Could use a bit of advice, mostly font

[stiletto]

I've been doing some messing around with comicing, though they're not webcomics since they're not on the web. Well, not yet. I'll put them up sometime, I'm in no hurry.

Anyway, this is my first full page and I was experimenting with several techniques on it. Some good, some not so good, and some that I was better at when I finished the page then when I started. I got some advice from a friend, some of which I followed, though one I'm not sure about is the font. I was looking for something handwrittenish though smooth. What do you think of the font I've got now, and can anyone think of something that may work better? So far this was the best I came across.

Also, if you've got any artistic advice as how I can improve this, that's certainly welcome. Keep in mind that this is probably the 4th image in the past few years that I've colored on a computer, and the second ever that used non-line hugging shading. I'm progressively figuring out this, and this comic will make for some nice practice.

And the page. http://i9.tinypic.com/4q399av.jpg

Edit: Here's the page with a new font I found: http://i10.tinypic.com/4pox8b6.jpg

Edit2: And the most recent font. Common font, but the best of the both I think. http://i17.tinypic.com/4ka5v2g.jpg

And for those of you who are wondering, he's a skunk. Yes, an olive skunk. Hush.

[Zedd]

What a nice lookign skunk...Im sure soon as your webcomic become popular enough...You might ask for cameos!

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

That's a nice colour scheme on him.

Erm. Those fonts look fine to me - amongst other things, Amber has stated several times that a nice all-caps font is good for webcomics, in her opinion. I think you've got a good one there.


FWIW, on basis of that page, you'd be added to my list as soon as you start updating... Not that that's a great honour, but...

The only comment I have is.. it's "a fine art" or "a science" - the phrases don't mix well...

[stiletto]

Hm, I think you're right. I should change that to "fine art." And that's a big list of webcomics you have there.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I watch a few of them, yes. Just a few, mind. :-]

[superluser]

Ooh!  Fonts! I can help ther--oh, handwriting fonts.  I'm less helpful there.

Suggestions:

1.) The font that you're using (I'm curious about the name) isn't too bad.  The G almost looks like a Q, but it's clear enough that it isn't.
2.) A lot of people use Blambot Pro/Blambot Classic, and they look very nice for comic lettering.  They aren't free, but they're pretty cheap, as far as fonts go.  If you're looking for something really clean, I might suggest looking at the old EC Comics.  That was hand-lettered, but it looks like something that might come from a Western Union telegram (You can find a facsimile here).
3.) It doesn't matter if you get a caps-only font, SO LONG AS YOU ONLY USE THE CAPS WHEN LETTERING.
4.) You might consider making a font of your own handwriting.  It's pretty easy to do with Fontforge.  I realize that this is probably more work than you'd like, but some people do have fun doing that sort of stuff.

In summary, I think the font is good, but there are cleaner ones out there.

[stiletto]

The font that I used there is called Lazy Dog. Found it on a free font site. And about half an hour ago I found a new font that I think works better, and was also free. I would make one of my own handwritting, except that my comic block lettering isn't all that good.

And caps lock is my friend when doing the lettering.

Here's the comic updated: http://i10.tinypic.com/4pox8b6.jpg

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Erm. That's the same link as above. Is that intentional, removing ability to compare the two, or accidental pasting of the wrong link? :-]

[stiletto]

Hm? No it's not. I just edited the top post to contain both links. Click the other one up top.

[superluser]

The font that I used there is called Lazy Dog. Found it on a free font site. And about half an hour ago I found a new font that I think works better, and was also free.

The new font (what's its name?) is pretty good (probably better than the other), but it seems to have some kerning issues.

If you're doing the type in Photoshop, and if you have Illustrator, you might consider scanning into Photoshop, but then doing the text and bubbles in Illustrator, which I think has better default kerning.

[stiletto]

Whoa, thank you for reminding me that I can adjust the kerning in Photoshop. I had been thinking "now only if it was a bit wider..."

Oh, and the new font is called DigitalStrip. http://www.abstractfonts.com/category/6/Handwriting

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Oh, I see. d'oh.

Personally, I prefer the original font. The second one is clearer, but has less personality. In my opinion. :-]

It's too regular, which detracts, slightly, from the comic-book effect, as I see it. Not massively, but just a little - where the original font seemed like it'd been scrawled into the comic, making it one object, the new font is just regular enough to appear as if it's been printed over the top of the image, as it were.

This is all my subjective view, of course. You're welcome to go whichever way you desire, and it's possible the regular effect was actually what you wanted to achieve. :-]

[stiletto]

Too much of a scrawled look looked out of place to me since so much of the page has digital work on it. I wonder if a lot of people don't agree with that.

And I adjusted the kerning ever so slightly. Didn't update the page though, it's not important.

[superluser]

Personally, I prefer the original font. The second one is clearer, but has less personality. In my opinion. :-]

Yeah, but he wants clearer.  I'd go with the one with more personality, myself, but it's his personal preference.

[stiletto]

Perhaps I can find something both clear and with personality... I'll take a look at those Blambot fonts.

Edit: Yeeg, I'd still rather not pay $20 for a font.

Edit Again!: And here's hopefully the last of my long list of little touch ups to this page. http://i17.tinypic.com/4ka5v2g.jpg

This font is a nice inbetween.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Yeah, but he wants clearer.  I'd go with the one with more personality, myself, but it's his personal preference.

I beg to differ. He asked for advice and opinions. My opinion is the first is better :-P

Granted, not everyone is going to agree with me, and that's just fine. You don't, that's also fine. I have no problems with that at all.

Honest.

Ok, maybe just a -little- ego issue. But that's my problem, not yours :-]

*cough* back to the subject at hand. While we're nitpicking (sorry, stiletto :-] ) "nowhere" is a single word, not two (panel 3, balloon 2)... and I still prefer the original font. It does depend on the effect you're attempting to create here - the original font is heavier type, and hence shows up better (I think, again) but, being larger, will limit just how much text you can put in each balloon, and how big said balloon is. This will have an impact on you, longer term - are you likely to have wordy explanations, or is the first couple of comics wordy, and then it'll stop the exposition? If you're going to be wordy, do you prefer a heavier type, or a lighter one? Would you like clean, regular text, or slightly less clean, but more cartoony?

Bear in mind you can use different fonts for different reasons - having a "general thinking" font, a "general talking", "general shouting", "this specific character is talking", etc, can add a lot of personality to the comic. This isn't going to be obvious in the first page, which is almost all thinking, first person, but is an option you may keep in mind...

I'm not asking all this to get answers, mind, I'm providing questions you should have answers to, so you can make up your own mind about it.

[Damaris]

I personally prefer the first font as well.

When I'm working for library things, I tend to gravitate toward Braddon for the more "youthful" signage.  I believe it's free and possible one you might like.