It’s interesting how it’s the first panel of your very first page that has you feeling so insecure because to me it is easily one of the most beautiful panel I have ever seen so far and I have read my fair share of mangas, manwhas and western comics.
@pencilsandstoriesАй бұрын
Thanks so much for the sweet comment. I’m pretty proud of this panel, still. Mostly because it signified to me that if I just plow through something I’ve never quite done before (I used to avoid drawing backgrounds) you’ll eventually get to something decent. :) Thanks for stopping by!
@keonigarcia76052 ай бұрын
Finally a direct video❤❤❤❤
@thumbsaloft3 ай бұрын
I like to actually draw, so it's TRADITIONAL all the way!
@TheMockatiel3 ай бұрын
It’s Perfectionism Paralysis for me. People are not “lazy” about their passion projects… they’re vulnerable and past hurts and critical voices become activated.
@TheMockatiel3 ай бұрын
This shaping idea instead of stick figures is really interesting - I’m looking forward to trying it now as I think it gives a more solid idea of how flow and composition is going to be 😊
@Ghost-lt4sf6 ай бұрын
Henrike, I so very hope you are safe and healthy. I just want to express how much of a comforting mentor I see you as. Due to wrist and mental health, my art workflow has decreased massively since 2020. And it's been my lifelong dream to make my comics... I remember once in one Livestream you did, I told you that I hadn't started my "Big" story because I was under the belief that you had to start small first. But you have been the first person to give me permission to think outside of that limitation. I still haven't given up on my dream, and I owe it in part to you. With my physical limitations, I must change how I do things and be less hard on myself. Thank you for providing such wonderful content. I hope you are okay and you are giving yourself the space and comfort that you also deserve. Disabilities are a frustrating hurdle, especially when we compare ourselves to others who are luckier, but it's not impossible. Much virtual hugs~
@pencilsandstories6 ай бұрын
Thank you so much for your wonderful comments! ❤️ I’m doing much better but am taking the time to get my life back on track before I dive into the whole video and writing emails thing again. :) So sorry to hear about your wrist issues and your mental health. I think it’s great how you’re thinking about creating differently because of it. Sometimes we get these constraints thrown upon us that force us to think about everything we’re doing. But working with that and having that flexibility will really help with continuing your story. 👏 All the best and I hope to talk to you all again, soon!
@Ghost-lt4sf6 ай бұрын
You have been such a valuable source of clarity and inspiration. I hope you are well!
@Rin-qj7zt6 ай бұрын
Regarding 5:30 about the amount of text used in the comic page. I think it actually depends on the kind of comic you are trying to make. A lot of people love to read books, and a lot of people like to watch animation. So I would think that how many words you use on a page should reflect your goal. You want to create a written story with images as a medium to communicate what's happening, or do you want to create a visual story where the reader can see and experience what's happening instead of spending too much time in their head. I bet the more important thing to consider is that if you are going to make a more wordy comic, that you are actually using the words that you put on the page wisely and for a purpose. I'm sure different readers will gravitate towards one or the other or sometimes both. So I guess it's whether or not you want your comic to be closer to a book or closer to an animation.
@eroane8 ай бұрын
❤❤❤❤❤ I ❤❤❤❤ the post it note ideas!! ❤❤❤❤❤
@pencilsandstories8 ай бұрын
Glad it’s helpful! 😃
@eroane8 ай бұрын
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ Awesome tips!!!! Thank You❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
@dariusbryant96549 ай бұрын
I love your content. Keep up the great work
@pencilsandstories9 ай бұрын
Thanks for the kind comment, Darius!
@SquishableMoon10 ай бұрын
The page was so pretty! I love how nice the background is.
@pencilsandstories10 ай бұрын
Thank you so much! ❤️
@river832210 ай бұрын
I'm so glad I found your channel, I'm just starting out on writing a webcomic and these videos have been super helpful. From one auto-immune artist to another, I wish you all the best!!!! <3
@pencilsandstories10 ай бұрын
Thanks so much for checking out the videos and the nice comment. Sorry to hear you’re struggling with your health, too. All the best for you as well and for your webcomic, of course!
