tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60346141197666411222024-02-19T00:25:14.374-05:00Manga & MascaraGraphic Novels, Art, and My Addiction to Creating StuffArcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.comBlogger228125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-24310295190807438582016-04-01T18:00:00.000-04:002016-04-01T18:00:22.478-04:00Last PostAt least here, anyways...<br />
<br />
The day has finally arrived. I will no longer be updating this blog.<br />
<br />
Now you can find me at:<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://arcadiacomics.blogspot.com/">Arcadiacomics.blogspot.com</a></span><br />
<br />
There are no blog posts there yet. I will be making my first blog post next week.<br />
<br />
This new blog is super exciting to me because it's very focused on what I like to make. I don't feel like I'm doing double duty, making a comic and writing blog posts. I can update my blog with comic pages, art, and blog posts.<br />
<br />
Speaking of comics,<b> Mandy & Molly is now live.</b><br />
<br />
Start reading it now on my new blog, <a href="http://arcadiacomics.blogspot.com/">arcadiacomics.blogspot.com</a>, <a href="https://tapastic.com/episode/316400" target="_blank">Tapastic</a>, or <a href="http://mandymolly.smackjeeves.com/" target="_blank">Smackjeeves</a>.<br />
<br />
So this really isn't an end, but a new beginning. Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you over at my new site.Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-50527893962504632032016-03-09T17:00:00.000-05:002016-03-09T17:00:00.921-05:00Free Ways to Promote a Webcomic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1u3Pxx4_z1eupIB1JvJyfBfBEE8z3w6FHsftb-B8lKNS3mp4SYZxafOk-qLaeYQzHcncCk9sAkdapQZ2l3AcXLwdkVvGF_U2b28un9nzo8xYc7s_CGJqnufzNM1_ZWlsDSef32T-jrXWd/s1600/Screenshot_cropped.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1u3Pxx4_z1eupIB1JvJyfBfBEE8z3w6FHsftb-B8lKNS3mp4SYZxafOk-qLaeYQzHcncCk9sAkdapQZ2l3AcXLwdkVvGF_U2b28un9nzo8xYc7s_CGJqnufzNM1_ZWlsDSef32T-jrXWd/s1600/Screenshot_cropped.png" /></a></div>
<br />
I have the date March 26th highlighted on my calendar. That's when I'll start posting pages of my new comic, <b>Mandy & Molly</b>.<br />
<br />
Webcomic artists are not known for having money. In fact, I work and make comics on the side. So that being the case, any advice on how to do effective promotion for free is totally appreciated.<br />
<br />
The other day when I was reading through the Tapastic forums, I came across this thread called <i>Building a Social Media Presence With No Budget</i>. <a href="http://forums.tapastic.com/t/best-way-to-spread-you-comic/984?u=cyndifoster">You can read it here.</a><br />
<br />
I have already tried most of what's on the list. Twitter is great. I like using it to keep up with what other artists are doing. I'm not as vocal as some are--I post sketches here and there, but I don't often get into discussions. However, it's a great way of seeing what's going on with the webcomic community.<br />
<br />
I also like <a href="https://www.projectwonderful.com/" target="_blank">Project Wonderful</a>.(Note: This site does not show correctly in Chrome. Use Firefox or Internet Explorer) I've used it for <b>Mascara</b> and <b>Couture</b>, and it works. Most webcomic sites have Project Wonderful ads on their pages, so webcomic readers are exposed to new comics. When I was working on Mascara, it wasn't unusual for me to see an interesting ad for a comic via Project Wonderful while waiting for comic pages to upload. Sometimes I would click on it to check it out.<br />
<br />
I am a loyal ad-blocker user, but I do allow ads on webcomic sites because I don't know what I might miss. Also, that's how many artists make revenue.<br />
<br />
I will be using Project Wonderful to get the word out about Mandy & Molly before I start posting it. Also, I'm simplifying the whole ad creating process by using ad templates on <a href="https://www.canva.com/" target="_blank">Canva</a> instead of firing up Photoshop.<br />
<br />
There are other tips in that forum thread that I would like to try, such as submitting my comic to webcomic lists. If you're working on a comic and are planning on sharing it with the world, I hope you find some of the tips as helpful as I did.<br />
<br />
<br />
And if you know of any other free methods of webcomic promotion, feel free to comment on what you have found to work. Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-2171383219694631572016-03-02T17:00:00.000-05:002016-03-02T17:00:18.971-05:00Moving to a New Blog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2BS2kbGXq7q7Wr9-fzCgGJHDUat_6bgit7XzKm8MM3gP4Y3tXhp1cF_rdA3r8aH2KBtTxNXKkNKfqDwR8xzN_x58TQxJgHiTqA-3Hy41lsLefoAj1biutGRZ1gZ17_5KR5V0xgWjEQHz/s1600/Capture+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2BS2kbGXq7q7Wr9-fzCgGJHDUat_6bgit7XzKm8MM3gP4Y3tXhp1cF_rdA3r8aH2KBtTxNXKkNKfqDwR8xzN_x58TQxJgHiTqA-3Hy41lsLefoAj1biutGRZ1gZ17_5KR5V0xgWjEQHz/s640/Capture+1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
For awhile now I've been dreaming of a site where I can gather all of my comics and stories in one place.<br />
<br />
<div>
Finally, it looks like I've made it happen. Over the next few months, I will be shifting to my new blog at <a href="http://arcadiacomics.blogspot.com/">arcadiacomics.blogspot.com</a>. If you follow me via google+ or email, no changes need to be made. You will know where I am. But if you have my blog bookmarked, be prepared to update it.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
Although I know that this move will be for the best, leaving <i>Manga and Mascara</i> behind makes me a bit sad. I've been updating this blog for over three years! When I started, I seriously didn't think I would keep up with it for that long.<br />
<br />
My new comic <i>Mandy & Molly</i> will be posted on the new site, as well as Smackjeeves and Tapastic. A little bit at a time, I'm also posting <i>Mascara</i> and <i>Wings</i> to the new site. On the front page, they are listed as "in progress" because I'm still updating the pages to those comics. It will be awhile before all of the pages are posted. Some of the links, such as the ones in the "prose" section, are not live yet, so I have some work to do there.<br />
<br />
I like how this new site focuses more on the comics, art, and stories. Since I will be regularly updating with new comic pages, I will be under less pressure to make written posts. It's not that I mind writing regularly for my blog. It's that I know I'm entering a project that will require that I spend more time creating comic pages than posts.<br />
<br />
As for the future of <i>Manga & Mascara,</i> I have no plans of deleting it. I believe some will still find the past posts useful.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://arcadiacomics.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Click here to check out my new site, arcadiacomics.blogspot.com, and please remember to bookmark it!</a> ^_^ </div>
Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-48231408469318163722016-02-24T17:00:00.000-05:002016-02-24T17:00:17.878-05:00Page 12 Start and Finish<b>Page 12 Sketch</b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7K1Ga8GLA4i0R0i1fIyg4BTayI8CNKVhPriGn5DgHbGZ4UDgRXSFQjF-ayJfUen9ENPUOwpwdE_GCCwUd1kEWQzNKOTZ0CGOPSwP30TjKUiJvSQKU-jW0AV1ODDY5WL12LzQeYkF3qO0/s1600/page+12+sketch.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7K1Ga8GLA4i0R0i1fIyg4BTayI8CNKVhPriGn5DgHbGZ4UDgRXSFQjF-ayJfUen9ENPUOwpwdE_GCCwUd1kEWQzNKOTZ0CGOPSwP30TjKUiJvSQKU-jW0AV1ODDY5WL12LzQeYkF3qO0/s1600/page+12+sketch.JPG" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /><div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Page 12 Finished</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQadmR4sDN-Ta9Y-PCbyeqz-edV1fvgP8saRFUXvx9bt585iaK1bTFXij6WvrkPq9A85BYkQzXGt2IunihHRbcGkBrOsmX-f5Xptt_qnG286w3xI_ySQe2RhlLHPQ4MgA5DxWWswzSIWx/s1600/page+12+final.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQadmR4sDN-Ta9Y-PCbyeqz-edV1fvgP8saRFUXvx9bt585iaK1bTFXij6WvrkPq9A85BYkQzXGt2IunihHRbcGkBrOsmX-f5Xptt_qnG286w3xI_ySQe2RhlLHPQ4MgA5DxWWswzSIWx/s1600/page+12+final.JPG" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-24983625830037760322016-02-17T17:07:00.000-05:002016-02-17T17:07:03.251-05:00Comic Page Progress Tracker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiweKnIP7EWu3Ngor7ouEmzt8NuzOSSH-twjTTLlUIZrGDZPeMp_SYW-U-q2QpLTdtwD1U5Wy_BQ4EOdW4VVsUjvbT6J_jETCp_aG_9F2hLYCXoc-17EhAfKLJW6nO9QirNdBbRB4tup0lr/s1600/B612-2016-02-14-14-15-43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiweKnIP7EWu3Ngor7ouEmzt8NuzOSSH-twjTTLlUIZrGDZPeMp_SYW-U-q2QpLTdtwD1U5Wy_BQ4EOdW4VVsUjvbT6J_jETCp_aG_9F2hLYCXoc-17EhAfKLJW6nO9QirNdBbRB4tup0lr/s1600/B612-2016-02-14-14-15-43.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Lately I've been seeing the comic progress sheets of other artists going around, and everytime I see one, I'm like, "I really need one of those!"<br />
<br />
Beyond keeping organized, having a comic page progress sheet is motivating. With every page crossed out and marked as done, that's another step towards finishing a chapter.<br />
<br />
So I took some time and created a sheet of my own on Canva. I really like it and I'm looking forward to using it to keep motivated.<br />
<br />
And if you would like a copy of the Comic Page Progress Tracker, you can <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0_wfzuk4kwYMkRSY1Jtd0RnT1U" target="_blank">download the PDF here </a>from my Google drive. For some reason it looks a little weird in Adobe Reader, but it prints perfectly.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
In the PDF is a link to a version of the sheet that can be edited with Canva. There you can change the colors and even the workflow to fit the way you operate.<br />
<br />
