A Woman Can’t Resist?
Howdy there Primate Posse™! Here is the first Friday comic in weeks! I’m planning to increase my comic output over the next while. We’ll see how it goes…
In the meantime, I thought I’d talk about something I’ve been meaning to write about for a while – Inking! I mentioned in an earlier post that I had a prof in art school who told me that my inking was terrible, and he was right. He also encouraged me to ink with a brush and after dabbling with brush pens, Pitt artist’s pens and crow quill pens, I think I can say that I’ve finally settled on a Windsor and Newton Series 7 #2 brush with a nice bottle of India Ink! (although I have been using Pitt’s [not the brush ones] to do some of the smaller details like eyes – mind you, I inked an entire strip with only the brush today! It will appear soon) I actually find the brush easier to control than Pigma brush pens and the Pitt brush pens. And I think I can honestly say that my inking is finally not terrible.
Having said that it’s not as slick and professional as many many of my webcomic (and other comic) colleagues. But, does anyone else think that really really good inking looks almost mechanical? Don’t get me wrong, I really appreciate and am very impressed with that skill, but there’s something about my own line that I like quite a lot. It is clearly made by hand, and I like that. It seems to me that Watterson’s line was clearly hand drawn as well (not that I’m comparing ANYTHING about my strip to the great Watterson (pees be upon him). Anyway, any thoughts from the Posse™?
No Stan song to share today, but please visit standickie.com for more!
I like the inking you’ve done on this. I’ve used ink brushes in the past and I strongly recommend you keep at it. You’ll become even more familiar with the brush overtime.
I agree about some inking looking too mechanical, but I just view that as personal style. 😉
Thanks, Bill! I agree with the personal style thing. And I really do appreciate it. Even wish I could do it too. But, then once I had the skill I probably wouldn’t use it unless I got a job as a comic book inker or something. Not even close to being able to do that!!!
Without discussing artistic preferences, my criteria is does it add or detract from the entertainment value of the work. My vote is that better inking would do neither and therefore why sweat it. Looks great, and more importantly it’s fun to read which is the important thing.
Thanks J.P.! I think the humour in my strip is mostly in the writing. Getting better at inking is really a question of personal satisfaction. Posing my characters better would be nice too! And adding backgrounds. But I also want to become a really really good chicken pickin’ country guitar player too. And maybe start painting in oil, or at least going back to doing more of my watercolour cut-out animation. I just don’t have time for everything!! Oh woe is me. ha ha!
Once again, Chuckles takes it on the chin!
As for brush inking, I can’t think of a more sensitive instrument to express a line. When I was first starting out, I used to scream in anger because I never seemed to be able to get the hang of inking with one. But honestly, I just love the way a brush moves ink around. And sometimes, your hand will twitch and the line will go down in an entirely unexpected way, and that can be fun, too.
I understand when you mention “slick,” but I think that’s kind of a bit inevitable when you do something over and over again. That’s why I try to shake it up a bit and mix and match my inking tools. Sometimes it’ll be all brush, and sometimes I’ll grab a pen and draw the lines. Inking is a very organic process for me, there really isn’t recipe, I just make it up as I go along. And that’s the fun part of it!
Poor Chuckles, can’t even do anything right when he’s asleep!
As for the inking, I agree with you about the brush. I’m hooked on it! As for “slick” I’m content with a little sloppy with character! 🙂
AHaha! Poor Chuckles is bad even in Hilda’s dreams! I see that he sleeps with his glasses, too. Just like my wife!
Your inking is great, Chris. Bill is right. With continued inking, you’ll get better and improve on your own. You see imperfections we don’t. Remember, an artist is his own worst critic!
Also, I side with JP. Don’t sweat it. It looks great and as you ink more, you’ll naturally improve.
“I just don’t have time for everything!!” Those are my words exactly when my son, Arturo, asked me why I don’t do magic tricks anymore.
My wife sleeps with glasses on too! It’s so weird!!
Thanks for the kudos on the inking. I do want to make it clear that I was saying that I actually *like* my ink lines! 🙂 But, I will say, after completely my MFA last year, I am definitely NOT my worst critic! Also, the prof from my undergrad who said I was a terrible inker, would probably still not approve, I suspect.
Lastly, I want to learn magic too! Penn and Teller are my heroes!! 🙂 Maybe you can hire them for Arturo’s birthday paryt?? 🙂
It looks great. The dream is a concern but the drawing is great!
Thanks for the comment Gruhn! It’s cool to be on the radar of one of the finest web comicers out there! 🙂
Where can I find one of these, uh, how you call them? (re-reads the comic)Ah, “women”? (Per the definition of someone who can’t resist me for long)
As for inking, I sold out. I “ink” electronically, so, no opinion on that. In my experience, I also needed a lot of practice before I even dare to let people see my lines, so I guess it is similar in that it needs practice. However, what really moved me towards digital work was called “undo”.
Ha ha, I know what you mean, Nef. Women seem to be able to resist me, for the most part. I am hitched and all though, so…
As for your electronic inking, I have to say, you do a fine job yourself! I would consider doing it that way, but after 11 years as a graphic artist, I like to spend a little less time in front of the computer. 🙂
Maybe the dream was a product of Hilda’s secret desires…
Never tried a brush, I’m still getting the hang of ink & nibs
You gotta wonder about that Hilda! She doesn’t seem completely content with Chuckles. As for inking, nibs are hard enough! Too easy to smear too. I like how the ink dries almost instantly with a brush. But nibs are fun for sure!