phrases. - The Official GlobalComix Blog

Lineart is one of those things that seems to be something artists love or it’s the bane of their lives. It can be hard to find the right type of lineart for you and gain the steady hand to make it just the way you want it.

Today, I am going to go over some various tips for digital and traditional artists to help get a better quality of lineart. Most of these tips apply to both digital and traditional, but if something is specific to one group, I’ll be sure to point that out.

With that out of the way, let's begin!

Finding the Right Resolution

One of the number one ways to get cruddy lineart is to use a resolution too low. Going too low can create pixelated...

Have you ever thought about doing a crowdfunding campaign?

Launching a campaign is a large commitment and can have a lot of pitfalls. I'm here today with a special guest, Cody Fernandez, Founder of Ironverse Comics. You might recognize him from his primary series Jack Irons: Steel Cowboy, a story about an Immortal Jack who has lived many lifetimes; and Kactus Coyote, a different story set up in the same universe. Ironverse has gone through multiple crowdfunding campaigns, and at the time of writing, Issue #4 is nearing completion.

With that intro out of the way, let's sit down with Cody from Ironverse! The following summarized transcript has been taken from an...

Hatching, you either love it or hate it as an artist. For some people, it can serve as a soothing doodle technique or become their secret weapon to a beautiful comic or manga page. What exactly is hatching?

Hatching is a drawing technique using lines or linear strokes to create value and texture throughout an image. They don't always have to be straight lines, and they don't always have to be neat and consistent either. There are multiple types of hatching, each providing their own texture that you can add. In comics and manga, it is used both as a shading technique and a texturing one. It's really very versatile!

With that out of the way, let's start...

A great story and beautiful art are easy things to identify as part of what makes a good comic or manga. However, have you ever thought about the simple turning of the page? It’s something we do dozens, or a hundred of times when reading a single comic or graphic novel. For large omnibus editions, it can be a few hundred pages turns! I bet you didn’t even notice you were doing it!

One important factor in building great pages is the page turn, how to KEEP readers reading and make them want more. There are a few tricks that we can use to make our readers to engaged that they don’t even notice they are turning pages. The smoother your reading flow is, the better off...

In our last article, we covered some of the basics of Komawari and paneling for manga, such as reading direction, manga’s grid systems, sandangumi and yondangumi, gutters, the concept of rough and dense pages and misegoma, having one panel as the main focus of the page.

Today we are going to dig deeper into the less common aspects of paneling manga: the primary manga layouts, Oblique panels and Ma panels. None of these are “unique” to manga and can be used in western comics, however their use is more common in manga and can really help yours stand out from the crowd.

With that intro, let's dig in!

Basic Panel Layouts

Using the basic knowledge of the...

So what is Komawari?

Paneling for manga is done in the same spirit of western comics: creating a smooth experience for the reader. However, the thought process behind how it is done is a little different. “Koma” themselves are the panels. Komawari refers to the layout as a whole, and its flow.

From san-dangumi to wakusen there's a lot to cover. With our intro out of the way, let's get started!

Reading direction

The most notable difference between the two is the reading Direction.

Most manga does read right to left, traditionally. However, there is a movement of “Manga-inspired comics” that are in a manga style, but read left to right like...

In our last Creator Tips and Tricks article, we talked about the basics of paneling and flow. This week, we are going to dig a little deeper into this flow idea. Understanding gutters, panel layouts, and how to make your pages easier to read. A confusing page could cost you a reader, and nobody wants that!

With that introduction, let's dig into Gutters and Panel Layouts!

Looking at a standard comic page as a reader, you might not know that these pages are very carefully crafted to keep you reading. As a creator, you might know the pages take some time to plan and create. Now that we have some understanding of comic flow from our last article, visual narrative, and margins...

Whether you're looking for work yourself, or building a team for your next comic or manga project, the GlobalComix Talent Marketplace is an invaluable resource to make it easier to get into the fun of creating a title. Skip the long search by utilizing its features to land role-specific jobs, or list your project to find your perfect team members.

