How to start a cartoon?

[nobody]

So recently I decided I wanted to start writing, drawing, everythinging my own online cartoon. I think it would be like the greatest thing ever. Well I don't exactly know what to do. Like I mean I know how to draw and scan stuff in and color it and whatever but like.. do you add speach bubbles over a finished room thingy or if you draw them in with the pic how do you really know how big to make them? How do you do the squares and stuff.. just crop stuff to fit I guess? See I'm really lost as to how to do it all so if anyone has some good pointers and/or tutorials that would be awesome.

[saint cleve]

well..are you trying to do animation or block cartoons as in cartoon scripts you find in the newspaper???

[nobody]

Like the newspaper.
Penny Arcade (http://www.penny-arcade.com) would be something along the lines of what I'm thinking.

[VisualAid]

I can write this small ad give more detail if needed.

First of all you take your paper you are going to sketch your cartoom on. Draw a 2cm border round the page. Section of on average 4-6 boxes for drawings different sizes that are pleasing to the eye. Then take your time and skecth out your initial comic speech bubbles taking notes of already drawn examples. Try to keep each box to the key points and facts that you are putting across. Skectch wildly all over inside the boxes and outside but remember only the insides will get coloured!. This is after drawing your speech bubbles (you add speech bubbles then characters). When done ink with a thin black pen and a thick black pen varying different pen widths throughout the cartoon. best is thick for person thin for background. Scan and mask i photoshop create a new layer color and add text. :)

HOPE THIS HELPS :D

[VisualAid]

P.S I WOULD LOOOOOVVVVEEE to help and i am quite a good drawer :) i'll go find some pics.

[nobody]

yeah that actually does help, here's another question, what's a good pen to get?
Whenever I try to ink my stuff it bleeds like crazy.. I can never get a good crisp line

[saint cleve]

ok...rad...it mostly depends on how popular you want your comic strip to be...if your doing this just for fun and dont really care what people think about it as long as you like then just make it how you think is best suitable...but if you want people to really like the comic strip...you should sketch it out a few times and get a good idea of what each frame should look like...then since your probably are going to post it on the web...you hafta decide if your going to have all of the strip viewable or if your viewer has to click a button to go to the next frame or scene...it realy depends on the type of comic you plao produce...is it realistic like spider man or is it very cartoonish like snoopy and garfield??? just be very creative...and get a few opinions on it before you publish!!!!...and mosly...good luck!!!

[nobody]

thanks a lot both of you guys
so it's just gonna be a funny 3-ish panel cartoon that you can see all of and stuff... basically I'm just bored all the time and I think this would be a great way to sharpen my skills..
I'm gonna start on it today.. maybe by tomorrow I could post one or something.. yay

[VisualAid]

could i help. I wanna be a animation drawer and it would help gratefully. The pen i use is a NeoPiko got it imported from Japan i use that for thin lines and for thick lines i use a quill and standard black ink.

The paper can also change things dramatically good pen for using ink with and scanning would be kent paper (you can get it from most art shops)

[nobody]

what do you mean help?
I just want to have my own little cartoon thinger..
but like if you wanted to make your own I could put it up on my site as well..

[replode]

a wacom tablet might be pretty easy to use, plus you could color the pics in, i know a few tutorials.;)

[nobody]

i have a wacom:beam:

[VisualAid]

i was just trying to help somone else i dont have the time to set the full thing up :smirk: so i thought i would ask just in case u let me

[nobody]

I'm sorry:*(

[VisualAid]

it's k u want ur own little cartoon thing ;)

[saint cleve]

hey VisualAid...post some of your stuff...i would like to see what you are capable of!!!

[replode]

yeah VisualAid, cause im your partner in the Photoshop colab battle once it gets kicked off, so i'd love to see some of your stuff. it doesnt have to be anything big, but just whatever you've done.

[asphaltcowboy]

digital inking is the way forward my friends :)

[nobody]

whats that, like using the pen tool?

