Are You a Passive Line or a Powerful Line?

A simple line.

No matter whether you draw or paint it usually starts with a line. There are 3 types of lines; straight, angled and curved.

The straight line may be looked at as dull, passive and plain OR it can be seen as bold, brash and directional. Context changes the meaning. Lines can powerfully or subtly communicate and no line should be drawn carelessly. Each line should have have something to say. 

Lines can be very expressive. As an artist you should not think of a line as just outlining an object. If you do so, then you are a dullard and your line will be dull and lifeless. Yes dullard the truth hurts, but someone has to tell you.

All artists need to think of the line as a contour that creates form. Think of a line as being able to express emotion, texture and structure. Think of a line as being able to to show light and shadow.

Lines can lead the eye and be directional; whether implied or actual. More about that when we talk about composition. I have already touched on it when I discussed tangents. Think about the quality

of your line. Do you want it to be soft, angry, controlled or erratic? Or maybe broken, graceful or suggest movement?

I can only touch on the power of  the line here. This is just meant to be food for thought and motivate you to consider line carefully and embark on a study of it. let me leave you with one thought and one command. Every line should contribute to the storytelling. Practice drawing straight lines without a ruler everyday.

Next I'll discuss FORM.

to be continued…

read next - How to do Wonders with Your Shape
previous - Sound Effects and Display Type Techniques for Comics and Graphic Novels


Keep reading and follow me. If you have found this helpful, please let me know and share with other creators. Are the explanations clear and complete? Feel free to ask me questions.
Remember… Just Create!

Copyright 2016 H. Simpson

If you are interested in further expanding your knowledge, then I recommend these books.

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ANOMALY AT THE GROVE Nov. 29th

ANOMALY TABLE READ EVENT AT THE BARNES & NOBLE AT THE GROVE: NOV. 29, 7:00pm

I'm sorry I couldn't give you more notice on this. I  just found out myself today. Brian showed me the art on this when I met him a third time for the first time! I finally made an impression on him the third time.

The art on this is amazing!

If you live in the LA area join the creators and cast of ANOMALY at Barnes & Noble at The Grove!

Creators Skip Brittenham and Brian Haberlin will be on hand with a talented cast of actors (below) who lent their voices to the recently released ANOMALY Interactive Graphic Novel, available for iOS and Android (coming soon to Google Play).

Sound Effects and Display Type Techniques for Comics and Graphic Novels

Some Basic Techniques for Sound Effects and Display Type

Rather than use purchased sound effects fonts as your first choice, I encourage you as the artist to do them yourself in pencil and then you or the letterer ink the work. Of course, if it fits then by all means use a font. Sometimes you don't have to reinvent the wheel. 

Here are some techniques to get you started. Don't be limited by them, use these as a jumping off point. 

Don’t compete with the art. Complement the art to enhance and further the storytelling.

You can age, frost, drip and set the type on fire. You are only limited by your imagination. 

And check out these tutorials by Jim Campbell and Todd Klein.

read next - Are You a Passive Line or a Powerful Line?
previous - More About Sound Effects for Comics and Graphic Novels

Keep reading and follow me. If you have found this helpful, please let me know and share with other creators. Are the explanations clear and complete? Feel free to ask me questions.

Remember… Just Create!

If you are interested in using these tools, then I recommend these products and books.

You can support this blog when you purchase a item by clicking the link below, I get a piece of the action and helps me to continue doing this blog. Support an artist today.

copyright 2012 H. Simpson.

Fleischer’s Superman Cartoons 1941-1942

Happy Thanksgiving!

Warners Bros. has given us a real treat!

This week Warner Bros. posted most of the Fleischer Superman cartoons to their You Tube channel.

Warner Bros. has restored them for our viewing pleasure. No more bootleg grainy videos. Even after all these years they are still fun to watch again and again.

I really love these and enjoy the imagination, talent, energy and excitement shown and generated in these cartoons.

Superman

Mechanical Monsters

Terror On The Midway

Read about the history and DVD review of the Warner Bros. release

Here's direct links to all of them.

Superman

Mechanical Monsters 

Billion Dollar Limited 

The Arctic Giant 

The Bulleteers 

The Magnetic Telecope 

Electric Earthquake 

Volcano 

Terror On The Midway

Enjoy!

Keep reading and  +1 me. Share with your friends. Please comment. Just create!

copyright 2012 H. Simpson.

More About Sound Effects for Comics and Graphic Novels

Old School vs New School

The state of comic book sound effects make me yawn. Nowadays they mostly look alike. Yes you can buy fonts created specifically to be sound effects. You've seen them over and over again. I would have thought digital fonts would have opened the door to more creativity. It hasn't.

First, let's look at some more old school lettering and then some creative lettering being done today.

Here's some more old school sound effects that are very individual and complement the art and contribute to the storytelling. Something that is sometimes lacking with computer fonts.

I firmly feel that artist should draw their own sound effects. Make them part of the design of the page and fit the sound. The sound effects can be hand drawn and then rendered digitally by the letterer if you don't want to do it yourself..

Here is a great current example from Cafe Suada by Jade Sarson. We should all aspire to this level of creativity.

to be continued…

read next - Sound Effects and Display Type Techniques for Comics and Graphic Novels
previous -  Sound Effects for Comics and Graphic Novels

Keep reading and follow me. If you have found this helpful, please let me know and share with other creators. Are the explanations clear and complete? Feel free to ask me questions.

Remember… Just Create!

Copyright 2016 H. Simpson

If you are interested in further expanding your knowledge, then I recommend these books.

When you purchase a book by clicking the link below, I get a piece of the action and helps me to continue doing this blog. Support an artist today.

Sound Effects for Comics and Graphic Novels

Comic Book Sound Effects

Now let's take a look at sound effects.

I mean it. Take a look.

Now go back and really see them. Are they part of the art? Do they tell the story?

to be continued...

read next - More About Sound Effects for Comics and Graphic Novels
previous - Types of Balloons and Captions for Comics and Graphic Novels

Keep reading and follow me. If you have found this helpful, please let me know and share with other creators. Are the explanations clear and complete? Feel free to ask me questions.

Remember… Just Create!

If you are interested in using these tools, then I recommend these products and books.

You can support this blog when you purchase a item by clicking the link below, I get a piece of the action and helps me to continue doing this blog. Support an artist today.

copyright 2012 H. Simpson.