One note about Canva, when moving the squares from one page from another, they may show up without dividing lines. Simply move the square back a layer and the lines will reappear.<br />
<br />
I think something like this would be great for novel and stories too.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-4238342678958596412016-02-10T12:00:00.000-05:002016-02-10T12:00:00.157-05:00Mandy & Molly Three Page Sneak Peak!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I've posted images of these pages before, but they were all half-done and out of order. So here are the first three pages of Mandy & Molly for the first time ever, in the correct page order:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTeVYEsabFUARZI0mzRSW5pHEO6GmGCTOuavlYRXlcWkha1pFXc5SCDaTOv9qXwqGLCIv9JsL3XXTkXIx7xvUCOe78iw4lVj9TDNH4a1lxy76G0hutCbERxGnqwk97MGk0nSmU-tkTKVMu/s1600/E1_p1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTeVYEsabFUARZI0mzRSW5pHEO6GmGCTOuavlYRXlcWkha1pFXc5SCDaTOv9qXwqGLCIv9JsL3XXTkXIx7xvUCOe78iw4lVj9TDNH4a1lxy76G0hutCbERxGnqwk97MGk0nSmU-tkTKVMu/s1600/E1_p1.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUo-6ZIJSmZzJ0-6tWqBSYGs-gSmQbKq3QyTlbPPZuWb13nvsD4xGCfdzn6Hf4CZVa0heyuzyE7W1eqWJt-jJDAXBb28EhbUiqWVtUjxl_4jZtJ8NECjGByeoi1YxeVBAwOb1YjXjODZn/s1600/E1_p2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUo-6ZIJSmZzJ0-6tWqBSYGs-gSmQbKq3QyTlbPPZuWb13nvsD4xGCfdzn6Hf4CZVa0heyuzyE7W1eqWJt-jJDAXBb28EhbUiqWVtUjxl_4jZtJ8NECjGByeoi1YxeVBAwOb1YjXjODZn/s1600/E1_p2.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEfpKzdN24TorTSLEt8nleXXxml0eUrn9HYhuUpi3MHfGvIemB0_n3sLFXdEHdadMVAcH8-7wnis5HXP4HatFe1oDTomjAPyxU6YAyaT53Nnasd0WM75qUU6W0w0QaAQkIwBTkUt8n2tTV/s1600/E1_p3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEfpKzdN24TorTSLEt8nleXXxml0eUrn9HYhuUpi3MHfGvIemB0_n3sLFXdEHdadMVAcH8-7wnis5HXP4HatFe1oDTomjAPyxU6YAyaT53Nnasd0WM75qUU6W0w0QaAQkIwBTkUt8n2tTV/s1600/E1_p3.png" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Remember that "Amy and the Scene" poster. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The band will actually be part of the plot later in the comic. Sadly, because of the way webcomics are, they probably won't appear until like next year or the year after. So there's the challenge of keeping Mandy's admiration of them in the story until that time comes. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I had to do something very similar in Mascara. I had to constantly weave football into the story so when it was time to do that major scene with the football game, it wasn't like, "Where did that come from?"</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
But it does give me something exciting to look forward to because they are an awesome band. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Another sneak peak of completed pages will be coming soon! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So what do you think about these pages? How do you think they compare to my older comics? </div>
<br />Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-48507647819508710162016-02-03T08:00:00.000-05:002016-02-03T08:00:18.949-05:00"That's Not You!"<h3>
How I almost got totally side-tracked by looking at other people's work...</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjigTm7ITwJBtOftx9yRzHR_E-UC293r3ARIMiHY8ZwGM6Ef8LTjPG7lrE1SF6v8YqofD0RExrOOVxDjpzqEJydJ1LZqtMT1aDZvU6C0jcY6x3LirIDh3XkhgUVkrJNBkmLMchuHRJidgMT/s1600/No+looking%2521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjigTm7ITwJBtOftx9yRzHR_E-UC293r3ARIMiHY8ZwGM6Ef8LTjPG7lrE1SF6v8YqofD0RExrOOVxDjpzqEJydJ1LZqtMT1aDZvU6C0jcY6x3LirIDh3XkhgUVkrJNBkmLMchuHRJidgMT/s400/No+looking%2521.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Once again I found myself on the receiving end of my husband's sage advice. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I had been doing some research on digital coloring because I believe it's an area where I can improve--especially when it comes to coloring entire comic pages. After looking at all the tutorials I could find, I felt like I needed to try much harder on everything.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
While my husband was driving us home from work, I expressed how I wanted to do more detailed manga-style color artwork--super polished and no outlines. I have the skills to create digital art like that. The only problem is that it would take me <i>forever</i> to create a finished piece. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After I verbally mulled over how great it would be if I created more art like that, my husband was like, "That's not you."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
At first, I didn't know how to take it. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"What do you mean? I could totally do that. And there is so much anime art like that online. It's like, really popular."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"But it's not you," he said. "You create manga."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"Yes, I do."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"But people who put time into making a lot of art like that aren't working on a manga. If you started doing that, it would take away time from creating your comic."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I sighed. He was right. But I still tried to get what I wanted by saying, "Well, some comic artists create covers like that."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"That's true," he said. "But your covers are fine the way they are. Besides, I wouldn't enjoy a comic with a super fancy cover, but a lame story."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Once again, he was right. It was okay for me to want to improve my technique, but my mistake was wanting dive into a more complicated style that wasn't mine. I already have a style, and taking on something "grander" would take me away from working on the story. And the story could suffer because I would be so busy trying to dazzle everyone. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
As I looked back on our conversation, I realized that it's good that my art is a little different from what's popular. Just to confirm my feelings, this week I read a book called <b>Art, Inc. </b>by Lisa Congdon. It's a wonderful read, and I would recommend it to anyone who's thinking about going into the business of creating art. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In there is a section about how it's good for artists to unplug from the Internet once in awhile. One of the main benefits mentioned is that taking a break from the Internet allows the artist to unplug from unnecessary comparisons. Then they can analyze and explore their own creative process free of studying the work of others. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
That's what I needed to do!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I needed to detach myself from images of what "good manga-style art" looks like. It's okay if what I do is a little different. My art is still beautiful. I was saved from taking on a style that is not me.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And as a side-note: Seriously, my husband needs to get a job as a therapist for artists or something. It's like I go to him with my issues, and he has this fantastic stuff to say to get me back on track. It is amazing.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-60591016613545755712016-01-27T08:00:00.000-05:002016-01-27T08:00:15.169-05:00Real People are More Complex <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzAJ93ScWWn4n6C38lwF7P4gpBCvm8GY-M6iFp2NyyEXoL9pq2fzTe6bTeZM2ua-u5YI6BIAPPlj00zKaGRdhIZgSDDCGWOI2lshMXA2mzCdNMykcA5-n4GLqADbFSWYy6_YWi25OPArI/s1600/page+10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzAJ93ScWWn4n6C38lwF7P4gpBCvm8GY-M6iFp2NyyEXoL9pq2fzTe6bTeZM2ua-u5YI6BIAPPlj00zKaGRdhIZgSDDCGWOI2lshMXA2mzCdNMykcA5-n4GLqADbFSWYy6_YWi25OPArI/s400/page+10.JPG" width="270" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screen shot of my page in progress. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I know that seems obvious.<br />
<br />
But I still think it's interesting.<br />
<br />
Awhile ago my husband and I were talking about our ideas for characters, and he mentioned how all of his characters remind him of himself.<br />
<br />
In a story, all of the different personality traits can make seperate characters. But in real life, a bunch of different traits can be found in one person.<br />
<br />
I know with my current project, <b>Mandy & Molly</b>, both characters are exaggerations of traits that I find in myself.<br />
<br />
I think the reason why characters are simpler than real people is because they need to be understood. It takes a long time to get to know a person well. A storyteller on the other hand has a limited time to get the reader to connect with the characters.<br />
<br />
Of course as the story goes on they can slowly reveal more subtle sides of a character. But at the start, writers usually make it very clear who the main character is and conveys the overall tone of their personality.<br />
<br />
I think it's neat how writers work hard to mimic life on paper, but still there is only so much that can be shown to the audience.<br />
<br />
<b>And a side note about something totally different:</b><br />
<br />
If you use Friend Connect to follow this blog, and you've signed in with a non-Google Account, you may want to read <a href="http://buzz.blogger.com/2015/12/an-update-on-google-friend-connect.html" target="_blank">this post by Google</a>. Basically, they are stopping support for non-Google accounts using Friend Connect. So if you want to continue following this blog, please create a Google Account and resubscribe.<br />
<br />
And if you don't want to go through all of that trouble, <a href="https://gumroad.com/arcadiapage/" target="_blank">simply sign up for my email list!</a><br />
<br />
One of the reasons why I have an email list is because although online blogging services may change, email does not. Signing up for emails is the most stable way of keeping up with what I'm working on, especially since I now send out emails regularly like I should.Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-14631504253859294702016-01-20T07:00:00.000-05:002016-01-20T07:00:19.998-05:00Getting Past Weaknesses<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO0hRojNQGbwZOJhvYeFwd90I0zMRCnLoVlFhZH-_Vpu-n80o_bU2tnbDSrAb9Bk2NJ1ZV0Io6t2eWYIMmu8dCXKFe8iMtt7z386EXmo6TLLcXpILN2N7IrkMMGoxmyGDJ-0Vu4aI20789/s1600/another+way.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO0hRojNQGbwZOJhvYeFwd90I0zMRCnLoVlFhZH-_Vpu-n80o_bU2tnbDSrAb9Bk2NJ1ZV0Io6t2eWYIMmu8dCXKFe8iMtt7z386EXmo6TLLcXpILN2N7IrkMMGoxmyGDJ-0Vu4aI20789/s400/another+way.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I think everyone who creates has certain things in the process that they don't like. For me, that's drawing backgrounds (<a href="http://manga-arcadia.blogspot.com/2015/12/fan-art-and-forcing-myself-to-draw.html" target="_blank">like I've mentioned before</a>) and black hair. In my past few comics, I have avoided jet-black hair. I didn't want to deal with it. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I think what made it intimidating is that I've seen other artists draw black hair, and they include these nice but difficult to make highlights. It took me some time to master it, but when I finally did, I found adding the highlights annoying. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Mandy & Molly will have more characters with jet-black hair than anything I've ever made, but I've left out the very detailed hair highlights. And...most hairstyles still look nice without them.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I've grown to love making characters with hair completely inked in with black. I like scribbling it in. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Now I need to find a way to make drawing those pesky backgrounds more enjoyable. Sigh... We'll see what happens. </div>
<br />Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-41999933197732507572016-01-13T07:30:00.000-05:002016-01-13T07:30:14.467-05:00Back on the Bike!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywnrGOAC44yVY0jTFAzWShZrQu_uFB-1oOZu1892SUk4ZDcelRV3PSUvOKostBhAFddtaKitT0CR-Re8970ILTyfkXj2zs-BiGizN6f1ygyA0sBumLsVZM8VIcGoPBH9f2yuEUE3nEhZF/s1600/Screenshot+shorter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywnrGOAC44yVY0jTFAzWShZrQu_uFB-1oOZu1892SUk4ZDcelRV3PSUvOKostBhAFddtaKitT0CR-Re8970ILTyfkXj2zs-BiGizN6f1ygyA0sBumLsVZM8VIcGoPBH9f2yuEUE3nEhZF/s640/Screenshot+shorter.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Creating a long comic is like having a baby. It has to grow inside you for awhile, and there are a lot of preparations to make before it pops out into the world!<br />
<br />
And it's painful.<br />
<br />
Sometimes when I look at a page I need to work on, I get morning sickness.<br />
<br />
Just kidding. But the nerves I feel are real.<br />
<br />
<span><span>Starting up a long comic is like taking a leap. And it's more daunting since I've done it before. I want to do better than last time. Although I like the pages I'm creating, I keep thinking about everyone who is going to read it. Will they enjoy it?</span></span><br />
<div>
<span><br /></span></div>
I wish there was some way to see ahead of time how things are going to go, but there isn't. If there was, every story published would be loved by everyone.<br />
<br />
It's like how parents hope that they have a beautiful baby, but in the back of their mind there's that scary what-if...<br />
<br />
What if my baby is UGLY?!<br />
<br />
No one wants to have an ugly baby, and I don't want to give birth to an ugly story. However, it can and does happen.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-71454749155891903582016-01-06T20:50:00.000-05:002016-01-06T20:50:10.647-05:00Young Girls and Butterflies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1hEQEtoYJPNidxEQqsy0pW0UrxwcTZ2JseQDrh5WrW5d19nYp4iQDAcKyOFH7nM-l5upz1TPmQlrKB_anazhC-auEMymJT8gXTnDXCR5LR_01EcT3qUEq1UW0xijfc7Yx_3Q2lPPkfd3d/s1600/image.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1hEQEtoYJPNidxEQqsy0pW0UrxwcTZ2JseQDrh5WrW5d19nYp4iQDAcKyOFH7nM-l5upz1TPmQlrKB_anazhC-auEMymJT8gXTnDXCR5LR_01EcT3qUEq1UW0xijfc7Yx_3Q2lPPkfd3d/s640/image.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
This is an illustration of the main characters of <i>Mandy & Molly </i>six years before the story starts. The neat thing about this illustration, other than that the girls are super cute, is that I drew this using the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet, 2014 Edition.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
As a tech nerd and an artist, I always enjoy discovering new digital art tools and apps. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
I found a good deal on this at Ebay. I previously owned the smaller non-note version of this tablet (Galaxy Tab 4), so I knew that it would come with an upgrade to Android Lollipop. It's not the latest, but it's still new enough to be very useful.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
I like drawing with this tablet waaaay too much. It's as easy to start sketching on this thing as it is grabbing a pen and paper.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The S-Pen is pressure sensitive and doesn't need charging. The 10-inch screen size is comfortable to work with. The version of Autodesk Sketchbook it comes with is nice. Drawing with the pencil tool and coloring with the Copic marker tool is very natural. The only thing I don't like is sometimes it has issues detecting my pinch gesture to zoom in and zoom out while in pen mode. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Also with the introduction of Medibang, I'm using this tablet to create comic pages. The only downside is that I can't use my own custom fonts on the tablet, so I have to add text to my pages using the computer version Medibang. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
At first, I was worried at seeing how quickly this tablet ate through battery power, especially when using the S-Pen. But after turning on the power saving mode and adjusting the screen brightness, the battery life became more acceptable--this is important if the tablet is to be used regularly for sketching hours on end. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So most of the artwork you will see coming from me for now on will be created with the tablet. Of course, there's more to this piece artwork than just making it with a fancy tablet. There's a reason why I drew the girls in this illustration the way that I did. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Follow me via email for more details about my characters and what inspires me when I draw!</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<br /></div>
Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-90148428532228143442015-12-31T11:00:00.000-05:002015-12-31T11:00:17.177-05:00Beating the Past: A New Work space and Moving Forwards<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQQkYU8od_dxYx0F7yMMhCayWQajrfNn7alhCfRzpi-Gzumnoby4YdeBcdRedkVBd66Jvg_orY8QBOL_58kTj24ZcOMHz5ig7QuDu2NJLtrYws795Sx-DcLALxlNquIsYm74q4h9-4pAt/s1600/IMG_20151230_221121743%257E2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQQkYU8od_dxYx0F7yMMhCayWQajrfNn7alhCfRzpi-Gzumnoby4YdeBcdRedkVBd66Jvg_orY8QBOL_58kTj24ZcOMHz5ig7QuDu2NJLtrYws795Sx-DcLALxlNquIsYm74q4h9-4pAt/s640/IMG_20151230_221121743%257E2.jpg" width="355" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Today I finished moving from my old workspace to a new one. There was a spare room in the house that wasn't being used for much. It's nice to finally have my own space to create. I've posted a lot of my old artwork on the walls. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Sometimes I wish I was the same artist that I were in high school. Back then I did huge pieces of art. They would take me weeks to finish, but in the end I was always happy with the results. At times I grapple with the thought that I will never be that artist again. Today I get more joy working digitally than traditionally. And I'm more into drawing comics than stand-alone pieces of art.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Looking back does make me sad sometimes. But then other times it makes excited for the future becuase I know it will be full of new things I can add to my wall. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Along with a new workspace, I'm also turning my attention back to my email list. I confess, I've been neglecting it. Now that I finally know how to update my blog every week, I think it's time for me to tackle the next challenge. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My hope is to make my email list as a more behind scenes look at what I'm working on, and what's new. I will be doing a new email every week. If you are already a subscriber. and you don't like the idea of getting an email from my blog once a week, that's okay. I know that's not for everyone. Feel free to unsubscribe when you get my next email.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
For those who do subscribe now, you are about to go on an adventure with me. I'm always coming up with new things, and I've always have found it a challenge to connect with others. But I want to connect with you by sharing things about my projects that I don't share on my blog. At first it will be bumpy and awkward, but I know the more I do it, the easier and better it will get.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Like updating my blog regularly. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Thanks for reading, and always appreciate the past but reach out for the future. </div>
