“I’ll Always Wait For You.” Thank You Telltale. For Breaking My Heart. Always. [winky Face]

When a fanfic hasn’t been updated since 1829 but you read it anyways

All About Writing Fight Scenes

@galaxies-are-my-ink asked,

“Do you have any advice on writing fight scenes? The type of scene I’m writing is mostly hand to hand combat between two experts. I’m definitely not an expert so when I try to write it, the scene ends up sounding repetitive and dull.”

Fore note: This post is coauthored by myself and one of my amazing critique partners, Barik S. Smith, who both writes fantastic fight scenes and teaches mixed martial arts, various artistic martial arts, and weapons classes.

I (Bryn) will tell you a secret: I trained MMA for seven years, and when I write authentic hand to hand fight scenes, they sound dull too. 

The problem with fight scenes in books is that trying to describe each punch and kick and movement (especially if it’s the only thing you’re describing) creates a fight that feels like it’s in slow motion. 

I write…

Lowering her center of gravity, she held her right hand tight to her face and threw a jab towards his chin. He shifted his weight, ducking under her punch. His hair brushed against her fist, and he stepped forward, launching a shovel hook into her exposed side.

But your brain can only read so fast. In real life that series of events would take an instant, but I needed a full eight seconds to read and comprehend it, which gave it an inherent lethargic feel. 

So, we have two primary problems:

How do we describe this fight in a way the reader can understand and keep track of? 

How do we maintain a fast paced, interesting fight once we’ve broken down the fight far enough for readers to understand it? 

(We will get back to these, I promise.) But for now, let’s look at…

Different types of “fight scenes:”

Keep reading

Our next contributor spotlight goes to @nasenaya!

The eternal voltron mood

“You started young, right? What is your advice for young people?”

I V O R  &  J E S S E  (ep.1 / ep.12) ↳ “You know, I kinda regret punching you right now.”    “Yes, well. You weren’t the first.“

ARTIST ALLEY STARTUP GUIDE

Hello! My name is Toril, or Starlock, and I’m an independent comic artist! In the past two years I’ve tabled at a number of extremely different conventions, including Boston Comic Con, Rhode Island Comic Con, Otakon Vegas, Anime Boston, Emerald City Comic Con, MoCCA Fest, TCAF, Anime NEXT, Anime Expo, Otakon, SPX, MICExpo, and YaoiCon.  

Prior to this, I had never sold anything at a convention before, and I had barely considered the possibility of being able to make a living from my own work. To put it simply: I had no idea what I was doing. I would have crashed and burned without the help of my incredible friend Emily, but since not everyone has a friend who’s been making a living off of anime conventions for years, I thought I’d put together a post about everything I’ve learned to help out artists who may be thinking about jumping on this train.

Full disclosure: I was able to earn back my expenses (and profit) at every con I attended except Otakon Vegas and TCAF. Otakon Vegas in 2014 was a small con with low attendance, high expenses, and I was ill prepared. At TCAF 2014, I failed to account for the currency exchange rate in spite of selling out of everything, and spent a lot on transporting books over the border (I’m from the US and couldn’t drive at the time).

Of course, every person’s work, circumstances, and personality are wildly different, and your experiences will assuredly vary from mine. I can’t guarantee your success. However, I learned a remarkable amount about art, business, and checked bag fees over the past few years, and I hope what I include here proves valuable (or at least interesting) to anyone who’s interested in the North American con circuit!    

☆

Before you even think about choosing a convention to attend or what you’re going to sell, there’s an unfortunate truth we have to get out of the way:  You need to spend money to make money. I recommend setting aside $500 USD for registration, production costs, travel, and other expenses.   This is an extremely rough estimate. Your actual expenses will vary wildly– that said, be prepared to spend at least this much. Anything you save is a bonus.

☆ TYPES OF CONVENTIONS

Choosing the first con that you’ll sell at– or any con, for that matter– can be overwhelming.  

Comic: once a haven only for fans of the classic DC and Marvel empires, comic cons now often invite videogame, television, and film guests and companies. Cons like NYCC and SDCC are some of the biggest in the country, but can be difficult to land a table at, especially for a newcomer.

Anime: Mostly centered around fandoms for Japanese media and culture. AnimeExpo and Otakon are among the largest in the US, but more and more are founded every year, and you can find them all over the country.  

