Developing a 'graphic novel' style

braden H · 18 Aug 2020, 00:36

@carriecopadraws said in Developing a 'graphic novel' style:

@kylebeaudette I'm still learning too! Maybe you, me and @Braden-Hallett can start a comic group to cheer each other (and anyone else) on!

!!!

kylebeaudette · 18 Aug 2020, 02:06

Changed the little creature, added some light background hills, and of course, the falcon.

Jade Vaughan · 18 Aug 2020, 03:32

@kylebeaudette I really like your loose style! The updated piece is an improvement. Perhaps since the falcon is further away- thin the line work/limit detail so it doesn’t match the two foreground figures.

I’m also looking into developing a comic style. I’m still figuring out how and would love to join this group!

@carriecopadraws I love Jen Wang’s work and use of background. I think you executed the similar formula very well! And 60% power seems about right lol

I’ll add in a few examples from artists I’ve been reading:

Richard Sala’s Cat Burglar Black

Delphine

Luke Pearson’s Hilda

kylebeaudette · 18 Aug 2020, 03:43

@Jade-Vaughan love that Hilda, dont think I would ever be that good

I bought a copy of a Phoebe and her Unicorn book to look at, (and also for my classroom this fall!)

The backgrounds are simple, the drawings are very animation-esque, and the focus is on humour. It's pretty good, I like the clean visual style.

!

Jade Vaughan · 18 Aug 2020, 04:48

@kylebeaudette Very nice!! As you say the clean style does focus more on the character and dialogue. I’ll be checking it out I’m sure your class will enjoy it

kylebeaudette · 18 Aug 2020, 16:11

Can't stop futzing with this one.

braden H · 18 Aug 2020, 18:03

@kylebeaudette have you thought about using a silhouette for the falcon with certain details (like the cockpit windows) picked out? Instead of a full render I mean?

kylebeaudette · 18 Aug 2020, 19:04

@Braden-Hallett i took out the line work and liked that, but didn't play with it too much. I'll give it a shot

kylebeaudette · 20 Aug 2020, 21:10

Two old characters of mine, a boy and the monster in his closet (the olde cliche )
Trying to carve at the lines with an eraser, colouring it early to see how it looks and editing repeatedly

chrisaakins · 20 Aug 2020, 21:24

@kylebeaudette I love seeing this evolution. I do see a tangent with his collar and the mountain behind him though...

kylebeaudette · 20 Aug 2020, 21:46

@chrisaakins here's the latest! Took Bradens advice to make the falcon a silhouette, and I moved mountains to get rid of that tangent

braden H · 21 Aug 2020, 18:25

Okay! I've been inspired. I'm gonna get this short story done up.

There are a few places I feel I fell down in my webcomic. Getting caught up in details and overbaking textures; too many lighting details in regular panels Sound effects; and probably a few other areas.

SO! I got a couple fo questions for you guys as I 'develop my graphic novel style'.

1.) I'm using the same tools as I use for my regular illustrations. I like the idea of being able to do a graphic novel in the same way as I do a kid's book. Do you think this works?

2.) Do the hand-drawn sound effects work? (the 'HRRNNNNNNG' and stuff) or should I use a SFX font?

3.) I used very limited lighting passes. On the characters I did a very small occlusion shadow pass, and a very simple light pass. Is this enough? Not enough?

I wanna settle on a style before finishing this thing, so feedback is most appreciated

jdubz · 21 Aug 2020, 19:50

@kylebeaudette I think you really improved the silhouette, but I think the contrast is too vast between the foreground/background (the values start to get lost around his legs). It just feels unnaturally dark on the lower side without much reason for it. I think it would help the foreground characters jump out to push all that into the background.

Something like the Falcon would be recognizable even if it was like 3% different from the mountain. So you don't need to make it really stand out that much to get the recognition.

jdubz · 21 Aug 2020, 20:02

@Braden-Hallett

Just one thing - specifically I'm not sure you need to "halo" effect that's around the character on the barn panel. I think the shadows and light are overall enough and separating the characters just fine. Overall I don't see any reason to change really much of anything.

Not sure about your #2 point. I think that'll come down to preference. I wouldn't count that as something you'd definitely do or not do. It communicates the point clearly. I think maybe the background white on it might be too much visually. If you even made it fade into the background a bit more, there's little chance it would get missed or misunderstood and it might put more emphasis on the character interaction.

I mean, despite the minor things you could change here and there, this really could be on a shelf somewhere.

kylebeaudette · 21 Aug 2020, 21:23

@Braden-Hallett

It's really gorgeous! I think this style works beautifully
As for the handwritten font for sound effects, it works better for me in the hnnnrrggh sound than the 'plod plod plod' part, but really only noticed that because you brought it up.
And as much as I dont want you to, I bet you could simplify this style even more (backgrounds-wise)

But hey, no need because it's very nice!

kylebeaudette · 21 Aug 2020, 21:26

@jdubz yeah, I see what you mean.
I also know these characters are super flat and animated looking, while I like that, they could probably use a few passes...

kylebeaudette · 22 Aug 2020, 16:24

Fought with this this morning. Saving it would merge all layers into something very different from what I was seeing while drawing. I use Sketchbook pro, not sure what I was doing wrong.
In the end, I used snip tool to take a picture of the drawing.

braden H · 23 Aug 2020, 15:19

@jdubz said in Developing a 'graphic novel' style:

Just one thing - specifically I'm not sure you need to "halo" effect that's around the character on the barn panel. I think the shadows and light are overall enough and separating the characters just fine. Overall I don't see any reason to change really much of anything.

Iiiiiiinteresting! I'll take it out and play around with it.

@jdubz said in Developing a 'graphic novel' style:

I mean, despite the minor things you could change here and there, this really could be on a shelf somewhere.

Thanks

@kylebeaudette said in Developing a 'graphic novel' style:

As for the handwritten font for sound effects, it works better for me in the hnnnrrggh sound than the 'plod plod plod' part, but really only noticed that because you brought it up.

Cool cool I think I may get some options together and compare side by side.

braden H · 23 Aug 2020, 15:21

@kylebeaudette said in Developing a 'graphic novel' style:

Saving it would merge all layers into something very different from what I was seeing while drawing. I use Sketchbook pro, not sure what I was doing wrong.

Are you using a free version that doesn't let you save in layers? Seems strange it would flatten everything down on saving.

kylebeaudette · 23 Aug 2020, 15:42

@Braden-Hallett
Sketchbook usually lets me save in layers without issue. I mean, I thought it did?

It's all free now, but I'm using a light version that works better on my Surfacebook2. I'll try opening the file in the other version I have...

I've been toying with the idea of getting Clipstudio, and learning the ropes on that. I doubt a publisher would be thrilled to receive my .tif files from Sketchbook