<br />Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-91821302679843240042015-12-23T13:23:00.000-05:002015-12-23T13:23:00.794-05:00A Nice Cup of Tea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNN5Ct5EsTCECzpWr8uAe4gcm8upKUrhVO79j2fsoOAXtZhsNowW3h422BYyolQ8NtlmbV3Bzk2JoyDcS2npMACo0205kBQOOzDzWjcjPLSwhwOtBdCMaiFljZHJs8niCsqijAfBnevn6G/s1600/Sketch21165149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNN5Ct5EsTCECzpWr8uAe4gcm8upKUrhVO79j2fsoOAXtZhsNowW3h422BYyolQ8NtlmbV3Bzk2JoyDcS2npMACo0205kBQOOzDzWjcjPLSwhwOtBdCMaiFljZHJs8niCsqijAfBnevn6G/s640/Sketch21165149.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I just felt like drawing something relaxing. Right now my go-to activity for break time is a hot cup of tea. My flavor of choice is vanilla camomile. It does make me a little drowsy, but in a good way.Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-39411272863577879482015-12-18T08:39:00.000-05:002015-12-18T08:39:00.066-05:00Medibang: More Artist, Less Software<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
I’ve been using Medibang for more than a few months now, and I’m still enjoying it. As I’ve been creating pages with it, I’ve noticed something interesting about the pages I make with Medibang versus the pages I’ve made with Manga Studio. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTQ6t84zUaiAAT3DvL1fQDaZ_HFv5KPfj6nIgfu6zYzfd6Q1QZznCsm-9oYULTu6ln8_C3nbt-u0GVwZCprzw4g60z5vnXcdUf0F2zNB9mKts7jPZj6eJC_HJgm8Z28W1p7To9lEwduyg/s2560/%25255BUNSET%25255D.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTQ6t84zUaiAAT3DvL1fQDaZ_HFv5KPfj6nIgfu6zYzfd6Q1QZznCsm-9oYULTu6ln8_C3nbt-u0GVwZCprzw4g60z5vnXcdUf0F2zNB9mKts7jPZj6eJC_HJgm8Z28W1p7To9lEwduyg/s640/%25255BUNSET%25255D.png" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Made In Medibang</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9v9m0Dh-fZvsX7MXIvF42LKQ5GDTglJqt2TzFRXfGkkV0YVJ7KdrjwlZHmG6o_9I_TDfAsfmVDEiVSIX97pvC8kQmltd1JRmDsSJaYkhbcOEUgvLn4ubN7BLlu86F7ldCzFuWhqjP1_Y/s2560/%25255BUNSET%25255D.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9v9m0Dh-fZvsX7MXIvF42LKQ5GDTglJqt2TzFRXfGkkV0YVJ7KdrjwlZHmG6o_9I_TDfAsfmVDEiVSIX97pvC8kQmltd1JRmDsSJaYkhbcOEUgvLn4ubN7BLlu86F7ldCzFuWhqjP1_Y/s640/%25255BUNSET%25255D.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Made in Manga Studio</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
By the way, both of these pages are good. There's nothing wrong with either of them. I'm simply pointing out differences in the way they look, and how I feel about them.<br />
<br />
The pages from Manga Studio have a more standard look. I didn’t create the speech bubbles myself, and I often used a template for panels instead of making the panels myself. Also there are many different styles of tone and backgrounds in Manga Studio, so it’s less work for the artist. However, if you use those backgrounds in the comic, people who use the software will know it’s Manga Studio. I’ve seen webcomics where I notice the tone the artist used, and I know right away it’s Manga Studio. <br />
<br />
Then when I look at my pages made with Medibang, I laugh because of how much the pages are saturated with my style. I designed the speech bubbles myself. I also made the page layouts myself since there are no page templates. There isn’t as wide of a selection of tone, so some designs I decided to draw myself. Combine that with the font I created and this comic becomes very much me. <br />
<br />
It’s like since Manga Studio has everything, it’s possible for the software to have a stronger influence on how pages turn out. With Medibang, the software is more out of the way, so the artist has a stronger influence on how pages look.<br />
<br />
I like Manga Studio and Medibang, but each have their uses. I think artists who have been making comics for awhile could enjoy the amount of artistic control Medibang gives them. Artists who have uniquely styled comics will especially like it. <br />
<br />
When I think back to when I was first started creating comics, I may have found Medibang a little frustrating because so many pages would depend on my skill. I wasn’t good at drawing backgrounds yet, so it was nice having the ability to just pick one from the library and drop it in there. The tone, page layouts, and other features made getting started in comics super easy. Only now have I started wishing for more control over my pages.</div>
Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-79794989417266769342015-12-16T08:19:00.000-05:002015-12-16T08:19:00.059-05:00I Didn’t Let My Drawing Skills Hold Me Back<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
I’m happy that I didn’t wait until I felt like I was “Good Enough” at drawing to start creating comics. First of all, for many artists who are focused on being good enough, that day never seems to come. And second, working on comics led to my artwork improving.<br />
<br />
If you are afraid of starting on a comic because you feel your drawing skills are not the best, check out this post, <a href="https://www.pencilkings.com/make-it-in-art/">The Difference Between Those Who Make it in Art and Everyone Else</a> at Pencilkings.com.<br />
<br />
Even if you can only draw stick figures, you can draw comics with those too. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuiui7kW0Bm9_Kre_S2MoIcWzVRRsIL04v1XHgjPAB8cI6qO71wMfZF4F9VMwxajt5bdhPaMaLoRTv2jtaNtTEANJMidUa7PLOualXschqF3uImuRIpnuihxnVJUvGNCobAfeHEuVUpXBJ/s2560/%25255BUNSET%25255D.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuiui7kW0Bm9_Kre_S2MoIcWzVRRsIL04v1XHgjPAB8cI6qO71wMfZF4F9VMwxajt5bdhPaMaLoRTv2jtaNtTEANJMidUa7PLOualXschqF3uImuRIpnuihxnVJUvGNCobAfeHEuVUpXBJ/s640/%25255BUNSET%25255D.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
<br />
The hardest part about starting when you feel like your skills are not developed is that they are probably not. I received plenty of criticism about my artwork when I started Mascara. However as I worked on it, I improved. Then the same people who commented on how my artwork needed to be better were telling me how nice my art had become. Then again others from the start said that they liked my art--flaws and all. <br />
<br />
The main thing is getting started and then growing from that.</div>
Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-53060961495879357672015-12-11T19:16:00.000-05:002015-12-11T19:16:00.433-05:00Why I'm Making a Story About Sisters When I'm an Only ChildI have no siblings. Growing up with someone around my age in the house is totally unfamiliar to me. Still, I like creating stories with characters who have a brother or a sister or both. My current project is about two sisters who live together. It's inspired this strange conversation that my husband I had about what life would be like if he was my sister or if I was his brother.<br />
<br />
Anyways, here's a note/sketch of why I find characters with siblings, especially sisters, so interesting:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlHNTbetoYNdRTjk5UCQbj3pHSedahg_BCvY4i4vr77_WP7iLcdkVGTQF8WhyiMeMSe2GyFr1xCCjlBFTplwysR_f2IF9LpoaebPiIVC3Vp0q72Wmk8wvwlz6YqlO6psaFtYfQUfwZD2H/s1600/Sketch60131034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlHNTbetoYNdRTjk5UCQbj3pHSedahg_BCvY4i4vr77_WP7iLcdkVGTQF8WhyiMeMSe2GyFr1xCCjlBFTplwysR_f2IF9LpoaebPiIVC3Vp0q72Wmk8wvwlz6YqlO6psaFtYfQUfwZD2H/s640/Sketch60131034.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
On the other hand, many people find the fact that I don't have siblings interesting. Yes, I'm a little spoiled.</div>
<br />Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-71903716063933635752015-12-09T11:00:00.000-05:002015-12-09T11:00:05.802-05:00The Number One Skill for Shoujo Style Artists: Drawing Cute Guys!<br />
Unfortunately, this is often viewed as more important than good writing.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht3MRbMoiEnDw3Y0v-2Deo3UY8M2RxrsahCiPjorTRcCBFgWuDNnrQyZJI5Qnvfpw-DwL7BlSEEtD1ehMHqYYwp1zbC9n4x2Wz3zmaUl0cx6JkUL6vIZeLK6Ig9Q6L5CIVK2CtZN9pXm-2/s1600/jason.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht3MRbMoiEnDw3Y0v-2Deo3UY8M2RxrsahCiPjorTRcCBFgWuDNnrQyZJI5Qnvfpw-DwL7BlSEEtD1ehMHqYYwp1zbC9n4x2Wz3zmaUl0cx6JkUL6vIZeLK6Ig9Q6L5CIVK2CtZN9pXm-2/s400/jason.png" width="293" /></a>This sketch in progress is not of a character that will be appearing in my latest project, <i>Mandy and Molly</i>. He's actually showing up in <i>Shower Singer</i>, a short story that I'm working on. This is a fun, let's see how much I can do in a short amount of time, side project.<br />
<br />
The art of drawing attractive guys has changed for me since I've worked on <i>Mascara</i>. One thing is since I'm no longer single, I'm coming from a different point of view.<br />
<br />
Now every time I draw a handsome guy, I'm not thinking about the man I wish I could be with, but of my husband. I think about how he looks when he's sleeping, when he's happy, and when he needs a haircut and his bangs are threatening to fall over his eyes...Drawing is way more exciting when I reflect on those things. <br />
<br />
Overall, I'm more aware of what I actually like in a handsome male character. I prefer longer hair and a slender frame. Short hair is okay sometimes, but longer hair so much fun.<br />
<br />
I don't know if this is typical, but I find drawing a guy who looks good is more work than drawing a pretty girl. Drawing a beautiful woman is simple. Drawing a guy that's beautiful can easily take me twice the time.<br />
<br />
This is a short story about a guy who hears the girl next door singing in the shower every night through the walls of his apartment. And yes, I'm gender swapping again, which means I'm a girl writing a story from the guy's first person point of view.<br />
<br />
