Getting Started in Comics

[Ari Sorokin]

Hi,
I am a writer and artist trying to restore my motivation by getting into a project that requires both skills. I also hope to create something powered by my faith.

I originally wanted to work in the animation industry, but I realized that telling the stories I wanted wouldn't be possible. Animation is too regulated to tell the stories I want. If I want my stories to be told in animation, I need proof of concept, perhaps through my graphic novel.

Here is my pitch...
In the year 2000, with Jews nearly extinct and the last survivors displayed in human zoos resembling shtetls for public amusement, one captive sparks a spiritual revolution that defies a world bereft of faith.

I am wondering where to start. What courses on SVS learn or other places should I take? What equipment do I need? Should I try doing it in print or as a webtoon?

I prefer traditional art; however, I occasionally try a hybrid approach. Can you use a hybrid approach with a webtoon? What equipment do you think I should use?

How can I finance the comic? How do I publicize it?

I have shown a few people my ideas, and they like them. What is the first step, and how do I take it?

[MarcRobinson]

@Ari-Sorokin hey mate, it's cool to see that you're going down the comic route. In my opinion a Web toon would be a quick and cheap way of getting the comic out there, and to see if you get traction with an audience. That being said, my first comics were printed at my own cost, and I took them to comic cons. I think svs are gonna do a comic course at some point too. Best of luck.

[StudioHannah]

@Ari-Sorokin Welcome to the wonderful world of wanting to tell long-form visual stories that would be too expensive to produce on your own and subsequently falling into the world of comics and becoming obsessed with how they work! At least... that's what happened to me...

Webtoon seems to be the default nowadays, and I'll be putting my graphic novel up on there once I have enough of a buffer for it. It's free to post, and you get no money for it, but it doens't cost you anything either. It's a good way to get it out there for people to see. Once you have an audience you could every try to Kickstart a printed version.

Going straight to print would be a lot of up-front work plus printing expenses for you before anyone even gets their eyes on it for you to see if people would buy it. It's more risky, which is why I'm personally going an online route first and then going to try to publish ON PAPER, MY LOVE, once I know I have people willing to give me money.

You can make the art however you want, but because Webtoon is a vertical scroll format rather than a page format, you'll have to make two versions of your comic layout. This is ANNOYING, but you can always make the page for paper traditionally, and then digitally split up sections and move word balloons around so it's in a Webtoon format.

Webtoon will give you a little bit of publicity when you initially start to post, which can help build an audience, and they reward you for keeping and growing at audiencde with more exposure, You can also start social media profiles specifically for your comic project so people can find art and tidbits on, say, Instagram, get curious, and check out the Webtoon from there. You can also get in contact with local comic shops and ask if they'd put up a flyer with a QR code/link to your work to try to pick up some local interest. Asking people who like comics to help you spread your comic is a great way to get word of mouth going.

But your very FIRST step here is making sure you have a solid script (I have a whole story structure ring I shared recently in its own post haha), solid character designs, and at least the beginning of the thumbnails for the first chapter or two. Sounds like you do have a good concept, so you've already done the very first step! Just do the next one, and keep going.

[Ari Sorokin]

@MarcRobinson @StudioHannah, The problem with Webtoon is that my audience consists of mature Jewish kids who do not usually have smartphones or access to the Internet because their parents do not let them if they are orthodox. If they do have access to the Internet, it is controlled by parental controls.

So, print is likely the best way to do it in the long term!

Edit
Jews are some of the only people who will consume physical media till the end of time. Magazines and Newspapers are still in business in the Jewish world but struggle in the gentile world.

[StudioHannah]

@Ari-Sorokin I also love paper media, and if you can afford it then go for it! You can sometimes find printers who will do smaller print runs of issued comics if you publish chapter by chapter instead of as one giant volume at the end. Ka-Blam! is pretty reasonable for dipping your toes in.

I wonder if you could find a Jewish site that would let you host your comic online. That way you'd have the audience built-in and more likely to be who you're looking for.

On the other hand, God-fearing gentiles like me would still love to read that kind of story so even if your main audience is Jewish there could be a wider interested audience than you think.

