How To Make Webcomics: Links

We’ve packed the “How To Make Webcomics” book with a lot of good stuff, but Brad, Kris, Scott and I all hope to share extra tidbits via this hub. They’re errata, really: Additional insights, thoughts, links, and helpful ideas that may or may not have been included in the book, but which we think will help your Webcomic.

I’ll start myself off with some links. First, an insightful little read in Wired called “David Byrne’s Survival Strategies for Emerging Artists — and Megastars“. Most helpfully, Byrne offers a numbered list of ways in which an artist can either work independently, semi-independently, in co-opt with a corporation, or in a for-hire situation. It’s sort of a “Great Chain of Being” for artists, and will help you figure out where you want to be in your Webcomics career, and how best to steer yourself there. It’s not a “how-to”…more of a description of the landscape on which you’ll be planning your “how-to.”

Another good read, by way of Bill Barnes, is Mike Masnick’s piece on TechDirt, describing his philosophy of “free” content, The Grand Unified Theory On The Economics Of Free.” For those of you still grappling with the idea of sharing your Webcomics for free, it’s a good jumping-off point.

Video Diary - Bad Habits

I think my new obsession with “This American Life” has rubbed off. It’s evident in this new video diary. If you like, I’ll make more. Let me know.

Daily Drunkfirmation

Scott came up to the house and we messed around for a while — but most importantly, we updated the Halfpixel.com layout to the new sweetness it is now.

Welcome to the new Halfpixel.com

Kris, Dave, Brad and myself would like to welcome you to the brand new Halfpixel.com.

For the longest time, Kris and I have failed in our duty to update this site to better reflect what the four of us are up to. This is a new direction for Halfpixel as a hub for all things “How to Make Webcomics.”

It’s our greatest desire to turn Halfpixel.com into the premiere stop for people interested in making their own comic strips and publishing them to the web. We hope to expand the site even further with guest columns, shop talk, and errata for the How to Make Webcomics book.

So add us to your bookmarks if you haven’t already and prepare to have your creative balls smashed.

Scott Kurtz
Cartoonist
Kris’ house in White Rock
(A little drunk)

WW #23 posted

Is this our most controversial Webcomics Weekly to date? You be the judge.

Kris and Scott bring up a touchy subject and express concerns about their own insecurities and self doubts in the process.

Just how important is the art in a comic strip? Is the sudden proliferation and success of non-art centric webcomics a sign of the times? Do readers expect different things from different authors? And Scott discusses his distaste for strips that contain Mary-Sue character wish fulfillment.

Inking in Illustrator update

Lots of people wrote in and even made video responses to my question about inking in vector.

Be sure to check out the featured video and watch the response by my buddy Chris Williams. He showed me how to use the Expand tool to convert my lines into full shapes that were easily erasable. I am still experimenting with Inking in Illustrator and will post more about it when I have time.

I’m also going to pick my friend Kristian Donaldson about using Manga Studio EX. I’m told it’s an excellent vector program designed expressly for making manga and comics.

Webcomics Weekly

Four premiere Web-based cartoonists discuss the ins-and-outs of drawing comics for the web. News, tips and tricks, technique and pet-peeves.

How To Make Webcomics

AVAILABLE NOW at any one of our online stores for late March delivery:
PvP
Sheldon
Starslip Crisis
Evil Inc.

Purchases made from any of our stores will benefit all four authors equally! Plus you can get an artist edition from your favorite Halfpixel member’s store!

Finally, a book about how to make Webcomics from guys who actually know how to do it!

For years, young, creative men and women have dreamed about making a living from their comic strips. But until recently their only avenue of success was through a syndicate or publisher. Now, more and more cartoonists are doing it on their own and self-publishing their comic strips on the web. With the right amount of work, knowledge and luck, you can be one of them.

Dave Kellett (Sheldon), Brad Guigar (Evil Inc.), Kris Straub (Starslip Crisis), and Scott Kurtz (PvP) take you on a guided tour of everything you need to know to make, post and profit from your own online comics with this 200-page book from Image Comics.

Who Are These Guys?

Who is Halfpixel? We’re four cartoonists dedicated to making a living at what we love…drawing comic strips. Dave Kellett, Brad Guigar, Kris Straub, and Scott Kurtz would appreciate you visiting their sites and enjoying their work.

Dr. Straub

Halfpixel is proud to congratulate Kris Straub for his staring appearance in Marvel’s new direct-to-video movie: Dr. Strange!

(This is Kris’ second appearance in a Marvel direct-to-video movie. He was previously seen playing Jean Grey in 1998’s “X-Men 4: Now With More Acting.”)