When I saw that the Academy of Art University was hosting a symposium on the Future of Comics, I knew I had to go. I’m glad I did because getting a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process behind comic books has always fascinated me. As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, I’m a huge fan of comics and as the industry moves to a digital distribution, I’m intrigued to see how professionals are making the transition.
This symposium was created to address that transition and see how professionals are taking advantage of the technology that is available as a means of showcasing their work.
The panel included a number of artists and creators including:
- Ryan Woodward (Bottom of the Ninth)
- Lora Innes (The Dreamer)
- Katie Longua (Rok)
- Sam Garland (Figments)
- Christopher Allen (Touched)
- Jeremy Saliba (Cover Artist – Dynamite Comics)
- Fahim Niaz (Manga Studio Pro)
- Matthew Chung & Dan Weeks (Madefire)
Topics were varied including how creators got their start, what motivated them to get into comics as well as the creative process in developing a comic whether it is online or in print.
Attendees were given a presentation of Ryan Woodward’s Bottom of the Ninth highlighting the implementation of 2D-3D art while leveraging a digital platform like the iPad.
Lora Innes gave attendees an overview of her creative process ranging from how to craft the script to tools used for coloring when nearing completion of an issue of The Dreamer.
Many of the creators acknowledged the transition in the business of comics as a whole moving from print to digital where the rise of online distribution is increasing as well as digital distribution through channels such as Comixology and Graphicly.
University students were also given a glimpse at digital comic creation tools such as Manga Pro Studio and Infinite Canvas. These tools will allow you to import your work and visually share creations.
Making a comic from scratch isn’t what it used to be. The tools have changed and the process is more streamlined. But aside from Photoshop, Illustrator, and, of course, hard drives, there is one tool that is still essential to the creative process that was specifically called out when a question about tools was asked of the panelists – imagination.
Take a look at some of the photos below and check out the works of the panelists. You may like what you see and be inspired to create your own comic. And as always, to see and share more stories about the creative process join us at SeagateCreative.
