Archive for ‘Creating webcomics and comics’
12 items.
Actually it is not what you think it might be about, and though I love getting fan art, some of which I will post later, I also enjoy drawing it. In fact I started going through some of the sites that I enjoy and that give me traffic and thought I might send a little love back. I am really jazzed that there is some incredible new webcomics popping up and I will be posting some new links to those discoveries.
I have also decided to start posting a little of my own fan art to the webcomics I enjoy reading. It is something I cannot do all the time, but every now and then I get an itch that needs to be scratched.
Now if you want to send fan art of the bean in- I would love to see it and I will post it in a new page section just for fan art.
So onto the new drawings.
The first is for my buddy who created the incredible comic reMind. A fantastic project detailing all the ins and outs of webcomic creation. He just made is goal for Kickstarter.com and is still producing some killer work.
I love the story and the illustrations. It is really a notch above the rest of the comics out there. His drive is awesome as well and in my chance to meet him and his wife at SDCC this year I must say I was incredibly impressed.
He has what it takes. So head on over and take a gander at his work. I hope you come away as impressed as I did.
Just click the link above and click the artwork for a larger image.
The next piece is for a comic that I found when I started the website a few months back. 
It is called Red’s Planet and the art is fantastic with an extremely well thought out storyline which I will not ruin for you.
I will say though it really brought back some wonderful memories of my own childhood to some degree. The art will blow your mind as well and I am really excited to see where it is taken.
I must say I had a really fun time creating the piece on the right and it sort of pulled me back into my print mode (which I will posting later).
Also check his link selection he has some great new webcomics there that are well drawn and well written.
A very cool find. So stop by and see what’s going on over at red’s planet.
So there you have it for a bit. Just some fan art. I really enjoyed playing with a few other characters that are not my own and I look forward to doing a few more.
So go check these great comics out
trav-
1 Comment
The Bean in Color….. Every Tuesday
August 31st, 2010 |Posted In: Creating webcomics and comics, Travis Hanson News
I want everyone to take a moment and say hi to Ben Hunter. He is taking the task of coloring “the Bean”. A fantastic colorist and illustrator, Ben and I have worked together before and our styles compliment each other quite well. I was elated to find out that he wanted to work together again and so as I continue updating the story twice a week. Ben will start from the beginning and update the comic from page 1 every tuesday.
Ben has the ability to take the comic to the next level. He and I see and think the same and he is able to pull out extra details that b/w does not offer. I hope you take a moment and continue to encourage him and his talent. I really love seeing “the Bean” in full color. I hope you do as well.
So what happens to the books and the story? Actually nothing. The books will continue to be b/w. They are actually funding a full color graphic novel in the future. The comic will also update still twice a week on mondays and thursdays. Now with Ben dedicated to adding color to the tale I can still focus on telling the story. So I am moving on and have finished over half of the pencils to issue 7. Plus issue 6 goes to press really soon.
Ben’s main goal is to start from the beginning. We talked about just jumping in, yet we both felt that the beginning was a much better way to approach the comic. That way we could still work stress free. Work smarter not harder is idea. So enjoy the tale as it continues and then go back and start it again in color.
Thanks again Ben- you are making this dream an incredible reality.
Also take a moment and go visit Ben’s incredible work
Ben’s website www.ironhenry.com
Well back to the drawing board… oh and remember to vote for us:)
trav
I am a huge believer that music can and should be a vital part of the creative process.
When I write and draw I will usually slip on a pair of headsets and fall deep into the world of the brokenmoon or any other project I am involved in.
When I am working on scenes or specific moments, I usually focus on soundtracks. Instrumental only. I look at bean as a movie in my head. The characters and the action that goes on is very much alive and so a soundtrack in my opinion is needed.
Many times the sound tracks are to movies I have not seen. This is done on purpose so I can keep a scene pure. Yet sometimes a sound track is so good I cannot pass it up. These soundtracks I usually keep to myself.
Yet I also enjoy a wide variety of music and over the years, I have found myself returning to these songs to help define the characters. Especially their moods and emotions. It makes it easier for me to write, when I identify a song or several songs to make the character a little more emotionally realistic.
