All the Arcane, Esoteric, Antique, and Obsolete Tools of Old School Comics Making

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[@badcrowcomics4516]

That fanning multi-point tool is called an isometric divider.

[@Murdochsk]

I came to the comments to find this…. It looks like a great way to do perspective without having lines going way off the page…… Amazon has them but there are also sewing gauges that are very cheap that look like they would do the same thing, is there a reason it has to be the type shown?

[@tomteacher5885]

And the other day, they were conjecturing how I think McFarlane did one perspective way off the page; there's the answer: (He swiped matomo who probably used one of those...)

[@goodoleddy2154]

You just made my day

[@Susie_Floozie]

I was a semi-pro letterer in the '80s before digital comics lettering. I enjoyed the hassle of cleaning Rapidograph points and refilling the ink--it made me feel like a mad scientist. But man, fumbling around with that damned Ames lettering device was a pain in the ass! Those guidelines just cluttered up the art, even in blue pencil. So I came up with a better way. I took a page of 11"x17" paper and drew out a 17"-wide solid grid of guidelines calibrated to my preferred line spacing. It was laborious with that damned Ames tool, but so worth my while! I taped it down on a lightbox and did all my lettering without all that dicking around. Nice and neat.

[@mtcnaz]

I’d take one of these type videos a week. Never get tired of this stuff

[@strawmancomics]

Invaluable information here. Thanks guys. Can we see a series "How to Draw Comics the Kayfabe way?"

[@crash-jordan]

I picked up one of those perspective spacers on ebay, it was labelled as "Expanding Sewing Spacing Marking Measuring Equidistant Tool"

[@andyburk8771]

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! What an absolutely GREAT resource. I bet I'm not the only person who looked back at their early years and thought, "If I just coulda seen this when I was getting started." You guys are a cartoonist's greatest resource.

[@LanceEads]

Thanks so much for this video! I'm in my 50's and just getting back into cartooning. I did strips for my high school and college papers, taught a couple units on comics as an art teacher in my 30's, and now I'm going to be doing a newspaper strip in a local paper. My introduction to the tools of the trade was the first day of journalism class in high school, when the teacher gave a brief demonstration on how to use a crow quill dip pen.

[@jacklynch8612]

Most comprehensive tools resource since those two pages in Making Comics by McCloud, long overdue! Thanks so much!

[@buzzopolis050]

I love these technical videos. Tools, tips, and tricks will always been fascinating. It might be cool to do more documenting of your drawing process, sorta like what Jim did inking. It'd be neat to look at it 10 years from now to see how your technique has changed.

[@erikwirfs-brock2432]

American comics definitely need a Manben equivalent of timelapsed videos of different cartoonists drawing a page or two

[@peybak]

This video is right up my ally. Thank you guys. My pops was an illustrator/graphics artists back in the old country, and he once made a nice brush, using some back hair he got from my friend's cat. Good times!

[@snowqueen_8958]

This is what I like using analog art supplies im a big user of paper and pens and penicls and markers

[@DocCivil]

The artist I apprenticed under advised me to use saddle soap to clean out brushes because it was an oil based soap that puts oil back into the brush.

[@DaftDude]

Love these equipment guides!

[@MrSamfonseca]

The graphite holder cap also sharpens the lead!

[@Therealmrmeow]

Dope stuff, but where do you plug it in? JK... I'm old as dirt and love using real tools! Thanks for sharing!

[@ohwell2088]

this is about to be one of my favorite videos on this channel im sure

[@JustSomeGuy]

Uni makes blue lead for their Nano Dia series for 0.5mm pencils. Uni has a bunch of different colors. The mint blue is the closest to non-photo blue. It's technically not a non-photo blue lead, but if you adjust the levels in Photoshop, it works the same way. It's also erasable (to the same degree as 2B lead).

