“Have the oppertunity to have your artwork published. we will remburse for materials and gas. Pay is negoitable depending on the price per page. We are looking for someone who has both a flare for manga art and also western style comic art. We want the feel and the look of the book to be more on the lines of an anima TV show. A portfolio of your work would be reviewed, and also under the disgretion of the director; you may be asked to do a quick sketch of one of his characters after you have signed a release form. To see if we are on the same page.”

OH WOW I’LL GET RIGHT ON IT GAIZ I LOVE ANIMA

So is this what patriotism feels like?

I really want to start a serial comic again.

Everytime I come home from my job I just want to become a bump on my couch and play video games. I’m an incredibly lazy person and an amazing procrastinator. But I know I’d be good if I tried.

I don’t like to look at other people’s stuff until I have something to present back. I’m a terribly boring and awkward person; my work is what makes me feel legitimate.

I’m sorry if you’ve been trying to reach me. I’ve been busy. I have a couple commissions I haven’t finished and I’m picking up the slack for some brat who abandoned us out of boredom at my RL job (inoright?).

Derp.

This entry is about t-squares, and I’m very particular about them. My favorite t-square broke about a year or so ago, and it’s been a little hard to replace. I found it again today though!

C-Thru JR-12 T-square (sometimes called Junior T-square)

I like this kind of t-square because it’s not too big for comics (12”), it’s extremely portable (I rarely work at a desk), and it’s transparent (almost essential). I wont use anything else, to be honest. When I found it again today, I had to buy 2.

If you need this all this awesome in your life, you can buy it here. Occasionally, you’ll see it at a Michael’s or a Jo Ann’s craft store. But you’re more likely to find t-square variety at an independant art store or here on the interents.

Moar art, less walls of text! Draw what you want to say! You know you want to!

(The hypocrite writing this will resolve to do this too… ._____. )

You don’t need Photoshop for digitial painting. At the bare minimum, you would need layers and anti-aliasing, which is basically someone’s Oekaki install.

If you’re looking for something more advanced than that, here are some moar free tool options:

• Aviary - Like a web-based Creative Suite. You can save your big layered work right on the intertubes.
• Splashup - Web-based Photoshop-like application for your browser. Looks a lot like Aviary.
• GIMP - Opensource Photoshop-like application for Windows. (Mac version here)
• Seashore - A very light opensource Photoshop-like application for Mac-only.

The most important thing you can do as a cartoonist is master human anatomy. Okay so maybe Charles Shultz and Art Spiegelman probably didn’t think it was the most important thing, and rarely is any cartoonist a Di Vinci. Nonetheless, being comfortable drawing a real human body is key to making the unrealistic version that is your own style.

I’m not a master of anything, nor a super famous artist. However, I have been drawing nude models off and on for about seven years. Figure drawing is personally one of my favorite things about visual art. It also translates glarringly well into the comics field.

Getting Naked

The best, time-tested method to learning anatomy is drawing nude models. Yes, actual naked people standing a few feet in front of you, making poses for five hours (and heros, they are). If you’re an art student or a former one, you’re probably yawning by now. If you’re thinking about become an art student, or are one and avoid anatomy/figure drawing classes for whatever reason, then this post is more for you.

Virgins to drawing nude models, never fear. When you’re in the artist mindset, a big hairy guy named Bruno with a droopy ballsack will, infact, seem like a piece of interesting pottery. That’s not to say that there isn’t an intimacy between you and Bruno. There is a unique relationship that goes on between artist and model for those brief hours. It’s a kind of relationship that I feel will become less and less familiar as more people turn to the internet for references.

Finding Naked People

You don’t have to be a student of Rich Fancy-Pants Art School to find people willing to get naked for you. Here are some other options:

• Draw your naked friends. If you don’t have naked friends due to cultural boundries and never-nudes, move onto the next step.
• Draw your naked partner/spouse. If your signficant-other can’t stay still naked for long periods of time due to hormones or the need to take out the garbage, move onto the next step.
• Enroll in a community college figure drawing class. The models will be provided and even some materials. A set schedule and constructive critisism from fellow students is also very helpful. Although it’s nowhere near as expensive as Rich Fancy-Pants Art School, tuition and supplies will actually cost you the same amount as a fancy pair of pants.
• Enroll in a night class or a community art group. This is far less official than community college courses. These are usually groupings made up of local artists who come together on a weekly bases to stay fresh on the basics. The models provided usually varry much more in age, gender, and body type, making it almost a better option than “official” resources. The price of these are usually a few dollars a week. Amounting to about 50 or 60 bucks for a “semester” if you will.

Keeping Nakedness in Your Life

So you’ve already drawn your share of naked people. You’re totally awesome and know the human body better than anyone on Deviantart and Gaia Online. Good for you. You should still keep signing up for the odd class now and then. Let the naked people help sharpen your blade

Mostly Mabinogi stuff again. Sorry about that.

This is mainly directed at other comic artists who are reading this:

I think if I were getting paid, I would produce more comics (lol why am I saying that; wouldn’t we all?).

I would like to do a serial short manga for a website. Something like the 4koma stuff I actually manage to put up. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to sell myself as a producer of, er, valuable content? I was thinking something along the lines of going to a popular anime website and saying, “Hey, you guys need a stupid comic on the left column”, but maybe that pitch needs work. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

(This post contains 1 image)

I’ve started to do character commissions in Mabinogi. Here’s a “logo” I made: