The end of the year is closing in
So, the comic is 98% done! I’m not kidding, we are finally here, researching where to put it and such. I’m so proud of myself, especially since it is the first thing for a while that is truly completed, start to finish. Been a long time coming!
As I mentioned in my Main Article for the month of October, I’ve had crazy amounts of freelancing to do. Something like 85-15 in favour of translations, which wasn’t the plan, even if it was expected. I wonder how long I can keep up telling myself that it’s just fatigue and tiredness, definitely not that I’m lazy… right?
Despite only working on my WIP for about 4/31 days, I completed all of the goals I set out to do in October. Goes to show that if we just sit down and work a bit, we indeed can make things happen. Even if it is just small steps, one after the other.
WIP: DA!
Making the Font
The first thing I set out to do was to figure out the font I’d use in the comic. My initial idea was to make my own, but turns out I’m way away from such a personal touch. You see, when I write in real life, I write in cursive. Not as old school as my mum or grandmother, with all those fancy loops and such, but old enough. I am from the 90s after all, and we were taught proper writing technique!
Not only that, but my lettering is also lacking in most cases, since I sometimes leave out the lines of t’s and some such. Also, my f is well… looks more like the treble clef, if you know what I mean. I showed my attempt to my husband and he just looked at it and went ‘’nope’’. Thanks, dear.
All jokes aside, he was right. My writing was not readable, and so, I went with a font called Patrick Hand by Patrick Wagesreiter. It fits nicely, and although the ‘ mark is a bit high for my liking, it looks good on the page. And it is available under the SIL Open Font License, which is just what I need!
Writing the Script
I come from a writing background, that’s no secret. I took all the classes, went to a private school for a bit, and had some success in competitions. But that was a different kind of writing. It was prose, stories – not script writing! And only once I’ve tried my hand at a more playwright style thing, and that ended in shame and humiliation. I still have it somewhere. I don’t think it was feasible for the people to make a whole scene with evaporating boats or some such… Yeah, my head was in the clouds when I wrote it. (But then again, maybe I’ll make a comic out of it, eh?)
I found this process rather fun and relaxing, to be honest. It’s more like acting in the way that I would have my comic on the side, and I’d put myself into the shoes of each character. How would they react? What would they say? And in the end, I took some inspiration from other script models, and made my own.
Each page has one comic pages text on it. It begins with the general setting of each panel, the vibe of it. It then goes on to the lines of the character, how they say it, as well as any SFX related to the scene. And captions, of course. You also got that nice little sneak peek into the way I organize my projects these days.
Implementing the Script
Everything fits just fine! With a little tweaking of the font size and bubbles, I was able to make everything clean and readable… I think I managed that, anyway. I did encounter some problems with how Krita works, though.
You see, I planned to use the handy symbol library since it has some nice options for speech bubbles. But the darn things are not ungroupable! I mean, they show the bubble and the tail just fine, but there’s no way to ungroup them. This, to me, was a huge problem. So I solved it the only way I knew – by taking a deep dive to the interwebs.
I ended up with a semi-library method, where I bring the bubble, size it, and then drop it from vector to normal layer. I’d then give it an outline and draw the tail by hand. The more complicated bubbles for thoughts and shouting, I either drew myself or modified as needed. What a hassle! Why can’t they just make it work so I could give the outlines to the vector model of the symbols?
Anyway, during the re-write and implementation, I noticed that I was missing some key elements – SFX. And so, I now have a list of SFX elements to add to the comic. Before I do so, however, I have to learn how to make all those BAMs and Ka-Booms. Thank gods I have an amazing husband who supports me by purchasing several notebooks that are seemingly never used… I do use them, though, for thoughts, and drafts.
Lessons learned
DO NOT think you have to do everything yourself. It’s like that notion in indie book publishing about covers. You don’t have to do it yourself, and sometimes it’s better if you don’t. Such as it was a key moment for me to realize that no, I’m not a calligrapher – and that’s fine. Whoa boy, if only you knew my writing style. My husband swears it’s not in any language, even if all my journals are in English! Well, I guess I won’t have to worry about someone sneaking a peek and stealing my thoughts, yes?
Outlines are easy enough to make by selecting opaque, making it smaller by a few pixels (whatever suits your fancy), inverting the selection, and locking the alpha. Ta-da! Now you can just take a big brush and paint over those pesky, sharp curves of the shout bubble to give it the perfect outline! Nifty, no?
I also noticed that while I didn’t have a real script in hand for this one, it was good to have the whole story in my head already as I began drafting the panels. So always make some sort of a draft of what you are going for, be it in text or (what I like to do now) a story board. Then make the initial paneling, the drafts of the comic. See what you like, if things move weirdly, etc. And then draw the comic. I found it easier to write the actual script after this phase, since I can better relate to the places and characters. But hey, this is just my style, you do you!
Coming up…
So, we have finally reached the final stretch! How exciting! I don’t know about you, but I’m dying to get this glorious little thing out and about. I actually only have like what, 6 steps in the project to go before it is publishing time, which is crazy!
That being said, here are my goals for this November:
- Put in the missing SFX. As I mentioned before, I found that the comic was lacking a bit of that ‘oomf’, if you know what I mean. So I have about 11 more SFX elements to shove in there, somewhere. I do hope they fit, with the speech and such… Yikes!
- Making the Cover. It’s finally here, the cover! As I said in my September Log, I do already have some ideas for this. I’ve even drafted out a Title logo thing, if you can believe it!
- Making the Back Leaflet. My husband suggested it, and I absolutely love the idea. This leaflet would have one final image of the characters, as well as some info like where to find me and such. You know, the usual CTA situation, except with a bit more interest!
I’ll leave the final steps of polishing and figuring out where to publish the comic for December. Wouldn’t it be such a great way to end the year? Or to begin the new year, by having something to publish? Oh my, I’m getting butterflies just thinking about it!
As always, you can visit my X – and please do. I could use some tips on where to put the comic once I’m ready!
Everything is cyclical. Summer turns to winter and back. We have highs and lows… Just remember, your high is coming – may you notice it when it does!
Sincerely,
Mrs. V