simple balloon/text bubbles

this is a simple text bubble using photoshop's shapes.

to create a unique or stylish bubble, use pen tool (ps's pen tool, not your pen lah)

the reason to use pen tool is because its sharp. make sure the shape is white and border/outline is black. or you can paint any colour.

another tutorial for bw cartoon

its for borneo bulletin weekend 25oct08 pg 41 about the story of animal/pets being thrown to the streets and multiply.

its fully digital work - wacom tablet and photoshop.

start with a sketch on a new layer - just like sketching with yr pencil.
(top - new layer - sketch
bottom - white background)

then ink it with a black outline on a 2nd new layer on top of the 1st one.
(top - 2nd new layer - inking
middle - 1st new layer - sketch to be deleted
bottom - white background)

delete the 1st layer then create a 3rd layer below the 2nd layer add colour/tone.
(top most - layer with black outline
middle - layer to colour/tone
bottom - white background)

Xibit2 is in the making.

Having learnt fm xibit 1 experience, xibit 2 is a go.
Sources from reliable spies conclude that it will be thicker and more works will be in it.
However no indication of exact date on when will it be published. But most probably by end of this year.

Interested manga and comic artists are welcome to join in the fun. Email for more info to xibitkomik@yahoo.com

Cartoon unapproved

susah2 ku mbuat, kana dissapproved because the turtle represents a slow animal, which the company's service is famous for. so they want a fast animal.
i actually drew it just for fun but i never thought of associating that animal with that company. and now they want me to draw a rabbit? so since they asked for their own interest, not my effort of hours in the making..i want to put it here in this blog.
maybe others can appreciate, not because of corporate flaw of something.

a forum site has just been created

go to http://creativebrunei.freeforums.org/ for sharing tips and tricks. of coz u may want to register first before starting a new topic or replying. ahakz!

my desk

the cartoon i was going to draw was for todays newspaper 24thmay08 on page 30. 95% digital...campur tolak lah aaa.
sketched on a used paper then retraced on tablet. want to see the result? beli lah borneo bulletin weekend ari ni! heheh

xibit komik issue 2....?

im not quitting. but i wont produce it anytime soon...not in a few months, and maybe not this year. so far 1 illustration from judith ive received. and the style is truly manga. manga fans will like it. i like it.
situation is not favorable on my side right now. wat we can do is keep on doing wat we love. i will continue updating this blog. i will continue promoting anybody becoz this is wat the komik is all about...a platform.
xibit will continue selling but not on bookstores but in selected outlets only..and i will tell when where.

XIBIT IS ON SALE @ ICC

U can get xibit copy at the consumer's fair in icc. just look for borneo bulltn booth today!

To continue or scrap the idea?

This cartoon was for the energy week poster competition...
I tot the idea was great...overuse of electricity.
then i re read the rules and theme of the competition, which i later decide just to scrap the cartoon because it was not the right message.
the theme is conservation, not over use it. although at first the cartoon is being sarcastic. but being so the original message/purpose of the cartoon is not there.

sometimes its best to redo or perhaps scrap the idea. just try to innovate/create something new. something better. as a cartoonist doing weekly cartoons, there are some occasions i've finished inking but then a better idea came. i choose to draw a new one becoz the new idea is a winner.

"letting go is hard, but living the mistake is torture," ambuyart. :p

number of pages

i hav been meeting with somebody (no! not with another girl lah, sayang...its bisnes talk honest!) and havnt yet confirm about the size, pages, paper etc etc.

to avoid confusion, to all contributors just stick with the original measurement stated earlier in this blog.

what i can expect, right now is the limited number of pages of 36. its the production printing minimum for efficient cost thingy.

so since theres limited pages i would like to 'tender' out these spaces to as many talents i can find, as possible. (teruk jua grammar ku ani)

i prefer quality is than quantity.
but i wld want an evo, a lexus hybrid, and a tesla electric car....rather than one rollsroyce.

ok lah RR is ultra quality. but wldnt we like to see other talents too?

if one artist takes 16 pages....so left 16 for others. (4 pages is for covers, editorial and advert space).

wat i can do is a continuation..like maybe 4pages for each issue.

u may want to submit a draft first. i want to expose talents but i dont like turning down one. thats the hardest part but i cant avoid it.

