I know that the challenge is to write within 16 panels for the course assignment. I also know its good for me to write within that constraint. But, I have a much longer comic in mind. Why is it so hard to write within a 16 panel constraint? (paraphrased question).
My Answer:
Concision is key! I’m also a person who likes longer form better as well. However, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is how to hone in on that feeling of “done-ness”. Without crafting a feeling of completion you can run into the bigger roadblock in the creation process – not knowing how to finish. Small projects are really key.
There is not a place we can turn where current events are not effecting our every day lives. I feel incredibly honored to unveil the first episode of comic fuel to feature Ulises Fariñas and Lucy Bellwood as cohosts. Ulises and I jump right into the questions and geek out on what is important to think about when inking – both digital and traditional. We then go into great depth discussing “style” and how it is actually an incidental occurrence in your art as opposed to a measured goal. Lucy hops in during question three to talk about how to think about drawing background art in your panels.
Ulises and I cap the entire episode off with a very important discussion regarding how race and equity is reflected in the comic industry. In fact, in writing the show notes for that segment, I was delighted to find several amazing articles that dealt specifically with how the comic industry is connecting to these important topics.
This episode also includes some amazing borrow audio clips from Jason Brubaker, Ven. Robina Courtin, and art educator John Spencer. Such an amazing third episode. Easily the hardest I’ve worked on yet. Hopefully I can keep it up!
[Tweet “ComicFuel Episode 3 was awesome!”]
Let me know what you think of the show by tweeting @patrickyurick
Please consider supporting us so that more episodes of the show can be released by donating at $1+ to the show on patreon: https://www.patreon.com/makingcomics
Check out our Patreon explainer video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4TBhT_m2RQ
Jump times to go to different parts of the podcast:
(00:00) Show Opener
(00:43) Introduction to Show
(10:10) #ComicFuel Break #1: Not A Delicious Chocolate Cake” by Ven. Robina Courtin
(12:40) Question 1: Inking
(24:40) #ComicFuel Break #2: “Growing A Tree” by Jason Brubaker
(28:17) Question 2 & 3 Style
(51:46) Patreon Ad
(52:12) Questions 4: Backgrounds
(54:58) #ComicFuel Break #3: “Can’t Live Without Art” by John Spencer
(1:00:00) Show Closing – Race & Equity in the Comics Industry
(01:23:00) How can you, yes you, contribute to the comic fuel cause?
(01:26:00) Show Outro
Questions answered in this episode
(jump-to specific question times listed below)
Josh: What are some good resources to improve your digital inking? I feel like I know the basics, so beginner books aren’t really teaching me anything new. I’m completely self taught, and would love to learn some subtly with my inks.
Maya: How do comic artists deal with improvements in their style while making a comic book? Should a comic artist keep a consistent style? If so, how much should one practice style before starting to make comics?
Michael, Poland: What are the elements of style of particular artists if I want to use their style in my own work? I usually think of such elements as: the coloring method used (with computer or water colors), shading, …. but what is it that distinguishes the one from the other? There are general groups of artists (e.g. European, Asian, …) who have similar style – how come they can be grouped – what is the key?
Jasmine: How often would you focus on comic backgrounds? Are details like that important?
Holy MOLY, what a whirlwind of amazingness it has been in the time between the release of episode 1 of Comic Fuel and Episode 2! We have had a thousand people download and listen to the episode and I have enough questions that I have to wait for another four episodes before I can put out another call for questions. Wow.
In this episode, episode 2, we’ll discuss project management, the comic creation process, coloring comics, penciling comics, and hosting comics online. The questions came from places like Ireland, India, Brazil, California, and Indiana. For legit #comicfuel we’ll hear about why we do art from Stephen McCranie, transitioning into fame and what is at the core of what artistry is really about from “How I Met Your Mother” actor Josh Radnor, and we’ll also hear about the art of really listening by famed audio producer Chris Watson.
Questions answered in this episode (jump-to specific question times listed below)
How many pages should a comic issue be to be printed?
How long would it take to make a comic by yourself; scripting, storyboarding, art and lettering; and self publish it?
How do you keep up momentum on making comics?
How long does it take for a comic book artist to make a comic book?
What is the step-by-step process I should go through to choose colors that will look good?
What kind of colors can i use?
Am I just not being patient enough with myself, or am I trying to fit too much, too zoomed out, into one panel?
What websites are best for starting to post a webcomic?
Another big announcement is that I spent a lot of time this month creating the Comic Fuel Podcast Wiki (http://comicfuel.wikidot.com/) which will serve as a repository for all questions, notes, and links that are mentioned in the show. Check it out. It took me FOREVER to make, but I’m really proud of it.
The Making Comics Worldwide headquarters is located in beautiful San Diego. Saying the Making Comics Gutter Talk podcast took a winter break seems somewhat ridiculous, mostly because winter does not really exist in San Diego. Still, that’s exactly what happened and now the podcast is back. Well, sort of.
In this episode, we return to the Coffee Table Comics podcast, the new-ish podcast by artist and creator Jason Brubaker. If you’re not familiar with his work, you really should be. He has put out such work as reMIND and his most current comic Sithrah. This particular episode is the second half of a fantastic conversation between Jason and his guests. On the show is Gutter Talk alumni, Daniel Warren Johnson, the creator of the stupendous comic Space Mullet, and also Royden Lepp, the creator of another amazing comic called Rust.
It’s the final Making Comics Gutter Talk episode of the year, our second year here with Making Comics Worldwide, and we couldn’t be more excited about this episode. While it is not your standard Gutter Talk podcast you’ve all come to know and love, this is something equally as cool.
Recently we heard from Jason Brubaker, creator of Sithrah and reMIND, and he mentioned how he’s been working on new podcasts to release to the world. He was also curious if we wanted to release them in the Gutter Talk timeline alongside his own posts. Clearly this was a no-brainer.
In this first episode Jason sits down with two amazing comic creators in a roundtable discussion. His guests are Royden Lepp, creator of the comic Rust, and Daniel Warren Johnson, both Gutter Talk alumni and creator of Space-Mullet.
Nearly five months ago, we released what we thought was the last of the Making Comics Gutter Talk re-issue podcasts. For those not familiar with the backstory, at one time, this great site was run by Jason Brubaker, creator of Sithrah and reMIND. However, as Jason’s work and home life began to increase with success and responsibilities, both the site and podcasts became a responsibility he didn’t feel comfortable not putting his all into. He subsequently handed the reigns to Patrick Yurick near the end of 2013 and, well, the journey has been interesting since then, to say the least.
A new podcast and podcast host joined the ranks. Still, people clamored for Jason’s old podcasts, and rightly so. The guests and conversations were a great mix of depth and joy, and every episode was a learning tool. After contacting Jason, he agreed to let us re-release the old podcasts until they ran out. Earlier this year, towards the end of May, we thought we had reached that point. However, what was previously released was only Part 1. If you have not heard Part 1 yet, click here. Jason let us know he still had the second half but it needed some edits. Towards the end of this past summer, Jason was able to find the time in his busy schedule to complete those edits. He even included a personal message at the end of the episode so make sure you listen all the way through.
We’re coming down to the last couple re-issue episodes from when Jason Brubaker was hosting the podcasts back in the day. The guests on this show are also no strangers to his show, as they were both on once before. And that was a fantastic conversation so it only makes sense this one is just as great.
In this Making Comics Gutter Talk re-issue episode Jason and his special co-host are joined by artists and creators Doug TenNapel and Ethan Nicolle for the first part of a two part conversation. There are some very heartwarming moments and also some fantastic information to keep in mind when considering doing a Kickstarter project in this episode, especially when Jason’s talking about his experience with reMIND. Plus, Ethan talks a little about the cast of Axe Cop, the television adaptation of the comic he co-created with his younger brother, Malachai.
Hopefully you’ve had a chance to really explore the redesign of the site. If you have, please be sure to let us know what you like, don’t like, or if there’s something you’d like to see. We really are hoping to have not just an educational aspect to the site but a community aspect, as well. We’ve already taken on our first content curator since the redesign went live so if you want to volunteer, please be sure to let us know.
Also, make sure you are heading over to iTunes to give us a review and rating. We know we keep saying this but it’s very important to the cause, even while these podcasts are only a portion of what we have to offer.
