Drawing Captivating Sounds

Your comic book pages will ROCK with the help of some cleverly designed sound effects!  The world isn't a silent place.  Use sound effects to bring mood to those scenes.  If you need help finding words use a quick browser search for onomatopoeia.  Its just a fancy word for written sound effects.

Even though as an artist you can make some pretty amazing designs for your word art by hand you may want to consider a design program such as CorelDraw, Illustrator, or even Manga Studios for your word art.  You're going to save your self some time, especially if you decide to make changes.  I hope by know you're starting to appreciate the job of a letterer.

Word art for sound effects is pretty upfront.  Size equates to loudness, so if your sound effect is really small its considered a whisper while if its really large its practically an explosion.  Play with colors to contrast and enhance the scene.       
Font plays an important role in representing the sound displayed.  There are several helpful sights when it comes to fonts and word art for comics.  Try Blambot.com or Comic Craft for a great collection of fonts and advice about lettering.
 

Becoming a Profitable Comic Artist

At this point you have already worked on your talent and have impressed enough people to convince yourself to pursue an art career as a comic book artist.  So lets get into what you need to know to start building yourself up to a professional level as an artist. Now is the time to start taking these specific steps in order to build a solid foundation.  It starts here, right where you are, reading this article and taking notes.  I'm going to be upfront with you and let you know right off the bat that this road to success is a process that takes time and effort. It won't happen over night and you will need to invest your time and effort to carve out your spot of the lime light.

First and most important: draw constantly.  You will need to do this to keep improving your artistic skill set so draw projects, not just doodles or studies.  You need this for repetition. This will help build your creative habit.  Your mind and body will become accustomed to creating art constantly.  Take your sketchbook out in public.  This will have many benefits.  Besides getting use to drawing in a hectic environment it will expose your art to people.  Take in the compliments as well as the critics...yes the critics, too.  The art world is subjective and there are many opinionated fools out there waiting to bring you down.  Take the abuse now and develop leather skin so you can feel much more comfortable when working with an editor later.
 
Network.  You need to be on social media.  If you're already there, awesome.  If not, better get started now.  As of the time that I'm writing this article the most useful and necessary online website and applications to be on are:

Stay in touch with social media.

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• DeviantArt
• LinkedIn

There are a few more but these are the basic.  Don't fall into the social media trap where you feel like you have to become a slave and check it every minute and update it constantly.  A few days or weekly post is fine.  Get into the habit of sharing your art work on each of the sites.  Learn about tools that will send the message over several of your sites at once.  Try to maintain an online portfolio on either or both Deviant Art and/or Instagram.  This will be very useful when networking and having to show someone your portfolio on the go.  Keep it up to date.  Remember to also make an artist Facebook page.  Its a good practice to keep your personal and professional life separate.  

 

Become familiar with the Graphic Artist Guild and purchase their handbook.  It contains very important information about pricing your work and contracts.  

 

Challenge yourself.  Participate in contests and trade shows like a comic book convention.  An art contest for comic or pop art is a perfect way to get exposure.  you would be surprised at the amount of people that begin to recognize your style, so always do your best.  Don't just do it.  Really put in the effort and then add it to your portfolio.  Attend comic conventions.  Get some advice from upcoming artists and support your local scene.  You'll get better information if you buy something from the artist.  Remember that you're taking up their time with your curiosity.  After 1 or 2 trips to the convention, get yourself a booth in artist alley.  

 

Don't be afraid of taking work for exposure, but learn when it is appropriate.  Many established artists won't do this, so take advantage.  When done correctly the experience can boost you up incredibly.  Interview the publisher and make sure they have the credentials: a large national or global audience that is verifiable.  Make sure that you are in agreement as to you being awarded recognition for your work and have it in writing as a written agreement with monetary consequences.  The work should be considerably a small job. Once published share it with everyone on your social media. 

 

Establish your rates and stick to them.  This will require you to evaluate the market.  See what other artist are charging for their work, especially artist that have similar talent to yourself.  Start at a competitive rate until you build up your recognition through your art work.  Try to set your price early on as to not be hassled by demanding clients, writers, and/or publishers. Stay firm on your prices, you did your research and you know your talent.      

 

Start practicing this today and mold yourself into a productive and creative artist.  