Aim for the moon, even if u missed it u might land yrself on a star! and fry yrself.

speeeeeed

How to measure yr speed drawing cartoons/manga/illustrations? mph? km/h? lines per second or pages per day?

Aku pun nda sure. but we can assume our speed fm our past projects..

i did a 13 page illustration for dbp which i got 3rd prize (2nd was my fren rezuan) in 2 weeks.
25 illustrations in 4 weeks for the energy book 2007.
then there's once 5 cartoons for borneo bulletin in just one working day..friday. 6 hours of worktime, so thats 0.83 cartoons per hour? (i came abit late, then friday prayer, lunch etc etc)
how abt 3 projeks simultaneously in one week. alhamdulillah, siap jua...

im not bragging of my performance but wen im slow, im very slow.

usually i can draw a caricature in 15mins or just in 6 tops.
but if u let me draw during my 'free time' itll take me weeks...or maybe never becoz i mightve lost the pic.
if im sick, im really sick like i dont want to do anything.

its hard to even knowing my true speed. becoz i cant ignore the 'malas' and 'health' factor. it affects the overall performance.

to students u hav sports, studying,exam and lepakking time.
to those with family u got family matters.
like me i got other 'things' to do.

motivation. discipline. ability.

thats my creative engine.

software for the digital artists

traditional painters have their own choice of medium..oil, acrylic, water colour, pastel, gouche, airbrush etc.

now digital painters have alot of softwares to choose from.

photoshop still remains the top favourite.

corel painter is also popular because of its customised brush settings which mimics the real stuff. wen u use the watercolour brush itll take time to 'dry'. so itll blend wen u paint a new stroke on top. of coz u can make the drying process quick.

a lesser known but cheap and a photoshop wannabe is paint shop pro.

my new fren kazema uses open canvas. layout still similar like photoshop.

then there's manga studio, artrage (simple one but i like it), and many more.

now thats only the bitmaps...now lets go to the darkside...vector!

adobe illustrator is a favourite not only the graphic designer but also some illustrators. its fast and wen u save it doesnt take much space in yr hdd.

flash is also a fun software. u can do animation, web, and illustrations.

corel draw is similar to adobe illustrator.

fuhh...banyak choice. well i stil stick with photoshop just because of the features it has.

.psd .jpg .tiff...whaaat?

for this one i will focus on photoshop first.

u wanna save it as psd first with all the layers as a working file. so if theres any changes u can change it later.
i like to save occasionally like in the process of colouring, and text. for example katun_color.psd, the katun_color_text.psd lastly katun_flatten.psd

i save jpg just for archiving and to post to my website.

tiff is meant for printing purposes. and must be in cmyk.
pls flatten yr image or just uncheck the layer option during saving as tiff.
and u dont want to save tiff in yr pc...its huge! just save it before sending it to a printer, not yr small printer...the printing company lah

anyway i dont require the contributors to submit in tiff.
pls save it in psd and in rgb.
i will so the technical bit later.

:)

wats in a name?

now why did i thought of my cartoon nick 'ambuyart'? i was thinking of keeping 'jeman' my previous nick, or just use my real name...well since i join borneo bulletin i want to be..new. my style is stil d same but i like to learn and mix new stuff.
its just a whole new experience. and i need to represent my paper as a local cartoonist. so i combine a local delicacy ambuyat and art.

some like to stick with their name, some change for a reason, while some change their names quite often until it confuses people.

and be responsible wat yr nick meant. do some research, people nowadays question a lot. nda bulih salah.

ps. yr name may be a moneymaker. make it simple so people can remember. for muslims...ringankan lidah utk berselawat dan berzikir, insyallah urang lain pun ringan lidahnya utk me-recommend to others :)

rgb or cmyk

heheh...why shes blue?
rgb is great for the web, on your screen.
cmyk is meant for printing.if u put up a cmyk image on the web itll look weird.
u can choose this mode by image>mode in photoshop.

i like to colour using rgb. because its uses less memory, faster wen using filter and u can use flourescent colour. try cmyk and use flourescent colour like flourescent green, itll look pale green.

now why cmyk? just before layout, i'll need to make sure all artworks are in cmyk for print accuracy-what colours can be seen or not. so wat u colored during rgb mode may or may not be d same on cymk and then in actual comic.

submission for 2nd issue stil open

the submission of comics, stories, manga, articles or any creative illustration still open.

first deadline will be end of april 08.
any rough idea, drafts, any uncolored artworks, or maybe finished will be reviewed before the 2nd deadline by end of may 08.
the reason is bcoz to know how much pages the 2nd issue will be, any editing needed, corrections etc.

