- It can take years to find the right art supplies.
- It can take years to find something to write about.
- Comics are equal parts drawing and writing, with writing being a little more equal.
- Laughter is in the eye, ear, nose and throat of the beholder.
- Being funny isn't really about telling jokes.
- Punchlines are optional. They can also come anywhere in a strip or story.
- The best laugh is the one the reader's been unknowingly waiting for.
- Rhythm is everything: in the pacing of drawing, punchline, and especially in the "beat" of dialogue. Something can be truer or funnier if it's told with the right rhythm. The "right rhythm" is the one that just sounds the best when you "hear" it being spoken.
- The eyes are the gateway to the cartoon character's soul. Make sure pupil placement is where you need it to be.
- Cartoon characters have souls.
- As Freud meant to say, "Every cartoon character you create is you". So be careful. Related subject: Autobiographical comics don't have to be specifically autobiographical.
- There should always be a decent amount of "air" around the lettering in speech balloons.
- The superhero genre is great--to make fun of.
- Titles are very important. They serve as a "way in" or a "clue" to the intent of point of view of the strip.
- Find your writing "voice". Try to keep it natural and conversational.
- If your interest is in "real world" detail, keep a "morgue" (a file of photos of people, objects, landscapes, etc.) Take photos of things and people yourself, too. Remember: Google is the quickest image and data source assistant.
- If you use text above the drawing in a panel or series of panels, don't make it "explanatory". Its best use is to complement the drawing--not describe the drawing.
- Lettering is a part of your "voice". In speech balloons, words should be all in caps and very legible. "Bold" for accented words is optional, but nice. Think of lettering as another kind of artwork, not strictly as text. It should express your style as much as your line. Avoid "generic lettering (the kind you see in Marvel comics, for instance). Re: title lettering: Remember, a cartoonist is also a sign-painter. Pay attention to letter forms. Fonts are all about weight and balance.
- Color: there are over 100,000 colors available in a 4-color process printing. Try to use the subtle pastels as much as possible. Gray is a great color. Use "comic book" colors (full red, blue, yellow and green) sparingly. Full, bright color looks best surrounded by more atmospheric, subtler colors.
- The cartoonist is an auteur movie director. You write the strip, you cast it, you light it, you edit it, you have final cut. Problem is, you don't control distribution. You need a publisher for that.
- "Camera angles" (visual points of view) are important. Move around the panel as you draw the story, looking at the same scene from different distances and angles. Use wide shots, one-shots (one character alone in a panel), two-shots (one character talking to another in a panel), close-ups, dream sequences, surrealism, expressionism.
- When doing full page comics, think of each page as a self-contained entity. Also think of each two-page spread as a graphic unit. Compose pages with clear narrative flow in mind, but use "tricks of the trade" to add interest (borderless panels, circular panels, L-shaped panels). Use these sparingly and for story-telling effect, not as "eye candy". Never say "eye candy".
- Comics can tell any kind of story. They'r infinitely flexible. Comics will never disappear. New media do not replace existing media. "New" forms free up existing forms, allowing them to do more interesting, less commercially-driven things.
- Two really good (flexible) pen points: Gillot 291 and Hunt 100. Really good paper: 2-ply plate Strathmore, series 500. Really good eraser: kneaded. Really good ink: "Rotring Artist Color Opaque Black". Really good white-out: "Cartoon Color Cel-Vinyl White". Really good for non-flexible line drawing cross-hatching: Rotring Rapidographs in different line thicknesses (.025, .035, .050).
- When starting out, try to get in print as quickly as possible. Seeing your work in print is tremendously educational. All your mistakes leap out. Educational, but painful. If you do strips (as opposed to longer stories) try your local weekly papers first. Self-publish. Any way to get into print is good, including the web.
- Always retain copyright to your self-created characters. File the appropriate forms with the Library of Congress. Always put a "©" symbol (with the current year and your name) on all your work. This protects your rights for 9 years. File actual copyright forms before the 9 years is over. Current copyright law protects you for your lifetime plus 75 years. Copyright can also be assigned to another person or estate in your will. Copyright can be renewed after your death by the legal owner. Thank Disney for all this, but not much else.
- Disney is great--to make fun of.
- Always retain live-action film, animation, merchandising, web & TV rights to your work in any publishing contract, whenever possible.
- Buy a high-quality copy machine when you can afford to. Never send original art through the mail. Copy machines and high-res scanners make perfect reproductions for sending purposes, through the mail or online. Always keep copies of your stuff if you sell or give away the original art.
- When you sell original art, tell the buyer they have no reproduction rights.
- Aside from trying to communicate, don't think of your readers when you create your comics. Please yourself and a few friends. Then hope for the best.
- Don't reach out all the way to the reader--don't worry about being "obscure" or ambiguous--if you're sure of what you're doing, ask the reader to meet you halfway.
- It's not always necessary to write out the entire strip or story before you start drawing. Many times, the story (or characters) will "tell" you where to take it. On the other hand, sometimes it is best to have everything written beforehand--just don't set it in stone.
- Comic creation is divided into two time periods: Thinking and inking. During the thinking period, silence is best. You can listen to NPR, music or talk radio while inking.
- Create a website. Print your website address somewhere in all your work. Sell stuff through your website. Cut out the middleman.
- Manga is really great--to make fun of.
- Sitting at a drawing table for 37 years can be hard on the neck and upper back. Get up every half hour or so and stretch. Do neck and upper back stretching exercises every day as you get older.
- Find and read comics you like, both current and historical.
- Don't just look at comics for inspiration and education. Look at great drawing wherever it appears.
- Last but no least: Never listen to anyone else's advice on cartooning.
Posted by Mark Frauenfelder on boing boing.