[@georgegolston5417]

I love this channel. Your interest in the art of comics. The history of the medium as well as the information you provide like this video is fantastic. I teach illustration and graphics at my local college. The students I have who are interested in comics I tell them to check out your channel. It's great stuff. I tell them the information you two provide does not only cover comics but illustration. This is a Great Channel!

[@benjaminfloresart]

That nautical cartography tool (the perspective cheat) I’ve seen referred to as a “10 point divider”.

[@ChrisEliopoulos]

A bunch of us used a Hunt 107 that we filed down to a chisel point using fine sandpaper then glass. Used a Speedball B-6 for bolds. Jim Novak, Mike Heisler, Pat Brosseau, Bill Oakley, Ken Lopez and I called ourselves the Magnificent 107s.

[@SanctumSanctorumVidz]

I can't even watch this episode because I still HAVE all those items in the thumbnail, and, still use them when not working digitally. But now I'm feeling ooooold.

[@kirtburdick]

Excellent video! That one tool used to make the grid in perspective reminded me of that rad weapon in KRULL.

[@louiechin2937]

haha when ed said his middle finger was crooked i looked at mine and what do you know, so is mine

[@darioscomicschool1111]

Pumped to check this out! Traditonal is the WAY to keep it fun! Physical!

[@williamibanez394]

Watching this while inking with said tools! Got to love the Raphaels.

[@TheDrigodamus]

More process and technique, loved the conversation! Tom speak up didn’t know you were at the table!

[@mariop8852]

When I took CAD classes they insisted that we learned how to draft manually first. It may seem weird but there really is something to using all those old tools and a clean sheet of vellum.

[@SuperPeteTube]

Man, I just went to school today. Thank you for this. Seriously, this is the best channel ever.

[@rebeccapeters295]

The duo tone paper looks wild on screen you can see the patterns

[@Rossccline]

This is one of the best videos I have watched that you guys have made. Thanks for doing this and keep it up, the pennies are a flash back to my college graphics design courses.

[@LeoLoikkanen]

Aw heck! I just got a Gillott 303 and a Hunt 102 nibs. Been practicing with those. I really like using them more than doing stuff on digital. Hoping that my bro will be able to get me a Speedball B3 nib from Brussels

[@japewisteria]

I'm a 2B man. And I still have my Ames lettering guide from back in the day.

[@zackcahill7966]

This is the exact content I wanted right now

[@MatthewPearce]

This gave me the same feeling as being a kid and seeing the shots in Wizard of someone’s studio. Super rad. Thanks guys!

[@russworks2882]

As you speculate, at an institutional job I had, we had floating T-squares screwed into our drawing tables (with the cables and pulleys built in), which made it easier to use the Leroy lettering guide. You'd just hold the straightedge down with your arm as you lettered, to be safe. Also had an attachment to use points with ink cartridges. I would lay down guidelines and roughly pencil in the letters to gauge the space you needed and then just go to work. It sounds like a lot, but you can get pretty fast once it clicks. You can still get drawing tables and lap boards with both vertical and horizontal rules built in.

[@Soshikix]

This is amazing. As someone who prefers physical mediums, I love this.

[@WMLHmalcolmtv]

this is so cool. Thanks for this Kayfabe team.

[@cedricgoart]

Nice! It should be very interesting. I look forward to see if there's any cool tools I never heard of before 🙂

[@drawrobot]

Thanks to the backwardness of my art school, we were still learning the mechanicals/paste-up method of layout. Despite the looming digital offerings around the corner. So lettering class was sort of messing with Ames guides and doing color lettering on overlay in gouache (ugh). Lettering cleanly that way never gelled with my style so I've forgotten most of it. It is where I picked up basics for inking. The one tip I kept was tapping the sheet to either the back of a piece of cardboard or the back of a masonite sheet. Using brush, you can sit the drawing board on your lap. It's sooo much easier on the back. Instead of tapping the sheet to a drawing table.

[@leem1986]

I hit like before I started watching this. Thanks guys, I love your tools and techniques videos!

[@nilesbrook4216]

What a great trip down Memory lane!! When i was at the Kubert school we had something called “The Lucey Machine” where you’d tape your artwork at one end of the machine upside down then you sat at the other end at a glass screen and turned two wheels one to increase the size of the art and the other to focus the image. Then with your paper taped to the screen you’d trace your art, lettering, etc at a larger size. Great video!

[@MisterMech]

If you could make this video a weekly or monthly series that would be awesome! Call if Tricks of the Trade: Drafting Tools for Artisanal Cartooning or something like that. I"m sure I'm not the only one that wants to see you go into more depth with some of these things.

[@kevinwolffart]

We used to test the Series 7 in the art stores back in the 80s. You'd ask for a cup of water and do the flick test. If it makes a perfect point, it's good. They were 13+ dollars even then.

[@nicholassmart4790]

I have been waiting for a video like this since I saw the channel. Excellent. Thank you so much from all the way in South Africa

[@FWACATA]

Extremely Educational, thanks so much. When I was at SCAD the AMES guide came up and I ran out to get one, and I swear to sweets Jabus I never learned how to use until now, 20+ years later. So Thanks, AGAIN

[@benjaminfloresart]

Brand new to the craft, but I’ve working traditionally with a light box that’s about .25” to .375” thin AND it’s magnetic, so I can on an incline while positioning my paper at different rotation and locations on the light box while temporary fixed with magnets. Works well (my spine really appreciates it)👍🏼

[@davepraetorius]

This is some of my favourite shit. More of this, please!

[@kevinbarry6441]

Great stuff, guys!

[@agmart86]

Wow really cool and helpful, thank you guys, keep up the good work👍🏼

[@tonyodonnell-tv9yq]

How did I not know about the proportion calculater I used to do it by placing a ruler accross the bottom left and top right corner and projecting a line then did arithmetic.

[@darioscomicschule1111]

YES!!!! THE GOOD STUFF!

[@unattain4773]

Love this sort of content, showing the tools, the process. Would be great to watch some live art drawing on the channel. Thank you

[@johnlabry325]

Great vid guys

[@frostbite1dragon2]

You guys are pushing the new generation of comic makers like me if ever in doubt know you’ve given back to the community u love ten fold!

[@Murdochsk]

Videos going in to detail more with tools would be amazing. I’d love to see each guys processes, thumbnails, paper sizes, brands, ink brands why those brands etc. it would save us all a lot of trial and error

[@ghostbusternoel3185]

Another fantastic video

[@Annihilator2011]

On your use of the lead pointer. Notice the two little holes on the side of the lead cleaner. Those are depth gauges to set up a fine or a broad point. Notice the triangle next to each hole that indicate the point type. Put your pencil tip to the hole you have selected, drop lead to the bottom of the hole, and then use the pointer.

[@amandasemler5880]

That perspective tool is awesome! I eyeball my perspective because I hate using a ruler for it. I'll have to pick one up to make my process quicker!! I love this video. There is a certain magic to traditional media that I hope more creators will turn to!

[@joshuatowers7181]

Best one yet!!

[@nicholasgarza4076]

11:14 dunno if it's known or not, but the blue led holder has a sharpener built into the top of it.

[@CartoonistKayfabe]

I had no idea. Both of the lead holders have a sharpener in the top. Thanks! - JR

[@christismellow]

Yes to Conditioner to shape your brush before putting plastic cover back on!👍

[@bigmoviesify]

I work on paper. Thanks for doing this!

[@JackNuisance]

my favourite vid ever. not joking. I own most of that stuff... it brought back some sweet memories.

[@ComicBooksFR]

I bought plenty of metal nibs while at Kubert. Never used them. 😂

[@johnnydesjardins1463]

love the talk on the tools of the trade

[@spasticjackson9578]

40:55 Congruent subdivisions.

[@eracerxxx]

when you were talking about inking with rulers ...i was like "i have pennies glued to the bottom of mine!" then eddy breaks out his ruler with pennies haahahhaha

[@nickmckenzie9365]

I'm an Artist and I've washed brushes in shampoo and conditioner, and honestly, you can just wash them in hand soap and rise thoroughly and they'll be fine.

[@JamieMPhoto]

Love this. I barely draw enough anymore (way into photograph), but I still have my technigraph lead holder right here.

[@JamieMPhoto]

And so wish I had KZbin when I was younger. If I couldn't find it in a book, I basically had to teach myself. I guess I can still learn, though ...

[@Madoc928]

quick we need to archive this for posterity because holy cow we are not gonna have this knowledge in the near future

[@xavigolden8287]

awesome!

[@damagecontrol1049]

Love this.

[@egyptian316]

You never used your ruler as a straightedge. I feel like somewhere down the line somebody taught you right. :D

[@RyanBrown314]

I need you guys to go deep on layouts/process eventually. I’d love it

[@furwerkstudio2057]

I am slowly trying to work my way backwards from the screen to paper due to many factors from the fact I am better at detailing on paper than on the screen, but I would love to make my work look like cel animated 80's Don Bluth movie eventually.

[@ttub_waffles]

almost better, in comparison with, the CGC snuff. very informative - thanks guys!

[@4ever4eyes]

Some lead holders have a sharpener in the cap at the top where you load the lead itself.

[@cookieDaXapper]

The tools of the Draftsman,....just watching y'all handle dem thangs makes me want to pull out the table and T square, cut some board, and do our,......passion. PEACE family of the pen, and God bless.

[@mojorisen8980]

You guys have one of the best channels in KZbin Ty very much for the information. Please please please keep making no art videos

[@ghistecyk8733]

Letratone! Forgot about that stuff..

[@yvettestricklandjohnston8823]

I loved watching this, it takes me down memory lane. Do you have a link to purchase these tools through Amazon? I want to give you the affiliate kick back for buying.

[@pierocabral8910]

I'm trying to find that tool for the perspective (also seen DWJ using) but no use! If someone knows the name, that would help a lot!!! :-) Awesome content guys! Thanks!

[@jasonmorrow187]

I think I found it. It’s called an equal ruler

[@benjaminfloresart]

Add to the list: Parallel Ruler

[@thisisowen]

Pencil recommendations for someone who tends to be more of a heavy hand?

[@spoton8121]

If you don't want to smudge everything go with a harder lead.H or 2H, It's dark enough for you to see and when you erase pencil lines there's not much graphite left over. Always use good quality pencils. They last longer and they are more cosistent. Staedtler has made pencils forever and they are among the best and readily avaialble.

[@JH-pe3ro]

Mitsubishi Hi-uni in the H range to your preference. H leads take more pressure and erase easier, and wood pencils enable the side/vertical grip, which lets you work with shoulder movements and stay looser. For a mechanical, Pentel Sharp Kerry, with Uni Nano-dia lead. The Kerry design is simple and reliable, has been around forever, has a cap(so it's a very portable pencil), and looks fancy if you need to impress someone.

[@boris1932]

Man I have used almost every tool you showed. I majored in Commercial Art and Design in the very early 90's --- We only had a couple of computer classes, as you couldn't do very much with them at all back then. I remember doing color sep's using Rubylith sheets -- also had to learn to use a photostat camera. Learned airbrush and used plenty of the rapidograph tech pens, always hated them though, lol.

[@apexcomix3200]

I draw on paper. I tried digital...makes me fall asleep 😴

[@mojorisen8980]

I meant more art videos

[@albatz1377]

It's a weems and plath ten point divider....the actual W&P one is like 200 300 bucks ...but there's tons of knock off versions out there.

[@senorx6296]

Now the AI ​​will take jobs from those who use programs to draw, each time that technology advances more. Even the real work, or the one that is done on paper, will be worth more and will be done since technology cannot compete with reality