Everyone working in comics could benefit from cross training; writing, coloring, editing…everything. Just enough to understand the fields that aren’t your focus. Creative teams could benefit from that kind of informed communication. Could avoid a lot of frustrations too. - ThreadSky

blambot.bsky.social • 70 days ago

Everyone working in comics could benefit from cross training; writing, coloring, editing…everything. Just enough to understand the fields that aren’t your focus. Creative teams could benefit from that kind of informed communication. Could avoid a lot of frustrations too.

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aliceleclert.bsky.social•70 days ago

It's 2am here, for a second there I thought you were talking about crossfit, and it seemed a bit extreme but yeah sure exercise is definitely good, staying in shape and good health to make comics is--- oh ok yeah no that makes more sense.
... gonna try to sleep now.
Totally agree though!

132kitsune.bsky.social•69 days ago

I also thought this was referring to CrossFit at first glance but I have no excuses. It's early evening. I am just illiterate. But yes, having worked at every stage, you gain a greater empathy for the team and can tackle problems with all the facts rather than on assumptions.

aliceleclert.bsky.social•69 days ago

And : naaaah, your brain is probably just too fast and immediately constructs a whole context after seeing one word.
Like when you go down stairs a bit too fast and can't stop 🤣

aliceleclert.bsky.social•69 days ago

I think having lettered as an artist is eye-opening : I don't know if you realise how much room a speech bubble takes up in a panel until you've tried to fit the whole dialog in there. I probably still don't leave enough room when I draw (when do we EVER?), but it is on my mind.

132kitsune.bsky.social•68 days ago

Also, when it comes to the dialogue, sometimes you have the perfect phrasing but then the shape of the text looks like a DBZ character and you lament how to rephrase it to make things look nice or accept defeat

aliceleclert.bsky.social•67 days ago

Yeah lettering is insanely complicated and hard!
Fascinating when done well though.

sxbond.bsky.social•70 days ago

#TRUTH

parttimecomix.bsky.social•70 days ago

Absolutely. I often tell peers, do it all, from pencils all the way to scan and print prep. Your empathy will go up 100x at least and you’ll make less mistakes that effect your peers

mckelvie.bsky.social•70 days ago

Yeah. I think every writer should try drawing a whole issue of a comic at least once, too.

dustinweaver.bsky.social•70 days ago

That they did not write would be even better.

inkskratch.com•70 days ago

Jeez, for a sec I thought you meant like weightlifting and endurance training. Gave me a real start there

robcave.bsky.social•70 days ago

I miss-read this and recalled that fad certain comics creators had for cross-fit a few years ago…

lengog.bsky.social•70 days ago

The blessing (and the curse) of coming from a small country where you basically have to do it all yourself if you want to make comics

gtlabsrat.bsky.social•70 days ago

So true! I’ve tried my hand at art, editing, and coloring (flatting, at least) and each has changed how I appreciate any and all comics I read…and write!

binaryape.bsky.social•70 days ago

Some software people call this "T shaped" - everyone in a team should know the basics of each role even if they specialise in one (the stem of the T, if the T is of squares in a sort of video-game skill level grid, it's a rather strained metaphor now I think about it)

rono64.bsky.social•70 days ago

Self Publishing with a low budget teaches you all the jobs in Comics.

jeffparker.bsky.social•70 days ago

every writer should letter for a while, nothing will better show you what's unnecessary and what works in a panel and how it's read. Every artist should incorporate balloons into their layouts so they see where things fall, and it is part of the composition.

sxbond.bsky.social•70 days ago

#TRUTH

tomfowler.bsky.social•70 days ago

To say nothing about understanding how both lettering placement and colour use are both essential elements of storytelling on the page.

palaciosworks.bsky.social•70 days ago

Totally unrelated, but I recently read your "Hulk in Arabia" arc because it features Machine Man and he's one of my faves. Really enjoyed it!

jeffparker.bsky.social•70 days ago

I love Machine Man, Marvel editor Paniccia let me keep him on when the book switched focus to Red She-Hulk Betty and I thought he worked perfectly with her. Thanks for letting me know Matthew

palaciosworks.bsky.social•70 days ago

Ooh, I'll have to check those issues out!

lelandp.bsky.social•70 days ago

atullberg.bsky.social•70 days ago

Sounds like you have an idea for a weekend seminar; 'Comics Cross Training'.

cowsloveclover.bsky.social•69 days ago

I'm a writer and an artist. I do everything myself. And I learned a ton about writing and editing in my PhD.

millbot.bsky.social•70 days ago

I deeply appreciated that my college theater program required everyone to do a little of everything on the tech/production side, even if you were an acting major. I assume similar benefits!

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