@nononononononohhhhh11 ай бұрын
thanks for making this! xx
@pencilsandstories11 ай бұрын
No problem!
@frankponce9268 Жыл бұрын
Yes do business also. I am lost in that.
@LoboRundas Жыл бұрын
Just watched the video after having the tab open for like a month, and I loved it! I actually have a comic started, but I started it in a challenge that happens annually in my community, and once March ended I needed a break, and never got back to it. This gives me more encouragement to dedicate daily time to get back to it, thanks!
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Thanks great! Go for it!
@friendlyelarts9042 Жыл бұрын
I used to have my own website but I got tired of the only comments on them being some weird spam advertisements. Seriously, I had alot of them :D
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Spam is so annoying! I use a plugin on my Wordpress website that filters comments. Sometimes a legit comment falls through the net but it keeps all the spam in a nice list so you can look if there’s any real comments in there.
@centurionstrengthandfitnes3694 Жыл бұрын
Check out the book Story by Robert McKee. Widely considered a go-to text, though it's not as fun to read as Save the Cat or John Truby's work. If anything, there are too many good books out there on story structure. Read just 2-3 of the top ones, then stop reading and get to work. ;)
@mayavp Жыл бұрын
This video is very helpful 😊 thanks so much!
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Good to hear, Maya! Thanks for your comment!
@foggy_brain8665 Жыл бұрын
On our own website, there's danger of screenshot.
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
True, but isn’t that also the case on Webtoon or Tapas? Phones make screenshotting everything so easy.
@quimera963 Жыл бұрын
Thank you
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@margaretdocena3932 Жыл бұрын
Thank you so much for sharing!! It was encouraging :)
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Good to hear, Margaret! Thanks for watching!
@prettylittle7985 Жыл бұрын
best video on this topic! thank you!!
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful!!
@Pixcien Жыл бұрын
Sorry if you were asked this already. But roughly how many pages would you consider to be a long webcomic? 300-1000 pages?
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
I think it’s different for everyone. For me a “long” comic is starting at 50 pages since in my current style and my time constraints this will take me a year to make. But for someone else who uses a simpler style and is a full time comic artist they can think of 500 pages as a long comic.
@Pixcien Жыл бұрын
@@pencilsandstories Oh alright! Thank you! 😊
@chariots8x230 Жыл бұрын
But how can we build an email list for comics, if we’re posting our comic on third-party platforms? 12:31
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Have your signup form linked to a really easy to remember url and just post it in text on Webtoons or other places that don’t allow links. Make sure you have a free goodie that your readers want to make them type it in. Promote it regularly on your socials with a link and if you’re talking to someone who shows interest, ask them if you can add them to your list. (Save a screenshot that they gave you permission to do so) You can also have some cool cards to hand out when you’re at comic/art events with your email list sign up url on there.
@1995yuda Жыл бұрын
Hey! The reason that Campbell's Hero Journey is confusing is because it wasn't written as a storytelling guide. The Hero's Journey is a result of an Analysis of already existing works, it does not tell you how to create a story. Analysis is not Creation. Love your content and mission, sending blessings your way.
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Thanks for your comment
@lovelynvargas8695 Жыл бұрын
2023 💕
@raneshacoleman1610 Жыл бұрын
This information is very helpful. I have a WordPress website already. I was trying to figure out where I would put everything. I keep trying to figure out what I will call it because it's not exactly a webcomic. It's like a webstory but made with some comic icons. It's completely different and I have never seen anything like it online.
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
If you can find your own unique word that would make it clear what it is you can really use that in your marketing as a unique point. Is it a combination of prose and imagery?
@raneshacoleman1610 Жыл бұрын
@@pencilsandstories yes it's a combination of both. I am working on coming up with some names.
@raneshacoleman1610 Жыл бұрын
I can't wait to start but what I am creating isn't really a comic but it's set up is similar.
