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Zound Effects & More!

Started by Jim_Campbell, 10 February, 2020, 07:32:12 PM

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Jim_Campbell

A bit of a process post over on my blog about lettering Zaucer of Zilk for the Mighty One.

(Probably not terribly interesting to anyone who isn't a letterer, so you have been warned!)
Stupidly Busy Letterer: Samples. | Blog
Less-Awesome-Artist: Scribbles.

IndigoPrime

Well, I enjoyed reading it, so there.

Funt Solo

I also not letterer but enjoyed article.

Have you ever done that thing where you just go through a comic reading nothing but the sound effects? And yet, often they're not consciously read - they are just a part of the scene. Like not noticing mood music in movies but it having a huge effect.
++ A-Z ++  coma ++

IndigoPrime

One of the weak points of 2000 AD for a very long time was the cartoonish SFX whacked on top of the art without much due care or consideration. They often stuck out like a sore thumb. But when they're carefully integrated, they can work very well, as here.

Bolt-01


Jim_Campbell

Quote from: IndigoPrime on 11 February, 2020, 07:51:47 AM
But when they're carefully integrated, they can work very well, as here.

That's very kind, IP, but I should stress that I have the luxury of 1) only one strip per week, and 2) not very many SFX. If I had more pages or more FX, I don't think I'd be able to spend the (significant) amount of time this takes.

I think it's also worth keeping in mind that even back in the days of hand-lettering, if you saw SFX that were worked into the art, the chances are the artist did it. Tom Frame's preferred solution most of the time was to reach for the fattest black marker he could find. I'm not saying that wasn't effective but it wasn't desperately sympathetic to the art!
Stupidly Busy Letterer: Samples. | Blog
Less-Awesome-Artist: Scribbles.

Colin YNWA

Fantastic article and I really like the opening and commentry on how you got in Tharg's crew, touching tribute to Elle De Ville.

I must endeavour to pay more attention to the lettering (though I guess the point is to kinda not!?!) as seeing those little blending choices is a delight, but one if I'm totally honest I didn't on reading. Ever it is for the lettering craftsperson I guess.

IndigoPrime

Lettering is one of those things that can quite quickly go bad. I suspect it's easy to not spot nice little touches, but when lettering is just poor, it can really stand out, and even begin to irritate. I recently read through Image's Revival, by way of the deluxe hardcovers. The lettering in that has all kinds of issues. It's not like it made me dislike the books, but it did sometimes distract from what I was reading – and that's... not a good thing.

Gary James

It is a relief to see that people still care about the art in lettering - some titles out there (naming no names) really ought to think about the reader. Three or more colors in a dialogue balloon make my eyes tired after a couple of pages, and as for the habit of having a tint behind the letters (allowing the image behind to serve as a backdrop for the words) - I've given up trying to understand what the hell is going on in most of those stories.

There's a reason I prefer B&W strips on the whole.