Hello
So... you'd like to improve your art further.
I have compiled some recs that I use- some are free some are not (I'll put a $ next to the things you have to pay for but honestly I implore you to buy some of these resources if possible. Perhaps one thing at a time)
Take everything with a grain of salt, experiment, it won't be over night success (whatever success means to you) honestly come back to this info as often as you'd like. I try to mass update when I can/remember ;^)
Vincent out! star trek sounds
Anatomy and Reference Material
- Andrew Loomis books(take it with a grain of extra salt)
- Bodies in Motion(my go to for warm ups)
- Draw Random Faces(good exercise)
- Pose Space (various body sizes)
- AdorkaStock (the titans of Stock refs)
- Ref Pack (Couples pack but there are others available)
- Draw A Box
- Line Of Action(Anatomy+Animals+Scenery refs)
- Thread + eBook on Composition($10 ebook)
- Shotdeck( Film/Composition studies)
- Animated Screencaps(Like Shotdeck but animated films)
- Dimensions(LOTS of various ref. packs)
- Color Challenges(fun w/ resources)
- Coolors(Color Generator I swear by)
- Glasses on Figure Ref
- Lighting Ref for Heads (Twit Thread + Ref pack$)
- Fabric Ref Pack ($)
Handy-Art Reference Tool ($) Technically it's an app but I use it a lot for Hand and Head angle/poses
Business Stuff
Make sure you're putting your name in your social bios! Lmao your potential AD/Client needs to know how to address you in addition to your pronouns. Also, your links! Make sure they work and you have them in a pinned tweet! Make a Carrd or a Linktree! Both are free!!
Also if you have a shop- consider getting a PO Box for extra privacy(I believe you can go to the post office for help on that, I don't have info on it but it's a tip I heard and thought I'd share)
- Art Director Advice
- Estimate Tax info(Freelancers)
- Litebox (Idea of how to Price your work)
- To Sign PDFs (like a contract)
- Kofi's Guide to Making Income
- Paper Cat Press (keeps you updated on jobs/opportunities)
- When to Hashtag
- When to Hashtag(alternative)
- Merch suppliers (posters/pins/etc)
- More Merch suppliers (Twit Thread)
- Convention Supplies/Set Up
- Convention Info (dates/sign ups)
Comic/Graphic Novel/Webcomic specific
- Creator Resource (various comic related info)
- Pitching/Querying Recs from an Agent
- Editor's Take on Pitching (Twit Thread)
- Podcast On Making and Marketing Comics/GNs
- Blog full of Writing Resources (Technically Screenwriting but if it helps)
- Comic Outlines (Twit Thread)
- General Webcomic to Print advice(Twit Thread)
- Comic/GN/Webcomic Planner(a spread to help you with time management)
- Blog on Written/Illustrative GN process
- Comic Page Templates
- Comic Calculator (Panel specs/bleeds/dimensions)
- Scrolling Webcomic Transitions Tips
- Croppy(for Webtoons/Tapas formatting)
- Blambot (Bunch of fonts and other resources)
- Literary Agents of Color (Database)
- Manuscript Wishlist (General Lit Agent Database, helps see what they want to rep)
- Agent Redflags (Twit Thread)
- Agent Rep(Twit Thread I found interesting)
- Americana Archive(great blog resource if you're story is set between 1900-1990)
Software and other Knowledge
Software doesn't make the artist but it sure as hell can make things prettier and save time so:
- HUGE Spread of various resources
- Animator Survival Guide (free pdf of the book!!)
- Storyboarder (program)
- How to Storyboard($)
- Story boarding (In Depth Youtube vids)
- Comic Lettering help($)
- Calligraphr (make your own fonts)
- Blender (2D/3D Animation Program)
- Animate/Create with Blender (tutorial)
- Animate with Blender(tutorial)
- Clip Studio Paint (Program, $ but worth it, often on sale)
- Animate with Clip Studio(tutorial)
- Symmetrical Patterns in Clip Studio (Twit Tutorial Thread)
- Autodesk Sketchbook (program)
- Color Scheme generator
- Natural Reader (Text to Speak Chrome App)
- Scanning Traditional Line work(basically how I work)
BOOKS
Books. They are helpful as fuck, Old Sport.
These books are good for Business, Drawing, and Storytelling
You might be able to find free pdfs if you dig but these are avaible to buy and check out places like ThriftBooks maybe they have a cheaper version. Most of these are like $25 or less I believe. Just buy one at a time and what fits for you.
How to Draw by Scott Robertson (more in depth version of Draw A Box and it can be lengthy but if you struggle to draw perspective, cars, building- I recommend reading several times)
Framed Ink by Marcos Mateu-Mestre (really good if you're into concept art, storyboarding, or comics but honestly just a good book in general)
Shot by Shot by Steven D. Katz (technically this is for film making but if you're into comics or want to make you work look cinematic or have story..check out film books)
The Art of Dramatic Writing by Lajos Egri (another book that can be good for Comic Creators)
Handbook Pricing and Ethical Guidelines 15th Edition by Graphic Artists Guild (Like Litebox but..a book. Want to price your work better? This book gives you great help on how to do that. This book will give you ideas on how to price but ultimately YOU have to decide on what price fits for what you're doing)
Art Study Advice
OH!- If there are artists you like and there are elements of their style you would like to experiment within your own work- keep a "Dream Portfolio" where you make not of what you like about several different artists. Maybe there's a pattern that you're finding "Hey I like how these people color!" "I like how these two ink!" okay good! In a private sketchbook see if you can imitate them BUT put your own twist in it! Don't straight up copy, study their art and see how they might do things and see if maybe you would like to do stuff like that. A private Pinterest board is a good way to keep a digital Dream Portfolio- or a Tumblr (rip) or Twitter list. Study but DO NOT copy artists.
Experiment. Reach out for constructive criticism when you can (just be specific on what elements in your work you want to push and that'll help you get a clearer, more helpful response)
Portfolio/Gig Advice
From my own experience, it will NOT be enjoyable if you're taking every gig you see and getting paid in dirt or drawing something you don't vibe with. Make sure your portfolio reflects what you want to make. I want to make expressive comics and illustrate for Glamour Adverts, living out a fantasy of being someone from Mad Men (but less of an ass)- figure out what you want to draw.
If you're a comic artist:
Make sure you have sequential art on your portfolios! Make sure you can draw backgrounds and action/expression (to some degree) and have examples! Make sure you have gutters around your panels! Make sure your text is legible!!
Health Advice
Literally a note to self:
Stretch often! Rest your eyes! Do some yoga on youtube. Go on a 5min walk to clear your head. Buy some CBD Menthol cream for hand/arm/knee aches. Just go tf to bed! Take a cat nap. Schedule posts. Drink water and eat. Play a video game or your instruments. LMAO TOUCH GRASS GODDAMN