Writing ‘beat to beat’

It can be difficult to write a longform story. How much do you need to write before you can start drawing? How do you keep a story moving without getting bogged down in details? Can you write week-to-week without falling […] ↓ Read the rest of this article...

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ComicLab Ep 275 — Special guest Caitlin McGurk (The Billy Ireland Cart...

This week, we’re talking comics with Caitlin McGurk! She’s the curator of comics and cartoon art at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum, and she’s got some terrific stories about her work there. ON THIS WEEK’S SHOW… Brad Guigar is […] ↓ Read the rest of this article...

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Inverted word-balloon tales

It’s a part of comics lexicon familiar to manga and manhwa readers: an inverted word-balloon tail indicating that the speaker is off-panel. Should you be using it?

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Patreon Mistakes That Cost You Money

Long ago, Patreon revolutionized how independent artists make a living. But many of us are still struggling. And for some, the reason isn’t the quality of their work. Instead, it’s applying a bad Patreon strategy — and suffering the consequences.

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Pitfalls of paid advertising

Buying advertising for your comic is a tempting proposition for many independent cartoonists. After all — you need to get your work in front of more people, and sometimes it seems as if social media just isn’t delivering the way […] ↓ Read the rest of this article...

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ComicLab Ep 274 — Nobody does thumbnails

Thumbnailing is one of the most often-repeated pieces of comics advice — and yet almost everyone skips this step. We’re gonna talk about it anyway. Also — is there a hidden problem with a “fake it ’til you make it” […] ↓ Read the rest of this article...

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“Where should I post my comic?”

It’s one of the most pressing questions in webcomics — where to post. Should you post on Webtoons? — Tapas? Should you stick to the social media giants — or go with the upstarts? And what’s with all this talk […] ↓ Read the rest of this article...

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How to give a good podcast interview — and get invited back

Getting invited to talk about your comic on a podcast can be good promotion. But many comics creators just aren’t very good at… talking. And you can’t do promotion if you’ve bored the audience to tears. It’s OK if you’re not naturally lugubrious behind a microphone. With the experience of over a decade of podcasting, I’ll tell you the one secret that will turn you into an amazing podcast guest.

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by on February 15, 2023
Posted In: Marketing / Social Media
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Google Domains

When Google entered the domain-registry field in 2015, I wrote that it was a game-changer. One of the most-important aspects of Google Domains was that your privacy is built in. For many other domain registrars, privacy will cost extra.

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by on February 9, 2023
Posted In: Web site
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ComicLab Ep. 269 — Special guest David Betancourt (comics-culture reporter with The Washington Post)

This week’s show is sponsored by Dreamhost. Everything you need to launch a website… and own and control your own work. Transparent pricing and a 100% uptime guarantee.

Is it “cheating” to use copy-and-paste in your comic? The answer may surprise you! Then we’re joined by Special guest David Betancourt, the comics-culture reporter with The Washington Post.

ON THIS WEEK’S SHOW…

  • Copy… Paste… Perfect!
  • UPDATE: D&D using Creative Commons
  • UPDATE: Getty Images is suing Stable Diffusion
  • Interview with David Betancourt, the comics-culture reporter with The Washington Post.
by on February 9, 2023
Posted In: ComicLab
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ComicLab Ep 268 — Special Guest Ellen Woodbury of “Pizza Cake Comics”

Everyone seems to be wondering where to post/publish their comics. So we’ll talk about what it really means to “own and control your own work.” Then we’re joined by Ellen Woodbury of “Pizza Cake Comics.”

ON THIS WEEK’S SHOW…

  • Where should I post my comic?
  • UPDATE: D&D OGL 1.1
  • UPDATE: class action lawsuit vs AI art
  • After a pause — retool?
  • Interview with Ellen Woodbury from Pizza Cake Comics
by on February 2, 2023
Posted In: ComicLab
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“Poor Man’s Copyright”

Poor Man’s Copyright is a system of attempting to establish copyright through mailing a copy of the art to yourself (some people suggest using Certified Mail). The artist then files the envelope — unopened. If their copyright ownership is ever threatened, all they need do is open the envelope (in a court of law, one supposes) and present the document with a flourish. You even see some very prominent artists advising young people to use Poor Man’s Copyright. There’s only one problem: It’s complete bullshit.

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by on February 1, 2023
Posted In: Business
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ComicLab Ep 267 — How to turn OFF creativity

It’s often hard to get creativity started, but how do you turn OFF creativity when it’s distracting you from your main project??

ON THIS WEEK’S SHOW…

  • Turning OFF creativity
  • Stories from quitting your day job
  • UPDATE: I have *tried* to incorporate a.i. into my sketch ideation phase. It. Is. Useless. For. Me.
  • My partner is more successful than me
by on January 26, 2023
Posted In: ComicLab
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How to find your drawing style

I often say on the ComicLab podcast: ”It’s hard to drive towards a style that you want. Usually, it’s something you see in the rearview mirror.”

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by on January 26, 2023
Posted In: Art
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