Now I'm working illustrating and editing.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
As always, for more updates on my projects, follow me via email! Right now I'm busy revamping my email newsletter, but when I'm done figuring out what's going on, I hope to have weekly, relevant, and exclusive updates to share with you. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<form action="https://gumroad.com/follow_from_embed_form" class="form gumroad-follow-form-embed" method="post">
<input name="seller_id" type="hidden" value="2219282925655" /> <input name="email" placeholder="Your email address" type="email" /> <button type="submit">Follow</button> </form>
Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-32809151001632499922015-12-04T13:00:00.000-05:002015-12-04T14:23:56.079-05:00Fan Art and Forcing Myself to Draw Stores<br />
<br />
It's tedious--drawing all of the little products is annoying. And don't get me started on all of the straight lines...<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mrjQNzCva1ubrv1J395_osXn18J3dP0jFhoJ9YEaJl8NW6lxi6PXOv7BF75dtXKH5gV1ewGTeOD7a4PNLhLRhRLNaDNJ8GidYDNBHD7Ty6-2cGM3dmFnLMN5s1S7P1X8E_Sk164GsF9f/s1600/store.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mrjQNzCva1ubrv1J395_osXn18J3dP0jFhoJ9YEaJl8NW6lxi6PXOv7BF75dtXKH5gV1ewGTeOD7a4PNLhLRhRLNaDNJ8GidYDNBHD7Ty6-2cGM3dmFnLMN5s1S7P1X8E_Sk164GsF9f/s640/store.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
I don't enjoy drawing backgrounds, so when I have to draw them, I try to keep it simple. I envy artists who have the patience to draw beautiful, detailed backgrounds. Sometimes I think that if I draw backgrounds more often, I may come to love them. Maybe.<br />
<br />
If nothing else, drawing all of the straight lines improved my skills at using the straight line tool in Medibang. I find for me, it does require some physical coordination with the keyboard and mouse to use it right. The mouse works much better with line tool than the stylus.<br />
<br />
By the way, I recently received some beautiful fan art for Mascara courtesy of Khristine Pact Borbe via <a href="https://www.facebook.com/arcadiapage/" target="_blank">my Facebook page</a>. If you would like to see more fan art, <a href="http://manga-arcadia.blogspot.com/2010/10/fan-art.html" target="_blank">check out the gallery!</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4mQPhIy1LFaD3PQ50cvxp9qXtMZ1HVtPae-zaKLUhrYTEuR8fqIGDws3irHFE7f8NuJXFcgGYME0iUIP-l41ggl6t_37q59ByO3XDQbApFISY9BJvvqmkxxjXv1MNivGC93dvTirYavA/s1600/received_10153663342028898.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4mQPhIy1LFaD3PQ50cvxp9qXtMZ1HVtPae-zaKLUhrYTEuR8fqIGDws3irHFE7f8NuJXFcgGYME0iUIP-l41ggl6t_37q59ByO3XDQbApFISY9BJvvqmkxxjXv1MNivGC93dvTirYavA/s400/received_10153663342028898.jpeg" width="398" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
And that's all for now. Getting back to work! If you enjoyed this post, make sure to follow me via email where I will start sharing weekly updates about my current writing and comic projects and helpful creative tidbits. Thank you! ^_^ <style>
.gumroad-follow-form-embed {
zoom: 1; }
.gumroad-follow-form-embed:before, .gumroad-follow-form-embed:after {
display: table;
line-height: 0;
content: ""; }
.gumroad-follow-form-embed:after {
clear: both; }
.gumroad-follow-form-embed * {
margin: 0;
border: 0;
padding: 0;
outline: 0;
box-sizing: border-box !important;
float: left !important; }
.gumroad-follow-form-embed input {
border-radius: 4px;
border-top-right-radius: 0;
border-bottom-right-radius: 0;
font-family: -apple-system, ".SFNSDisplay-Regular", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
font-size: 15px;
line-height: 20px;
background: #fff;
border: 1px solid #ddd;
border-right: 0;
color: #aaa;
padding: 10px;
box-shadow: inset 0 1px 0 rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.02);
background-position: top right;
background-repeat: no-repeat;
text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;
font-smoothing: antialiased;
-webkit-appearance: none;
-moz-appearance: caret;
width: 65% !important;
height: 40px !important; }
.gumroad-follow-form-embed button {
border-radius: 4px;
border-top-left-radius: 0;
border-bottom-left-radius: 0;
box-shadow: 0 1px 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12);
-webkit-transition: all .05s ease-in-out;
transition: all .05s ease-in-out;
display: inline-block;
padding: 11px 15px 12px;
cursor: pointer;
color: #fff;
font-size: 15px;
line-height: 100%;
font-family: -apple-system, ".SFNSDisplay-Regular", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
background: #612b93;
border: 1px solid #572784;
filter: "progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient(startColorstr=#8751b9, endColorstr=#5a2888, GradientType=0)";
background: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, #8751b9, #5a2888);
background: linear-gradient(to bottom, #8751b9, #5a2888);
height: 40px !important;
width: 35% !important; }
</style><br />
<br />
<form action="https://gumroad.com/follow_from_embed_form" class="form gumroad-follow-form-embed" method="post">
<input name="seller_id" type="hidden" value="2219282925655" /> <input name="email" placeholder="Your email address" type="email" /> <button type="submit">Follow</button>
</form>
Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-31773630340547002222015-12-02T10:00:00.000-05:002015-12-02T10:00:09.628-05:00Creating Flexible Serialized Stories: Part Three<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<b>Part Three: Create Chapters and Weave in a Theme</b><br />
<br />
This is the final post my series about writing flexible stories. To back track, here's <a href="http://manga-arcadia.blogspot.com/2015/11/creating-flexible-serialized-stories.html">part one</a> and <a href="http://manga-arcadia.blogspot.com/2015/11/creating-flexible-serialized-stories_18.html">part two</a>.<br />
<br />
So after organizing my events, I now have a story outline, more or less. The problem is that the events are separate things. They don't blend together. The best thing I can compare this to is a sitcom where each episode has something different going on, but there is not a cohesive story. There's nothing wrong with that, and that kind of outline will probably work well for a four panel/gag manga. However, I enjoy stories that flow from one happening to the next.<br />
<br />
This is how I transform my list of events into an ongoing story.<br />
<br />
I've already organized my events (for more info on what events are, see <a href="http://manga-arcadia.blogspot.com/2015/11/creating-flexible-serialized-stories_18.html">post two</a>) into acts, so I now have a chronological story. From here I group the events into chapters.<br />
<br />
When I group events into chapters, I don't move them around. I simply divide them up while leaving them in the order that they are in. For example, let's say I'm looking at Act One and it has 10 events. The first five events look like they have enough content to make an interesting short story--like a chapter of a book. So without moving them around, I label those five events as a chapter (sometimes I also call chapters episodes). After taking care of those 5, I have five more events in Act 1. I may decide that the next three would make a good chapter, so I label them as chapter 2. Then I could assign the last two events to be chapter 3.<br />
<br />
So basically I look at my events, see how many in a row can make a harmonious chapter, and group them together. Some of my chapters only have one event.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Weaving in a Theme</i><br />
<br />
This is the most creatively challenging part, but it's the key to making an ongoing story.<br />
<br />
I go back and look at my chapters. Although they are in the chronological order that I want, they still are very separate from each other.<br />
<br />
This is when I step back and look at the big picture of the story.<br />
<br />
What do I want to happen to character A? I want her to be more social and learn to make friends.<br />
<br />
What do I want for character B? I want her to appreciate who she is and not worry about being as talented as her sister.<br />
<br />
Then I go through each episode and add something that will help the characters to get a tiny bit closer to their goals. And it doesn't take much. For the shy younger sister, it could be that in chapter one she sees the next door neighbor from a distance, in chapter two she manages to say hello (thanks to the prodding of her more social older sister), and in chapter three she tries to have a conversation, and so on.<br />
<br />
These advancements aren't the point of the chapter. It isn't like a wrote an entire chapter about the younger sister trying to say "hi" to her neighbor, although I could have. It's simply a moment that's woven into a chapter and that progressively changes from chapter to chapter.<br />
<br />
It does take a little bit of imagination stretching to do this well, but that's what writers do!<br />
<br />
Quite a few recent TV shows have writing like this. There is an ongoing story that is mixed into episodes that may or may not be related to it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Start Writing!</i><br />
<br />
<br />
I write the script for a chapter, draw it, and then when I'm almost done drawing it, I start writing the next one. If I waited to write the entire script for a long story before drawing it, I know I would lose interest. And with a story that will take years to create, the transitions between drawing and writing are what keep it exciting.<br />
<br />
This method is very flexible because since the episodes aren't tightly tied together, it's easy to remove the ones that don't work, and add ones that will work better. Still, they are all related to a central theme and goal, so the story doesn't lose being harmonious.<br />
<br />
I can alter my story if I need to based on my personal feelings and even audience feedback almost on the fly. I changed the episodes of Mascara many times. Some I used, some I threw out, but readers typically can't tell that anything has been left out or added.<br />
<br />
So this is my process of putting together the story for a long, ongoing comic. I'm actually working on a long comic right now, so my posts have been a little sparodic, but I also like taking the time to share what it's like to create a story that can go on for a very long time. ^_^</div>
Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-60629558658389951492015-11-25T10:00:00.000-05:002015-11-21T17:10:06.749-05:00Creating Flexible Serialized Stories: Part Two<div>
<b>Brainstorm and Get Organized!</b><br />
<b><br /> </b><br />
This a continuation of my previous post, <a href="http://manga-arcadia.blogspot.com/2015/11/creating-flexible-serialized-stories.html" target="_blank">Creating Flexible Serialized Stories: Part One</a>. That post covered developing characters that compliment and contrast with each other in order to create an ongoing dynamic.<br />
<br />
As I develop the characters, I like to think about their personalities and their situation. Then I write
down everything that they could possibly do and all the trouble that they could cause together. It doesn't matter
if it makes sense or not. The ideas don't need to be directly related or connect. I write it all. When outlining, each situation gets its own bullet point. I call each bullet point
an "event."<br />
<br />
It's best to do this using a digital program like Word or even <a href="http://manga-arcadia.blogspot.com/2015/10/using-workflowy-for-story-outlines-and.html" target="_blank">Workflowy</a>, because after brainstorming, everything will need to be rearranged. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Getting Everything Organized<br /> </b><br />
<br />
After
writing down all the possible situations that the characters could get
themselves into, I arrange the events into a chronological order that
makes sense to me. I've found it helpful to group events into sections
called Act 1, Act 2, and Act 3. Creating acts was a suggestion from my
husband, and I like how it works.<br />
<br />
Act 1 is everything
that helps the audience learn more about who the characters are, what
they are like, and what problems they are dealing with. This is where I put every event
that sounds like it could be at the beginning of the story.<br />
<br />
Act
2 is where the characters grapple with their problems and fight their way to the solution. This is also a good time to
introduce new characters and friends that either help the main
characters to reach their goals, or hold them back from reaching their
potential. I put the most interesting events in this category. Here is also where I sometimes put events that don't seem to fit
anywhere, but are still interesting and exciting.<br />
<br />
Act 3 is the wind down. This is where
problems are solved, and when the characters realize that they are not
quite the same as they were at the beginning. If the characters don't
realize that they've changed, at least make it obvious to the audience.<br />
<br />
Going
back to the example I started with in <a href="http://manga-arcadia.blogspot.com/2015/11/creating-flexible-serialized-stories.html" target="_blank">Part One</a>, by the end of the series the
younger sister could be a little bit more social and the older sister
could learn how to appreciate her own unique gifts.<br />
<br />
It's
okay not to use all of the events. Some I set aside. If I feel like
using them, I'll pull them out of the reserve, and if I don't, than
that's alright. But I try to use the majority of them.<br />
<br />
At this point I do have an outline, but as far as story goes, it's a bit disjointed. The next part is how I bring it all together. </div>
Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-26667763747329914152015-11-20T13:00:00.000-05:002015-11-20T13:00:01.467-05:00Creating Flexible Serialized Stories: Part One<b>Part One: Coming up with a dynamic</b><br />
<br />
This is one of the most detailed posts about writing comics that I've made in awhile, but I want to share more of what the process is like.<b> </b>This started out as one blog post about creating episodic stories, but it got so long I realized that it would be better to do this as a series of posts.<br />
<br />
Hopefully those who are looking into creating a long running webcomic or any other type of serialized story will find these posts helpful. <br />
<b> </b> <br />
For me writing comics goes in two directions.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The
first direction is a complete, contained story. For Couture and Wings, I
wrote the script from start to finish, like how someone would write a
novel. It's all one contained piece. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
For long, continuous comics though, I've found that it's better to be flexible. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This blog post series covers the steps I take when creating a long comic. All of it is related to the post I wrote about <a href="http://manga-arcadia.blogspot.com/2013/05/writing-scripts.html" target="_blank">writing scripts</a>, but this is more about the planning that is done <i>before</i> writing a script.</div>
<div>
<br />
These steps are
especially important when creating a long webcomic, because with a
webcomic it's difficult to go back and edit the story once it's
posted. It's more like making a TV show than a novel. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b></b>For
a long story, I like to come up with two main characters with traits
that will lead to them getting into many different situations together. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Example:
There are two sisters who live together. The oldest one is social,
outgoing and good at making friends. She wishes to have creative talents
like her younger sister, but she does not. She tries to do creative
stuff sometimes, but it usually ends up being a disaster, and her
younger sister has to help her. On the other hand, the younger sister is
not social, but she is imaginative. She wishes to be more social
sometimes, so her older sister helps her out with that. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The
two characters are different, but they work together. Mascara is
written the same way. Two characters with complementary or opposing
traits that work together.<br />
<br />
The situations that arise from their combined chemistry takes me to part two, which I'll be sharing in my next post. </div>
Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-60119124417159637322015-11-11T07:09:00.000-05:002015-11-11T07:09:00.251-05:00Dreams of a Simple Life and Handmade Fonts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_s9aaRFozLxoTUxc7xDmgomPZMeFhM1y5PBWF-lWE3v0UXdpGZ7iU6q1AGZhAqMdLl7klf3mdKUjiH6PGukxkBeM1KMBH9fHyLMYMA-BYL78-vAzU4cHA7rreBa3Nt2hW_BzrLAdGrMMf/s1600/E1_p3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_s9aaRFozLxoTUxc7xDmgomPZMeFhM1y5PBWF-lWE3v0UXdpGZ7iU6q1AGZhAqMdLl7klf3mdKUjiH6PGukxkBeM1KMBH9fHyLMYMA-BYL78-vAzU4cHA7rreBa3Nt2hW_BzrLAdGrMMf/s640/E1_p3.png" width="456" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
I've always liked the idea of needing very little to get by. It's freeing. <br />
<br />
I would love to be like, "This is all I need, and that's it," all the time. But when I think about it, it's not really possible to be that way all the time. I do reach moments when I'm totally satisfied with what I have, but then clothes wear out, things get old--and then I have a valid reason for not being satisfied. I'm okay with that, but I just miss that contentment that I had for a moment.<br />
<br />
Like finding a nice pair of shoes to replace my ratty old ones stresses me out because there are so many to choose from. The over abundance of choices makes choosing new things difficult. And the temptation to overspend is so strong! I'd prefer not dealing with it.<br />
<br />
About this comic page: It's one of my favorites so far. Also it's a good introduction to the new font that I will be using. It's called Mandy Regular, and I created it myself.<br />
<br />
I like reading about what other comic artists do, and some of them make a font based on their handwriting because they feel like their own handwriting fits the drawing style of their comic the best. I decided to give it a try, and I'm thrilled over how it looks.<br />
<br />
At first I used MyScriptFont.com, and I wasn't really a fan of how it came out. The boxes to write the letters in were tiny, and I was having a hard time creating a uniform look. I wasn't able to create an all caps font that looked good enough.<br />
<br />
I ended up going with <a href="http://paintfont.com/">PaintFont.com</a>, and the font came out just right. It's is a little quirky here and there, but not in a bad way. What I like about PaintFont.com is that the boxes to write the letters in on the font creation sheets are huge. Also the lowercase letters and the capital letters are on separate sheets, so if I wanted to make an all uppercase font, all I need to do was fill out the sheet of capital letters first and then trace them on to the sheet with the lowercase letters.<br />
<br />
Now I have a uniform all-caps font that still has personality. <br />
<br />
<br />Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-61245250562991016422015-11-06T12:00:00.000-05:002015-11-06T12:00:01.282-05:00Keeping Busy!In case you're wondering, I haven't written any new posts for the last week and a half because I've been enjoying working on my current projects. <br />
<br />
<b>Small Projects</b><br />
<br />
It took some work to get the Smashwords meatgrinder to accept my novella, but after fixing all of the errors, it's finally published. <i>The Blue Room Café</i> can now be found at the iBooks store, Barnes & Noble, and many other ebook publishers. <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/585526" target="_blank">Here's the Smashwords page for The Blue Room Café. </a><br />
<br />
Between Kindle and Smashwords, I like Smashwords more. I feel like they give me more control over promoting my book, the wider distribution is nice, and I don't I have to lock myself into using them only to set my book at a certain price. <br />
<br />
<br />
It's not that I won't stop publishing to Kindle, but I think in the future, I'm going to publish to Smashwords first and not give Kindle exclusivity to my work for 6 months. <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Medium Projects </b><br />
<br />
Lately I've been obsessed with planners. I think it comes from a strong inner desire to feel organized. I'm not really an organized person, but I like to imagine that I am.<br />
<br />
I've created some printable planner pages that give my doodles new life. Some of these designs actually come from the<a href="http://manga-arcadia.blogspot.com/2015/10/getting-past-ugliness-of-doodling.html" target="_blank"> Post-it note sketches</a> I was drawing. It makes me smile to see how art can be turned into something useful.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7q0VH6rW-vPZgMw0MYDK07i6oPpq0MIqHblAaLlWFRhCq6YnJhBnkKHrxCcLVr1bvRK7HsTxT6V_zBUCHH9Lm2Uc7EPB_Hoo3LDGQam77qU3AJnkmMLJOdkwhpfWjdjVpyAPzZDWWAIbe/s1600/Dougnutscalendar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7q0VH6rW-vPZgMw0MYDK07i6oPpq0MIqHblAaLlWFRhCq6YnJhBnkKHrxCcLVr1bvRK7HsTxT6V_zBUCHH9Lm2Uc7EPB_Hoo3LDGQam77qU3AJnkmMLJOdkwhpfWjdjVpyAPzZDWWAIbe/s400/Dougnutscalendar.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMhDjeV-AMghLOx7spv5XrHE5fCw7QB-u8RU1bfA-9Ql4bb8EPNCBnkYxcw6QzHYxTwQXMhFcT7byW8-oad14UGgFYPYUaHh2Qo29DWHMwuIoilPwMM2S-GeyBDdiq8RMVAZYRylUuzYe/s1600/Mountain+Calendar+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMhDjeV-AMghLOx7spv5XrHE5fCw7QB-u8RU1bfA-9Ql4bb8EPNCBnkYxcw6QzHYxTwQXMhFcT7byW8-oad14UGgFYPYUaHh2Qo29DWHMwuIoilPwMM2S-GeyBDdiq8RMVAZYRylUuzYe/s400/Mountain+Calendar+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnD0_FExgjWzwKUJlsEes1x9DlnT1LjQ7aQPgxN43o-EtA29vqeEKjMi0NAw18CY-vbZll74zDtJfKvK12MWemUX1llhuOU45L7c8O0rzthz8fzHuV5CfMabr21chhTbeqzvJhJEgJ1Lhu/s1600/Arrow+Calendar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnD0_FExgjWzwKUJlsEes1x9DlnT1LjQ7aQPgxN43o-EtA29vqeEKjMi0NAw18CY-vbZll74zDtJfKvK12MWemUX1llhuOU45L7c8O0rzthz8fzHuV5CfMabr21chhTbeqzvJhJEgJ1Lhu/s400/Arrow+Calendar.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN3_Bfh6HMRmIHV9W7LPYhHDjVFNSGFJ2XL2b4PciEpeuS3osWWH-sZNZhRFjVEw9__HxjuhWRBs7zwhuwUQ493oD8pKrK2wXvmNUl2wye8LuwsLX5wnRsz2bQi3sXkxIKiPesyQpjUBFO/s1600/Mushroom+Calendar+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN3_Bfh6HMRmIHV9W7LPYhHDjVFNSGFJ2XL2b4PciEpeuS3osWWH-sZNZhRFjVEw9__HxjuhWRBs7zwhuwUQ493oD8pKrK2wXvmNUl2wye8LuwsLX5wnRsz2bQi3sXkxIKiPesyQpjUBFO/s400/Mushroom+Calendar+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The Strawberry Doughnut planner pages are <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/ArcadiaPage?ref=hdr_shop_menu" target="_blank">now available on Etsy</a>, and I will be gradually adding the other three sets that I created. <br />
<br />
<b>Big Projects</b><br />
<br />
Right now, I only have one big project, and that's working on my manga. I'm still getting over jumping from one story to another, but seeing the difference in how motivated I feel, I'm glad that I did. I'm excited about it. And when I'm excited about a story, it always shows in the energy of the story itself. <br />
<br />
The artwork is different from my other stuff, but I like it.<br />
<br />
And note to adventurous artists who are Linux users: Medibang Paint works well with Wine. The only thing I miss is the pressure sensitivity from my tablet, but it's not a deal breaker for me. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMBdcq19vl6T8UydTi7oNaNfi0I3fSuR0aSJLxOBmg2dJZCRKVhGi3ym4fHGiF3VjaUcaQyh1oxxiSk4C9BNVIylzYOJxqwHLXFXXv-no8PuJ0eOJDaH_5QS77cIXn-hy6FEECii7BkYt/s1600/Screenshot+from+2015-11-04+17%253A26%253A58.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMBdcq19vl6T8UydTi7oNaNfi0I3fSuR0aSJLxOBmg2dJZCRKVhGi3ym4fHGiF3VjaUcaQyh1oxxiSk4C9BNVIylzYOJxqwHLXFXXv-no8PuJ0eOJDaH_5QS77cIXn-hy6FEECii7BkYt/s640/Screenshot+from+2015-11-04+17%253A26%253A58.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With sketch layer.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndFQkOxyvBisQBetNt3bh5Z5MvpnfOrYyp8OXTSAM8cAbL29natPYaZRWe8Kx9__zAHpZVm4PNLnLcFHSMfVYHJMaXp2AjCqn17Zzsc8UbFvbTg_e7yl1s0jNCxS4CGWPimiryq2rIjG9/s1600/Screenshot+from+2015-11-04+17%253A27%253A51.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndFQkOxyvBisQBetNt3bh5Z5MvpnfOrYyp8OXTSAM8cAbL29natPYaZRWe8Kx9__zAHpZVm4PNLnLcFHSMfVYHJMaXp2AjCqn17Zzsc8UbFvbTg_e7yl1s0jNCxS4CGWPimiryq2rIjG9/s640/Screenshot+from+2015-11-04+17%253A27%253A51.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And without it...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-85901037142590389962015-10-23T11:30:00.000-04:002015-10-23T11:30:00.372-04:00No Character Design Sheets!Is it okay to break the rules?<br />
<br />
Well it's not really a rule, but having character sheets is an important part of the comic making process. At least traditionally. Having a character sheet makes so much sense. It's the way to make sure that a character's continuity is maintained from page to page. It's useful, practical, professional, and...<br />
<br />
It doesn't work for me. It's hard to admit, but for me, character sheets predict the failure of a comic and how soon I'll lose the motivation to create it. I find myself having to decide between either having a nice set of character sheets and no comic, or minimal (or zero) character sheets and a comic that I can't stop drawing. I'm totally going for the second option.<br />
<br />
Mascara had extremely minimal character sheets. There were no full body sketches, just the head of each character in front, side, and quarter views. I drew it in an hour. Then I started on pages. Mascara does have continuity issues, and I blamed that on not having good character sheets.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vRDlG4QQcdxOmOFmAwit0rhlmhDioKhYkWhVDNfF0F1mF_9mU-i10O15X2DJP6P0-vXWRSccTap7qQyZmJvHUTV1joN-lb24sdVuVZWuKZxPC6yfaIDnkyUDI3e-Zx32dELDc_YRxo2U/s1600/Mascara+260010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vRDlG4QQcdxOmOFmAwit0rhlmhDioKhYkWhVDNfF0F1mF_9mU-i10O15X2DJP6P0-vXWRSccTap7qQyZmJvHUTV1joN-lb24sdVuVZWuKZxPC6yfaIDnkyUDI3e-Zx32dELDc_YRxo2U/s400/Mascara+260010.jpg" width="272" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYBjlgvFC0XZbr4qdoq1w4XP_S_Zir3dw0hVLets9aPbdH2BLf3upa9L1uRHRsO5z-zF_o9-tRaFJKSZ0gwC8ry3EzLRiWPwfHSGU-JNZsvoFZMRtV87X_Qz-4HlDPhyphenhyphen1rIBECrK7w3UdW/s1600/Mascara+260011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYBjlgvFC0XZbr4qdoq1w4XP_S_Zir3dw0hVLets9aPbdH2BLf3upa9L1uRHRsO5z-zF_o9-tRaFJKSZ0gwC8ry3EzLRiWPwfHSGU-JNZsvoFZMRtV87X_Qz-4HlDPhyphenhyphen1rIBECrK7w3UdW/s400/Mascara+260011.jpg" width="276" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Looking back I see that I was growing as an artist, so even if I did have good character sheets, my style was going to change because I was improving. For Mascara, continuity was not going to happen. The characters were going to look different from chapter to chapter because I was getting better.<br />
<br />
While working on Mascara I also made Couture. Couture had very minimal character sheets. I did add one full body sketch, but that's as detailed as it got. The way I drew the characters in that story didn't change although the character sheets were basic. It also helped that the story was short.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTQo3t2egfsBGLw9_VAOLzM6q8qz2CknNKB_URJ41MNriqmP6dpAm_0szceAENWy3ICDYW2LtIjO5GLYWS9GdnYBKDJsnMJJCkdFBGPo54vxW4OI5hhtMmhSuetUffWUNzIcg0LRSZoKBz/s1600/Couture0013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTQo3t2egfsBGLw9_VAOLzM6q8qz2CknNKB_URJ41MNriqmP6dpAm_0szceAENWy3ICDYW2LtIjO5GLYWS9GdnYBKDJsnMJJCkdFBGPo54vxW4OI5hhtMmhSuetUffWUNzIcg0LRSZoKBz/s400/Couture0013.jpg" width="235" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhADhcqushCNKTLCkuZWuWhv8EaZ5Ts4-6kDUhyphenhyphenO9uJgmCeXFh5RBKCunDOgzKb23matoSTcVN5z7Tbmn77HslPZTubUj7LDm1YfX30hLyjI9j6Tnqcg-9qd4y5UFiIeMOjxuoPq9ogAq/s1600/Couture0021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhADhcqushCNKTLCkuZWuWhv8EaZ5Ts4-6kDUhyphenhyphenO9uJgmCeXFh5RBKCunDOgzKb23matoSTcVN5z7Tbmn77HslPZTubUj7LDm1YfX30hLyjI9j6Tnqcg-9qd4y5UFiIeMOjxuoPq9ogAq/s400/Couture0021.jpg" width="235" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
After finishing Mascara, I had all kinds of ideas for new comics to make. I drew detailed character sheets, but I didn't feel motivated to continue the stories. I did create Wings, and that story had detailed character sheets. However, drawing the pages was difficult. I was slogging through it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9stXl87SG-IUrxduvT4UdLrXKD1rgtlVaOoKz7wSaI0L3-YpXHXeXmPe6NohN5wsf-SPHT6X7LOgGgZkGjwbtS0mBLr_9MFEg97aJmNP0f653voHnZztNH6NMtpWoa8lfaalwZHJLWWHd/s1600/Wings0018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9stXl87SG-IUrxduvT4UdLrXKD1rgtlVaOoKz7wSaI0L3-YpXHXeXmPe6NohN5wsf-SPHT6X7LOgGgZkGjwbtS0mBLr_9MFEg97aJmNP0f653voHnZztNH6NMtpWoa8lfaalwZHJLWWHd/s400/Wings0018.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNaSxgJQVETRUXOkUQ0Np5Bju1HMwX77QLJmurhw0PwrQ76C1Q3nv0ciCTjk7Bpi2ybw61zrEeNTon1IJ1nUZMojPqEcy2o82o0e61NofIVkBi1t_q-6iM2DhMcJXUhyphenhypheniTAQndPKUFbWH/s1600/Wings0019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNaSxgJQVETRUXOkUQ0Np5Bju1HMwX77QLJmurhw0PwrQ76C1Q3nv0ciCTjk7Bpi2ybw61zrEeNTon1IJ1nUZMojPqEcy2o82o0e61NofIVkBi1t_q-6iM2DhMcJXUhyphenhypheniTAQndPKUFbWH/s400/Wings0019.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
When Wings was done, I moved on to a story that I now call Lovely Riot. Well, I've created all kinds of character sheets for that one, over and over... And I changed the title a few times too. I thought that I loved the story. I wrote the script for the first few chapters and planned it from beginning to end. The problem came when I started trying to draw it. I barely had the motivation to get out three pages.<br />
<br />
These are all sketches of the same character. The more I tried to create character sheets, the less I could decide on what I wanted!:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg56eemFwvi8aqjTkz6Iurh4cUsZ4CvyiQ0RDl5BPGqEVKPSg-9Zsi3cKagBNtnCx_uGF1VBYdh_vGUqkhyphenhyphenmhZ0q4Z1xZG1P4eisExbfWsp7RCVae0LZzgabANAyHLwz8b0jw1pSW2OVXC5/s1600/Lena.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg56eemFwvi8aqjTkz6Iurh4cUsZ4CvyiQ0RDl5BPGqEVKPSg-9Zsi3cKagBNtnCx_uGF1VBYdh_vGUqkhyphenhyphenmhZ0q4Z1xZG1P4eisExbfWsp7RCVae0LZzgabANAyHLwz8b0jw1pSW2OVXC5/s320/Lena.png" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1bS0bz7fJMAuoYMkhXN2v-KUMqnI2GYxo17dID7iOTcBSLg04kT6Mu89Aa3YYmZApc1WIYCrtYuTxlKUK_OOqcmy_GAA319KZIX4qm7V28uCUG3BLt2XzFqShuD41Ta5Ry1lFze-k73sT/s1600/Truheartcharacters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1bS0bz7fJMAuoYMkhXN2v-KUMqnI2GYxo17dID7iOTcBSLg04kT6Mu89Aa3YYmZApc1WIYCrtYuTxlKUK_OOqcmy_GAA319KZIX4qm7V28uCUG3BLt2XzFqShuD41Ta5Ry1lFze-k73sT/s320/Truheartcharacters.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7e7IaSmzd_0_S0siKzKari2-PMvVoH8regT7t5lcWQZRKRFyLPHKSPFzsTNlLXCQotjKrWyqiaUi2no8cu3kNQ-kcTuMgeIzaxIM697869hhblQneXEQThBrJBk1GVzrNghRopEaxHSSI/s1600/blcover+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7e7IaSmzd_0_S0siKzKari2-PMvVoH8regT7t5lcWQZRKRFyLPHKSPFzsTNlLXCQotjKrWyqiaUi2no8cu3kNQ-kcTuMgeIzaxIM697869hhblQneXEQThBrJBk1GVzrNghRopEaxHSSI/s320/blcover+copy.jpg" width="234" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9r-Je7v6JfqTwRw2H3cg2ZQzG4x0Uyj6cOoeKQxoDQucrWpEU0VeRU2RinLDI8Ly3VLYVeY3-pn4T_AfNlNmedNcpfDLR2OoiI20J7kuM54gwFmteR6KqgA1atjbnzn5H1n9qDgFQ6CsI/s1600/img005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9r-Je7v6JfqTwRw2H3cg2ZQzG4x0Uyj6cOoeKQxoDQucrWpEU0VeRU2RinLDI8Ly3VLYVeY3-pn4T_AfNlNmedNcpfDLR2OoiI20J7kuM54gwFmteR6KqgA1atjbnzn5H1n9qDgFQ6CsI/s320/img005.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>I realized that having a story I wanted to draw didn't mean that I would draw it. </b><br />
<br />
Near the end of last month, I got an idea for a new comic. I immediately drew the cover for it, and when I finished, I knew I was in love. I planned the plot, and started the script for the first chapter.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgufK_NNJ3AwCDHMQ3opEl6ylgq6Z_eY-uVsNV0HcbHwUSF4pdQ4SMNnJxfz9enA6zCIATx8xYP_Dm5A202PgsIJW_DcamE3iI68EEGlegZa7Uv2Jcu2-_xALgTSBSpspokKznaCM_DAwN1/s1600/Episode+1+cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgufK_NNJ3AwCDHMQ3opEl6ylgq6Z_eY-uVsNV0HcbHwUSF4pdQ4SMNnJxfz9enA6zCIATx8xYP_Dm5A202PgsIJW_DcamE3iI68EEGlegZa7Uv2Jcu2-_xALgTSBSpspokKznaCM_DAwN1/s400/Episode+1+cover.png" width="285" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Right now, I'm about eight pages in, and I get more excited with each page that I create. As for character sheets...ummm...there aren't any.<br />
<br />
The way I check continuity is to look back at previous pages, and fix what does not match.<br />
<br />
I'm not saying the comic artists should ditch character design sheets. What I'm saying that the process of creating is very personal, and sometimes what's typically done doesn't work well for everyone. It's okay to break the traditional process sometimes.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure what it is about character sheets that leads to failure for me, but I do know that I get more done without them.<br />
<br />Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034614119766641122.post-53137363894465213762015-10-21T12:45:00.000-04:002015-10-21T12:45:00.135-04:00Using Workflowy for Story Outlines and Organization Lately I've been working on the script for my latest comic. As far as plot goes, I have all of it planned from start to finish.<br />
<br />
In the process I came across this really nice outlining app called <a href="https://workflowy.com/" target="_blank">Workflowy</a>. This app definitely proves the power of simplicity and that almost anything can be made into a list. It's available for Android, Apple, and Chrome.<br />
<br />
Here's how I've used Workflowy to organize the plot-line for my comic.<br />
<br />
I have a bunch of projects going on so first I created a bullet point called Projects.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxHHd6inIgwplw6XJ45obzfqUXfJoKysP4deBMOQCWxSr7NU7Ye1zup8HCgmiHuRXG6P72mcyKf0uNrLuV8Us5bJES77lgLOyYxIhG3LvSbmoyrDXVzQwwSPyYbHb6wRoKwlmpWPR-v7j/s1600/wf1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxHHd6inIgwplw6XJ45obzfqUXfJoKysP4deBMOQCWxSr7NU7Ye1zup8HCgmiHuRXG6P72mcyKf0uNrLuV8Us5bJES77lgLOyYxIhG3LvSbmoyrDXVzQwwSPyYbHb6wRoKwlmpWPR-v7j/s400/wf1.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Then under that is my comic.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4PiQoGPAK6UrOAeQgqoKHTpqIfK7O7SSI8xj78b2hAUxHqrpctJjGMVutda_1PFS_Ys86SsJRN1ILaxlwuXgofmxyi9pJ4Rzse0iszVlLu6VOZ5ktmaxgUkzdtftg9paGbSH_Y7uCrdB/s1600/wf2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4PiQoGPAK6UrOAeQgqoKHTpqIfK7O7SSI8xj78b2hAUxHqrpctJjGMVutda_1PFS_Ys86SsJRN1ILaxlwuXgofmxyi9pJ4Rzse0iszVlLu6VOZ5ktmaxgUkzdtftg9paGbSH_Y7uCrdB/s640/wf2.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I've split up my comic project into six sections:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEs7GBqH0Sym13Sw4zTeDdB39wa8hdxRHS49yt6N6X0OuF3nTiBJfNid86d121MLyKSZya7_N3sur2zp2ivYk7TCRYSEdckIhM1kxDHhDLNulNTKFGo40g58xV5fOaft9gnSx20FZGZqlx/s1600/wf3.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEs7GBqH0Sym13Sw4zTeDdB39wa8hdxRHS49yt6N6X0OuF3nTiBJfNid86d121MLyKSZya7_N3sur2zp2ivYk7TCRYSEdckIhM1kxDHhDLNulNTKFGo40g58xV5fOaft9gnSx20FZGZqlx/s400/wf3.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Story Idea:</b> The general summary of the story.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Issue One:</b> For me, two to three episodes make an issue. I'll go into the whole episode thing in more detail in a future post, but this section gives me a way to keep up with the progress I'm making on my comic. I keep track of what pages I have done, what part of the script I need to write, etc...<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Story Arc Ideas:</b> These are little stories that come together to create the whole plot-line. I usually start by brainstorming all of the different adventures and situations that the characters will get into. Then I go back and put these events into a logical order.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Moment Ideas:</b> These are things that the characters do that can be put into any of the little stories in the story arc. For example, I might think it would be fun if one of the characters attempts to eat a whole box of ice cream. I'm not sure exactly where that would fit in, but I would like to see it happen. I make notes of ideas here, and I try to fit them in where ever I can within the short stories in the Story Arc Section.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Characters:</b> Character names and descriptions. I like to do a @charactername hashtag for all of my characters, and I use them for each character name in my story arc ideas. This is great because when I do a search, I can see all of the short stories that a specific character appears in.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5Se-WBYCNE9gcTqcaPI7-Y8lVpuQjPvQjygboA_gEyDCr7-VgMkh_xtlnHYuWvKpNw4ML0qBAPUgmoyC2smrlE6I-aFBVW8II__9EcHSAu9fswFa_iYeeG63DXoPSkzGiWBup9sYI_EI/s1600/wf4.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5Se-WBYCNE9gcTqcaPI7-Y8lVpuQjPvQjygboA_gEyDCr7-VgMkh_xtlnHYuWvKpNw4ML0qBAPUgmoyC2smrlE6I-aFBVW8II__9EcHSAu9fswFa_iYeeG63DXoPSkzGiWBup9sYI_EI/s640/wf4.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Workflowy doesn't support graphics beyond emoji, but if I wanted to put in a character sheet, I would just upload it to Google drive and paste the share link into the character description. I don't have any links in mine to character sheets because...I've been very bad lately.<br />
<br />
Also I can link to notes from Evernote. I like using Workflowly along with Evernote. For me Workflowy is better for organizing ideas and projects, and Evernote is better for organizing information by topic.<br />
<br />
<b>Publishing Notes:</b> Here is where I write details about the size of exported pages, physical page dimensions, and the requirements for the different websites where I will upload my comic. All technical stuff goes here.<br />
<br />
So this is how my Workflowy looks. The coolest thing about this app is that I can organize it to fit my thinking style. I don't have to conform the way I think to how the app works.<br />
<br />
Here's a referral link to give Workflowy a try:<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="contentLink" href="https://workflowy.com/invite/3090aa32.lnx" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #888888; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">https://workflowy.com/invite/3090aa32.lnx</a>. I highly recommend signing up using the referral link because this allows you to create 250 items (Each thing with a bullet point is an item) per month for free instead of the standard 100-ish items that it comes with. From experience I have to say that 100 items is not enough!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Arcadia Pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01025147259110712732noreply@blogger.com0