deviantART: kaidafaye.deviantart.com tumblr Sketchblog: jennidoesart.tumblr.com
Official Website: jennidoesart.com
- Created By KaidaFaye
Manga Studio Disappeared--
--in the middle of inking. I don't know where it is, but until someone reinstalls Manga Studio on my computer, LoveNote is ONCE AGAIN postponed. I'm really sorry to those of you who were looking to my 68 page one shot gamer romance, but it looks like it'll be a while.
In other news: I need commissions. I have to raise $145 for a plane ticket to Tallahassee on March 1st and another $200 for another plane ticket on April 30th. Thankfully, after April I will no longer need to raise money like this in such a short amount of time.
I've pretty much willing to draw whatever for cash, as long as it's not pornographic (nekid activities and such). I can even draw you a comic if you have a story you can't draw yourself or you would like to see in my style. Or, if you simply want an illustration of your choosing, I can definitely do that for you. For a price (hence, commission).
Character Sketch: $5
Black and White Comic Strip: $8
Full Black and White Comic: $10/page
Since Manga Studio isn't available at the moment, I'll be using traditional inking and pencil methods, as well as Photoshop CS6.
My recent references:
Send a message if you're interested!
*If you'd like something in colour, please let me know and we can discuss it depending on what kind of colouring you'd like*
The Original Doujinshi-Making Process
After repeated failed attempts at making original manga(or original doujinshi), I've found the process that works the best for me. It's painstakingly long, and I feel like I could skip some steps but really I shouldn't if I want the comic to turn out well. This is my comic-making guide:
The Process:
Step 1: PLOT and SETTING What kind of story do I want to write? If you're like me, you have certain scenes in your head already, but you really have no strong connection as to how they should happen. Also, if you're like me, you have certain elements you want in your manga, but have no strong reason for having it there. Some anime and manga can pull off having nonsense randomness in their comics, but honestly it's difficult.
To connect all the elements I want, I question each event. Let's start with "Aliens are abducting cows." First I ask "Why are cows being abducted?" I answer myself with "Because the aliens want ice cream." Then "Why do they want ice cream?" Well, "Because it's a delicacy on their planet." Then the aliens: "Who are the aliens?" "They're interdimensional transporters." "Does anybody see them?" "Yes, but they don't do much about it; KaidaFaye is the only one who cares." "What does she do about it?" "She gets scouted to help them maintain peace between..." You get the idea: Question until you can fit everything you want in there together and you have a purpose for the main character(KaidaFaye is mine) and a setting. Pick a setting that suits your tastes and satisfies the characters in the plot.
It's helpful to write down your plot and setting once you're got it all figured out.
Step 2: CHARACTERS Honestly, you probably already had your characters picked out from the beginning. If you have, you can now refine your characters and their roles according to the plot you made. I found this on deviantART, and it's really helpful for making sure your characters are balanced:
Balanced characters means balanced comic. This way, not all the characters run together because their traits are too similar. Your main character should stay the main character, being the most complex in order for the audience to related to him/her more.
Step 3: SCRIPT At this point you want to start drawing ASAP...don't. This is where you plan out each chapter of your comic--what they say, what they do: it's essentially a screenplay. By writing before drawing, you keep your story more organized and less room for mistakes that you can't take back after you print copies of the thing.
Step 4: STORYBOARDING Almost at the comicking point!! I use this to help me plan out how I want the comic to be laid out. I draw a very rough stick-figured draft of how I want the page to look, and I write the part of the script the page covers next to it on the lines. I see the storyboarding step of the comic as the final draft of the script, since this is where I make final changes. For example, I changed my beginning scene a bit in the storyboarding phase because it plumb didn't look appealing in the sketch: it was hard to fit and it didn't look nice. I try to make my first page eye-catching.
Step 5: PENCILING AND INKING Now you can finally draw the comic!! Following the storyboard, you draw in your characters, backgrounds, word bubbles, etc. Using the waterproof inks and pens of your choice, carefully ink over the pencil. When the ink is dry, erase with a really good eraser, like Magic Rub, and use white out/white ink/white paint to fix any inking mistakes you made. If you're into screentone and all that, you apply that after the inking, but I never learned how to use screentone since it's $8 a sheet over here. I use GIMP to add my shading and lettering. You could also use pencil, or you can colour it.
If you have a tablet, you can skip a shitload of those steps by making one layer for drawing in "pencil" and another layer for "inking" and add word bubbles and lettering on yet another layer. Your panels will come out better too. Investing in a Wacom tablet will save time and material cost.
Step 6: THE COVER You probably had this done a long time ago since the cover is probably your most favourite part of the comic, amiright? I like to save this for when I'm done planning everything out. The best comic covers all have something to do with the chapters inside and visually striking. If you have an idea, sketch it out whenever, doesn't have to be Step 6. But I wouldn't advise going all out on a cover you're not even sure should be the final yet.