    

Comic Con: Florida Supercon July 1-4

Remember to make your reservations to the upcoming Florida Supercon to be held at the Miami Beach Convention Center.  SUPERCON is the LARGEST Comic Con in South Florida, and is a four day celebration of Comic Books, Anime, Animation, Video Games, Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Pop Culture. It's Florida's BIGGEST COSPLAY & COSTUMING EVENT of the summer! There are multiple costume and cosplay events each day of the show, with thousands of dollars in cash and prizes on the line! This years Costume Competition will take place on our NEW main stage at the HISTORIC Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater, located directly adjacent to The Miami Beach Convention Center, and has a seating capacity of up to 2,462 people. The theater will host Supercon’s main events!

Get your tickets now!

www.floridasupercon.com.

Editor's Preface

Slowly entering the comic book industry I realized there are limited resources for new and dedicated comic book professionals.  Don't get me wrong or confused, there are many resources about comics, how to draw them, and eventually publish them, but as I peeled away the candy coating and revealed the body of work for these promising books, I realized how much they resembled each other.  Its not to say that the advice wasn't useful, but it became apparently obviously redundant. I was starving for up to date articles like how to use crowd funding to get my comic sold and printed.  What are the best marketing strategies used by other indie publishers that helped launch their recent titles?  What are some of the better to best brands for inking pencil sketches on comic art boards?  How to put together a small team of artists to work on a comic book series?  How to make MONEY FROM SELF-PUBLISHING?

After reading countless books and articles, not to mention my current adventures in self-publishing and running a small indie comic book studio, I decided to share my experiences and some of the great articles out there  with fellow ambitious comic book professionals.  

If we keep each other inspired we will bring ourselves closer to success in the chaos that is the art world.  

So with this I say welcome my friends and let us begin creating amazing comic book art together!

-Andres R. Prieto

Editor in Chief

New Miami Comics

Co-Owner and Managing Partner

Digital Hand Studios   

Artist: Antonio Clark

Meet Antonio Clark.  Take a moment to hear about his inspirations and motivations when it comes to comic book art.  Like most comic book artist Antonio says he draws every day.  I can share his enthusiasm as I practically do the same and encourage young artist to take a similar road.  Practice and practice over and over.  Its a lesson as old as art itself and a very applicable today.

I hope you find this a bit motivating. 

Doodles, Sketches, & Studies

Drawings are not all the same, nor are the benefits.  We're going to briefly explore the 3 basic drawing types and what they do.

Doodles are a simplistic drawing that you do while you are engaged in something else.  It takes minimum effort or concentration, in fact somethings its your subconscious moving your pencils.  Even though you aren't really creating anything significant with this type of drawing, your body is learning basic strokes and pencil/pen movements. 

Sketching is usually done with a purpose.  You have in mind a particular subject and attempt your best in creating a sketch.  This is the most common approach to practice in many intermediate artists. 

The last is the study.  Its when you vet a particular subject

or artist and practice several sketches dedicated towards that same subject in order to improve or better understand the subject. Hands, faces, even other artist's styles all become subjects to study.  This is very common among advanced to professional artists.

Now you have something to think about before you put the pencil against and create a new drawing.

Competing in the Indie Publishing Arena

With the comic book industry pushing forward with the tremendous help from the comic book movies this year its no wonder why their have been so many indie comic book publishers sprouting up everywhere.  This is a great thing but you need to understand how to steer around the competition in order to make your comic book stand out.  Here are a few tips.

Judge the quality of art in your own project honestly.  Compare it to other comics at your level.  What are they doing? How many fans do they have?  Always push yourself for better art.

Is your story interesting?  Pass it around.  Do people like it?  Do they want to buy it?  Rely on a little feed back to know what to work on as the story develops or if you plan to make a second book.

Is it priced comparatively.  Look around for similar books. How much are they going for?  Did you budget accordingly or did you pay too much to make your comic?

Spread the word! With today's social media it is much easier to share your ideas and promote your comic.  Don't go over board.  Share it with a few social groups at a time. Remember that people usually members of the same several groups that you belong to as well.

Lastly, go out there and show people your comic. Go to comic book stores and conventions.  Even book stores. You'll be surprised at how many new fans you'll make.

Here comes the next trailer for Dr. Strange!  This film looks very promising.  I wonder how this one like will connect to the other Marvel films.

Warfare Between Comic Juggernauts

As the onslaught on comic movies continue this year so does the critical review from fans.  Are the studios feeling the pressure as they carefully watch their numbers every week?  Fans and critics fight about the reviews of Batman v Superman as great expectations are set in for Captain America: Civil War and Suicide Squad.  The speculation of changes in upcoming movies from the DC universe contue as the mixed feeling and numbers are examined everyday. 

Should DC find a need to step up their game in the movie arena?

Next Starwars Movie already?!

Keeping with the George Lucas chronological order of things, Rouge One happens almost as a prequel to the original movies.  Its going to be really cool to see what happened before the New Hope movie as the Resistance infiltrates the Death Star.  This will surely provide fans with an in-depth look into the history of Vader's galactic weapon.

Comic booths: Great Exposure or Bust?

Several comic book conventions bring in so many fans every year.  It would seem like the best place to get the word out about your comic, indie studio, or sell stuff as a vendor.  But is it all smoke and mirrors?  Many attendants come to hang out and enjoy themselves,  but that doesn't mean they an to spend money.  Hundreds come for the panels and to partake in the activities.  A good number take pics for their Facebook page or blog.  As the rise of booths every year lead to this question: is it worth it as a vendor or indie publisher to get a booth? 

The answer is complex.  Getting a booth to represent your comic or studio says "Here we are!" but lets weigh the benefits.  You can always get a table at artist alley...where people are more than likely just going to look at your art and very rarely buy.  In your established indie publisher booth  you expect to make more sales...but most of the time not enough to make a profit or even cover your booth.  Net working? Most other artists are very reluctant to work with you because they have dream projects of their own.  And if you're going to pay $500 or more just to get a few more followers on your page you can get a ton more for way less than you would pay for a booth. 

There are the select few who really have a successful experience at a comic book convention and I'm going past the having fun and making friends.  I'm talking about making a significant profit, gaining clients or strong partnerships, and truly making such an appearance that it results in hundreds to thousands of new followers and fans. 

Comic cons are great to attend but are you wasting money in having a booth in several conventions per year?

Dr. Strange and the Big Screen

Check out the incredible trailer for Dr. Strange.  Benedict Cumberbatch portrayal of the astounding Dr. Stephan Vincent Strange will be interesting to see to say the least.    The synopsis of the movie from several sources say that Dr. Strange was an egotistical neurosurgeon who unfortunately suffers a crippling injury from a car accident that sends him on a insane quest for a miracle cure.  Apparently he teams up or is taken under the wings of Baron Mordor played by Kevin Micheal Richardson.    Set to debut November of this year. 

We might be getting another armored charactered to assist Ironman and you won't believe who it might be...

http://www.newsarama.com/28753-bendis-teaser-is-the-mary-jane-s-superhero-debut.html

http://www.newsarama.com/28753-bendis-teaser-is-the-mary-jane-s-superhero-debut.html

Survival Guide to Attending Comic Conventions

Going to a comic convention is an amazing experience that can become very overwhelming very quickly.  There are so many things and people to look at that it might take you a while to process.  The best practice is to have a game plan.  Here are a few tips to consider before going to the comic convention:

Stay hydrated.  Whether you come in cosplay or just checking out the local artists remember to drink water.  Take a water bottle with you or buy one inside quickly.  You're going to be walking around and standing in lines so its important to have plenty of water.  With that in mind search for all of the bathrooms.  Try to go when its less busy and go frequently.  Sometimes the bathrooms can have long lines so don't wait until you can't hold it any more.

Bring money.  Besides the admission you should bring some money for food and cool stuff you might like to buy. Budget at least $20 for every 3 hours you plan to be there.  Remember that there are plenty of incredible comics, original art, prints, and collectables available so remember to budget for that, too.

Bring your fully charged cell phone and charger.  Try not to play on the phone to often. Remember they you want to conserve battery life so you can call friends to meet up or in case you or your friends get lost.  Some of these comic conventions can be very big and confusing like a maze.  Keep an eye for power outlets and ask for permission before you plugin.

 

Have a small bag to carry snacks and water bottles on outside compartments and enough space to carry comics and other cool stuff you may purchase.  Don't get offended but some places may require for security to check your bag.  Its usually quick and it keeps everyone safe. 

Buying stuff.  If you see something you like buy it sooner than later.  A lot of cool stuff sells out very fast.  So if you're interested in something consider it quickly.  Remember to budget for thing you may want.  The usual places or venders are: comics and collectables, local comic studios/publishers, artist alley is filled with prints and original art/commissions, special guest and signings.  Figure what you want before hand.  Remember that these events have flyers with what you can expect to find at their convention.

Bring a camera. Your phone is great but you might want to consider bringing a camera.  There's going to be a ton of people dressed up as your favorite characters.  Cosplayers usually flood the conventions and its a specially worth capturing and posting on your Facebook page.  Please ask cosplayers permission to take a picture.  Don't grope or fondle cosplayers.  Be polite because many cosplayers are people just like you and I.  Some cosplayers are models or professionals and may sell or direct you to their website to buy prints. 

Remember to visit and support local artists and indie publishers.  You can find a great amount of fun and creative books and art for your enjoyment and to share with friends.

I hope this helps and keeps everything fun and exciting for everyone.

Marvel movies to look forward to...

A series of exciting movies are being rolled out soon. Check out these great trailers:

2016

2016

2017

Avengers: Civil War

Marvel's hard at work bringing their universe to the big screen.  Captain America finds himself in a predicament as he prepares himself to defend an old comrade, Bucky Barnes just as Tony Stark, Iron man, is putting the Avengers in check for the world disasters from the previous films.  There are several scenes from the trailers so far that showcase a good deal of Marvel characters fighting it out to establish order to their world.

This has to be interesting to see how everything plays out and leads us to the Infinity Gauntlet.  Check out the latest trailer and keep your eyes peeled for some though provoking Easter eggs within the preview.

Let us what are your thoughts about Black Panther and Spiderman, not to mention Antman.

Kick Starter of the Week: STAR

Our Kickstarter project pick of the week is Star by Richard Clark.  Its about a media/news reporter personality named Star in the future and how the evolution of our current trends affects reporting the news.  High pace story with action.  The art as far as we can tell looks very exceptional. Read through the 72 page graphic novel and follow Star as she goes too far to report the news.

Check out the Kickstarter page for STAR and consider getting in on some of the action.  Click on the "STAR" link above.  With just a few days left Clark could really use your support in getting this project off the ground. 

The Long Awaited Animated Movie for The Killing Joke

This has been in the making for a while but the timing was always off in the past.  This story takes the Batman series to such dark places that DC still has a problem with making it cannon.  For those of you familiar with Alan Moore will already know that he has a dramatic and dark realism to his stories and these one is far from any exception.  The animators and voice actors from the original Batman the animated series will help propel this movie to be a fan favorite.  Mark Hamill reprises the role of the Joker as well as Kevin Conroy as Batman.

This will be a special treat for both the comic novel fans and the animated series fans as well.

Share your thoughts.  

Batman v Superman

There has been a lot of buzz over the Batman v Superman movie.  With its mixed reviews its had to decide whether to go and check it out or wait until it comes out on Netflix, especially after Fox's Fantastic Four's disaster.  So what can you expect from this long awaited cinematic showcase?

I saw Batman v Superman at the Cinebistro.  I will tell you this right off the bat, if you have been thinking about seeing it, then see it.  Don't get mixed emotions because of the mess of critics out in the social media stream.  I personally enjoyed it.  The movie does come with a cluster of critics but for different reasons.  The movie itself was well made.  The problem that have some fanboys bent out of shape are the introduction of certain characters in which they will argue that their origin was not cited correctly.  But you know what...that's ok because of creative licensing and it makes the movie interesting.  The film is littered with references from famous comics from each of the main characters.  You can say it pays homage to the stories that have impacted these characters in the their development and fandom to this day.  Many comic fans will understand the references and find it interesting how the series will develop.  Really don't worry about plot holes.  Let the movie unwrap itself and you'll have something to look forward to the Blueray release and future movies.

Its no secret that the Justice League movies will mimic the Avengers by heading to an ultimate battle down the line.  And just as the Avengers prepare to battle Thanos in the near future over the Infinity Gautlet so to will the Justice League find themselves against a formidable foe, Darkseid.

 If you ask DC fans, many of them are going to tell you top watch the movie.  I really liked it.  Go check it out.  Definitely a thumbs up from us!

Welcome to the Blog!

Welcome to our blog!

First off Let me welcome you guys to our new blog!  Consider this an extension of Digital Hand Studios.  This will be our fun comic blog.  I'll introduce you guys to the team in the next couple of days.  We're gonna' blog about comics, mainstream and indies, movies, and a lot more.  We want to share Kickstarters and fun projects, showcase artists, and post art techniques.  

 We'll have a Youtube channel soon enough because everybody and their mother is video casting now a days. 

And finally, we'll be sharing our own projects that we've been up to during this long hiatus....oh my!   

So share the word, like our page on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter!

Thanks!

Awesome Andres