I guess there are some minor spoilers, or not as you see personalities from certain songs…so read at your own risk:) Also some songs fit multiple characters as well.
Bean- There are a wide variety of songs that helped make up the bean and some of them I wont post yet, since he is pretty simple as a character. He does get a little more complex as the story matures.
Little Wonders- Rob Thomas
I’m going to go back there some day – Paul Williams & Great Gonzo
I’m with you -Avril Lavigne
I’m still here – GooGooDolls lead singer
- Ravna is as complex as the bean. She has a wide variety of songs that also fit her personality. Yet for now, I will post a few that have added a depth to her character that I really appreciate.
Iris- Goo Goo Dolls
Drive- the Cars
Woman in Chains- Tears for Fears
Don’t Get me Wrong – the Pretenders
Round here – Counting Crows
Siv These songs also just don’t represent the character, but also feelings they might have for another. I use these songs not always for the message they bring, but the emotion they might stir to make a characters action believable. Some songs have even changed the course of certain character interaction and have even made other character relationships stronger. Siv hits both of these categories as does Ravna.
Angel – Sarah Mclaughlin
I’m moving on – Rascal Flats
Walkaway Joe- Trisha Yearwood
Wandering Star- Paint your wagon, Lee Marvin
Alive and Kicking- Simple Minds
Gort is pretty simple- In fact certain songs just fight his mood perfect.
Everybody want to rule the world- Tears for Fears
Funny little Things- Hobbit- Glen Yarbrough
Folsom Prison- Johnny Cash
A boy named sue- Johnny Cash (and its sue either:))
A good place to stop-
In light of making this a really long post I think this is a good place to stop. It is important some songs I didn’t post because it would ruin the story and so I might do this again with other characters:). I just thought it would be fun to show you a little of where some of the inspiration came for certain characters. There are many other factors that go into character creation well chat about that at another time.
For now…. just sit back and enjoy the music. As you read the comic though you might want to shuffle through some of these songs and you might catch something about these characters that you might or would not have caught before.
Until then- keep creating
trav
the art of creating epics… or mine anyways.
July 30th, 2010 |Posted In: Creating webcomics and comics, Travis Hanson News
If you have not notice, I am not a one-strip gag writer. That is for far more talented individuals. I think big, epic like and so as I put “Bean” together, I find myself doing a few things that go against the grain a little of traditional one-a-day webcomics. I’m not knocking them at all, it is a skill and art in itself with it’s own trials and hardships.
What I want to chat about today is more about how I go about constructing my epic and why I make some of the layout choices that you see.
To put things into perspective, I am build my story with the mindset that it is also being printed. Issue 6 is all but done. I realize that waiting for updates can be a frustrating thing, especially when the update is a transition page, we’ll talk more about that in a minute. Yet if you read the entire comic from the beginning you will see why I use transition pages. Also the comic looks so much better in print. Trust me:) it just does.
So let’s talk about how I approach this.
Endings: The main thing is an ending. I have talked about this before, but the ending is the most important thing for me. It is my anchor, it gives me something to work towards. I know how the Bean ends, the fun part, which evolves all the time is just getting there. Sorry no spoilers here though.
Transitions and Environments: 
When I started creating my tale I realized that I was building a world that people were unfamiliar with. There was flora, animals, and it is very big. I needed a way, as someone put it to me, to give my world a voice. So I did. Transitions are scene changes. The epic I created is a visual movie in my head and so when I change scenes I usually change locations and that is a fantastic opportunity to show the world and give it’s voice. Some of my favorite pieces are transition pages. Plus Environments make the world believable. It allows the reader to feel that they are there as well, that they can experience the sights, and if they really use their imagination, sounds and scents. I also make sure my environments are strong when I have to move the story along with text. I want to keep the reader interested without pages & pages of headshots explaining key points. By putting the characters in believable locations with something else to do (hence eating, etc) it allows people to soak up the moment as well.
