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[gabrielfcamba-blog]

Well Written Comic Characters

More likely than not, your comic will have characters. I know, crazy right? It’s simply more interesting if you have people (or things) making choices in your story.

However, there is an art to creating well-written characters, and this applies to comics as well as literature. These are not just pictures on a page. If you want your story to be good then you must treat these pictures as real people.

Sabaa Tahir, author of the Ember in the Ashes series of books, tells us in her class on SkillShare that a good story is more likely character driven than plot driven. “You don’t want to readjust your characters to fit the plot halfway through.”

That is why it is imperative that you understand what you’re working with before you write your story. Ms. Tahir provides an excellent way of doing this by essentially interviewing your character. However, before you do this you must know three things.

First things first is to know your character’s goal; what does he or she want in life? Then you must determine his or her motivation; why do they want this? Lastly you must know the conflict; what is in the way of him or her achieving this goal.

These three things are gospel and although they may seem simple they must be adhered to when developing your characters. Many writers can get wrapped up in the complexity of their own plots but if you look back to these three tenants then you will be able to keep things consistent and well-rounded.

After noting things like age and ethnicity then you must conduct the interview. Treat your character like they are right in front of you and ask them provocative open-ended questions that require more than a one word response, things like “what is the thing you least like about yourself” or “If you could make one person disappear who would it be?” If you know your characters on a personal level then the story you want to tell will come to you more naturally. 

I have struggled in the past to keep characters consistent with my story but by following simple processes like the ones Ms. Tahir has shown me you are less likely to fumble.

Photo Credits: Writing Authentic Fiction [Course on SkillShare] by Sabaa Tahir

Source: skillshare.com/classes/Writing-Authentic-Fiction-How-to-Build-a-Believable-Character/1816239284

[gabrielfcamba-blog]

Memorable Character Design

https://techcrunch.com/2015/04/12/how-pixar-solves-problems-from-the-inside-out/When designing a character for a comic book, in general you want to achieve memorability; you want your character to be visually unique. There are two ways to achieve this: bold fashion and a strong silhouette.

First of all, it is good to remember that a complex design is not always the best design. Characters like Kirby or Snoopy are so well remembered because their shape and colors are so simple. Also, remember how much of a pain it would be to draw a complex character over and over throughout a comic.

Now, fashion is first and foremost the most important factor in design as the way someone dresses showcases their personality as well as social standing. Do they wear big expensive clothes or tattered rags? Colors can also play a part; warm colored clothes like yellow or red can indicate joy or passion while colors like blue can invoke melancholy and green can invoke nature or perhaps sickness.

Photo URL: https://techcrunch.com/2015/04/12/how-pixar-solves-problems-from-the-inside-out/

Muted colors, grey and black are usually avoided by character designers as they can give characters a dull look. That’s why it is important to use strong colors so that your viewer’s brains can latch on to them and associate them with your character. Think or the iconic blue fur of Sonic or Mario’s red cap and shirt.

If I were to show you a silhouette of Pikachu would you be able to recognize it? Most likely yes thanks to those iconic ears and tail. That is what it means to have a strong silhouette: unique visual cues that standout to a viewer like tails, hair or even exaggerated proportions.

Photo URL: https://characterdesignreferences.com/

Giving your character something as simple as cape or hairstyle can determine if he or she is memorable but what about shapes? It is important to remember that certain shapes have different connotations. Sharp triangular porportations signify danger; round shapes indicate cuteness and positivity; squares represent strength and fortitude.

Now of course this is not always the case. If you’re perhaps writing a more serious story that’s more realistic, then your character may just be some guy in a trench coat maybe and that’s fine. However, remember that there are still little things like accessories or even physical actions that can give your character life.

Photo Credits: 

Inside Out - Disney

CharacterDesignReferences.com

Source(s):

https://www.clipstudio.net/how-to-draw/archives/157653

https://pixel77.com/10-tips-design-characters-pro/

https://characterdesignreferences.com/visual-library-2/character-design-silhouette

[gabrielfcamba-blog]

It Is Not Just A Bunch of Squares

Comics are unique as a visual medium because they are the most fluid and allow the greatest amount of creativity. Although you may be constrained to the dimensions of a page or two for traditional print comics or to a single long strip for webcomics, there is still an incredible amount of freedom for comic artists.

When you think of a comic you think of panels. You think of little square windows with characters and places in them with text bubbles floating around indicating speech and you read (at least here in the West) from left to right, top to bottom. A good comic artist knows not only how to follow these conventions but how to exploit them.

