Ways to improve comics

[Raven_C]

I agree with checking out Loomis' books. http://www.alexhays.com/loomis/

[bluefairy]

Improve comics? Not just art style, right? Because comics are way more than art style. On the scale of importance, art style is not on the top at all. This is a trap that I fell in, and now I can't seem to get out of it. Truth is, comics is all about how you tell a story. Your tools of expression must be chosen according to the massage the story want to deliver. It is like if you want to tell a good joke, you have to feel what to say first, when to pause, what to hide and leave for the surprising outcome... This is what matters most in comics according to my observations. This is a technic that one masters after a lot of practise as well, of course. But this must be the focus, not just the art style.

[Drezz]

Before you can break the rules and draw things in 'your style' you need to learn the rules first. It's one thing to draw things skewed out of proportion, with impossible anatomy in order to create dynamic movement, but it's VERY obvious when it's done sloppily and the excuse of 'that's my style' is used.

[nikacomics]

Definitely hear what you're saying here. I have the opposite of "same-face" syndrome; all my characters look slightly different page to page. I actually found that imitating other artists helped me understand what it was that I was unconsciously switching up.

[dana]

What everyone said: practice, sketch all the time and check for tutorials. You can find great tutorials on youtube and deviantart!
And ask other artists for feedback to keep improving your illustration style.

[cyanste]

I agree, bluefairy ... comics are just more than good art. Are there any kinds of tutorials that talk about comics in particular, e.g. pacing, scripts, etc? Good art =/= good comic.

[ErithEl]

haha I never even thought of the opposite of "same-face" syndrome being an issue...I guess you really do learn something new every day. Glad you found a method that helped you with that! It's always nice when you find something that just clicks and you go "ohhhh THAT'S what I should have been doing!"

[nikacomics]

If you like learning from books, I've heard "Making Comics" by Scott McCloud and "Comics and Sequential Art" by Will Eisner are good for understanding the underlying principles behind comic-making.

[zelkats]

Perhaps it's good to keep this rule in mind when making comics: make sure the readers know what on earth is going on in the comic. If the creator has to explain outside of the comic (ie. creator's comment) then in some ways, the artist has failed to deliver properly. It's like explaining a joke you just told and that takes the magic away from it. There are quite a few comics with beautiful art but don't show clearly where the characters are, who is who and who's doing what. That's why it's important to know how to draw backgrounds, various poses and such. Listen to the advice and suggestions given by the lovely people above :3

[nikacomics]

So true! When in doubt, keep it simple. The worst is when you start confusing characters for one another, or when you find yourself reading dialogue out of order ><

[bluefairy]

I agree with Nika! Scott McCloud is the best sourse for me! Scott McCloud "Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art"

[Fascher]

I found I had really big improvements after drawing a lot of realistic faces and getting anatomy down and such. Focusing on those really hard things boosts your art a lot once you can apply it to your style.

Also! Reading books on the subject or finding tutorials helps a ton. If you want some amazing tips on making comics Scott McCloud's books are a must-read!

[Menbung]

New one here oo.oo . . . Aside from actual drawing ability I personally think that sequence it's very important, given that comics are sequential art (so fancy words I use D:) is important that the reader can understand what the characters are doing or trying to do.

If I want to draw a guy punching a bad guy I shouldn't draw a close up of the hero's eye, then a bird eye view of the character running towards the bad guy, then a black panel with the word pow, and finally a panel where the bad guy is on the floor knocked out.. If your sequence is bad, the reader will notice it.

Choosing the camera angles, the pacing and such is important for a comic artist, because it's critical if you want readers to understand what you're trying to tell.

We are essentially directors of our own marvelous worlds Oo.oO

[GeneticA]

Same as what everyone else is saying, but I've found that if you're drawing people, it helps me to make the pose I'm drawing them in, especially for hands. That way you'll be able to feel if a pose is something someone would actually be able to make and it helps to feel where the muscles clench or loosen when in that pose. That"s just my opinion, though.

[Spinester]

I definitely second the Scott McCloud books Making Comics and Understanding Comics. As Drezz said, learning the basics is crucial when it comes to drawing/coloring. The other side of that coin is how to actually construct a readable comic. Things like pacing, panel flow, balloon placement and consistency can also make or break your story.

[robertallenburns]

All this stuff is great! These books combined with a really good understanding of perspective and daily observation drawing will take you far
for figures:

Figure Drawing: Design and Invention About this item

For AWESOME composition

Framed Ink: Drawing and Composition for Visual Storytellers About this item

[GeneticA]

Also this site:http://www.eggazyoutatsu.net/atarichanDrawer.html is great for practice drawing

[kbowzer]

I would add study your favorite artists work. I don't mean straight up copy, but rather find out what you like so much about a certain artists work and learn how they do it. Then apply it to your own style. Keep inspiration around you and learn from fellow artists and peers

[SadSacks]

I second studying your fave artists. It's free, and you'll learn to try stuff that you know YOU already like!

[hierogriff]

These are all great suggestions!

Another thing that might help you begin is to find another artist willing to honestly critique your work, and let you know your weaknesses. Good criticism is invaluable!