Question on lettering and blood effects.

DemonLamma · Post by **DemonLamma** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 11:37 pm

I searched quite a bit but i couldn't seem to find what i needed so i'll just post some pics on what i'm working on(scanner is busted so i'll use my webcam =P)

Anyway, this is what i'm working on.

I'm pretty confident about this frame except for two things.
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first off I'm used to doing sound effects and lettering on the comp so this is probably the first time i've done it by hand, but the 'blam' just doesn't seem right to me. Is there something I can do to make it look more professional?

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And i've never done blood digitally or by hand before so this is really new to me, I just kinda imitated what i saw on some devart pics i randomly found. I would like some tips/turorials on how to make better blood in motion.

And btw, The blood on this pic is probably penciled in to dark for me to redraw with it so I'll use the blood tips for later frames.

Robin Pierce · Post by **Robin Pierce** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 6:28 am

I can't really say anything to the blood - being terrible at it myself, but in order to make the BLAM more professional.. just do it digitally. in a font. if you want that same effect of smaller to bigger, most graphic programs will be able to do that.

in photoshop you'd check the "move" tool, then click on one of the squares that let you drag the box in different directions, hold down CTRL, and adjust as wished.

Hollowghoul · Post by **Hollowghoul** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 7:00 am

Is that a dramatic situation? If so you could avoid the lettering and use some accentuated shading aroud the muzzle of that gun.

Oualawouzou · Post by **Oualawouzou** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 7:32 am

Sound effects fonts are tricky, and I suck at it.

Keeping that in mind, the way you've designed the letters, it makes the sound seem loud but... how to say... "static"? Kinda like a "thud", if you want. If you want to make it more dynamic and "louder", you could try arcing the word, as if it was being blown away by the detonation. Does that make sense?

As for the blood, I'm no expert but the first thing I noticed is that the splatter isn't parallel to the gun muzzle and looks more like it is squirting than being forcefully ripped from the character's body. I'd adjust the angle and make it straighter. Remember, you're not showing the blood pouring out of the wound: you're showing a hole being blown out of the victim's back.

Mon Ami · Post by **Mon Ami** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 11:36 am

I do not know about you, but personally I feed off of examples and references. One of the most amazing 2D illustrations of a fight I have seen splashed across the panels of a webcomic starts around here:

http://ea.snafu-comics.com/?strip_id=3

I would suggest also taking some of the examples of sounds from a gun from these particular pages to follow, they certainly inspire me!

DemonLamma · Post by **DemonLamma** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 1:14 pm

Yeah, I need constant references and examples, i've read ever after before but it didn't cross my mind to use that as a reference as it is quite a good example.

I also see some pretty spiffy blood splattering going on in there. =P

well thanks for the info so far people.

Biev · Post by **Biev** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 3:58 pm

You don't absolutely need the BLAM. It's not so hard to figure out what's going on. Really it depends on how coherent it is with your style.

Personally I'd want the font (or handwriting) to look more messy and shattered, like something that's exploding, and I also wouldn't draw it small and straight like that. It's not very dynamic. If you're going to illustrate the sound of a gun, what you're trying to show is that it's sudden and loud. No, not loud.
LOUD.

I meant to draw this much bigger, but it's as big as this board goes : P You know what I mean. A gunshot is loud enough to startle the neighbors. I'd make it take up the whole page.

EvilChihuahua · Post by **EvilChihuahua** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 4:29 pm

If you want a good bl00d reference, follow the link that Spunky Ne....Sorry, "Mon Ami" provided, then click on the tab that says "PPG" near the top of the screen. Heh, it's kinda funny that a Powerpuff Gir1 fancomic has such well done bl00d effects.... Well done everything, actually.

Levi-chan · Post by **Levi-chan** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 4:52 pm

Aye with above. That cat does some awesome stuff with his/her pencil.

The stuff looks good - but I'd suggest dramatic shading/lighting, instead of a sound effect. Sound effects lettering is a risk sometimes - it brings on the cheese, and detracts from the "feel" of a panel (not when done correctly, of course).

Also - next time, maybe add some "ragdoll" effects? It's kinda weird seeing a person being static, after being shot in point blank. The force of the bullet impact has to be felt by the whole body, somehow. (It's a good drama tool too)

Oualawouzou · Post by **Oualawouzou** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 6:22 pm

Oh yeah, should have mentionned the body too...

Regarding weither or not you should use a sound effect or lighting: I think it depends too much on the general feel of the page/story for us to judge based on a single sketch. It's not unusual for a comic with lots of gunfighting to sometimes have sound effects and sometimes not. It's all based on what is most effective to convey whatever emotion you want.

IMHO, generally, no sound effect has more of an emotionnal impact while sound effects focus on the technical side of things. Depicting a man who sees a friend be shot is more effective without sound effects, while a hitman testing a new gun by shooting a random ennemy looks good with a BLAM!

VinnieD · Post by **VinnieD** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 12:59 am

For a dramatic scene I'd almost recommend not using any blood. In comics it tends to have a comedic effect when it's just spraying. Show someone getting shot and show them bleeding later.

just a suggestion. Flying blood isn't my strong point either.

Perhaps a brush tip pen would work.

the "BLAM" is much too small for this scene. When doing a sound effect the bigger the lettering the louder the sound will feel. How much you want the sound effect to play into the scene should be what you consider. If it's deafening then you might for example make it panel filling and move it to the background behind the characters.

Alternately you can go with no sound at all and go for the silent gunshot effect, but if you do that you should keep any other text out of the panel as well.

DemonLamma · Post by **DemonLamma** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 4:43 pm

oh yeah, you can't tell in that frame frame but he's strapped to a chair. the most i could think of doing for the body movement was his head and the chair falling backwards.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/ ... 1_0003.jpg

I like both the idea of a non text frame or the sound effect in shattered font and taking up most of the empty space on the frame. i'll try both of those digitally once i get my scanner working >.>