When constructing a page of a comic artists often plot out a bunch of squares and then draw within them. That’s fine and dandy but you can be more creative than that. For example: if you have a really intense action scene, don’t use simple square panels as your drawing space - instead use jagged uneven panels with sharp corners so as to convey dread and intensity.

Photo URL: Gabriel F. Camba

Remember text is also important. Sometimes an exclamation mark isn’t enough - if you really want the character to show emotion, like rage, then you could embolden and accentuate his words with different colored different sized text. Hell, what the characters say doesn’t have to just be relegated to a speech bubble. 

Photo URL: https://readcomiconline.to

Sound effects can also be used creatively. Why not incorporate their text into the scene itself. Have the repetitive sounds of a siren snake throughout the panels getting larger - this way the reader understands the sound is getting louder.

Photo URL: http://www.comicbookfx.com/result.php?tagexact=1&tags=siren

Photo Credits: 

Dark Knights: The Batman Who Laughs - DC Comics

Strange Tales #95 - Marvel

Sources: https://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/features/illustration/20-comic-drawing-tips/

[gabrielfcamba-blog]

Starting Out It Is Never Perfect

When I was young, I always had this idea in my head that if I was going to start some kind of artistic project then it had to be perfect. I always bought new sketchbooks even when the old ones were nowhere near full because I wanted to start over fresh and have everything look exactly the way I wanted.

If you are an artist or a writer, more likely than not you are a perfectionist. Many young artists have trouble beginning artistic projects because of this. It is shown that the quality of written or artistic work by people who are perfectionists actually decreases over time because they are afraid of making mistakes.

This is how I was for a long time; I did not begin anything because I was afraid of having to look back on it one day and see how bad it was. I treated everything as if it were my magnum opus. You mustn’t do this.

When I got started making comics it was ridiculous. I spent long stretches of time drawing something and then a few weeks later I would go back and change things. I kept having new ideas that I wanted to replace the old ones. The problem with this is that it is incredibly counterproductive.

The first step to overcoming this way of thinking is understanding that growth is a good thing. Seeing your journey to becoming an experienced artist/writer is something that your audience will appreciate.

Thus, there is really only one statement, trademarked by Nike, that I can use as advice. Just do it - just put your stuff out there. Don’t keep going back and reediting forever, otherwise people will never get to see your talent.

Sources: https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/issues/perfectionis

[gabrielfcamba-blog]

Comics Are Cool Now

I have loved making comics for a while now. When I was little I used to draw my own little stories on printer paper, fold them and staple the middle. It was then that I knew that I would end up in some sort of creative industry; maybe it would be comics.

Comics used to be lame. What I mean is we all remember the times before the Marvel Cinematic Universe - kids who read comics were nerds, geeks, dorks and whatever other stereotypical names we wanted to call them. Now in recent years with the grand success of the MCU, superheroes have come into the mainstream.

Thanks to this the comics upon which these characters are based have become more popular. Characters like Thor or the Hulk or Iron Man are well known by the public. However, this wave isn’t just relegated to superhero comics, things like webcomics have also become more popular.

Now with the internet and digital art software, the medium of comics is more popular and accessible than ever. In the old days, if you wanted to create a comic of your own you really only had one option: you had to get a job at a major corporate body like Marvel or DC and work your way up the chain until they trusted you with your own creative vision. Now, with websites like Instagram, DeviantArt or Webtoon, a young person just needs a computer and a tablet to make a comic that thousands can read whenever they want.

The art of making comics takes time and effort. It is not as simple as drawing a picture and posting it online. It’s not just about knowing how to draw characters; a comic maker is also a writer who must know the inner workings of his or her characters and their story.

Many young artists starting out making comics may be daunted by the task ahead. How do you write a comic? How do you set up the pages, the characters, the plot? I am here to discuss the art of creating good comics and how you can get started.

Photo Credit: 50yearoldcomics.com

[kim-ramirez-blog]

Your Instagram story toolbox: Fonts

One of my favorite features of the Instagram stories are the different typefaces (fonts) that it offers. It has five to choose from — although there can be some variation when you start experimenting with them. Here are the five typefaces that the app offers:

One of the most effective ways to use typefaces is to understand what they can do. For example, the typeface Strong is meant for strong, powerful phrases that need extra attention. Typewriter is more subtle and can be used for simple phrases because of its vintage look. Neon is my favorite. It is one of the newest typefaces (added in February 2018), and it has a curvy, delicate, girly look that stands out with any background. Modern can also be used for bold and strong statements, but it still looks thin and elegant. Modern is plain and appropriate for writing long information. 