If you want to learn more, GlobalComix's @EricTapper put together a handy video that walks you through every step of the process and options available to take your search to the next level. You can watch the video on the GlobalComix YouTube channel, or simply hit the play button below.

No matter the format we use to tell our stories, be it comics, manga, comic strips or koma, we need to understand the flow of a page. By flow, I mean panel to panel, bubble to bubble, and eventually, page to page. A good flow is very important, as it keeps the reader reading. Any type of disruption in that flow can knock the reader out of the experience and possibly cause them to stop reading. That's obviously the last thing that we want.

With that flow we need slower times and faster times, this is called pacing, or timing. You don’t want to speed through a moment that needs to be slower, but you don’t want to drag out something that isn’t interesting or...

Along with Camera angles and positions, the last look at Cameras that we’ll take are camera shots. These typically refer to how much and/or how many subjects appear in the shot itself. Just like with angles and positions, the shot or depth of field you choose can impact your storytelling.

Different depths of field have different uses:

• Long (Wide): Often show the subject from a distance, putting the focus on the environment, location within that environment and scale.
• Medium: Fall somewhere between and act as a hybrid of a Long shot and Close Up. These allow the reader to focus on the character while still able to see the background.
• Close: Close shots focus on...

We learned about Camera Angles in our last Tips and Tricks Article, today we are going to be focusing on Camera Position and the 180 Rule. These two topics go hand in hand, and it’s very important that we understand where to put the camera and when.

Camera Position refers to where the camera is placed -around- the subject. The 180 rule is an imaginary line storytellers use to help keep continuity when doing a multi character / multi subject scene. This helps with any back and forth interaction that may be occurring to help keep things clear and easy to understand. Like any rule, it has times it can be broken for great effect, so take this rule with...

Cameras aren’t usually something comic and manga creators think about when we are story boarding, doing layouts or pencils. But why is that? In my personal experience, a lot of those who seek mentorship in this way, especially writers, don’t tend to THINK in this way. We see the story in our own heads, typically as a film or animation. We tend to just replicate what and how we see it and call it a day. But how often do we sit down and critically think about what would be -BEST- for the scene we have versus how we see it in our own minds.

Being able to separate your own personal wants from the work and do what would be best for it, even if what you initially...

Visual Narrative is the term used to refer to the art of storytelling with visuals as a main communicator. It includes mediums like comics, manga, commercials, marketing and advertising, soap operas, film, documentaries, reality TV, cartoon shows, TV journalism, and more. It’s a very wide field that encompasses one main task:

Show, don't tell.

This phrase you have probably heard over and over again if you are experienced in the visual narrative fields. If you are not familiar with it, let me explain this concept:

Show the audience / reader what you wish to communicate, what you want them to know, instead of using narration or dialogue to do the heavy lifting for...

What ARE Margins, Bleeds and Trims?

Simply put, the trim is the line where the comic or manga paper will be cut. The Margin is the area inside of the trim line that will remain and the bleed is the area outside of the trim, specifically the area that gets cut off.

Working digitally, do we even need to worry about these margins anymore?

Whether you are printing or not, you should know these areas and it is in your best interest to use them should you ever decide to print your digital comic or manga. Traditional artists can use these as well! A lot of Blue Line Paper made for comics and manga contain these margins by default, so even if you are a traditional artist, this article...

Welcome to our new Community Series: Creator Tips and Tricks!!

ArtCrumbs here! I've got a great new series for you!

In this series we'll provide you with advice on how to grow, level up, and get new skills as a creator. These tips and tricks don't just apply to GlobalComix, these are the nitty gritty, the real work, the meat of what we do. We create and any way that we can improve that process is going to be a game changer!

Think you can't improve? You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great!

In our first installment of the Creator Tips series, we are going to cover the Story feature in Clip Studio. I have spent time...

Cover art from Year Zero, AWA Studios

Over the past 18 months or so, we’ve interfaced with many of the industry’s best and up-and-coming creators and publishers. In doing so, we have learned the most common reservations and misconceptions about digital publishing in general, as well as specific to GlobalComix. And we know more broadly that the digital world can feel like a puzzle within western comics.

With all of that in mind, we’ve compiled an informal FAQ-style breakdown here for anyone thinking about publishing with GlobalComix, but who still need a more information.

1. What if I don't have the time?

Cover art from Aeonian,...

Marketing a comic is not just spamming your audience with constant variations of “BUY MY COMIC!” It’s about connecting with the right people and communicating with them in a way that makes them receptive to your message. It is not a demand for compliance. It is a display of value.

But comic book marketing in the United States is also unique because there are additional hurdles that prevent a publisher from attracting prospective readers and transforming them into long-term fans. This post will use the GlobalComix exclusive comic Welcome to Mina’s from Cloudscape Comics to explore both the challenges facing modern comics and offer some suggestions for how to...

Last week, we analyzed the Cloudscape anthology Welcome to Mina’s to build a story synopsis, define an ideal reader and identify the competition for the comic. 

This week, I’ll suggest some tactics for how a book like Mina’s can find the right audience and build a strong following without spending a lot of marketing dollars. 

Keywords: Any words used to classify or organize digital content or to facilitate an online search for information are referred to as keywords. Because people gravitate towards groups and communities online that reflect their interests, you can use keywords to find the specific group you are trying to reach. And because every comic...

Earlier this year, GlobalComix had a chance to sit down with Rylend Grant to discuss crowdfunding. Rylend invites you behind the curtains of his upcoming campaign for THE JUMP 1-2. He walks you through and show you how he built his campaign, and explain in depth why he made the variety of choices that went into it. He follows up the demo with an extended Q&A.

Marketing comics is not a one size fits all process. Because each comic tells a unique story, and that story has a unique audience, then the relationship between the publisher and the reader needs to be tailored to give the book the best chance of success in the marketplace. Unique stories require unique marketing.

This case study is designed to walk you through the marketing analysis and execution for a single comic. Hopefully, you can take some of the insights and ideas presented here and apply them to your own comic. As always, if you have questions, please leave a comment and let us know.

Welcome to Mina’s Marketing Analysis

Story Abstract
Because the story is the...

One of the things that sets GlobalComix apart from the competition is our commitment to creator development. We strive to educate, inform and support comic book creators at every level through our educational blogs, webinars, and consultation sessions. We plan to continue this service to our community this spring with a special in-depth marketing analysis.

Last fall, we introduced the general concepts of digital comic book marketing theory with two comprehensive webinars (Click here to see the video). Now, we plan to apply those ideas to a specific comic and walk you through each step of the process.

This will help you apply sound marketing principles to your own comics and...

In this panel, star creators and industry pros discuss the ins and outs of crowdfunding a comic.

Panelists:

● Adam Lawson is the writer of The Kill Journal and The Eighth from Failed Superheroes Club. He is also the creator of the TT RPG Asunder, and writer/director of Escape the Night, Sagas of Sundry, & Spell Slingers.

● Honor Vincent is the multitalented writer and creator of Andraste, and writes for a variety of platforms as well.

● Rylend Grant is the Ringo Award-winning creator of comics like Aberrant, Banjax, The Jump, and The Peacekeepers. He’s worked for 15+ years in Hollywood, developing film and television projects - mostly big,...

Hey there and welcome to GlobalComix! This video is designed to give you a quick introduction to the platform and illustrate the experience of readers and publishers at a glance.

In this video Eric takes you step by step through how to publish a release on GlobalComix. All you need are your files and you're ready to go!

Publish your comics now: https://globalcomix.com/publish

Pro-tip: We accept most file formats, though you can always click "File Requirements" on your 'Releases' page to break the details down more specifically.

Learn the ropes of making your comic more interactive to greatly improve the reading experience for your stories.