[Ari Sorokin]

@StudioHannah

I could theoretically host my website and get it done digitally that way. Contact people in the Jewish community to promote it. That way, people can read it without all the "disturbing" NSFW content on Webtoon.

What type of paper do you use for comics? Should I draw the panels digitally or on normal paper and then put them into panels on the computer? That way, if I make a mistake, I do not need to worry as much.

[StudioHannah]

@Ari-Sorokin When I do mine I opt for digital (I use Procrate on my iPad). It's just easier for me to make edits and it makes for a fast workflow. I have done paper ones, and in those cases I use Bristol paper (11"x17", which scales down to an American comic book size) and calligraphy inks with nib pens.

For my next comic, I'm thinking of drawing on paper (I feel like I construct forms better on paper) and then inking it on my iPad. There's no "wrong" way, just do a few experiments and find what YOU are most comfortable with and if 1) fun DURING the process of making it and 2) makes the artwork y ou're most proud of.

[Joshua Chennault]

@Ari-Sorokin Another community resource you might look into if you haven't already is Kids Comics Unite. Might be able to get some advice from them as well as here, and since the focus there is comics they might have some other insights.

[Ari Sorokin]

@StudioHannah I have an iPad mini, not an iPad Pro. I can use Procreate; it just is not convenient. I have an old pad tablet I can use. I just need to find the right app. Maybe Krita.

How can I find a focus group?

[StudioHannah]

@Ari-Sorokin Hey, my sister uses her finger on her iPhone to make her (super good) art. But then again... she's crazy XD

[ksfabian]

Webtoon Terms of Service are a nightmare and they basically own your soul. Avoid them. If you want a bigger platform, global comics is a better option but check out the Comic Lab podcast for more about webcomics.

[StudioHannah]

@ksfabian I had somehow not heard of Global Comix, but they look great! I'm not the OP but I'M glad you commented that, it's something for me to consider when my comic is ready for sharing

[ArtistErin]

@Ari-Sorokin I tried Clip Studio and Gimp for my first free apps... in fact my real start was simple paint on an old Windows desktop, with a mouse, point and click fill and it had me hooked.

Next step was Fractal Design Painter, with a first gen Wacom Tablet, before wireless and it was jenky! The Lasso tool kept glitching up for me. I learned more about files, creating backups and have a plan because nothing quite like having to redo an illustration you spent hours on. OMG.

I went to CorelDraw from there, now on Photoshop, considering an iPad in addition to my current Cintiq setup... using ProCreate yet I feel I need to keep it simple. So I may just invest in a laptop or Windows based tablet so I have freedom of mobility.

Any thoughts on platforms? I just need something that crosses over using Adobe and I don't think Procreate supports Adobe assets.

I still feel like I'm a newbie!

[ksfabian]

@ArtistErin I use Procreate and Affinity. Affinity is a one time purchase and is "better" than adobe in some ways.

[ArtistErin]

@ksfabian I always wonder what people are using. What is Affinity like? I have learned to love Photoshop yet there are so many things I wish were different, yet I'm getting better. I used Rebelle Pro yet it's a very different app, and slow. Because it acts like traditional mediums. So back to standard Adobe for me...

[makekong]

@Ari-Sorokin congrats! And welcome. One recommendation would be to get your own website. Even if its just the url that you can redirect to your preferred social media or posting site, because in the end what you want is your readers to find you directly.

One advice would be to start small. Even that your stories would include the same characters look at it as a pilot episode you can make and see how you better want to tell your stories, working with your characters and the way your work will evolve.

This year I posted two 8 page episode comics on substack. It is free and is currenlty a great way to get a direct email subscription from your readers as you can arrive straight to their inbox without needing to go through a webtoon, tapas or social media.

[makekong]

@ArtistErin everyone from the comiclab community recommend clipstudio paint. I personally use sketchbook pro because its light enough for my old ipad and I use affinity publisher to edit my pdf files.

[makekong]

@ArtistErin drivethrurpg has a great couple free guides on ussing affinity publisher