Small Press: Shows dedicated to independent comics, webcomics, zines, and their creators– shows like TCAF, VanCAF, SPX, and MoCCA can be quite exclusive, as well as expensive– MoCCA’s 2015 tables went for $460 each. Never be afraid to apply, though, because they’re always on the lookout for new blood!  

Furry: Cons specifically geared towards furries, and furry and anthro artists. I personally have not been to a furry con, but I’ve heard they can be extremely profitable for artists.  

Try to choose a con that suits your taste and intended audience!  Artist Alley is the most common name for the venue set aside for independent artists and craftspeople to sell their products. Artist alley tables can range from $50-500, but usually fall around the $75-150 range. Larger cons also often have Dealer’s Halls which provide space for vendors, publishers, and artists who have a lot of stock. Dealer’s Hall booths tend to be far more expensive, often upwards of $1000.  

If the cost is daunting, or you’re afraid that you won’t have enough merchandise to display at your table, consider splitting with an artist friend! I’ve split a table several times and it has never affected my sales– if anything, it makes the whole con a lot more fun~ you’ll have someone to talk to and complain with, and you can take turns watching the table while the other takes a break!  I can’t recommend splitting a table with more than one other person, however, unless you all only have a few items to sell.

Signup is usually six months to up to a year in advance– get on mailing lists, follow con twitter accounts, and keep an eye out for announcements! Some cons sell out in seconds after they open for artist alley signup, others have tables available for months.  

If you can, try to find an event happening in your area– close enough that you won’t have to pay for a hotel or transportation (aside from gas or a train ticket).  However, beware smaller cons that no one seems to have heard of! Even if it’s in the neighborhood, putting time and money into preparing for a con where there will be more artists than attendees isn’t worth it.   It also helps to apply for a table at a con you’ve been to before as an attendee! That way you’ll have a feel for what people sell there, the attendance, and what the general atmosphere is like.  Don’t make any travel arrangements until you’re sure you’ve got a table at the con.  

☆ MERCHANDISE

I don’t have time to go into detail on how to make merchandise– and there are tutorials for making nearly anything online– but figuring out what you’re going to be selling is important! You’re also going to have to decide whether to manufacture it yourself or pay to have it done for you. Here are some products I’ve seen sold at cons to give you an idea of what’s possible: business cards, prints, postcards, bookmarks, keychains & phone charms, stickers (some cons don’t allow stickers: make sure you’ll be able to sell them beforehand!), comics (zines, books, etc), printed sketchbooks and artbooks, dolls & plushes, apparel,  patches, washi tape, buttons & badges, and commissions.

FAST PRICE GUIDE (USD):

8x10" print - 10$ or 3/$25

11x17" print - 15$ or 2/25$

books: 3x the printing cost per book

Always bring AT LEAST enough merchandise so that if you sold 100% of it, you’d earn double your expenses.

☆ FAN vs ORIGINAL CONTENT  

There’s a lot of waffle over whether original content or fanart sells better at conventions, and the truth is that in my experience, there’s no solid answer to this question. The best advice I can offer is: make what you care about.  

It doesn’t matter if it’s fan art for the latest, trendiest manga, or a promotional poster for your own webcomic– your audience can tell when your heart isn’t in the work. If you make things to sell based solely on what you imagine is popular at the time of the con, you won’t get very far.  

Do not make fan art of independent properties– especially if they’ve asked publicly that no unlicensed merchandise be sold. It’s disrespectful, and can be damaging to their business.  The ethical and legal dilemma around the production and sale of fan art in general is not one I want to get into in this post, but I tend to support fan culture.

If you don’t have an audience for your original content already, it’s true that no one will know what it is and that it will be harder to sell it. That’s okay! You’re at the con to promote your work, and you have to start somewhere.  

☆ PRODUCTION TIPS

Make sure everything’s in your hands a week in advance before the con.

If you’re printing books, try to leave enough time to order proofs.  Make sure everything you’re bringing can fit in your bags without being damaged. For prints, you can buy a file case, but I find the box they’re shipped (if you’ve ordered them online) in works just fine.  

