Your quick opinion on a change in style

[El_Psy_Congroo]

So I've been finding panels and gutters a tricky business in webcomics. I think in manga, seeing those black lines separating panels works and is sometimes necessary when something is in black and white. For a webcomic with colored panels, perhaps those lines are unnecessary. But before I make that change I thought I'd get some feedback from you guys.

Here's my last published page, as it was before:

And here it is in the new style:

Bonus points if you have some tips/pointers/ideas about how/when to color the gutters.

[J.Z.Castillo]

Idk, I have been thinking about not lining my gutters for a while after reading the Blacksad series.

I think non-lined gutters make the comic look so organic and nice (specially if they are done traditionally). I honestly have no idea how that would translate digitally. I feel like they would have an incomplete feel if they are not done the right way. Maybe look at Sharp Zero, I forgot they do not use any lined gutters and their pages are very well composed.

[Wandercreature]

I'd be free from the lines, man. The mobile format on Tapastic is so condensed already, the fewer boundaries you impose, the better.

[El_Psy_Congroo]

Haha I was actually using one of your previous Blacksad posts as a reference. I feel it works well if you panels are entirely in color. I also notice that when the background is in color, Blacksad keeps bubbles entirely white/borderless too

@Wandercreature Thats actually an interesting point I hadn't thought of before. Although, I havent actually gottem rid of the border so much as colored it white. I use mangastudio which has a special framing tool so I didn't outright get rid of it. But I think it still is visually effective

[J.Z.Castillo]

Yup! If this is really a direction you plan on taking I would strongly recommend buying a physical copy, not only is it an amazing series, but you can also learn so much from it for this style.

[El_Psy_Congroo]

I've definitely got that one on my to do list - I've seen a lot of love for it on the forum. Its funny, I just checked your other link and I was literally reading that comic after seeing it on the spotlight when I got the idea in the first place. Dude, gtfo of my head haha

[joannekwan]

Yeah, I use white gutters for my colored comic. Lining each gutter would be extra work when I can just throw down some thin white boxes.

[HeSerpenty]

Hahaha o man...took me a minute to realize that was the difference X"D--the lineless panels. Heavens sake, I need to go to bed

ANYways I agree with what's been said thus far! I think the lineless "gutters" give it a nice clean look...and if Tapastic is where you primarily host, it is more suitable for this site I think! The page looks awesome I really like your paneling style

[El_Psy_Congroo]

@joannekwan

Lining each gutter would be extra work when I can just throw down some thin white boxes.

So in clip/manga studio there's a whole set of tools for panels that create these vector boxes you can move around and split. They are also folders that mask everything outside the lines, so I put all the layers for each panel in them. The end result is that I end up with a ton of layers for each panel and my computer slows down. The sensible thing would be to just have one layer for line art, another for color, and so on; then make (as you say) thin white boxes for the gutters on top.

But I haven't yet, probably because I think "well what about all these fancy features in my software? Won't they get, like, lonely or something?" Its the dumbest reason, I know. I'll probably streamline my whole workflow regardless but.... ugh.

You make me sad, Smith Micro. You make me sad.

@HeSerpenty
Thank you! =]

[samchiewhan]

Go gutterless. It's cleaner. In fact, after seeing the difference I'm considering going with it too.

[J.Z.Castillo]

The sensible thing would be to just have one layer for line art, another for color, and so on; then make (as you say) thin white boxes for the gutters on top.

YES! omg, please make your life easier and make one layer for line work, one for flats, one for shades, one for highlights, etc. Work smarter, not slower haha

[WakaXO]

I am not going to lie I didn't think I would like it but after seeing it I like it a lot! Maybe its something I will consider doing in my comic in the future to. Nevertheless I vote no lines!

[scullpanda]

I like the change it works better for the flow and the overlap technique that you use (where you have things branching into different areas example: hair)

Also good to see you back man haven't seen you on the forums for a while. OwO

[Zanreo]

I think it looks good, actually even better (MIght actually consider switching myself too now... or to whatever-color-currently-using since lately I've experimenting with colored gutters in some of other color that can fit the scene/characters)

[Mineu]

Wow, never thought of white gutters but they really look better. (I think I'll also start making white gutters from this day on hehehe).

[El_Psy_Congroo]

Yeah I love breaking panels but sometimes the lines do interfere. And thanks, though I have been around... maybe I just haven't started my own topic in a while.

[scullpanda]

///gasp I must not have been on the same topics then T^T