One way you can make your text stand out and look funky is to lay 2 different colored words or phrases on top of the other. This adds dimension and color to your story! Try using it with two analogous colors. Here's how it looks:

Some fonts have variations where you can put a background to the text, and you can change the color of the background by using the eyedropper (located next to the colors to choose from)!

Another way to impress your followers with your Instagram story skills is to use negative space in stories. Negative space, defined by ThoughtCo., is "the space within, between, and around objects." The concept of negative space is one that was hard for me to grasp in my graphic design classes: I did not comprehend it quickly. However, when I understood it, I knew it is one of the best tools I have as a designer and as a lover of Instagram stories. Here's an example: 

I placed black text over the image of pluto (courtesy of NASA). The continuity of the black text that is placed across the planet is what created the negative space. One can still see the planet and the text at the same time; the two objects are recognizable.

Since you can choose the color for your text and Instagram provides gradient color palettes, it is easy to create a story that looks like this. Simply choose colors that go from light to dark and copy paste the text.

These are simple but creative ways to put text on your story that will have your friends asking you "How did you do that?!" Remember, there's no limit to how creative you can be when it comes to Instagram stories. If you are serious in creating gorgeous stories with fonts other than the ones Instagram offers, this app can help you! It has a variety of fonts to choose from, as well as cool filters for photos.

Comment below if you have any more tips!

Photos by Kimberly Ramirez

Sources:

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1626731/8-instagram-introduces-new-type-mode-feature-stories/

 https://www.thoughtco.com/negative-space-definition-2573838

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/a-design-kit/id1292829069?mt=8

[kim-ramirez-blog]

Getting started with Instagram stories

Hi everyone! My name is Kimberly Ramírez, and I am a junior advertising and graphic design major at the University of Florida. Welcome to my blog! In this blog, I will be giving tips on how to make the best out of your Instagram stories. 

Here I am surrounded by my art and using my laptop to create an illustration that I will later post on my Instagram story.

Since I am a design major, I know a thing or two about layouts and making stuff look good! I have taken typography, visual methods, drawing and digital art classes in UF, and I always look to integrate my creative knowledge in other fields. In my free time, I document my life as creatively as I can. One of my favorite ways to do this is by creating Instagram stories.

Instagram, the social media platform, is becoming a huge success with approximately 800 million active users. Almost everyone has an Instagram, and if you do, you know how fun it is! The app lets you post videos and photos, but it also offers Live Streaming, Boomerangs and other fun ways of creating social media content and expressing oneself.

The app's newest addition of Instagram stories is giving users a reason to keep the app. Instagram stories are a great way of creating content without the pressure of posting a picture or video and worrying about likes, comments or user reach. Much like Snapchat, stories on Instagram can be videos or photos. 

But first — before we jump into how you can make your stories look amazing — let's review the basics of the Snapchat story interface. 

To create an Instagram story, you must click on your icon in the top right corner of your home page.

Most people take a selfie or a picture by pressing on the circle in the bottom, but personally, I like to post an image that has already been saved in my Camera Roll. You can do that by pressing on the square in the corner.

Choose a cool picture from your phone's camera roll. 

After you choose the picture, here are the different buttons you can use to add text, drawings, GIFs, and more! 

You have plenty of options for adding additional features! You can let your followers know about your whereabouts with the location button, the temperature and the date; you can also make a poll or add adorable stickers to decorate your image.

The pen tool is great for adding handwritten details to your image! Instagram lets you eyedrop the colors inside your image to create color harmony in your image. This is a feature that Snapchat does not have and makes Instagram a much more refined app for creating stories. The eyedropper tool is in the bottom left corner.

Here's the eyedropper in action. It can also be used for typing colored text!

One reason why Instagram stories are my favorite: the fonts are the cutest! You can choose from 5 fonts to write information for your followers. 

Now that you know the basics of Instagram stories, I look forward to showing you how to make great Instagram stories in my future blog posts!

Photos by Kimberly Ramirez

[grahamarnoldmmc2100-blog]

Trenton’s Suwannee Valley Quilt Festival is an annual event, held every third Saturday in March, which happens to be National Quilt Day. This event occurs in downtown Trenton, Fl., and is the 12th annual Trenton Suwannee Valley Quilt Festival with over 400 quilts displayed, contributed by individuals or groups. Also, there is skilled quilters, crafters, and needle-workers doing demonstrations throughout the grounds.