Step 7: THE PRINTING Convert your files to PDF and put them on a flash drive. There are printing shops everywhere, like Kinkos, Office Max, Office Depot, Staples...or if printing is too expensive(cuz it is for me) you can bind them yourself. There's guides and YouTube videos on how to bind your own books.
AND YOU'RE DONE!!
You can sell them online, at conventions, give them to your friends, etc. I hope this was helpful!
-KF
Still Hiatus...
Well, I have regular internet access again, but now I lack a scanner-which sucks because my sketchbook is almost full of pics you won't be able to see for a looooong time X3
Minto and I worked out a new G33|<!! Promo plot to use for Chibi-Pa 2009, since we're getting a table this time. And I have more time to make this promo good-I finished the first page's rough draft about an hour ago, so I need to show it to her tomorrow to see if it's ok. The beginning's a bit different from what we changed it to, but I think it works better this way-more interesting(and better-drawn). While Calwoof was reading over the newer script for the thing, he kept going on about how horrible my grammar was/is =( I will make this known: MY GRAMMAR SUCKS AND I CAN'T SPELL FOR SHIT!! 8D
I'm thinking of making a tutorial of sorts...more of a "How to be a Mangaka with a Limited Budget" kinda thing(I'll work on the title, okay?) It'll be quite large, so I'll make it a downloadable PDF file =D It won't teach people how to draw-more like teach them how to get better on their own with coming up with ideas and bettering their talents with stuff you don't have to go to a super-dee-duper expensive art/specialty supply store for.
Anyway, I just had the urge to update since I haven't done anything for about a month and this page looked more neglected than usual...that's it for the professional stuff, so you can stop reading here, if you like =D
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So, about 2 days left and it'll be two months with my current boyfriend, and I must say-I quite like this one =D He'll be my 2nd longest relationship and counting. My brother and his girlfriend will be 6yrs on the 20th of this month-since they've been together since high school, they give me a sense of hope; I've never been one for long-term relationships for some reason-Minto and my friend Mikey said it was because of my fear of commitment, and I agree-but I think I'm over it now *thumbs up*.
Been trying to get healthier-exercise and such-but I've GOT to stop staying up so darn late...it's past 3am and I has school tomorrow...I don't think I'm sleeping tonight. I'm gonna take a shower 'round 5 I guess; don't wanna be tired AND filthy =(
...I'm hungry-time for some 3:10am dinner!
-KF
I gotsa computer againz!!!
That's right! Even though the screen is still busted on the laptop, I hooked up my old computer/television monitor-so I can update again^^
I...started the main comic over again-G33K!! v.5 X3 Look forward to it-I like the flow a lot better this time. Its pace is like reading a childhood book or looking back at old photos of friends and remembering the good ol' times: it's the theme I've been working toward and according to Mo, I'll get the audience I want with the new starting point.
But I need help:should the gang's story be introduced as juniors or sophmores in high school? I can't decide...Please leave feedback! It'll help this along^^
And to those contest winners I promised stuff for a million bajillion yrs ago, you're still getting your prizes...someday... =( sorry! I've just been busy/lazy. Ok, gotsa finish my English homework(I has to draw a picture-I ten realized the setting was wrong, so now I have to go back and redraw it...IN CRAYON!)
-KF
What's been up with KF?
As some of you may have noticed, I've been on "hiatus" for a while. I've been doing a lot of doodling, but not many that are worthwhile-and I'm too lazy to draw out all the funny things in my life to put in G33K!! Offline(they'll make it there someday, don't worry).
I went to ChibiPa last weekend-the original intention was to sell the promo of my comic G33K!!, but I never finished...so Minto and I just had fun-there's pics in my dA account, so have at it =3.
I'm also restarting my G33K!! comic AGAIN-sorry for those contest winners I mentioned a while ago-you're still getting your prizes just...not..anytime soon... =( *shot* I want to get the beginning just right, y'know? I just haven't discovered what it should be. Because the genre of my comic goes everywhere(slice of life, comedy, romance, sci-fi, school life, fantasy, etc), it's going to be hard figuring out how to get the perfect opening to catch people by surprise-the torment of a mangaka D=
Meanwhile, I've actually been doing good in school-doing homework and such. And I'm doing my best to save up for the new DSi coming out from Nintendo! It's coming out in Japan in November, the UK and Europe in April, and North America is still undecided(I'm gonna order one from the UK). Unfortunately, with all it's spiffy features and upgrades, the GBA slot was left out-but I'm getting a DSlite as well, but my birthday is coming up, and I can't live without replaying Golden Sun at least 1x a year. To some people, that seems a bit selfish, yesh(and I admit it is)-but I are gamer, regardless how that brings down my image of a human(and female).
-KF
End