2nd deadline will be end of may 08.
this deadline will be the submission of the final artwork ready for post editing.
the final artwork will be including text for digital artworks, saved in a cd or by email.
for traditional artworks is excluding text. but do write down on a separate paper so that i can include the text digitaly..after scanning it.

how to submit.
by email-xibitkomik@yahoo.com
by hand. call me at brunei press or sms 8181901

original artworks.
submit in an envelope or a plastic folder. this only applies for traditional illustrations.

cd or by email.
save in psd format. rgb. 200 or 300 dpi. if somehow u have to save it in jpeg, make sure its hi quality compression.

pls post comment if yr unsure so that i know what is unclear to u..wokey?

a dude with a lot of questions knows something he dont know.
a dude who keeps quite may or may not know, eventually knows nothing....eh apakan? heheh

ideas, ideas,...wer are thou?

thinking of a great cartoon , especially a cartoon for ignatius stephen's column for weekend paper is very challenging. the story he's about to write will only be told to me around 2pm or latest 4pm and i wanna go home at 4.30pm?! aiyakk...but no problem, becoz i like his column and a challenge im happy to take.

here are some tips to break lose from a creative block...(ngam ka the term i used?)

1. what is the general idea about? say an adventure story for kids
2. who. what characters involved? since its for kids...some fluffy and huggable creatures.
3. when. no wer in time. or set them in a fairy land wer candies grow on trees.
4. why. for no apparent reason they just exist. well just to tell the good values.
5. how. they do something silly, and they do something to get it right.

6. do some research.. google
7. start sketching, do a character. the do some poses. right some dialogue like wat they will say most etc.
8. enhance, minimise, exaggerate, redo the characters, set the style of backgrounds... so that u wont alter anything during drawing the comic. or else u will be wasting time during the drawing process.
9. wen yr tired, its ok to rest. but discipline yrself. if yr not going to start now, when?

ideas can come from anywer and at anytime....so always bring a sketch book with u. i even save some notes on my mobile phones.

a blunt pencil is mightier than a sharp mind. we tend to forget things.

:)

going digital with a tablet?

i like drawing cartoons with pen and paper and later colour it with ps. but sometimes i feel like drawing with my wacom graphire fm start til finish. results are more or less the same.

pros for using the tablet is u can imitate other types of pen and brushes that u never used before..provided that u tweak some presets on photoshop or painter.
cons are for beginners who are learning the hard way first-using wacom instead of training the hands sketching on a paper. it takes me sometime to familiarise, drawing straight lines with my wacom.

a wacom bamboo is around $300+.
intuos is around $500-$1000+ if yr serious digital illustrator. the surface feels like paper and interchangeable nibs, unlike my graphire feels plastic..licin bana
and my dream wacom cintiq 12inch or 24inch lcd display which u can draw directly onto it! $2000-$5000...jason fm american choppers and scott adams creator of dilbert have the bigger version.
a tablet pc? well..i dont know those who hav the hp tablet and how it draws accurately...nyesal ku bali clevo ku dulu...

anyway pen and paper still my choice for drawing. colouring using ps. stick onto wat u like. but dont be afraid to change..

"betulkan yang biasa, biasakan yang betul," as dr fadzillah kamsah said hehe.

komik resolution, about

resolution 101.

when u see closely any print media consists of tiny dots of colours. standard resolution or crispiness or sharpness are measured by dots per inch.
newspapers print at 150dpi because u not need hires pics on a paper which will be recycle next week...but magazines like her world or computer arts print around 200-300dpi. anyway the type of printer is very different.

for doing the xibit u can start with a4 with 200 or 300 dpi. i myself prefer 200 dpi as its faster during colouring and add effects.
wen its all finished and ready for printing, that a4 size is going to be shrunk again to a5 size printed at 300dpi. so its quite sharp. :)

dialogue, how to...

a question fm kalilah, heres d answer

1.if yr comic is only bw, and/or giving me the original artwork, pls write down the text dialogue on a seperate piece of paper-just the dialogue with the bubble.
i will scan yr artwork then type the text with the bubble/balloon onto yr artwork using photoshop. make sure yr handwriting is clear.

