Mini Comic Mayhem Part The First

Where Have I Been?





As you noticed I started posting pages here the other day. This was in response to a friend of mine who was wondering if I was still cartooning? I was. I am. But the experience of making the mini comic has been a taxing one, let alone the strike/work stoppage at my day gig in June and the crazy hot weather this Summer, bleh! Yet, I didn't want to use this as a platform for my feelings regarding the "job" and wanted/want to keep this site focused on creative and creating.

Rogue Alone - The Mini Comic Dump-truck Challenge


So my mini comic experience is mostly over. I was waiting for a round up podcast on the Art and Story members forum before discussing what I learned but I'm guessing they have been "still" waiting for my book as it was late shipping ...(Sorry)

The Project


Started in January of this year and was to be a minimum 8 page story that you wrote and drew and printed (or someone printed for you) and then shipped/traded with other members of the group that signed up for this challenge.

Sweet!!! Free comics! And all I gotta do is make one doing something I love, drawing!!! Remember this was called a "challenge?"Whatever I created/drew "30 characters in 30 days!!"





Yet, It was a challenge!!! For one, between losing my dad at the end of 2010 then my grandmother early in 2011 I was definitely up and down and behind early on in the process. But I was buoyed by the fact that I draw a page of stuff all the time. I thought "How long can eight pages take? Hell, I'll do 16 or 20! And I'll colour them too!" Err then as I went along I thought, "maybe I'll colour one page", then "one panel", then - never mind. I discuss some of my goals with the group on the Art and Story Alive Podcast




Time Management and Miscalculations


So yes I miscalculated. Surprised? Those who know me well wouldn't be but after doing "30 characters in 30 days" I thought I was up for this challenge. And there's the rub, the reason it is called a a challenge. I mean lots of people think they can make a comic and many do. But until you have done it, it is hard to know the amount of work involved. It is work and with work comes time (or time comes work). And that is where the miscalculations started.

Mentors

I have been in constant contact with my mentors at the Art and Story Supreme (premium) web site for over a year. I have listened to a lot of advice and ignored too much of it!

I mean who knows how to create better than me right? Hehe. That is the folly "grasshopper". Folly in assuming that "you" always know what is best for "you".

OK that is not necessary folly but that was a little bit of arrogance...


I think it would have been easier on myself if I would have listened to one of my mentors last Summer before the mini comic was even started.



The Mini Mini Comic




I was "challenged" by this mentor to complete a "mini" mini comic in one medium (8 page comic out of 1 piece of paper). Just stick with pencil on paper for example and to not get swayed by other tools/formats (which is exactly what happened).

It is not to say you can't use pencil, paper , pens, ink and pens brushes etc. But if you haven't really done this before (yes I have done comic pages and shorter stories ) but I had never done something 20 (err 16) pages long. So this mini mini would have been a great project to prepare me for the Mini Comic Dump-truck. Alas this was not to be...

Continued Later This Week...