People never ask me, “Lucas, can you explain your comic creation process?” Well, I’m going to answer none of those people, right now!
First, and foremost, it’s all about the content. You must have content, people. I can’t stress that enough. Without something, you have nothing. Think about it.
Sometimes, however, finding decent subject matter can be difficult. I find that reading the news, eavesdropping in on confessionals, or copying Witmer’s ideas can provide a substantial amount of content to feed the creative beast within.
But if that creative beast has indigestion, or is a picky eater or something, I just go for the ol’ reliable, and easy feeding-tube method:
Human suffering.
Okay, good, I have subject matter. Now, it’s time to brainstorm.
I usually doodle my ideas on a Canson, 9×12 inch sketch pad using a 0.7 mechanical pencil, but I’m not adverse to using napkins or paper plates with crayons.
After I’m less than satisfied with my ideas, I take a quick break.
Now, it’s time to start the penciling process! Yep, penciling. I go old school. No Cintique for me. What do you want from me, people? It’s not like I have Bill Amend money!
The tools I use are Micron Pigma pens, .07 mechanical pencils, 11 x 14 inch Stathmore Bristol smooth paper, and a Sanford Design kneaded eraser. What is a kneaded eraser? Well, it looks like a big, gray elephant booger, but it lifts pencil marks beautifully, without leaving those little eraser boogers. Notice, I’ve said boogers a lot here. HA! Boogers.
Anyway, I usually do two comics per page at 13.5×5 inches. I go a little larger than your standard strip size, because that’s how I roll.
After I pencil, I ink the letters first. This is important because the script can make or break a strip. It should be given much attention. Probably even more than the art. Apparently, I forgot to do that here, because it appears I’m inking the character first. This is one of those frequent moments where I say, “do as I say, and not as I do.” Look people, I’m a dumbass. Let’s move on.
After I do all the inking, I use the elephant booger to erase the pencil lines. HA! Booger.
Next, I scan the comic and clean it up in PhotoShop.
After that, I adjust the size of the strip, proof it, and send it off to GoComics!
Done!
Finally, after this long, arduous and painstaking 12-hour process, I visit my local watering hole to wet my whistle and celebrate a job well done.
Because that’s how I roll. Good times.
Ha! Boogers.
To see the finished comic, visit GoComics.com!
best..comic..process…EVER1
It’s just, so… magical *sniff*
Nice. Love that first picture.
What sizes of the micron pens do you use?
Wow. Just. . .WOW.
It’s like going back in time and seeing Michelangelo way up in the scaffolding, on his back, working his magic on the Sistine Chapel. You want to ask him what’s going through his mind. How does he feel doing such seminal work. . .
“Hey, MIKE–how’s it goin?!”
“Ha! Boogers.”
Beautiful, Lucas. It brought a tear to my eye. And as we both have young children in our lives, it’s amazing the wealth of humor there is in bodily function. Why, the nose alone gives us “snot,” “boogers,” “bogies,” and “nose goblins.”
Tyler, Irma, Jim — I love you all, peeps. Glad you like my process!
Fun Fact — I actually drew that strip on my lunch break at a fast food joint called “Jack in the Box.” My drafting table is actually jet black. HA.
Ed — I mainly use 03, 05, 08, & 1. Though, lipstick has its advantages too.
John — I wouldn’t be surprised if ol’ Mike wiped a booger or two up on the roof. I mean, he was frescoing (is that a word?) up there for years, and they didn’t have tissue back then. Dude has to have left a nostril plug or two up there somewhere. Probably near Adam’s doodle.
Tom — My friend, I only wish I could blame my fascination with boogers on the children. But I will say they’ve enhanced it 10-fold!
What, how dare you give away my secret of copying Witmer’s ideas?!
You too, Tony??
It’s Witmer’s world. We’re all just playing in it. (And Lucas, your oldest is just now getting to the prime “booger/fart/burp” joke stage. Oh, the bliss that awaits…)
Too true, Tom. The other day, I cried a little when he farted, then laughed. That’s, muh boy!
On a side note — could my finger nails be any grosser? Geez. Looks like I use those things to snort coke. In my defense, I was sick as hell that day.
Personal hygiene, people — sometimes, it’s a good thing.
We got our first, real human belly laugh out of Brigid when she was around a year old. She was in the tub and popped a bubble. She looked down. Looked up. Looked at us and laughed. We laughed back and the three of us kept laughing for several minutes.
It’s a milestone all humans pass. Like . . .gas.
If you COULD lick all those at once you could be GOD.
Good stuff! I also use elephant booger to erase pencil lines. Although I hear rhino booger is just as effective but cheaper.
Fascinating Lucas, just fascinating.
Not that I’m OCD or anything but I used to keep all my eraser boogers in a large tin. They start to smell after a while.
Smooth versus vellum…. do you ever have bleeding issues with the smooth boards when using the bigger sized pens?
And what happens after the strip is complete. Do you keep the finals in the pads or cut them into separate strips are store them in a box?
John — Nothing brings a family closer together than flatulence. Nothing. The ladies out there can deny it all they want, but they know it’s true. Especially right after a nice dinner.
BigPinkMom — What do you mean, if?
Scott — Oh, Snap! The rhino ones are cheaper?? Nice. Just don’t use the Llama boogers, they tend to smear.
Lemon!! — Before I switched to kneaded erasers, I would just wipe the eraser boogers on the floor. Drove my wife insane. Literally, screaming fests would emerge every few weeks. Got ugly. Kneaded erasers: saving marriages since 2005.
I actually have more of a bleeding prob with the Vellum for some reason. I know that sounds weird, but for me, it’s true. For some reason, the Strathmore Smooth absorbs the ink quickly without the bleed. Color me confused.
I only cut them up when I give them to someone. Otherwise, they’re all connected in a big plastic box. Gonna auction some of my favs on eBay soon, however!
Lucas,
Have you tried the Copic Multi-Liner? It’s like the Microns but has replaceable points and ink cartridges. Like the best of both worlds.
–JMc
John — I haven’t! But it sounds like they might be cheaper than the Microns? Hmm…
ok,i tried your process but i started at your last step first…and again…best..process…ever!!
Most of the time, the last step is my first!
So how long does the whole process actually take?
And when you finally get to the last step what’s your indulgence?
omg. I LOVED this. My favorite part was seeing your sketchbook!
I totally don’t use a sketchbook enough. That must be a really helpful way of writing the strip! I tend to write as I draw the final piece. DO NOT do as I do…
Chris — Well sir, the whole process from brainstorming, to finished product can be anywhere from 2 to 4 hours. That’s rushing, however, I’d like to be able to spend a minimum of 4 hours per strip. Someday, maybe.
Dave — Glad you liked it, bud! Yeah, love that sketch book!
Matt — It’s much easier for me. A strip in my head, is always different when I sketch it out. And it’s always, for the better.