Drawing Cameos in Comics

[sarrowsmith10]

1. What makes you decide that you want to draw in a cameo in your comic?

2. Do you write the cameo into the script? Or decide after the fact?

3. How much of a role do cameo's play in the overall story? Are they just a background figure? Do they get lines? Further the plot?

Just some questions.

[AniStaciaArt]

I have a cameo in my comic coming up that was a reward for a patreon tier. So to answer your first question, money! lol
I had promised that the next group shot I made was going to feature that person in it. They're only in it for I think 2 panels, recording a fight. I think they got some speaking lines, but it was a scene I was going to make anyway. Random unnamed people pop up in my comic for a few seconds often so it didn't seem out of place.

[Coati]

I don't put "active" cameos in my comics. But I love to drop some random characters as easter eggs, mostly people from other indie comics. And I just put then in the background

[KoreanTacos]

If I'm trying to get a person work acknowledged I'll dedicate a strip to it, but generally I like to keep cameos as a nod or something/someone in the background and not an important role in whatever I'm saying (after all those characters aren't mine). My first chapter of my newest comic makes several references to my other comic, and comics of other creators. I've only proactively tried to seek cameos once, and after that experience I've decided to just keep my cameos to comics I do generally read and from creators I personally know.

[sarrowsmith10]

So are you using an already designed character? Or using a reference and fitting their clothes/persona into your world?

[AniStaciaArt]

It's not a character. It's the actual person who... Here. I'll just show you. It's a little spoiler-y. But you're not reading it so you don't care. lol

The patreon patron wanted her, her husband and her dogs in it. Easy peasy.

[joannekwan]

I just sneak them into crowd scenes with no speaking roles to keep things fun while drawing.

Like on this page I included characters from Sense8 ~

And when I was still growing my readership, I placed characters from other creators as a support reward or if they asked nicely into the background as well.

[mrtoontastic]

When I draw cameos, its often either for gags, or I enjoy the series/characters based in it. Sometimes I just do it for sight gags, like visual cameos without dialogue. But if I find a particular thing for them to say, while staying true to their character, I'll put it in.

Cameos don't really get far in my novels, unless its for a proper plot convenience, or to have my characters feel like they're in a bigger world. I've done it a few times before with friends I've known on other sights, but I've yet to fully commit to a cameo featuring any of my friends on Tapas. One day~. There's some good folks I buddied up with here, or just genuinely enjoy that I want to feature in my work, even if its for a chapter or two.

[BobbyjoeX]

depending on the size of the friendship, i'll throw a character in

every chibi in the third panel is a cameo XD

[mrtoontastic]

Y'know, I really need to cameo one of your Beatle Boys into my works xD At least if not visually, something to read.

[JeanGuillet]

I've done Bob and Bing and Elvis. I'll do more, I'm sure.
1. no reason other than lulz
2. usually after the fact
3. communicate something about the situation & whats going on. Yes lines. no on furthering plot. they form a part of the milieu

[skicoak]

I've shared it before but this is how Oddly Vanilla did our first round of cameos...made them slot machines in the background.