To me this is one of the most fascinating elements of storytelling. The idea behind Chekhov’s Gun is to employ parsimony in the information comprising a plot and content: If something isn’t essential to the story, just don’t include it. Little by little, it became more “if ...
Chekhov's Gun
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Jan. 7, 2017The Romantic and the Cynic
kawaiidaigakusei at 12:00AM, Jan. 2, 2017
The year 2016 was not as horrible as some people thought it to be. I did go through some personal changes that might not be seen as monumental in the wide scope of the world. I have always been a true romantic–a label given to me by an English ...
Beginnings
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Dec. 31, 2016
Happy New Year’s Eve!
Thinking about the new year that is just about to begin, I thought to talk about beginnings in stories, and especially in webcomics.
How a story begins, the very first pages of it, are key for catching the audience’s attention and keeping it. The ...
Clutter, Minimalism, and Artist's Block
kawaiidaigakusei at 12:00AM, Dec. 26, 2016
-royalty free stock photo
When I went to see Assassin's Creed last week, there was a scene where the main character was sitting in a nearly empty room with a small twin sized bed as its only furnishing. I turned to my sister and said, “I wish my room ...
A Fate Worse Than Death
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Dec. 24, 2016
part of the painting “The last days of Messolonghi” by François-Émile de Lansac
First things first- Happy Holidays everyone!
In all types of creative writing and artwork, and definitely in webcomics we always talk about the ultimate stakes in the game- death. Death is absolute and irreversible (except when it ...
One Dimensional Characters
Banes at 12:00AM, Dec. 22, 2016
Talking Stock
A good character is a three-dimensional character, right? They have to be relateable. With wants and fears that make sense. And a bit of a history. And a flaw or two to keep them “human”. And a wound to try and overcome. And maybe even a contradiction within ...
Good Artists Copy, Great Artists Steal
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Dec. 17, 2016
So this quote that, according to Google, is attributed to Picasso, popped up in my facebook feed, and now I want to talk about it.
At first I thought to make the newspost about plagiarism vs. inspiration, but it sounded something self explanatory, especially in a community of comic artists ...
Characters based on Human Beings
HippieVan at 12:00AM, Nov. 25, 2016
In my newspost last week about the “No Hugging, No Learning” mantra, I mentioned that I was basing a throwaway character – a loveable misanthrope – on a real-life friend of mine. It’s something I’m tempted to do fairly frequently; I spend most of my time in an academic environment ...
Jack-O-Lanterns!
HippieVan at 12:00AM, Oct. 21, 2016
Pumpkin carving! It’s one of those funny types of art like Easter egg painting or decorating gingerbread cookies that you only ever get to do once a year. I never seem to get much better at pumpkin carving, but that doesn’t stop me from getting pretty intense about ...