[asphaltcowboy]

yep basically. though some people like to do it in painter :)
this is one of the best PS inking tutes I've found:

http://wynd.teamanime2k.org/tutorial_inking_p2.htm

[nobody]

I have painter and a Wacom.. and a really unsteady hand..
I'll give it a shot.. I'm gonna draw up some concept sketches here in an hour or so

[asphaltcowboy]

it all depends on what you want to do - the key to inking in painter (or PS for that matter - if not using the pen tool) is zooming in on your scan to 200-300% and taking a thing (normally hard brush) and just do it in short bits at a time :)

EDIT: this is something I inked in painter:

http://www.asphaltdesign.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/crap/inked_asp_mich.jpg

[nobody]

that's cool
I'm planning to do it in photoshop you should color that

[asphaltcowboy]

Thanks, I'm planning to colour it :) (it's part of my battle entry :))

photoshop is pretty much the same.. another good (PS) tute using the brush tool as opposed to the pen tool :): http://kawaiicarrot.trsqr.net/tutorial_ink1.html

[nobody]

great link man.. thanks a ton

[asphaltcowboy]

nps :beam:

[VisualAid]

just trying to locate some sketches on a free hosting site :/ i used ages ago. I lost my scanner which is a big problem it only works with windows 98 and i have XP now :/.

I cant find any at the moment but when i get home from school i will try and do some. I usually now sketch my drawing and then trace it with the wacom not that neat but it's the best i can do without a scanner :(.

[luksy]

I make cartoons!

I made a fully lenght 8 minute cartoon recently. You can check it out (click below)! Sorry for the voice though. They are bad.

Enjoy!


Click here to watch! (http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view.php?id=96129)

btw, if you liked this one, feel free to click "other movies by luksy" in the bottom left corner.

[nobody]

thast pretty cool luksy

well i've already made a preliminary(sp?) sketch of one of the characters. I'm gonna draw all the people lik 50 times until I'm happy with them. I'm also workin on some comedy thingers

[Soul]

I've recently started some ideas for a cartoon :)

Awww thats cute Asphalt :love: *hugs the little dude*

- Soul :s:

[nobody]

Soul, lemme see lemme see

[Soul]

No :P

[nobody]

MEANIE!!!!!
when are you puttin your site up?

[VisualAid]

i just wacomed my line art battle pic up :).

[nobody]

thats cool, let us see

[VisualAid]

It's Kit cause i was already drawing it and it looks like kit with short hair so thats who it is because it links with kirupa. havent coloured it yet or finsihed lining.

I just noticed i forgot her neck lines she looks like a lion :).

[Soul]

Soon 28, its summer now so lots more free time :beam:

- Soul :s:

[nobody]

thats cool visual, you got some random dots all over the place though

soul, do i get a sneek peak? :love:

[Soul]

Yes, check your PM in 5 mins ;)

- Soul :s:

[nobody]

YAY!!!!
:love::love::love::love:

[VisualAid]

hey i wanna sneak peek ! and i fixed the dots :).

[asphaltcowboy]

Originally posted by Soul
Awww thats cute Asphalt :love: *hugs the little dude*:love:

[jay-em]

LINK (http://www.toddgallina.com)

This site will help. This guy is one of the best out there. He is down to earth and will help answer your questions. He also co-wrote a book named "Flash Character Animation" that I recommend.

Hope this helps....Good Luck !!:s:

[Ranoka]

I've got that book, I've found it really useful.

If you want to do character animation I highly recommend the book the Animator's Survival Kit (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0571202284/qid=1058469616/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_3_1/026-4162119-5296446) by Richard Williams, it's the best Animation book I've got, and I've got a dozen...

[Maxtr0sity]

I heard he's going to name the character Maximillian. ;)

=)

[luksy]

hey ranoka can you scan that or something. I know this book is the best for animation but i found it only available at amazon and i don't have credit card so i can't order anything from the net. How have you got it?

[Ranoka]

Lol, I don't have the time to scan it.

Luksy, if you don't have a credit card you must know someone who does that can order it and you can pay them back in cash. Maybe your parents, teacher, friend or neighbour or someone? It will be worth the effort, It is a good book, is the only book I've seen that properly explains lip syncing, for example!

Good Luck!

[Ranoka]

Or you could ask your local book shop if they can order it in, the ISBN number is on the amazon page, then you could buy it from them in cash or whatever.

Hope you manage to find a copy Luksy!