☆ TABLE DISPLAYS

There are a number of display methods, but the two most common are wire storage cube displays and pipe/clamp displays. I prefer the latter– for a basic pipe display, you will need:

2x Irwin Quick-Grip Clamps

6x 24"  long, ½" diameter PVC pipes

1x 18" long, ½" diameter PVC pipe

6x ½" diameter straight PVC pipe connectors

2x ½" diameter elbow PVC pipe connectors

this will run you around $30 USD at a home improvement warehouse like Home Depot or Lowe’s.

You may also need: book stands, business card holders, tape, scissors, zipties for the cubes, clips, and post-its to write prices on.

Here’s a shortlist of online manufacturers & printing services!

Fireball Printing

Catprint

Vistaprint

Gotprint

OvernightPrints

RA Comics Direct

Keness

1984 Printing (vegan!)

Amazon Createspace

Artscow

Digital Art Wear

Zap Creatives

☆ TRAVEL

Pack light. Most of your luggage will be your merchandise & display. Bring a change of clothes, toiletries, and other essentials– phone, sketchbook, etc. Leave valuable jewelry and electronics at home.  

ESSENTIAL CON EQUIPMENT

- tax papers & registration confirmation & cheques (you may have to pay your taxes at the con, or register for a table for next year!)

- square reader (or equivalent mobile POS system) + smartphone + exta battery

- notebook to keep track of sales

- water bottle & snacks, painkillers, any meds you take

- small bills for change

- do NOT bring a cash box. they’re bulky, heavy, and more likely to get stolen than a money pouch.

Be aware that most domestic US airlines start charging you anywhere from $50-200 if your bag is oversized or over 50lb. You can usually avoid a 50lb+ bag by having two smaller suitcases. Most airlines will also let you check boxes or crates, provided they’re securely sealed and labeled. CHECK on your airline’s website before getting to the airport so you won’t be surprised by a fee. 

Be careful taking luggage on Amtrak or buses: usually you’re only allowed one piece of checked baggage, and Amtrak sometimes won’t take check bags at all.  

Do NOT book a connecting flight to the con. You don’t want to miss your connection and arrive a day late!  

Do NOT carpool with strangers. Ever.

Cons often offer deals on rooms at nearby or sponsoring hotels. These are the most convenient option but can still be pricey– if you have friends going to the con, share the room! I find 3-5 people can generally split an average hotel room comfortably, as long as everyone manages to be respectful and sensible.  If you have friends or family in the area, ask if they can put you up! Of course, pay them back with a dinner date or baked goods~  Finally, check out AirBNB! You’d be surprised at the level of accommodation you can find.

Here is a list of travel services and airlines that come recommended: kayak.com, MegaBus, Porter Air, Jet Blue, Southwest Airlines, Virgin America, Alaska Airlines, Amtrak    

☆ AT THE CON

Confirm that you’ve arrived with the Artist Alley staff, check in for your table, and set up ASAP. Confirm what times the artist alley opens & closes. Ask if the hall will be locked overnight– most cons do this, so you can leave your things under the table (NEVER leave your money or any valuables unattended)  

REMEMBER: you’re at the con as a working professional. Act like it!  

Get to your table before the alley opens. Regardless of how busy you think business will be, it’s nice to be early.  Greet potential customers warmly and engage them in conversation.  

Some fall-back lines I use: “How’s the con so far?” “ I like your cosplay/outfit/hair!” “Are you dressed as ____? They’re my favourite character from ____!” “ What’s going on out there? I’ve barely left my table” “This is my webcomic, it’s about _____” etc.

NEVER TALK DOWN YOUR WORK. If you can’t speak about your work or yourself without being self-deprecating, why are you at the convention? If you don’t love your work, why should anyone else? This is the most important point in this entire post. 

Never pressure anyone into a sale.  

If business is slow and nothing’s going on, feel free to pass the time by drawing, checking your phone, or otherwise occupying yourself– but pay attention. I can’t tell you how disappointing it is to go up to an artist and find them withdrawn behind their table and totally off in their own little world, with barely a word to say to their fans. A lot of us– artists and fans alike– are shy, but we’re all people. Make an effort. Be polite.

SELF CARE:

- drink lots of water

- eat properly

- get enough sleep  

Finally, get out from behind your table and walk around! You’ll never know who you’ll run into, what cool artists you’ll discover, or what new friends you’ll meet!!

☆ PROFIT!

Congratulations! You’ve spent a weekend selling your own merchandise, and you’ve earned back your expenses– and then some. Treat yourself to dinner with some of your fellow artists, you deserve it!  

…or maybe it didn’t go so well.  If you weren’t able to break even, it’s okay. Take a deep breath. It’s not easy to earn a living with your art alone, and conventions are by no means a reliable source of income. Even the most profitable cons– and artists– have off years.   However, now isn’t the time to make excuses. Ask yourself the following questions– and be honest when you answer them. It’s likely your answers will tell you why you weren’t as successful as you hoped you’d be:

1. Do I have a significant pre-existing following online– fans who are ready and willing to buy my products? Did they know I would be here?  

2. Did I bring enough merchandise to sell? Did I price it correctly?  

3. Was the con busy, or was it clearly low attendance? If it was busy, was my table ignored or bypassed due to a poor or unclear display?  

4. Was I friendly, polite, and engaging? Did I make an effort to sell my products and appear happy to be there?  

5. Are my products appealing and well-crafted?    

When it comes down to it, you should not be attending a convention if all you want to do there is make money. Cons are an opportunity to meet and befriend peers in your field– people from all over the country (and world) who you would otherwise only interact with online. Don’t be afraid to spend time socializing, buy the things you like, and remember– stay in touch! The weekend will be over before you know it, but you’ll be chatting online (and meeting up at future cons) with your friends for years to come.

And finally, the last piece of advice I have to offer:

DO YOUR TAXES!!!

Black & White

Some Photoshop Tips

I’ve been getting quite a few asks about the process for the patterns in my stylized artworks, so I decided to put together a couple of tips regarding them. 

Firstly, what you need are

—  CUSTOM BRUSHES  —

Most of the patterns I use are custom brushes I made, such as those:

For the longest time I was convinced making brushes must be super extra complicated. I was super extra wrong. All you need to start is a transparent canvas (2500px x 2500px max):

This will be your brush tip. When you’re satisfied how it looks, click Ctrl+A to select the whole canvas and go to ‘define brush preset’ under the edit menu

You will be asked to name your new glorious creation. Choose something that describes it well, so you can easily find it between all the ‘asfsfgdgd’ brushes you’ve created to be only used once

This is it. Look at it, you have just created a photoshop brush. First time i did I felt like I was cheated my whole life. IT’S SO EASY WHY HASN’T ANYONE TOLD ME 

Time to edit the Good Boi to be more random, so it can be used as a Cool Fancy Pattern. Go into brush settings and change whatever you’d like. Here’s a list of what I do for patterns:

- under Shape Dynamics, I increase Size Jitter and Angle jitter by 5%-15% 

- under Brush Tip Shape, I increase spacing by a shitload. Sometimes it’s like 150%, the point is to get the initial brush tip we painted to be visible.

- If I want it to look random and noisy, I enable the Dual Brush option, which acts like another brush was put on top of the one we’ve created. You can adjust all of the Dual Brush options (Size, Spacing, Scatter, Count) as you wish to get a very nice random brush to smear on your  backgrounds

The result is as above. You can follow the same steps to create whatever brush you need: evenly spaced dots that look like you painted them by hand, geometric pattern to fill the background, a line of perfectly drawn XDs and so on. 

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE

—  PATHS  —

But what if you want to get lots of circles made of tiny dots? Or you need rows of triangles for your cool background? Photoshop can do all of that for you, thanks to the magic of paths.

Typically, paths window can be found right next to Layers:

Draw whatever path you want, the Shape Tool has quite a bit of options. Remember, paths are completely different from brush strokes and they won’t show up in the navigator. To move a path around, click A to enable path selection tool. You can use Ctrl+T to transform it, and if you move a path while pressing Alt it will be duplicated.

Now, pick a brush you wish really was in place of that path you’ve drawn and go to layers, then choose the layer you want it to be drawn on. Then, click this tiny circle under the Paths window:

Then witness the magic of photoshop doing the drawing for you while you wonder how tf have you managed to forget about this option for the past 2 years 

You can combine special brushes and paths for all sorts of cool effects. I mostly use them in backgrounds for my cards, but you can do whatever you want with them.

I hope that answers the questions for all of the people who were sending me inquires about the patterns. If you have any questions regarding this or any other Photoshop matter feel free to message me, I’m always up for complaining about how great and terrible Photoshop is C’: