The Making Comics Gutter Talk podcast goes international. Again. In this episode, Adam is joined by Denmark’s own, Palle Schmidt. If that name sounds familiar to you, it’s at least one of two things. Either you have heard the previous Gutter Talk episodes Palle was on, as well as the Comic Con panel back in 2014 moderated by Patrick Yurick, or it’s the amazing work he’s done in Thomas Alsop or Comics for Beginners, a site dedicated to educating those with the dream of creating comics. In this episode, Adam and Palle discuss a wide range of topics. Whether it’s the inside scoop on Palle’s techniques as an artist or the various ways and differences artists are treated and respected between Denmark and the United States. They even touch on taxes. Taxes! We know, what do taxes have to do with comics? Well, directly, not much. But in the overall grand scheme of things, no one can escape them. Even underpaid artists. Make sure you give the Gutter Talk podcast a rating and review on iTunes and check out the MakingComics.com site for all your comic creating needs. Palle’s Links: Palle’s site (@Palle_Schmidt) Stiletto Thomas Alsop Comics For Beginners Our Links: Intro & Outro Song: “RetroFuture Clean” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Outro Song Behind Vocals: “Backed Vibes (clean)” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Transitions: InceptionBrassHitMedium.wav: Herbert Boland / www.freesound.org Old Fashion Radio Jingle 2.wav: club sound / www.freesound.org
For many folks, our esteemed Making Comics Gutter Talk host included, winter is a difficult time of year. Time changes, cold weather, having to constantly correct yourself on the year because it changed and it’s hard to get in the new habit of writing the new year. We get it. But Spring is about to… well, spring, and it’s time to wake up the sleeping beast that is this podcast. And what better way to rub the sleep out of our eyes than with one of the podcast’s favorite past guests. In this first episode of 2019, which was admittedly recorded in 2018, Adam is joined by writer, artist, director, and overall swell guy, Graham Annable. If the name sounds familiar, it could be because he was a guest on the podcast a few years back. However, there’s a pretty sizable chance you know the name from his wonderful work, such as the Laika production, The Boxtrolls, which he co-directed. It could also be from the hilarious and sometimes poignant sketches and comics, Grickle. Or maybe it’s from his more recent graphic novels, Peter & Ernesto, in which he is both artist and writer. And as you’ll see, most recently, part-time editor. Graham’s Links: Graham’s site (@grickle) Graham’s books, including Peter & Ernesto Our Links: Intro & Outro Song “RetroFuture Clean” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Outro Song Behind Vocals “Backed Vibes (clean)” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
We have bold new experiment ready for you to enjoy this week – the very first ComicFuel Workshop podcast! Bizhan Khodabendeh’s “Panel Layout: The Golden Ratio” from 2014 is our most popular article ever posted on our website. So, for season 1 of Gutter Talk we’ve decided to revisit the article in the form of a FREE WORKSHOP. That’s right! We said FREE WORKSHOP!!! I hear you asking: “But, Patrick… This is just a podcast. How is a podcast a FREE WORKSHOP?” Great question! The idea is super simple: If you haven’t yet, read through Bizhan’s Article “Panel Layout: The Golden Ratio” Come back to this post at MakingComics.com/guttertalkpod Start playing the podcast and follow along with the tutorial below Skip ahead to the future and you will have 1 full page of comic art completed that utilizes Bizhan’s Golden Ratio theory. I told you it was simple. (I know, that last step is a doozy). This is a crazy experiment for MakingComics.com and the Gutter Talk ComicFuel series. We want to know if you liked it, if you hated it, something was confusing, or even if you just want to say hi. All of the feedback is welcome and encouraged. To give us feedback, comment below or email us at patrick@makingcomics.com. Oh, and hey, if you like this episode please let us know by signing up to be a Patreon patron, giving us a one-time donation, or giving us a tip on the RadioPublic app. For your convenience we’ve broken the podcast down into chapters:* 00:00:00 – Pre-Roll Ad 00:01:30 – *NEW* ComicFuel Theme Song 00:02:17 – Patreon Updates 00:04:10 – Show Intro 00:06:14 – Bizhan Introduction 00:10:55 – Workshop Agenda, Goals, & Deliverables 