Comics by Minnions

[Curry]

Um, I knew that topic existed, but I'd argue that they're not the exact same because that topic is for listing/sharing comics, this is for talking about our comics and the comic-making process. I don't think they should be merged, but that's not my decision.

I kind of thought the same but didn't want to start an argument. This one is discussion and the other is a list so I'll maybe just add that as a link in the first part?

UMMM, I have two webcomics. One is finished, and its pretty crappy. But if anyone wants to read it, its called Ask Maple Leaf. *i couldnt figure out how to work tumblr so it wasnt really an ask blog* but heres the link. Its an MLP comic, just warning   http://askmapleleaf.tumblr.com/
And my other one is called One Heart. it is also on tumblr. It has only two pages, but im working on the third. It is also a story about ponies, but not really related to anything in the show. Yaaay, please check them out!! http://1heart2hearts3hearts4.tumblr.com/

Aaah, this post would be best here but if you want a specific theme for comics, I've seen some webcomic themes for tumblrthat can make it a lot easier/more navigable for readers :0 here's one example and I'm sure that you could customize it to be whatever you like!

[Lenny]

As the owner of the previous thread, I am 100% okay with this thread existing, as long as it is, you know, a discussion thread, not a comic-listing thread.

So, like Curry said in the first post here, please share your comic on this thread instead!

I'll link back to this one in the first post of the other thread, too.

Also, Viola and I am in the middle of updating this masterpost of all art threads on the forum. Checking that out from time to time might be advisable, too. (Also PMing me if you see something that isn't on the list would be great - though keep in mind that as of the posting of this comment the General Discussion Board section has not been updated. The SSSS and aRTD ones have.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back to what this thread is about, the most frustrating thing about comic making is real life.

It gets in the way.

ALL THE TIME.

*says the artist who just sort-of recovered from a cold and then got jumped by exhaustion, fever, and two exams within less than two weeks time...*

[Sunflower]

As the owner of the previous thread, I am 100% okay with this thread existing, as long as it is, you know, a discussion thread, not a comic-listing thread.

So, like Curry said in the first post here, please share your comic on this thread instead!

I'll link back to this one in the first post of the other thread, too.

Also, I am in the middle of updating this masterpost of all art threads on the forum. Checking that out from time to time might be advisable, too. (Also PMing me if you see something that isn't on the list would be great - though keep in mind that as of the posting of this comment the General Discussion Board section has not been updated. The SSSS and aRTD ones have.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OK, sounds like you folks have come to a working consensus, that the two threads are not identical and shouldn't be merged.  Curry and Lenny, thanks for being so meticulous about cross-referencing and providing guidance about what types of posts should go where.  Lenny, also thanks for updating the masterpost listing of all the art threads.  This sort of internal wayfinding is really helpful.

[Curry]

As the owner of the previous thread, I am 100% okay with this thread existing, as long as it is, you know, a discussion thread, not a comic-listing thread.

So, like Curry said in the first post here, please share your comic on this thread instead!

I'll link back to this one in the first post of the other thread, too.

Also, Viola and I am in the middle of updating this masterpost of all art threads on the forum. Checking that out from time to time might be advisable, too. (Also PMing me if you see something that isn't on the list would be great - though keep in mind that as of the posting of this comment the General Discussion Board section has not been updated. The SSSS and aRTD ones have.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back to what this thread is about, the most frustrating thing about comic making is real life.

It gets in the way.

ALL THE TIME.

*says the artist who just sort-of recovered from a cold and then got jumped by exhaustion, fever, and two exams within less than two weeks time...*

Oooh, yay, I'll have something proper to link to people in the introduction thread! Thank you both!

Also, that's something I'm pretty worried about for sure :\ I don't know if I could even do one page weekly, so I'd probably end up marathoning every Friday and posting one page every 2 weeks. That's... reasonable, right? I don't know I have no idea about whether that would be enough to keep a reader following or not ___(/L)______

[Lenny]

Oooh, yay, I'll have something proper to link to people in the introduction thread! Thank you both!

Also, that's something I'm pretty worried about for sure :\ I don't know if I could even do one page weekly, so I'd probably end up marathoning every Friday and posting one page every 2 weeks. That's... reasonable, right? I don't know I have no idea about whether that would be enough to keep a reader following or not ___(/L)______

From experience, a reader following will exist when you have enough of a comic to make a reasonable story + have something in that story to keep them hooked (awesome art, cool characters, an intriguing plot... doesn't have to have them all, but as long as none of the others suck and one element stands out, people don't mind). My own comic has had a rather haphazard update schedule lately, as well as a long haitus, but it still has a reader following (albeit small) and I love them, those amazing people who put up with me ;_;

It does of course make it easier on yourself and on them if you have some sort of schedule, but sometimes that is not possible. Keep in mind then that you probably won't get many readers who'll stick around until you have enough of the story there for them to get an idea what it's all about.

[Curry]

From experience, a reader following will exist when you have enough of a comic to make a reasonable story + have something in that story to keep them hooked (awesome art, cool characters, an intriguing plot... doesn't have to have them all, but as long as none of the others suck and one element stands out, people don't mind). My own comic has had a rather haphazard update schedule lately, as well as a long haitus, but it still has a reader following (albeit small) and I love them, those amazing people who put up with me ;_;

It does of course make it easier on yourself and on them if you have some sort of schedule, but sometimes that is not possible. Keep in mind then that you probably won't get many readers who'll stick around until you have enough of the story there for them to get an idea what it's all about.

Yeah, I was thinking about posting the first chapter all at once and then going from there into a single page basis, but tapastic (where I was leaning towards hosting it) handles that less well. Maybe I could just post all the pages, even the first ones that I post in bulk, individually? Hhhhhhhhh, I'm not entirely sure :I I'm still not sure whether I'll do a prologue or not because the story could use one and it's super awkwrad to start it off without it but I also don't want it to drag on forever? (I think it has 30+ chapters in the outline. Less than 40, but 30 is still a lot.)

[Lenny]

Yeah, I was thinking about posting the first chapter all at once and then going from there into a single page basis, but tapastic (where I was leaning towards hosting it) handles that less well. Maybe I could just post all the pages, even the first ones that I post in bulk, individually? Hhhhhhhhh, I'm not entirely sure :I I'm still not sure whether I'll do a prologue or not because the story could use one and it's super awkwrad to start it off without it but I also don't want it to drag on forever? (I think it has 30+ chapters in the outline. Less than 40, but 30 is still a lot.)

You could also make a gigantic buffer before posting it online, like a chapter or two chapters or prologue + chapter or whatever, and then post them once a week one or two pages at a time. Less stress on you that way, and your readers get a steady stream

(I would have done my comic this way if it weren't for the fact that I started it for a contest, hence had to post everything as soon as it was finished. Working with no buffer is stressful, and I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE.)

[Curry]

You could also make a gigantic buffer before posting it online, like a chapter or two chapters or prologue + chapter or whatever, and then post them once a week one or two pages at a time. Less stress on you that way, and your readers get a steady stream

(I would have done my comic this way if it weren't for the fact that I started it for a contest, hence had to post everything as soon as it was finished. Working with no buffer is stressful, and I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE.)

Oh wow, that's a great idea!!! That sounds so much less stressful than doing it on the fly, especially when I'm messing around with style and junk. I think I'll actually use this method *searches for upvote button*

[Lenny]

Oh wow, that's a great idea!!! That sounds so much less stressful than doing it on the fly, especially when I'm messing around with style and junk. I think I'll actually use this method *searches for upvote button*

You are very welcome. Learn from my poor, poor mistakes ;_; At least they will be useful that way.

[jesty]

I remember Minna posting some good tips about starting webcomics, so I rummaged aroung Disqus and found it!

Ah, I guess that would be a good blog post topic, I have a lot of little tips and tricks in my pocket by now. But here's some general advice I could share for now:
1. Start slow and try to get more efficient in increments, starting off with a too pressing goal off the bat is an easy ticket to burnout. When I started aRTD my goal was to draw one page every week, and even that felt like a huge hurdle. But by the time the first chapter was done and I decided to start putting it online I had become accustomed enough to drawing it that I was able to do 3 pages a week, easily. After about a year the way I drew the pages was such a tightly practiced and planned routine that I was able to move to the daily updates.

2. Get rid of that voice that tells you that each page has to be better than the last one or you're a failure of an artist who isn't progressing at all. Just try your best and once a page or panel is finished just call it done even if you're disappointed in it, and try your best again with the next one. (When looking for whether you've progressed or not compare your current pages to works that are at least a few months-a year old, otherwise you'll get constantly depressed from not seeing any improvement.)

3. Don't wait for inspiration to work, and don't go to bed early just because you're "not feeling it". I know that pages that I draw when I'm feeling kinda depressed will be worse than if I were enthusiastic about what I'm drawing, but a mediocre depression-day-page is better than no page because of depression, and I know I'll feel even more depressed and stressed out if I fall behind my drawing schedule. I don't go to bed angry and I don't go to bed without finishing that day's work, even if it means I go to bed well after the sun is up.

(Uhhh, yeah, I could write like five blog posts on the subject. I've spent a whooole lot of time trying to figure out how to develop my drawing speed while also keeping it from becoming something I resent doing every day. So far so good, i suppose. )

source~

And she also posted some stuff on her blog if nobody seen it.
Hope I helped >_>

And heeeee I cant wait to read your comic when its ready, Curry \o/

[Ren]

Hi. I really want to make a webcomic but I have no Idea how. Could anyone help me?

[Curry]

Hi. I really want to make a webcomic but I have no Idea how. Could anyone help me?

Well, first you have to have a story idea that you want to do. Then you should decide how you'll do it - what paneling style (no panels? comic pages? four panel comic strips), digital or traditional or a mix of the both, what you'll do for lettering, etc etc etc.
Then, deciding on an update schedule would be useful for your fans and you to know when you'll update the comic, and how much to post at once.
You'll also have to find a website to host it. This has been discussed here before, I know, but a lot of that depends on personal preference.
Then you just kind of DO IT and don't give up! That was really basic and not in-depth at all but that's most of what I know There are more people with more experience than me in this area, but that's kind of the skeleton of what I can think of right now!

[Ren]

Well, first you have to have a story idea that you want to do. Then you should decide how you'll do it - what paneling style (no panels? comic pages? four panel comic strips), digital or traditional or a mix of the both, what you'll do for lettering, etc etc etc.
Then, deciding on an update schedule would be useful for your fans and you to know when you'll update the comic, and how much to post at once.
You'll also have to find a website to host it. This has been discussed here before, I know, but a lot of that depends on personal preference.
Then you just kind of DO IT and don't give up! That was really basic and not in-depth at all but that's most of what I know There are more people with more experience than me in this area, but that's kind of the skeleton of what I can think of right now!

Thank you so much for the help

[Raffles]

I'm really hoping this is the right place to post this? If not can someone direct me to the right place, please?
But, anyway. I've been reading SSSS since it started and I've recently started my own webcomic.
It's called Potboiler Carp, and it's about sphinxes and the collective knowledge of the universe.
It hasn't been running long, but it's here.

[Sunflower]

I'm really hoping this is the right place to post this? If not can someone direct me to the right place, please?
But, anyway. I've been reading SSSS since it started and I've recently started my own webcomic.
It's called Potboiler Carp, and it's about sphinxes and the collective knowledge of the universe.
It hasn't been running long, but it's here.

Yes, this is absolutely the right place to post a link to your comic.  And welcome to the Forum!  Can we encourage you to post something about yourself on the Introduction Thread?  I for one would love to know whether your Forum name is for the Father of Singapore or Raffles the Amateur Cracksman.