2.if u hav pc and know how to do text, do not flatten the artwork. it shd be layered.
the artwork is on one layer and then text above it. sanang sikit kalau ada changes or grammar corrections.
Do not use thin and small fonts. it may be artistic but very hard to read. and of coz not too big..this is not a children's bedtime storybook.

comic, how to...

hav u ever started a comic before? and finished it? maybe similar to what i do and here i provide a few tips. a clear timeline/procedure will help u wat stage u are on. so wen u are still inking, its around 30% of the total comic finished, not 50% or 70% (this only apply on coloured comic, so if bw comic 50% lah aa)

1. idea-includes story, characters, events etc etc. and maybe style of drawing.
2.character design-detailed illustration of the main characters, so that it will be consistent thru out the whole comic.
3.Know the page yr assigned. in this example is a 4 page comic. so divide it into intro, adventure stuff, actions and lastly ending.
4.draft is drawn first on a rough paper. i like to save paper...so i sketch the drafts on an used a4 paper which i divide it into 4. hence the 4 pages.
5.then on a new a4 paper/artblock...START DRAWING!!
6.Penciling, inking then
7.Colouring-traditional medium like watercolour/acrylic etc or digital like ps, painter etc.
8.to speed up, i like to colour the characters first on all pages so that i maintain consistency. then background. up to u anyway.
9.detailing
10.Add effects such as blur...smokes, explosions. i do this stuff later because it will take my time.
11.text. or speech dialogue. including sound effects.

xibit at the book fair

here are the pics duting the last two days of the book fair event. better late than never!
thanks to those who bought the komik and have a chat with me. :)
(the last pic is courtesy of anakbrunei.org)

1st issue, the making

6th march 08 photos, stapling the 1st issue comic ready to sell at the icc book fair..and its already 4pm!!! on todays paper said it will start selling at the fair by 4.30pm!!! panic time!!!

A set of simple rules if u wanna contribute for the 2nd issue

I dont like to limit anybody's creative works. Your style/technique, lines, colour, etc etc its yr identity...but i will coach u if u want to improve, of coz if yrself want to improve. Here are some of the guidelines for the coming issue..





1. Dont draw anything that may offend MIB. The fact that this comic is technically done in brunei and circulated in brunei so best if done conservatively. No sexual arousing pics, no over-violence theme, blood spill, but u can draw fighting scene..without the gore and brutalism. U can draw magic but not in a way encouraging dark magic like voodoo stuff. Ghost story can. Love story can, but no hugging no kissing...

2. Size. For the 2nd issue the size will still in a5 size. But u may want to draw on an a4 size paper or larger as long as the ratio is correct-bleed area, cutting area and drawing area as shown. On the a4 paper, leave 0.5 cm for the bleed area, another 1cm for the cutting area and the actual space for drawing.
The purpose is for consistency throughout the whole komik. View the sample pic so that u can understand.


3. Number of pages. U can do 1, 2 or 4 page of story. Usually 4 or 6 pages are reserved for the more experienced cartoonists/manga artist. But hey, this comic is meant for new talents!

4. This komik is bilingual. U can do in malay or english. I dont want to restrict in only one language becoz we are multiracial and most can speak both in malay and english anyway. Like wat i have explain earlier i dont want to restrict creativity, language is yr choosing. A dude approached me whether if he can do in japanese...well i met only 3 local who can speak japanese fluently so im not that keen..even if with translation. that will really cramped the already small komik. we shall review this sometime in the future.

i'll post other issues on how to do the komik later.

aiyak...i nearly forget. the 1st deadline will be on end of april08..that is the submission of drafts, stories. so no need inking and colouring yet. just wanna check whether it is suitable or not.

and even if yr comic is finished on time...i dont promise itll be published. due to the fact that its like best of the best. so i hope u wont feel down if not chosen becoz i've felt dissapointment long time ago. but with that experience and determination i worked harder.

so will u accept the challenge?!!!

Xibit online is now online...

Now i hav the time to do this...anyway many of you guys are waiting for more info for the 2nd issue...

I received quite a response, good and not so good but nonetheless it has been done. We never know what will happen if we dont do it right?

But first i would like to thank and appreciate to all the first issue contributors to make this komik happen. And of coz those who buy the komik :)

Now im going to distribute to shops probably in a week or so..