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 ...
A Fate Worse Than Death
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Dec. 24, 2016Peace and Quiet, or Buzzing with Activity?
HippieVan at 12:00AM, Dec. 16, 2016
What is the best atmosphere to create in? This applies to art, of course, but also to just about anything you might be working on independently.
Some of my friends seem to be able to work with limitless distractions around. Fairly regularly I go over to my friend’s house ...
Diminishing Returns
Banes at 12:00AM, Dec. 15, 2016
Emotional Charges and Diminishing Returns
Many writing methodologies suggest mapping out the emotional change of each scene. The scene either starts positive, and goes to either negative or “extra positive”, or starts negative and goes to positive or “extra negative” by the end of the scene.
So if a lovelorn ...
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 ...
Timeliness vs Timelessness
Banes at 12:00AM, Nov. 24, 2016
Rogue from the X-Men encounters President Ronald Reagan!
(…who???)
Timeliness vs Timelessness
Some comics are very much “of the moment”, while others are more timeless.
Connecting to the events of the moment can be a worthy endeavor. The political satire of Jesus 2016 comes to mind. Webcomics are well suited ...
Constructing Suspense
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Nov. 19, 2016
Everyone loves a good thriller, a titillating mystery, a tale full of twists and turns (that make sense), something that challenges you to find the answer before you’re given it at the final act.
I’m not sure how many like sitting down to construct them.
Don’t get ...
No Hugging, No Learning
HippieVan at 12:00AM, Nov. 18, 2016
Recently I wrote a throwaway character for my comic based on a real-life friend of mine. In short, he’s a loveable misanthrope. And because he’s based on a real human being, I felt like I owed the character something: he won’t grow, or change, or become a ...
Stuck In The Middle
Banes at 12:00AM, Nov. 17, 2016
Stuck in the Middle - Midpoints
I've often found the Midpoint of a story difficult to find and difficult to write.
It's one of the big three pillars in story structure, and it's the
most subtle.
The Midpoint doesn't have the “dragged into a new world” of ...
When Death Comes…
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Nov. 12, 2016
No matter what the genre, plot and general tone of your comic, death always is absolute.
Or alternatively, death is used as a very efficient comedy device (if anyone remembers the numerous ways Dirk dies in Dragon’s Layer). Unsurprisingly so, I think, since real comedy is based on tragedy ...