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Go for it, Ranesha!!
@4thDan Жыл бұрын
Great making the point about using references! I am getting more used to doing so. Even though my comic has martial arts themes, I still hunt down images that might help my action shots look better.
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Martial arts are complex! Can’t imagine drawing a comic like that without reference. Thanks for watching!
@4thDan Жыл бұрын
It helps BEING a martial artist as well. Almost 35 years training has helped me understand how the body moves in different techniques.🙂
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
@@4thDan that is awesome!
@4thDan Жыл бұрын
I started by jumping head-first into mini-comics. It was a lot of “learning by doing” which actually taught me quite a lot! I transitioned to webcomics in 2009, and now produce two series right now.
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
That is awesome, Dan!
@tenzinmutuzaki8228 Жыл бұрын
Awesome story 😊!
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@j.m.hunter6022 Жыл бұрын
Hi what composition course did you take or was it one you taught?
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Hi, no it was Painting Drama from the Oatley Academy. But I’m not sure they still teach it.
@j.m.hunter6022 Жыл бұрын
@@pencilsandstories aww darn. I spent maybe thousands? Or several hundreds and waited too long to watch the material before they went to a subscription model and I lost access. Money flushed. 😔
@brendamendez2874 Жыл бұрын
Great video!!!
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@apoenaabreu257 Жыл бұрын
I know it's silly but I appreciate you so much for picking up that controller when you feel like you don't know what you are doing because I feel like my struggle is just a normal thing, not a character flaw. Thank you so much for being relatable 🥺
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Oh not a character flaw at all. We all have these kinds of knee-jerk reactions when our brains go: “ehh I’m not sure what to do” - it’s uncomfortable. My go-to distractions from this discomfort are Netflix and KZfaq, usually.
@rachelanne4612 Жыл бұрын
Thanks for the video! I’m so scared of sharing anything online but I’m realizing if I don’t jump in I’ll never do it!
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
It gets easier because eventually you get used to it. :)
@MaluCLBS Жыл бұрын
You know, I never thought of going into a second layer of plot points for each initial beat of the story, but it makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the tip, I’m trying that
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Glad to hear it’s helpful!
@DarthBiomech Жыл бұрын
My comic scripts are basically just dialogues and a brief paragraph of what's supposed to happen in the entire scene. I think of the details and the like on the fly while thumbnailing. Probably a bad way of going at things, though.
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
I think if your story structure is solid you don’t need to know everything in super detail. As long as you know how your story goes so you don’t get stuck somewhere half way I think you’re further along than some.
@MariJadeWrites Жыл бұрын
This is very helpful, thank you :) I am brainstorming a short story idea for a webcomic, and will use this method to outline and expand on each sentence with paragraphs. I am used to writing novels, so a different approach is needed for a comic and it's wonderful that you introduced this method.
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
That’s so fun! Good luck with your short comic!
@nephtaliejalbert Жыл бұрын
Hi Henrike! This is a good method for me. Although I’m making a short comic but I think I can apply it. Or is there’s a different way? So I have to stay away from writing my script in novel format.
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Yes this works for every comic. Your outline will just be short, haha. Yes the only reason I could see the novel format being useful is if you’d want to really flesh out a character and you have a hard time doing that. Writing a little piece from their perspective could give you some insights. But I’d not script the comic that way. What you need is: knowing what happens, dialogue and any visual information for the scene. Writing a novel takes up way more time because now you’re also thinking about sentence structure and flow of the text. While you don’t need any of that for a comic. It’s also easy to go deep into your characters’ heads and feelings, while you need to communicate all of that visually. It’s easier to think in terms of actions and expression in that way.
@nephtaliejalbert Жыл бұрын
@@pencilsandstories Thank You! I understand now.
@elisaelisaross Жыл бұрын
I have two things to say: CONGRATS and THANKS because lately in your videos I found a lot of very useful and sensible information, and very clearly explained:)
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
That’s great to hear, Elisa! Thanks for watching!
@shetty5086 Жыл бұрын
Thank you for this, I learned a lot and I can't wait top put all that to practice!
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Thanks so much for watching, Shetty!
@MangaSamte Жыл бұрын
MOAAR ART/COMIC BUSINESS RELATED VIDEOS PLEASE, HENRIKE!!!
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Haha, I will do my best! Thanks for your comment!
@MangaSamte Жыл бұрын
@@pencilsandstories like everyone else said, I think it'll really help fellow creatives who want to do the same things to better prepare and also you being transparent about such subjects actually makes you more respectable and connect to! I've been binge watching your newer vids and livestreams so it's nice to have you back! Can't wait for the email comic challenge to start! 🔥🔥🔥
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching the videos and see you in the challenge!
@2teepeepictures382 Жыл бұрын
I have to do stick figures or I will end up drawing the entire panel. I did a storyboard for a short film I was working on and ended up spending so much time on it I was questioning myself why I didn’t just skip the storyboard step. my ability to focus is either all in or distracted. Loved the intro. it gave the entire video a more dynamic feel. Also it looks like you have a lot more energy. It’s good to have you back on KZfaq.
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Thanks so much for the nice words!
@billdburger8206 Жыл бұрын
Echo the sentiment re: the vid.👍 Yes all in or distracted. If I find myself detailing I'll draw the panel on a new artboard and use it as reference later. Actually find it beneficial to the finished page. Sometimes I have a panel I've drawn randomly that I really want to include and work the page around it.
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Good tips! Thanks!
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Do you thumbnail for your comic pages? How do you go about it?
@billdburger8206 Жыл бұрын
Thumbnails are essential for getting a good layout. I find it helps to have at least a rough idea of the visual attributes of the main characters before starting. This helps with the frame composition, eg a very small or large character will influence how the frames are composed (angles etc) which obviously has an impact on page flow. I really struggle with speech bubbles though, always messing up my masterpieces lol. Great vid, thank you.
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Hi Bill! Thanks for sharing your progress. Yeah speech bubbles are hard to calculate space for sometimes. When I’m clear on my panel sizes and when I have done some quick rough thumbnail options I will often lay in the speech balloons first on my final thumbnail, make sure they flow correctly on the page and then add make sure my artwork (still in thumbnail-shapes) keeps supporting that flow, too.
@leotoon1144 Жыл бұрын
When I do thumbnails I always want to know where my characters will be in the panels and where I want to put my speech bubbles. I mostly worry too much on the anatomy, which is weird because in this video you said not to worry about anatomy. XD. Still I get it, getting the pose or idea on the small panel is more important than worrying if the anatomy is good. I always have to tell myself, keep it simple when doing these thumbnails too.
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Thanks for sharing your progress! Yeah for me, thumbnails are great to figure out where everything goes and then I’ll start actually drawing the page on top of the thumbnail. :)
@billdburger8206 Жыл бұрын
@@pencilsandstories That's an awesome tip that I will definitely use, TY
@nephtaliejalbert Жыл бұрын
Hi Henrike! Will you do this challenge again for next year? I would love to do this challenge. However, because it's almost my last semester and I have to do really well to follow into the spring.
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
I’m planning to do it a few times a year, provided there is enough interest. :)
@brightravenstudio Жыл бұрын
I always find it helpful when artists are transparent about their entrepreneurship and their journey! I'd be super interested to see how things develop for you. When you talked about having a main job or non-art job for income while you work on your business it reminded me of the Rebel Entrepreneur Podcast. The host, Alan Donegan, talks a lot about starting businesses and doing mini-experiments in your business without having to take on loads of debt. He also speaks like you do about just following the data rather than the feeling of failure that can creep in when results don't come as quickly as we'd like. Anyways, all that to say I don't think you lose any credibility at all by opening up about this, I think it adds MORE credibility if anything because many people project success 24/7 on social media that we just make talking about money even more taboo than it already is for artists. Wonder if you are thinking of doing any ad campaigns for your comics course now that it's back to school, and soon the holiday season? I identify a lot with wanting to have a day job to kind of sustain the art business until the art becomes full-time, but also know having that day job be draining. I feel like I am trying to make this art thing work when I should also be trying to find some sort of non-art 'career'. But most recently, I've yet to recover from being laid off so the art has become my only income but it's still not consistent which is adding another layer of stress !! Anyways, I hope the next 4 months bring returns on all the seeds everyone has been planting!! Thank you for sharing
@pencilsandstories Жыл бұрын
Thanks so much for your comment, your thoughts and for the podcast rec! So sorry to hear you’ve been laid off. Yeah, that financial stress is so hard to deal with. I agree. I hope your art business will grow as well, let’s do it!
