Random Boy... animated!

[ObsessiveTougaFan]

Hooray! We're finally getting somewhere!

Timing is something you have to learn. A way to pace the strip to maximize the jokes.

It's something I have to learn, but at the same time not something that can be taught. I definitely think I've made some mistakes in this respect (the aside comment in the middle of the "mindless violence" strip messed up the timing quite a bit), but hopefully I'll pick this up as I go along.

The problem is that after I've written a strip, I usually can't think of any other way it could be done... the way it's written just seems "right." But then again, I tend to make little changes when I actually put the strip together. Come to think of it, that's how th aside comment in the middle of the "mindless violence" strip came about ^^; Maybe I should trust my initial instincts more?

Okay, now I'm just rambling. I'llstopnow ^^;

As far as the art is conerned... you've consistently said that you don't want to spend more time on the strip... so what I suggest is a coupla pages in a sketchpad devoted to drawing your characters over and over and over again until your style is more loose and comfortable. Your comic doesn't quite have an effortless feel to it, but that's what you seem to be going for, sorry that it doesn't come as easy as it should. There's a huge difference between "effortless" and "fast".

I never said I didn't want to spent more time on it, I said that putting more effort in wouldn't automatically be a good thing. There's a huge difference. (If I had said that, why would I ask if doing it all in colour would be an improvement?)

Anyway... I've already said that I think the art is very inconsistent, and that (as a pose to the _style_ of the art) _is_ something that's been bothering me. I think that's part of what you mean by my style not feeling "loose and comfortable", and I'll definitely try your suggestion.

And yeah, looking back, I'm appalled by the complete and utter lack of constructive criticism that I've offered. But in my defense... it didn't seem worthwhile why you were banging your head up against the wall of "being happy with it the way it is."

You're right, the way I phrased that definitely didn't invite constructive criticism. What I meant was that I was happy with the humour, the lack of plot, the lack of character development and the style of the art. Other things about it hadn't really occured to me, I suppose because no one had mentioned any other problems ^^; Vicious circle, I guess.

Thank you for finally being helpful ^^

[Indybuda]

no problem

[ZOMBIE USER 12015]

Ah! See that's sweet! Now for a "manly hug"

[Indybuda]

Ah! See that's sweet! Now for a "manly hug"

I would but I've been staring at photos of Super Rack... it might be awkward

[McDuffies]

On hefaloops comment about art that incidentally looks bad - one can always tell if artist is doing it like that because he wants or because he doesn't know better. Especially if he's in comic-drawing a long time and has sharpened eye.
I've met people who were able to tell me literally all bad things in my art, even those that I was managing to hide from most of the readers. Well, more wievers that readers...
Anyway, if someone wants to simplify his art to make it look incidentally bad, his real level will show through the surface.
This was mostly unrelated to OTF issue, I was just connecting on hefaloop's line of thoughts.

[Heffaloop]

And on liking the animation and not the comic... I think everyone's a sucker for all things animated. Your art doesn't suck THAT much that it ruins the animation

[ZOMBIE USER 12729]

Alright. My turn to say something. Although I haven't seen your comic, I have read this entire message thingy. Please don't think I'm making a biased response due to what everyone else said. I have a brain to use, I intend to use it not based on what others say.

Anyway, how can a comic be popular if the artist doesn't want it to be. Everything about the comic is in the hands of the artist. If the artist doesn't like it( I'm not saying that you don't like your own comic) ,doesn't have much faith in the fact that someone would like to read it, or has no intrest in improving it in any certian way, how can it be appealing to others? If you like it, then that's fine. You could get it popular by getting people who have the same intrests as you to read it. If you don't want to improve it because you're afraid that it will effect your comic in a negative way, how are you sure of that? Improvement is never a bad thing. Just like negative critizem. I personaly don't like negative critizem, but I will tollerate it as a way to see my faults and improve. In fact I give my self negative response to people who give me postive responses. One of my friends said that I make drawing people for a comic look easy. I told him that it wasn't. It came through practice and also that my drawings weren't that great. He still says my drawings are cool. Whatever.

Your comic should appeal to you, but should have a way to grasp the different views of others. If people don't like the way your characters are drawn, just improve them for yourself, not them. When you feel comfortable with what you draw, and the reaction you get from others, then you shouldn't care about what others say. Then the feel of the comic, the way you want it, and everything about it is yours. No one has the right to tell you that your comic is outright horrible or anything like that after you realize whatever it is about your comic that you want in it and want others to see in it.

If you don't choose to improve than that is your decision. Don't let others sway your opinion of your work and yourself. On another note I've probably lost you by now. So I'll stop ranting and finish up now. Or at least try.

If you like your comic, if you enjoy doing it, if you don't care about what others say, then that's it. You've realized that this is the way you want it. Your comic can be popular if you want it to be. You don't have to improve the comic itself, but maybe the way you advertise it to get more people to read it. Out of those many people, maybe some will keep comming back for more. If it is influenced by any way, maybe you could sign up to be on a drop down related to it or something like that.

Okay so that should be about it for what I'll say here. Wow! Big post. Just at least try what I said if it made any sense to you at all.

[ObsessiveTougaFan]

While a lot of what you said made sense, some of it didn't, and overall very little of it covered any new ground. We've already dealt with all the stuff about my reactions to negative comments, including whether I act on them or not and why. That part of the conversation ended already. It's done.

That being the case, I really would have preferred you to have read my comic and given some constructive criticism ^^;

[KedaDibandion]

This is a freaking forum for insane comic artists. Stop expecting every comment to be helpful and on-topic and serious. Gad-dayum.

*does a little monkey dance*

[ObsessiveTougaFan]

Fair enough.

At the very least, hopefully my reply to that long post will prevent any more people beating the long-deceased horse ^^;

[KedaDibandion]

But...beating dead animals is FUN!

um....


[Mike the TV voice]

Yes, you too can beat dead horses for both fun and profit, with the new patented system, DEAD BEATER! Yours now for only 99.99.99!!!

[/Mike the TV voice] [yes, from Reboot]

[ObsessiveTougaFan]

Deadbeat

[KedaDibandion]

Yes?

[ZOMBIE USER 12015]

Yes?

*attempting to be a "suck-up"* Keeddaaa! It looks like someone here is having trouble respecting your authoriittttyyyy" 8)

[KedaDibandion]

What authority? Gah! I have authority? Kill it, kill it!!!

[Indybuda]

*sublimates your authority*

[KedaDibandion]

*huggles Indy*

[ZOMBIE USER 12015]

Christ guys! this is a family forum!

[Sortelli]

This is how families are started!

[ZOMBIE USER 12015]

This is how families are started!

And I suppose you want pictures of that too..