published.

[DarkCORN!]

Here's an in progress sketch of my cat:
http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/1265/dcp292896qm.jpg

[Mesden]

That's all well and good. Skweeb, you were kind of out of line there. Melfice, don't push the issue, personal beliefs or no, you've got nothing to prove against him while he's holding the pic.

DC, the new camera is good (Aside from the date =P) and gets fairly good shots(I'm assuming it's new because your old camera has no time stamps. Camwhore thread and all). Your art skill is impressive and I'd like to see some of your finished work more often, instead of 10 minutes tranformer drawings.

It's always great to see a good artist and it's always better to see an aspiring young one. Show us your work, get a little(Positive) criticism and hone this wonderful talent you have.

[Fifthfiend]

Look guys, we're all getting sidetracked from the main point of all this --

Here's an unfinished drawing I am working on. It's for my mother to get a tattoo of.[/IMG]

-- Dude, Coolest Mom EVAR.

[MasterOfMagic]

I'm going to agree with the mauve one on this one. I'd go for the school newspaper first. You've got the art part down, but what about the writing part? Personally, I don't know. I do know both are important in comics, though. Writing is probably more-so. (especially if you're trying to be funny)

You also have to consider how long its going to take you to make one. Regular newspapers will probably need a new one pretty regularly(daily is what I'm thinking), and that's gonna cut into your time quite a bit.

Also: Why did you crease such a lovely looking pic? :gonk:

[Muffin Mage]

You're about thirty years too late to break into the syndicated print comic industry. Start working now, and maybe by 2050 you'll have amassed a sufficient body of work to be noticed.

[[ray.z]]

Look man, your art is excellent.

Now I love newspaper comics (Calvin and Hobbes being my fave), but have you looked a newspaper comics lately?

The artists aren't allowed much freedom of design and movement, mainly due to restrictions in the amount of space. This is further increased due to the declining popularity of newspapers and increasing costs to produce them.

The author of Calvin and Hobbes, Bill Watterson, fought considerably hard against the sydicate of his comic for liscencing rights (so be careful with contracts). He also worked very hard to change his sunday strip so it is no longer in the traditional sense, that is, rows of panels (I believe the comic is heaps better now as he has more freedom).

To make a popular newspaper comic, you would have to gain considerable market attention quickly, or otherwise your one would be moved to make room for another. And note that the oldest strips continue to be published nowadays, and there is very little room for fresh material.

(last few paragraphs based on The Calvin and Hobbes TENTH ANNIVERSARY BOOK, by Bill Watterson.)

The goal you want to achieve is a difficult one. It is clear that you have artistic talent, and it is obvious tat if you work hard you can achieve something in the field, so don't quit.

But as a suggestion, maybe you should consider a webcomic, since you can publish your work the way you want, even though it may be considerably less profitable and much more work.

[Flarecobra]

Ray, the guy's banned. No point in posting here anymore.

Mods, lock please?

[Fifthfiend]

Sure, why not.

I suppose I shall always wonder whether his moms got that tattoo.