@cedricd71102 жыл бұрын
I empathize . Lost my parents in quick succession, then Covid, then cancer and mental issues, started my home art business last year, it's discouraging at times but looking at the past couple of years I can say I'm willing to go the distance to make it work. Nothing else matters to me now but my Art and sharing it with the world.
@pencilsandstories2 жыл бұрын
I’m so sorry to hear about all that hardship, Cedric. I truly hope your art business will thrive in a while!
@cedricd71102 жыл бұрын
@@pencilsandstories thank you dear, power to you as well.
@billdburger8206 Жыл бұрын
It's impossible to comprehend the emotional toll this must have had on you, especially during the uncertainty of the last few years, my sincere condolences. Art can be life affirming, I hope you find strength in your endeavour and wish you every success.
@2teepeepictures3822 жыл бұрын
I have a question. I was just watching the TV show classroom of the elite. in that show the main character is an unreliable narrator. He appears to be a normal dude but in actuality he is a super genius who has the fear and respect of everybody who knows is true abilities. obviously such a person doesn’t really exist. The action and drawl of the show is the psychological manipulation of all of the different characters interacting with each other. Each of them are geniuses in their own right but none of them can even compare to the main character. Here’s my question. How can you write A script for somebody that is smarter than the person writing the script? I don’t like using the word smart because it refers to a collection of mildly related mechanisms inside of the human brain that is then compiled together and judged on how it makes you feel. if there was a metric for judging someone else’s intelligence then it would be completely useless for anything but a popularity contest. having said that there are certain intellectual skills that are factual. if I wanted to write a super genius how would I do it? I don’t want to be like the people who made that one scene involving computer hackers where The assistant sat down beside the computer specialist and helped him type like two people typing on a keyboard would make the hacking twice as powerful. As I have been typing out this question I have gotten several ideas. I’m still curious to hear the perspective of a writer who is more experienced.
@pencilsandstories2 жыл бұрын
I’d go into research mode. You don’t have to be smarter than your protagonist, but you’d want to look into how someone who is a “genius” thinks. What techniques they use to think/calculate/remember/solve issues etc. How does their brain work and how do they approach things? I think in most fiction, when someone comes across as smart, it also has to do with how the character views the world and how they come across as a person. Then there is interesting twists in the story that help your character come across as smart or that shows the uniqueness of the character’s way of thinking as opposed to other characters.
@nephtaliejalbert2 жыл бұрын
Hello Henrike! The tips were really good! I was wondering how can blogs helps promote your comics and art? Also, is there’s a term for selling your art but without having your shop? I want to be able to self-publish my own comics, zines and art books.
@pencilsandstories2 жыл бұрын
Some part of your audience will really like the behind the scenes stuff of your comic. So making a blogpost here and there with sketches and designs will be really appealing for them or people interested in making comics. In your case, a blog about the background of your comic might attract people who would much sooner read a blog than a comic and that can bring them over to your comic. (You’d have to promote your blog in places and you’r try to rank for certain words in Google as well, which is a whole other ball game in and of itself) Not sure if there’s an overarching term for selling without a shop. Depends on which route you go. Most comic artist use crowdfunding and then sell left over stock at cons or make announcements on their comic’s website.