00:12:28 – Materials Overview 00:19:04 – Step 1: Thumbnailing 00:27:07 – Steps 2 & 3: Page Layout 1 00:33:54 – Steps 4 & 5: Page Layout 2 00:42:53 – Step 6: Penciling 00:52:44 – Step 7: Refining Pencils 01:01:00 – Step 8: Inking 01:14:03 – Steps 9-11: Refining Inks 01:25:25 – End of Lesson & Next Steps 01:27:31 – “Flats” Definition 01:32:31 – Closing The Loop: Golden Ratio 01:36:51 – Closing Credits *If you are versed at all with “enhanced” podcasts, we’ve also included chapter markers directly in the episode so you should be able to jump to sections fairly easily from within your podcast player. If none of that makes any sense – ignore me. Credits Lesson & Photos by Bizhan Khodabendeh (@mendedarrow). Support him and his work by visiting MendedArrow.com. All music was graciously provided by our friends “Another Dead Clown” from the instrumentals of “This May Not Work.” Support Another Dead Clown by purchasing their albums at: https://anotherdeadclown.bandcamp.com/ Music Tracks, in order of perception: Pre Roll Ad – Fuzzy Analog New Show Intro – Akashic Fields Transitions – “Space Demons” by Christopher O’Keeffe Step 1 Break – For the Aeroplane & 27 Second Kiss Step 2 – Evas Guitar Step 4 & 5 – Akashic Fields & Holy Fuck Step 6 – Penny Proposition & Eight Miles To Ludlow Step 7 – Pyramids Step 8 – Guns & Currency & Frank O Step 9-11 – Drinking Song & Spencer’s Bad News The Golden Ratio Workshop Audio Walkthrough The Objective To complete a full page of comic art utilizing Bizhan’s application of the Golden Ration compositional theory. Materials If you are interested in downloading all photos used below in high resolution, the script below, comic page templates (in both 11×17 & 8.5×11 – multiple formats), and more then we got you covered! Go check out our Patreon page where a donation of $2 a month will get you a download of all the materials for the workshop: https://www.patreon.com/makingcomics Required Materials: Pencil & Eraser Pen (Specific ones outlined below, but any will do) Paper (11×17 suggested, but copy paper can be made to work) A ruler Suggested Materials: Mechanical pencil Bristol paper Printed template Light box Staedtler 01 Staedtler 03 Pentel brush pen Uniball white gel pen Eraser 00:19:04 – Step 1: Thumbnailing 1.) Sketching thumbnails of page: I usually sketch multiple thumbnails per page because my first solution often isn’t a very strong solution. It’s also better to figure out a concrete solution before hand so that you aren’t constantly adjusting to make a better page. 00:27:07 – Steps 2 & 3: Page Layout 1 2.) This can be done beforehand, but you need to transfer your printed copy of my template to the paper. To do this we use a light box which makes it easier the trace an image. Sandwich the template between the box and a sheet of bristol paper. 3.) Now turn the box on and trace it using a pencil and ruler. 00:33:54 – Steps 4 & 5: Page Layout 2 4.) This is what it should look like. Notice how I don’t trace the circular shapes. I just have a general idea of where they go. 5.) Pencil panel borders laid out in the sketch using the notches surrounding the template. 00:42:53 – Step 6: Penciling 6.) Next sketch your environments and characters with pencil. I use basic shapes to build them – knowing that I will add a lot of detail during the inking process. While penciling I am considering both my thumbnail and the overall grid system. I often make adjustments to my initial idea while doing the pencil drawing. 00:52:44 – Step 7: Refining Pencils 7.) This is approximately what my final pencils would look like for my page. Not a lot of detail, but enough to remind me what my plans were for these drawings and to nail down the composition. For example, all of these fish will be covered in scales, but it would be a waste of time for me to pencil every scale since I will be inking them anyways. It’s like making myself draw it twice for no reason. It’s more important for me to nail down the overall gesture of the fish. 01:01:00 – Step 8: Inking 8.) Next we start inking. I first start with the 01 Staedtler pen. I like these because they tend to take awhile to dry so I can ink for long periods of time. 01:14:03 – Steps 9-11: Refining Inks 9) Next I use the 03 Staedtler pen to fill in smaller shadowed areas and draw a thick outer line. This helps separate the character from the background – after I ink the background also with an 01 pen. 10) The larger black areas and the “alligator teeth” shadows are both often illustrated with a Pentel brush pen. To fill in the