Simplifying Your Art Style for Comics
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- Опубликовано: 19 дек 2023
- In this video I talk about the benefits of simplifying your art style and avoiding too much of your inner critic. There is a time to fix things and a time to let go and just create.
Sometimes I will over render my artwork and it can take me much longer to complete a piece. By making simplifications and certain style choices we can really speed up the art process.
In this Superior Spider-Man and Hobgoblin fan art piece I decided to just have fun with it and not be so critical. I don't think it worked well for this particular piece but I did find something along the way. I noticed it was a much easier workflow and it made me realize that drawing a comic in this style would be much more attainable on a deadline.
I prefer more rendered styles but I often feel like there is no way I could draw and ink a book like that within a month. So I might have to make these more simplified versions of my art to be able to produce the work on time.
The other way to think about this is that we can draw more detail on the splash pages or establishing shots and then pull back on the detail for all the other panels.
Ultimately we just have to experiment with all sorts of choices to get to the best of our abilities!
I hope you find this video to be informative and if you enjoy the content please LIKE - SHARE - SUBSCRIBE!!
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Robert A. Marzullo
Ram Studios Comics
www.ramstudioscomics.com 
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I've wrestled with this topic for decades in my work. I worked under senior artists who seemed so fast yet Zen-like in their drawings. I'd marvel at what they didn't include more than what they did. Composition and energy won over details every time. Clients responded emotionally instead of analytically.
At the beginning I would spend hours tightening my work and sucking the life out of it for the sake of detail and "realism." I'd peek my head around to see what was on other drawing tables and be frustrated by their breezy perfection despite imperfections. Like you say, there's a great, inspiring jealousy there, a friendly competition. It pushes us to find new techniques, fold in new habits, and let go of things we hold sacred.
It took me years to relax into a style and flow that satisfied my ideal while maintaining the energy of the initial sketches. I still wrestle with it, but I've learned to enjoy the wrestling.
you have really really strong draftsmanship. I'm trying to find a balance in my work because I do a lot of photo-realism but in my own style I also do comic art, so its interesting finding a way to mix the two.
I have been leaning towards simplifying my drawing style for the last decade or so because ultimately I came to the realization that if I expect to get anything done in terms of sequential storytelling on a timely fashion, I _need_ to cut corners wherever I can. And to save the heavy rendered style for doing pin-ups and the likes (but even then I have pretty much abandoned the heavy crosshatching). The trick is to find a way to keep your style consistent and at a level you're satisfied with. Cutting too many corners, pulling too many shortcuts, etc. might lead to a "Rob Liefeld situation" so you don't want that.
That said, I found that I had to make these compromises because I am a one-man band that has to do everything (plot, writing, drawing, inking, lettering, coloring, editing, publishing, etc.) on top of having a full-time job AND a family but this may not be required if one is working on a team where everyone shares the burden to some extent.
This actually helped me because I thought we needed lots of cross hatching and shading but comics can be anything simple,complex,etc.
I think the simple choice of the design can very often still get the point across and still tell the story. It’s also easier on the eyes of the reader\viewer; thanks Robert for the reminder and input. BTW, your work looks fantastic!
Very true. I read somewhere that many artists use the detail or lack of for the pacing of the story. Thanks very much and glad you like the work!
do you have any tips for making figures look well-planted in their environment?
If you have a painting course of just painting I´ll definitely buy it
Look at it this way, Rob --- That heavy rendering style that you might normally engage in... That look was created to portray gradiated tones because it was too expensive to do fully rendered color --- Comic artists no longer have that limitation.
Digital lets you control everything down to the pixel --- you don't have to work in a style created to compensate for the shitty printing of the late 80s --- because that's what that style is.
I've worked a LOT in that kind of style and it has its limitations -- which is why you've seen guys like Jim Lee and Silvestri (among others) really make a move away from it.
If you've explored that look long enough and your clients are happy with what you're doing--- branch out. Why not? Figuring out new ways to get it done never hurts an artist for sure.
Great points! Especially about developing a more unique style to help against the AI “artists”. As far as picking between this style and your more rendered style, at first glance the 2 styles are very similar looking, so especially time wise, I would go with this style here… but I also know sometimes it’s fun to just render the heck out of a drawing 😅
I now do no crosshatching just line weights, leave shading up for the colouring. I do a Michael Turner inspired style.
thank you for all the great tips keep up the good work 😃
Glad I can share and thank you for watching!
Thanks!
You're welcome. Thank you for the support! :)
I actually prefer the "cartoony" look for most panels, because when a drawing is too detailed, it makes me feel like I'm looking at an illustration and it breaks the immersion.
Personally I draw badly intentionally, this is regardless of the fact that I am not a great artist.
Of course it doesn't look great, but it helps me make episodes faster and with less pain, I don't have many readers, but I have more than when I gave my best in each panel (only I work on those comics, so save time it helps me a lot)
As a guy whose been practicing realistic style comic art for over 12 years , i can relate... The style is highly addictive to try n master but problem is that it is Poorly appreciated by the general public.
The style always warrants those that think they know what perfection is or expect percision excellence from an art form that is fiction based.
Its unhealthy ,and impractical to try to perfect this style. Its not condusive to try to please the never ending amount of nit pickers and nay sayers. Its more important to just be satisfied and fullfilled with your artn progress.
I love this retro / handpainted style. Its the reason I have some courses of yours even if they are way above my level.
Very nice ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thank you!!
I really like your videos. Please, don’t stop putting out your content!! Ignore the haters!
Thank you very much for the words of encouragement. I really appreciate that. More content on the way soon!
Good points. I think digging into alternative styles is great. If the whole of a book your doing blends together well and has a consistant style, and of course looks visually appealing that can convey the story your telling i dont feel the style matters so much. A bit long winded but ultimatly go crazy, have fun and make something different and cool.
Very neat drawing sir I love it thank you for sharing happy holidays 🎄
You are encountering the same Backlash that I have many times: the Stigma with Comic art is the way people feel inclined to over criticize and under appreciate. Its because companies like Marvel have over produced super professional level art and distibuted it to the masses for cheap, that people have become numb to what would normally be considered outstanding art, and instead view it as average or less than appealing.
AI is a pain in the arse to use, I type I want Jor El's look from John Byrne's Man Of Steel but instead gives me bearded Superman.
Hi. I saw your Figure Drawing -The Body in Action course. Are videos downloadable?
You are quite right about the AI, thanks for the video. ☕👍🏼👍🏼