Fresh off a highly successful panel at WonderCon, as well as your benevolent host recording three other future podcast episodes, the Making Comics Gutter Talk podcast returns with a flashback, or a re-issue as they’ve come to be known around these parts. In this episode we return to the great conversation Jason Brubaker was in the midst of with Daniel Lieske, the mastermind and artist behind the Wormworld Saga. If you have not yet had a chance to listen to the first half of this conversation, click here to check it out.
In this episode Jason and Daniel Lieske go into detail about their strange and exciting successes with their respective Kickstarter projects, as well as some great conversation about crowdsourcing in general. It really does seem to be important to make sure you continue to build your fan base in order to help drive your successful project.
As a side note but one that also reaches up for the WonderCon mention above, were you there? If so, let us know. We’d love to hear what your thoughts were, what you liked, didn’t liked, wanted to hear but didn’t, heard but didn’t expect to hear, all of it. It was a pretty great panel, Jason Brubaker included, and the discussions had were as awesome as the questions asked by the crowd. If you were not there, though, no worries. Click here to take a listen.
Oh, and one more thing. Please consider going to iTunes to rate the Making Comics Gutter Talk podcast. Leave a review, count some stars, maybe check out some episodes you haven’t listened to yet. This really will help us get the word out about the great things we’re doing here and we really do want to hear from you. We see you on Twitter and Facebook and other places doing amazing things so please consider doing the same and leaving a review on iTunes.
Ok, now you can listen to today’s podcast. Enjoy, dear listeners.
The Making Comics podcast returns this week with another Jason Brubaker re-issue. This episode is the first part of a two part conversation between Jason and sometimes co-host, sometimes guest, but all the time favorite, Daniel Lieske, an artist based in Germany.
In one of the re-issues we released last year, Jason and Daniel were going through some rather successful Kickstarter campaigns. It was hard to not join in their excitement. But as much as we wish it weren’t the case, time moves on and that edge on the excitement begins to soften some. This leads to what can be a very scary question: Now what?
In this re-issue episode, Jason and Daniel attempt to answer that question. The fun thing is we have the ability to see the things they’ve done since this conversation first happened, or in this case the “what” in the big question, and the successes they’ve continued to find. And in a way, they’ve provided somewhat of an educational roadmap into comic creation. It may not be the exact path you or I may take but the experiences they have and share with us become plot-points along our own roadmap.
Before that conversation begins, Adam discusses a few things that came up between Jason and Daniel.
Oh, and we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention one of the more exciting upcoming events we’re participating in this year, Wondercon 2015. This year, on Saturday, April 4th at 10am in Room 211, Adam will be moderating a panel on storytelling in comics. Check out this list of panelists:
Jason Brubaker: Artist, creator of reMIND and Sithrah
Usually the Jason Brubaker re-issues are reserved for the last Friday of each month. However, when there are two parts to the conversation, it really does make more sense to release them concurrently. While Adam said it wouldn’t be until the end of March for Part 2, the backlash (which was wholly internal) was too much for Adam to bear, forcing him to adjust the schedule. It’s hard being a podcast host sometimes.
That said, the Gutter Talk podcast returns with Part 2 of the Jason Brubaker re-issue from last week with Kazu Kibuishi and Jason Caffoe. If you missed Part 1, click here. And the return of this week’s podcast also brings the return of Kevin Cullen to Adam’s apartment- uh, studio. Yeah, studio. That’s it. The big difference this week? No caffeine. If you were hoping for Caffeinated Kevin, sorry to disappoint you. We all enjoyed listening to Kevin deal with the rush of energy he was feeling pump through his veins but we here at Making Comics Worldwide feel its best if we ease you into Caffeinated Kevin. You don’t want to build up a tolerance, do you? You’ll thank us later.
In the extended intro, Calm-ish Kevin and Adam talk about the different kinds of music they listen to while on a creative streak and some of the various points of Part 2 of the conversation Jason Brubaker had with Kazu Kibuishi and Jason Caffoe. If you thought the first part of this conversation was enjoyable, there are plenty more head-nodding moments to come.