Details: This could go along with environments, but I think it works better on it’s own. When putting the characters in a location in helps to make the place real. I have not been in a inn or pub, where it was perfectly clean box, all the bottles where the same and everyone looked like everyone else. I try to hide things, like clues, in my pages. In fact I even tell stories to a degree, without making it a part of the tale. They are glimpses, which are very subtle, of other people’s lives. Other details include clothing that talks of people’s occupation, bottles that are unique, and places that feel lived in. Regardless of your style of art, small details can add a whole new level to your work. I even make it a point to add animals to pages. They have nothing to do with the characters of the story, yet isn’t that how life is. Sit in a field or a forest or even your own backyard and just watch and you will realize how alive the world really can be.
Camera Angles and layout: 
Epics are movies on paper. If your epic is nothing more than headshots or character shots, it can get boring fast. Do not be afraid to move the camera around. You are the director, so direct. Let the camera pan across your world and let your layouts fit your camera angles. I am not saying to go extreme with this. Just remember you can get your point across sometimes better without words on page, if the layout is strong and interesting. Do not underestimate the power creative layouts and camera angles.
The Reserve: Ok this is important, have a reserve built up and ready to go. Life has a way of making things hard, things happen, tragedy’s occur so be prepared. I have prob 12 weeks worth ready to go. It might be a little excessive but it allows breathing room. I also have an automatic update system in place so if I am preoccupied the comic still updates.
Patience and keep pushing forward: Epics take time to tell and you have to be patient. If you are consistent in your storytelling and updates, people will follow and your story grows. I would suggest finding some nice free tracking software. Just because your comic does not receive comments does not mean people are reading. I know silence can be frustrating, yet if you are patience people will come. Yes it is a little rough at times having to market your work but it does pay off and there are plenty of Free ways to market and promote your stuff. (see reMindblog.com for some great tips and advice here) The key is not to give up on your story.
Ok that’s prob enough out of me, but if you have questions on the creation process, the story, or anything else feel free to ask. I will always try to respond and be honest in my answers.
Keep dreaming, keep creating and enjoy the tale
trav….
Raising the Bar of Webcomics….
July 29th, 2010 |Posted In: Creating webcomics and comics, Travis Hanson News
I read an article that effected me a little today. It was that Webcomics were dying and that nothing new and exciting was around these days. The author of the site has a pay-per-view webcomic site, something that I have been against from the very beginning, because I think you should not charge for something viewed online. If all you have is a failing subscription site than yes webcomics might be dying as for anything new out there … I think one needs to start looking because I have found several, that believe like me, that it is time to raise the bar on webcomics.
Yes, I realize that anyone can just quickly scribble something on a sheet or hit few buttons and make a webcomic and it seems to be a common practice on how vulgar or how can one push the line. Yet… I also realize that there is some incredible talent out there that have taken this craft to a whole new level. In sorts we have to kind of feed off one another in trying to prove that it is possible to create an incredible tale online and still make some sort of income off of it.
So how do we raise the bar? What will it take for artist and writers to find ways to make webcomics something more when mentioned than just a snicker from people who do not understand what they are about.
First off Webcomics are in the phase that newspaper comics were in 100 + years ago. When the art was not always the best, but they taught the world that art in newspapers could be much more than depictions of current events. From there many artist have found there own. In the 20 to 50’s the art of newspaper comics was incredible and deep, truly a craft that showed that the creators cared about what they were creating. Bill Watterson and a few others tried to bring it back in the late 80’s and 90’s.
So where are the Bill Wattersons of today? I don’t know, but they are out there and they are starting to make a say in how web comics can be correctly done.
What makes web comics successful is the willingness of what the creator is willing to put into it. Like the cartoons of print, most comics creators (who update daily) are not willing to put the time in to make it work. The I want it now success stories are nothing more than delusions. Watterson, Breathed, Walker and many more newspaper comics spent many years just finding ways to build their audience and even then it still took many years before their strips became famous.
Web Comics, even though they are digital media, have the same problem. An audience needs to be built and patience on the part of the creator to let the strip grow. Honestly to expect success overnight is foolish, yet success can happen if and only if you are willing to stick out and be consistent in your updates. (If you don’t update you kill your story, so if you want to make this work you gotta put the time in to do it.)
Art- This is huge for me. If the art is substandard or shotty, I do not stay. If the art is well developed I hang out a bit and look at the next thing which is writing (more on that in a minute). Take time to learn your craft. Put the effort in to improve your art. The best webcomics out there have strong art and strong writing. Learn how to draw backgrounds, environments to add to your basic character head shots. Change camera angles and work on texture. Color is good, but there are some strong b/w out there as well.
Writing, is just as important. The deeper the story, the better thought out gags, the more likely one sticks around. If the story is too diluted with bad character interaction and trying to hard to shock readers, I for one loose interest really quick.
Know your audience or figure out who they are. You want your story to be big, make it accessible to everyone, meaning parents who read your tale will more than likely let their kids see it, if you keep it pg- that way you get a whole other generation and kids have a lot of power over what adults choose to look at.
Take time in developing your site as well. Make the presentation good. There are a wide variety of comic hosting programs. Take time to make the graphics strong and clean, make your navigation easy. It’s not the fans that will kill your comic, you will, especially if the presentation is pretty bad.
So improve your art and writing, be consistent in your updates, learn who your audience is, be willing to be patient and now it is time to work with others who are like minded. There are several other creators that understand this principle, many of them are linked in my links section. You will be amazed on how good their work is and that they tend to follow the similar belief that the bar of webcomics NEEDS TO BE RAISED to be taken seriously or else they will always be the same mentality about them and that is that the artist or writer just couldn’t make it in the professional world and so they came to the web to peddle. Honestly don’t be afraid to give love to those stories besides that deserve it, others will give love back to you. People that read webcomics read more than just one, so I make sure they can find the stories I like, and they will also know the stories I like are set to a pretty high standard.
I am a pro. I am here to help raise the bar, set the standard a little higher and yes still make it possible to support my hobbies through webcomics. You see by willing to show the world my story for FREE, I broaden my audience, who in turn support me by buying the trades or comics when they come out. Print and web go hand in hand. Don’t be afraid to publish your stories even if they are online. They are online to help your world grow so reward those that read with printed material and now with paypervisit websites. If you use the web for your stories correctly and smartly you will find your stories will hit large groups of people who will enjoy your work as many of us enjoyed the work of the great newspaper strips along.
Also do not be afraid to chat with those that support you. Talk to them! The web offers a new dimension that newspaper strips could not do and that is interaction with creators. So if creators need to spend a little more time talking to those that support them, those that support them are more inclined to tell someone else, which only makes your readership grow.
Yet if the bar is to be raised, we need a few more strong comics in the mix. A few more willing to step up their craft and find away to blend strong writing, strong art and consistent storytelling. Yet as it gets harder to get distributed through diamond and others I see more and more good story tellers coming to the web and turning webcomics into the newspaper comics of the 21st century.
If you noticed I chose not to name any webcomics here, but newspaper artist instead. I did this for a reason, the correlation between newspaper stip and webcomic are very similar, your dealing with a daily audience that expects you to put something out on a regular basis, and like I said only you will kill your comic.
So if webcomics are going story the bar must be raised by the creators themselves and we just have to want it bad enough to make it happen. I have no intentions of stopping the bean….I hope those creators of other great comics feel the same. Yet the fans need to let them know they are doing job, buy their books and help support and only then will webcomics get the respect they deserve.
trav
Here is some concept art to a few places that might be visited in the world of the broken moon.
These sketches were all done with a ball point pen in my sketchbook. I do not usually show them.
These sketches were also done as I waited in the juror room for jury duty. I will post the second one prob friday.
Concept art is important to me, more for location than anything else. It helps me get a feel for placement and direction and at times a inn or two to stop at in my travels through the comics.
I feel to me it is important to have a very organic feel to my world. Even if their are areas based on mechanics, they still need to feel like they naturally belong to environment.
I personally adore the house on the bottom. Yes it is a little hobbit like but that is ok. I like it’s feel and I am a sucker for round doors. You can thank Rankin/Bass for that.
While character design is important and all, I feel the world you characters live in are even more important and if you can create a believable world that your characters live in your comics and stories become a lot stronger.
Well back to the grind. I will have actual book release dates for issue 6 later in the week. Until then the Ogres have a new batch of ale, brewed just the other day. Enjoy
trav
A break in the hunt…. Q & A with Trav
June 22nd, 2010 |Posted In: Creating webcomics and comics, Travis Hanson News
Ok you have heard me ramble about a few subjects dealing with my views on webcomics and story creation. Honestly I like to ramble and have found myself to be quite good at it. With that being said, I have realized that there are other things people might be interested. So let’s stop the hunt for a moment and take a moment to have a little campfire chat.
This is the part of the show, that I open up to the audience, to ask questions. You can ask almost anything be it about the Bean, Storylines, Prints, How to, or what ever pops into your head. I’ll answer them all.
If there is silence there is not much I can do about that and I will just believe that everyone is reading the story:).
Anyways the time is now yours.
trav
I enjoy a good game of chess. I just lake to play, I could care less honestly on who wins. To me it is an opportunity to take a moment and chat about life. Some people find this a little frustrating because they are too busy thinking out how to win, many do by the way. Yet, others enjoy the conversation and one finds themselves transported all over the spectrum of conversation.
It is also an opportunity to learn. Right now in my career I still very much feel like the student. There is much for me to learn and as I struggle to find the right direction for my work, I rely heavily on opportunities to listen from those that taught me. You are never too old to learn, to grow and to develop. The moment you think you are is the moment you stop progressing in life.
One of the most frustrating comments to me is “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” that’s not really true if the “old dog” still wants to learn. Where does he learn from those that are willing to teach.
We are all at different levels in our ability to play the game. There are those that are willing to give advice, there are those that willing to show you how to do it, there are those that willing to both and then there are those that care only for themselves and their careers. Forgetting that they once needed advice to move on.
I am grateful that I have taken the time to surround my self with those that are willing to help me on my way. I do not badger and many times try to figure it all out on my own before I ask and when I do ask I listen…. which is the hardest thing to do. In return, I try and return the favor.
If it wasn’t for many great artist and creators that I know, I would not be on my path today. So I thank them and let them know how much I appreciate their willingness to talk to me. I hope I have honored that advice. As you work through your journey remember your roots, and remember you can still learn and you need to return the favor that was once given to you.
trav
I have an old saying…. “Art is 5% talent and 95% work, practice, tears and frustration.” That is truth. There are many wonderful illustrators and creators out there, with fantastic worlds that they have built. Stories that take you to places you never imagined possible. Yet those creators all understand the process of getting up each time they fail.
Most people never see the toil that goes into a piece. They do not see the wads of paper tossed in a can, the head bowed in frustration as lines seem to fight the masters hands. They do not feel the loss as one tries to pull the images from their mind and put them into a form that others can understand. Most people see the success of the project, the after effect, and the accomplishment… yet if more understood the emotional and physical trial that creator goes through, their view of art might be a little different.
Yet the creator understands. This is what separates the hobbyist from the pro. They push and push themselves to find a way to help their dream come alive. They battle self doubt and negativity and yet still push forward. They know there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
So as you create your worlds and tales, are you willing to find a way to make it work. Your works can come alive, but they a need a little push, a little pull and the strength to get back up when you fall. What are you willing to do? What are you willing to give up? What are you willing to learn.
Once you place that pencil on that piece of paper, you start on a journey. A journey where it is easy to give up, throw in the towel, call it a day. It is at that moment of distress that you need to keep drawing, keeping pushing forward. That hill your climbing is about to pay off, don’t get off the path.
As you practice, you work gets a little more refined, a little more appreciated and your confidence grows. Do not be afraid to ask questions, search out how to improve. You do not need to go to art class to be a good artist. The best artist learn through observation….So keep creating, because it is you that keep the magic of creation alive.
trav
There is always a moment to ponder. Especially when creating. Too often we let noise drown out the magic that allows us to come up with those fantastic ideas. There is no shame in turning off the tv, the music, the games and the computer for a minute to let the silence put you back into the mode.
I use a wide variety of mediums to allow me to focus on my work. One of the most powerful is music. It really can push my mind to all sorts of places. Yet at times there is too much in the head. A jumble of ideas, each screaming for attention, each wanting to pull me away from my original focus… and so that is when I shut the outside off for a moment. I a place where I can just sit and find clarity, in my office, my room, outside…. somewhere where I can let my mind sort things out without distraction.
You might be amazed how just a few moments of quiet time can be the jump start to and incredible creative experience. So take a moment, turn off the world…. and just listen.
trav