black areas with a bit of texture I turn my pen sideways almost against the page and drag it perpendicular to itself. Areas that can’t be filled in this way I use the brush as I would any writing tool. To get the “alligator teeth” I turn my pen sideways and press gradually harder as I pull my hand away from the tip of the pen. When these are stacked close to each other, the affect is a jagged edge. 11) I’ll now use my white gel pen to either cut into some of the black areas with highlights OR to clean up a mistake with my inking. I will also use white out tape or white out to do this. 01:25:25 – End of Lesson & Next Steps 12.) Finally I erase the pencils and this is what it looks like. To show how it gets wrapped up which I won’t go into detail because that should be left for yet another tutorial. 13.) I scan the inks, clean them up and add panels. You might notice that I added some dock pilings in the background. After a bit of drawing. I’ll often use parts of previously drawn pages to save time or add complexity to a panel. This is more useful with the backgrounds than the characters. Sometimes repeating a character drawing can make the comic feel stale so I avoid it unless it contributes to the narrative. 14.) Then I color the page. Patrick’s 4 Part GIMP Comic Coloring Tutorial Series DIGITAL COLORING FOR COMICS – GIMP EDITION Tutorial Part 1 Tutorial Part 2 Tutorial Part 3 15.) Finally I add the type and word. bubbles digitally. Patrick’s FREE Adobe Illustrator Lettering Template
We hope your ears are ready for more comic candy, because Gutter Talk has returned! With Gutter Talk’s mid-season intermission behind us, Adam Greenfield is back at it with another incredible interview – this time with Eisner Award Nominated writer and publisher Norm Harper! This week’s episode is filled with engaging conversation surrounding Norm’s breakout comic, Rikki, and what it means to take an old, well-known tale and spin it with a fresh, comic-style twist! Adam and Norm’s conversation also finds itself exploring the ideas behind belonging to a clan and finding oneself, walking between film and comics, jumping into the world of indie comics, fighting off imposter syndrome, and starting an incredible publishing company! Also, for those of you who love listening to the sultry voice of our host and the plethora if diverse guests on the regular, please consider helping us make more episodes by donating at least $1 to the show on patreon: https://www.patreon.com/makingcomics. Hitting our goals means more episodes, which means more tips, tricks, and insight into the comic world for you! The Sequels Info Website: www.TheSequelsComic.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSequelsComic/ Twitter: @TheSequelsComic Intro & Outro Song “RetroFuture Clean” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Outro Song Behind Vocals “Backed Vibes (clean)” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Songs Behind Ads “Elmore Heights” by Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. (http://freemusicarchive.org) “Dirty Wallpaper” by Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. (http://freemusicarchive.org)
Though our Season 1 Intermission might have arrived, that doesn’t mean anybody around here gets to rest – and that means you! That’s right, while we scurry about, finishing up the last couple of interviews and other such surprises, we’ve got some homework for you. But don’t worry, it’s nothing too difficult. In order to make sure you’re prepared for our super secret upcoming book club episode, we decided to re-release one of our most popular episodes from the past – the Graham Annable interview – just in case you missed it last time! For those about to listen in for the first time, here’s a little episode information: Our hero Adam Greenfield is joined today by Graham Annable, the co-director of the Academy Award nominated movie, The Boxtrolls, as well as the amazing animator and artist behind Grickle. One of the more gracious guests we’ve had on the Gutter Talk podcast, the conversations were open windows into Graham’s thought processes as not just the great artist he is but also what it takes to be a director, even if a co-director, on a major stop-motion picture. Give it a listen, Tweet out some of your favorite moments, and let us know what you think! The Original Episode 91: Graham Annable Book Club Book Physical Book: Peter & Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths Digital Book [Nook]: Peter & Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths