General

Art

Gonna force myself to make a Manga

[b]EDIT!: Well, now that I've thought about it, I think I'm rushing too quickly into a strenuous endeavor without much solid direction just yet, so I'm gonna hold off on the project for a couple more weeks until I do a sufficient amount of plot and character development first. Sorry about dragging you over here. Enjoy the rest of your evening [/b]

*Boring Preface* Well, the idea to make one came from an acquaintance of mine who was once a really close friend in my childhood. Spring Break was coming, so she asked me to help her lug a few suitcases into her trunk. As we finished up, by some unusual whim, she asked if I was still a mangaka, which I once boasted about "so many years ago". Lately, I've really had no concern, and hence, no focus or direction with my art, so I shrugged nonchalantly and looked away. "Oh, I see..." she replied, slamming the hood of the trunk down onto her cluttered junk. "Why did you stop? You used to really love those things..." It made me droop a little; hearing it from someone else. For a long time, I've noticed my ambition slipping, but I've always assumed it was a series of artist's blocks, or lack of inspiration. I didn't really see that I had "stopped". It weighed in the back of my mind for a little over a half a day before I slapped myself and decided that I needed to force myself out of my block.... **

...And so I'm making a manga... at least a one-shot doujinshi... so yeah... Uh... So far, over the course of the week, I've outlined the first 2 chapters and conjured up the will to complete [url=http://s1104.photobucket.com/albums/h331/Mizumizushii/?action=view&current=SCAN0011.jpg#!oZZ1QQcurrentZZhttp%3A%2F%2Fs1104.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh331%2FMizumizushii%2F%3Faction%3Dview%26current%3DSCAN0011.jpg]this reeeeeaaalllly rough draft of a cover[/url]. "Why does this concern you?" you may be asking. Well, as you can imagine, it's pretty hard and time consuming making a manga by one's self. I'd really like it if a couple of folks out there wouldn't mind helping me out with plot development, proofreading, basic critique, and maybe to bounce a few ideas off of during the course of the project. If you're interested, or even if you just want to wish us good luck with the project, feel free to post [b][/b][b][/b][b][/b]

March 10, 2012

6 Comments • Newest first

MizuiChan

[quote=RKyais]Mangaka is only japanese term for comic artist.
She's making her own 'manga', which means shes making a comic heavily influenced by japan's manga. Consider it to be her own separate doujin or something.
Before sending manuscripts, she needs to be accepted for that to work, which in this case isn't applicable. Plus people publish their own manga living in the western countries, e.g mark crilley.

The bg in the cover should also be redrawn. It is too pixelated, unless you PLAN to use stretched maple images in your manga... Plus it really doesnt fit the image of "i drew this".
Plus lets avoid copyright =-=; u can probaby sell maplestory related manga at events and conventions but not through publishers.
I am not a good comic maker myself (i cant panel for beans), but it'd be nice to see the story board of your chapters, with some text first before recruiting.
That way people would know what they are working with.

Also, DO NOT recruit people to edit grammar,spelling, or help with writting the story at all!
Nothing ever gets done this way, toners,redrawers,bgdrawiers or even colorists are more beneficial to your project.
Also if you find that manga paneling is complicated, check out korean webcomics, they show you an easier way to making a comic.[/quote]

Good points I definitely intend to redraw the bg (or at least blur it slightly to relieve the pixelation) along with the lettering and framework when I do the final draft, but for now, I don't want to throw all my fish into one net (use up a huge chunk of time on one part of the project). I do want help with the actual art, but I'm afraid of risking clashing styles or inconsistencies. I'm sure this is easily avoidable, but I have a strained history with artistic collaborations Though it would be nice, I don't really plan on selling it or monetarily gaining from this piece, since it's just a piece of fan work. I don't think I'm anywhere good enough to actually market my art. I'll probably post it on my DA or something for all to see. For now, I just want the ability to say "I finished a large-scale, quality project" in hopes that it'll break my block

I guess I'll post more information about it once my thoughts are collected and the story solidifies a bit, but thanks for pointing me in the right direction. I appreciate it

Reply March 10, 2012 - edited
StarOfDOOM

Start with H-manga to boost popularity.

Reply March 10, 2012 - edited
MizuiChan

[quote=qcardes]This is a serious question: Don't you need to go to Japan to become a Mangaka, seeing as that's where all the publishers are? Do you plan on moving to Japan/are you already living in Japan? I don't think sending your manuscripts and such via airmail is efficient.
2 more things:
1. That title looks pretty good, but not very manga-y. As a picture it's good, but I don't get the manga feel. Maybe I'm being too critical? Currently reading Katekyo Hitman Reborn, so idk, I guess I'm mentally comparing you to a pro.
2. Your online critiquing thing reminds me of Nanamine Tooru from Bakuman (if you haven't read it, you should).[/quote]

Perhaps, if you're talking careers, it would be advisable to at least experience Japan, but for little hobbyists like me, there are local publishers with branches established in the states, such as Tokyopop and Oni Press. Looking at the cover, there's not much color contrast, like the sort one would get from using ink and copic, so I understand what you mean. I've never read Bakuman, but I have heard a number of references to it... I'll give it a read

Reply March 10, 2012 - edited
qcardes

This is a serious question: Don't you need to go to Japan to become a Mangaka, seeing as that's where all the publishers are? Do you plan on moving to Japan/are you already living in Japan? I don't think sending your manuscripts and such via airmail is efficient.
2 more things:
1. That title looks pretty good, but not very manga-y. As a picture it's good, but I don't get the manga feel. Maybe I'm being too critical? Currently reading Katekyo Hitman Reborn, so idk, I guess I'm mentally comparing you to a pro.
2. Your online critiquing thing reminds me of Nanamine Tooru from Bakuman (if you haven't read it, you should).

Reply March 10, 2012 - edited
MizuiChan

[quote=greatgodkt]u know what a doujinshi right?..... also you need a title for your manga ( nice cover ).[/quote]
A self-published, traditionally amateur periodical, such as a manga. Though they traditionally consist of a single artist, they may also be produced by a sakuru (circle) of independent artists. Of course, it also has another... not-so-flattering meaning, but this isn't one of "those" sort of projects and thanks~ I lost my stylus halfway through and shading with a touchpad is hell

...Hm... I was thinking of just giving the whole project the name "Maplestory: Reverse Resonance"... I can't think up a title atm

Reply March 10, 2012 - edited
greatgodkt

u know what a doujinshi right?..... also you need a title for your manga ( nice cover ).

Reply March 10, 2012 - edited