Monday, January 11, 2010

Four Pieces of Advice for New Artists

I get sent and review at least ten portfolios a day from new artists, and I usually find myself replying to each and every one with one or more of the exact same four comments. All newbies tend to get ahead of themselves make the same four mistakes. So much so, in fact, that I now keep these four constructive comments as a document on my desktop that I cut, paste and expand from for each individual. Since some of you have been asking about FAQs for new pencilers, I figured I'd start with this. Here you go...

1. When doing layouts, stick to the grid. Boring, I know, but learn and use the basics when it comes to storytelling. You need to walk before you run.

2. Don’t break panel borders. This is a more advanced penciling technique that is usually mis-used and abused far too often, causing the reader's eye to go to the wrong panel and only serves to confuse your storytelling.

3. Pull your camera out. You are going in too tightly and cropping out too much of the figures/body parts/action. Don't be lazy. Start by learning to draw everything asked for in the script inside your panel walls effectively first.

4. Include more backgrounds to give us a better sense of place. Think of your background as another character in the story and use it to help enhance the storytelling and the world your characters are inhabiting.

More soon...

15 comments:

Philip Clark said...

Great advice! Thanks for posting this.

PanicAttak said...

Thanks for the advice! Have any for would-be writers too?

buyse said...

those crazy greenhorns,experimenting all over the place!will they never learn?
anyways,that's sound advice.

Michael Lapinski said...

All essential points CB - thanks. I'll add these to my growing magnet board list of reminders.

I just took a "Comic Storytelling" class with Klaus Janson at MoCCA and I'm trying to absorb all of these visual truths as I work it out on the page.

Marc Borstel said...

Thank you so much by your advice, it help me a lot to improve my artwork!

Jason Copland said...

Words of excellent wisdom, CB! Are you going to be at ECCC, this year?

manyhats76 said...

Very good sage advise. That is what I told my students when they made a 4 panel comic strip. Fundamentals is always the key.

Lee said...

This advice resonates a great deal with me. I basically broke all the fundamental rules for a strip I took to a DC editor last year and he pretty much identified everything indicated here.

Enrique Rivera said...

Do you have an email? I would like to send some sample pages.

3nriquerivera@gmail.com

Andy Jewett said...

thanks for sharing those, sir.

Hillman Arts said...

Hi CB
My name is David Hillman and i'm a Illustrator living and working in NYC.
A well established comicbook artist saw my samples pages recently and ask me why I was not working in comics yet.
His advise to me was if I wanted to show my work to someone at Marvel you would be the first person I should contact.
I would like to know what is your policy regarding reviewing work on line or since I am in the city would it be at all possible to arrange an appointment with you.

Thank you for your time
Best
David Hillman

Anonymous said...

Hi Cebulski,
My name is Sergio Fernández and I'm an Spanish illustrator. I would like to send you some sample pages and I would like to contact with you. Could you give me your email or something similar.
I look forward to your reply
sergioodison@hotmail.com

Unknown said...

Hi Mr. Cebulski, my name is Mark Clark II and I am a freelance writer and artist working out of Hillside, NJ. I have some traditional training in visual arts and I am a recent graduate of Rutgers University. My artwork has been reviewed by comicattack.net as well as other publications. I am dedicated to my craft and have met and kept a schedule for the past few years when producing new chapters for my story, "The Devil's Horn".

And with your permission, I would like to get your e-mail address so that I may send you a few samples of my artwork. Thank you.
-Mark Clark II
(markclarii@gmail.com)

Diegote: martinez_877@hotmail.com, martinezcomics@gmail.com said...

Hello. Very interesting tips and helpful.
My name is Diego Martinez, I'm from Argentina and I am preparing a portfolio to present at the inked Crakbangboom convention is done within a few days in the city of Rosario, I hope you like it, you can also see some of my works in mardelplatacomics. blogspot.com
From already thank you very much for your attention.
Best Regards.

Diego Martinez.

Unknown said...

Hi. My name is Jesus Antonio , I'm from Mexico and I'm writing a story about a superhero . My problem is that I am not a good artist , I lead a series of 15 stories about my superhero. No if you have any advice for me ...