12 Art Hacks for Comic Book Artists!

When you've been drawing traditional comic book art for as long as I have you're bound to pick up a few tips. Here are 12 of my favorite Art hacks for comic book artists!
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Here's are some of the art supplies I use:
Prismacolor Col Erase Pencils- amzn.to/2r698Zo
Kuretake Sumi Brush Pen- amzn.to/2rfqVdU
Zebra Fude Brush Pen- amzn.to/2qG5aXD
Uni-Ball Signo Gel Pen- amzn.to/2r5PAoa
Copic Markers- amzn.to/2qg5CLf
Bristol Paper- amzn.to/2r6tT7k
Winsor & Newton Series 7 Brush: amzn.to/2vrJAEV
Deleter Black No 5 Ink: amzn.to/2uy2D3M
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Wacom Intous Pro: amzn.to/2vrMiu1
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CHECK OUT MORE VIDEOS:
Art Advice (tips for artists): bit.ly/2ifC0u3
Mad Genius Hall of Fame: bit.ly/2tCRTQ5
The Artcasters (Live Chat): bit.ly/1MGTPFZ
100 Days of Making Comics: bit.ly/1vRHlpo
Beyond 100 Days of Making Comics: bit.ly/1kFTi0x
100 Days of Making Comics 2: bit.ly/2kIPnRQ
Fan Art Friday ( fan art Sketches): bit.ly/1GSOBL6
Pro vs. Con ( How to Convention): bit.ly/1XZvKCz
Mad Props: (Prop Building Tips): bit.ly/1MGUqHD
Sketchtime (Original Sketches): bit.ly/1WM0HHP

[@avosmash2121]

Gadzooks! Do my eyes deceive me? Actual artistic advice hacks for a dime budget, that go beyond the typical 3 of: "Use reference, practice a lot, don't stop believing in yourself!"...What a fantastic feat!

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks! I'm glad the info was useful, and for the record I also believe in all the other advice you mentioned.

[@AngelaMerici12]

Avocado Smash Hahaha!!!

[@oceanman2394]

This is the first video I've come across in years that is actually useful and has 0 BS content. Incredible; good job

[@ScottSerkland]

Thank you. That’s saying a lot.

[@nicolle2126]

also a good tip for people doing watercolors and inks: instead of buying expensive ceramic palettes from the popular brands, thrift inexpensive ceramic plates/serving dishes with lots of wells in them like the kind they used for sauce and party foods. You can get them for less than $0.30 usually and they're easy to clean, non-staining, and rust proof unlike plastic or metal palettes

[@ScottSerkland]

Great tips! I usually use paper plates for acrylic paint pallets or an old CD jewel case for water colors.

[@DerrickBarrows]

Nicolle oooh nice

[@GinHindew110]

i use an ice tray

[@danbullock1686]

Funky seventies dinnerware at thrift stores!

[@user-yx9xn2ub5f]

Also, id you have a plastic pallette, you can sand the surface with some medium grit sand paper (220 and up) to make the surface hold the water and stop it from forming small droplets on the surface. This makes it muxh easier to mix coulours and see your results.

[@thumbsaloft]

I give you MAJOR PROPS for addressing knowledge geared toward TRADITIONAL ARTIST! It's the digital age so the traditional way of doing things seems to be slowly fading away. I love paper and pencil, digital drawing doesn't give me the same thrill that actually creating on paper does. So thank you for thinking of us traditional artist!

[@ScottSerkland]

You're very welcome. While I do a lot of my work digitally I can't seem to shake the urge to do my comic book work traditionally.

[@TempestRequiem0]

Old comment so sorry for bringing this up, but the old ways aren't fading as much as you think. If you want to be part of a movie pipeline, or video game then yes you need digital skills (and not just photoshop either since z-brush is basically a must at this point for concept artists),but if you want to be a fine artist then you NEED to be good traditionally.

[@Rooiku]

Look to Japan, a lot of artist still use traditional media over there especially manga artists!

[@lijajedega]

Sameee

[@nicolle2126]

before watching the vid: eh i'm probably not gonna need any of these but what the heck after first tip: I NEED IT

[@ScottSerkland]

Awesome! I figured there would be at least a tip or two that would be new to most viewers.

[@nicolle2126]

Serkworks Art Labs i've heard of people taping a coin to the back of a ruler but i like your method way better, especially on metal rulers

[@muse-icality5554]

This video gave me a lot of inspiration, much needed!!

[@iamkoen2u]

Serkworks Art Labs I used to flip my exact blades like you mentioned also got a couple deep pressure thumb cuts cause I forgot I had flipped the blade. Very painful trying to draw after that so try keep your caps maybe color coat them with some fluorescent plastic paint

[@MrJonnyPepper]

Sometimes instead of using models I just take pictures of the neighbors

[@ScottSerkland]

Ha ha! That would work too.

[@noisepuppet]

jonny pepperston How do you keep them from seeing you

[@floorpuncher3280]

Curtains

[@hytrader3241]

Lol

[@realmrjangoon]

Ummmmm, that's illegal?

[@BigDaveSmith]

iPad/tablet screen can work as a light table too.. the screen is MUCH stronger and less awkward. Great vid Scott!

[@ScottSerkland]

True, I wish I would have thought to mention that, plus the fact that it sits flat, Awesome suggestion.

[@Moocow2003]

Top tip if you want to use your iPad as a lightbox: Go into Settings > General > Accessibility Turn on Guided Access (you only have to do that first part once) Now, go into Google and look up 'white' and bring up a random plain white image. Press the Home button 3 times quickly, which will turn on Guided Access. Choose the option to disable the screen. Use your iPad as a lightbox and when you're done, simply press the Home button 3 times again to use the screen like normal! This makes it so that the screen won't start shifting like it usually does if you accidentally poke it through the paper. Plus, it means that if you're tracing a digital sketch or something it won't move around whilst you're drawing.

[@DrAdnan]

I’m a med student but I do art on the side. Time isn’t very plentiful, so thanks for this!

[@ScottSerkland]

Your welcome Adnan, Hope it helps! Good luck in your studies.

[@DrAdnan]

Serkworks Art Labs Thank you!

[@lukamarko978]

Why don't you concentrate on your medical field... Otherways you are going to kill someone without getting proper rest....take care.... Ok guys .. Soo if anyone sees this guy in a drawing class just kick him out okk... ...

[@roostarstuios]

I have actually started doing all my pencils digitally, printing the pages out on comic board and inking traditionally.

[@ScottSerkland]

I have a lot of friends that use that same technique. I need to stat doing digital pencils myself, but I still love inking traditionally.

[@nicolle2126]

i've developed a workflow of penciling traditionally but layouting them digitally since that's where i always have troubles with. It helps since I don't need to pencil within the panels. Then i print the draft layout and ink from there via light box

[@Rooiku]

Same here!

[@ch4lk250]

I think i got my light table for only a little over 24 dollars or something and it`s more like a pad that you can bring with you anywhere. Get a light pad everyone, they are much cheaper!

[@ScottSerkland]

Sounds like a good deal. I would recommend people do the same, but in a pinch if you happen to find yourself without your light box a window will do just fine.

[@apfelninja]

More hacks; non photo blue doesn't show up on a scanner, so you don't have to erase your pencilling, plus it's easier on the eyes. If you do want to erase your pencil lines after inking, please, for the love of God, use one of those brown art gum erasers, as they do not dull the ink. For removing eraser dust, or even those little microscopic bits of graphite, use a drafting brush. If you're eraser is too big to erase what you want, use an eraser shield. If you want to make a comic book with only graphite, no ink, consider using charcoals, as they cast no shine, where graphite does. White highlights can make or break great artwork, so most people use "the white gel pen" for that. Go to any arts and crafts store, and ask for "the white gel pen," and they will give you the same one every time, but "the white gel pen" is not archival, so one might want to consider using white gouache, which is archival. Micron now has a 003 size, which is .013 mm wide at the tip. It's excellent for really subtle shading, but if you have figured out how to change the inks in a micron pen, do not use the fw pearlescents, which should look better at this size, but the particulate size of the pigments is .014, which is too big to fit through the nib, so it will seem like the trick doesn't work. Touch alcohol markers have a higher concentration of alcohol than copics, so they blend more easily, but they therefore have a lower concentration of pigment, so the colors won't be as vibrant. If you alternate between the two brands, you will get a wider variation of color, with greater ease, for about 80% of the cost of the equivalent with just the copics. Thi down your inks with water, and you get a better variation of value, and use walnut oil based oil paints, because they do not yellow through the ages, like linseed oil based oil paints.

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks! That is all great advice and I use many of the same tools and techniques. I do think this falls more in the category of using the correct tools properly than as art hacks.

[@PeterPalmiotti]

Hack 8: but I like staring into the abyss of my ink bottle. LOL Great tips Scott!

[@ScottSerkland]

Ha Ha. Thanks For watching Peter.

[@joshmarquis3536]

This was the first hack video I've seen where it was all practical, and very useful. I also love how he didn't over, or under-explain anything

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks Josh. Many times I tend to over explain, but for this video I wanted to keep it short and to the point.

[@joshmarquis3536]

Nailed it

[@hokostudios]

I think you got all the big ones, Scott. Funny thing, I think panel borders are actually the only thing I'll consistently use a ruler for. Anything else I'm just as likely to draft freehand, and usually ink freehand as well. Tend to have fewer smudging issues in general, though. The ink in my technical pens is just less thick and viscous than what I often see you use, and it sets very quickly; I don't normally have trouble unless I brush it immediately (so the trick is left at just pulling my ruler away). Gridded rulers are really nice for doing right angles, though, and I have paper/cardboard blanks to draw around when I just want to block out my working space on larger sheets. It's not the most elegant option, but hey, when you just want to do drafts on your commute, it makes it fast to get a few pages ready to work on.

[@ScottSerkland]

I think how much or how little you use your ruler comes down to personal preference. There are some artist I admire who are super technical and every thing that is non organic is drawn with a ruler, then I see other artist who I really like who's every line is drawn freehand and the effect is awesome. I think I'm somewhere in between.

[@elPacoPuente]

Just masking tape wouldn't always lift the ruler enough for me to prevent smudges. I usually paste a penny under each end of the ruler and secure them with masking tape. As for lightbox, there are some very inexpensive USB powered LED light pads you can find on ebay at less than 15 bucks. Here's another one: If your printer can take bristol boards, you can make the borders of the panels on the computer and print them out, so you don't have to use rulers for that, and they will look perfect!

[@elPacoPuente]

Oh, and one I like to do a lot: If you wanna get a focus lines effect like they use in manga, put a flat top thumbtack on the centre of the panel with the pin facing upwards and secure it with masking tape. then just use it as the focus point, just easily rotating the ruler around the pin!

[@ScottSerkland]

Fantastic tips, Thanks! Hope you don't mind if I mention them in a future video.

[@elPacoPuente]

Wouldn't mind at all, man! In fact, here's another one: When you're in a rush and want the ink to dry faster, just hover the page near the light bulb of your desk lamp for a couple of seconds, the heat will dry the ink immediately! (Just don't hold it for too long if you don't want to burn the page, lol!)

[@ScottSerkland]

Love it!

[@danaperkins4944]

Thanks for the hint about printing out the panels! I never thought of that! That is a great idea!

[@C.B.Smallwood]

Great video! I liked the ruler bit and cutting out the faces for corrections (all of the video was good, but those were my two favorites). I'm curious about the lettering. I would have liked to see more about the lettering. I think you may already have video on that so I will check it out (assuming I'm not mistaken). I'm thinking about hand lettering my comic, but I'm not sure either.

[@gideonjones5712]

Oooh, the smudgeguard glove is a great idea, I'm going to have to do that! These tips are all great! Thanks for the video

[@ScottSerkland]

Thank you.

[@cooldude6269]

I find that clear plastic rulers are much more useful for art than metal or wood because you can see what’s underneath and it’s much easier to position it on the page.

[@ScottSerkland]

That is true, however I 'm always using my ruler as a guide for my xacto knife and those things just slice though plastic rulers.

[@Schesso]

I like the ruler tip and the idea to let my ink sit overnight to thicken it. Some of the other tips weren't very helpful though. Personally my solution to a pencil nub is "buy more pencils."

[@ScottSerkland]

Yeah, some of these tips people already know or there might be better options. But even if you get a couple new tips from these I’ve done my job. Hopefully it was worthwhile.

[@hughdidit]

An old school tip for you along the lines of masking tape behind the ruler. On your circle templates, to keep the ink from smudging tape pennies to the back side. Same for triangles.

[@ScottSerkland]

Good one. I got a lot of suggestions to tape pennies on rulers, but it's a good idea to do them on circle templates too.

[@Hikarusoul]

I love these tips. So simple, and don't require anything to use

[@ScottSerkland]

Glad you liked them. I hoping to do more soon.

[@jacksparrowismydaddy]

every tip you gave is gold! thank you sir

[@ScottSerkland]

You’re welcome. Glad you liked the tips.

[@derekcavin7665]

Wow what a great drawing @ 4:24. Edit that. There is some great stuff on here. Excellent!

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks!

[@Spitfireseven]

This was the best tutorial video of this type I have seen. All of these professional shortcuts are absolutely what Stan Lee or Robert Crumb would use. GREAT VIDEO!

[@ScottSerkland]

That’s what I was setting out to do so I’m glad I was able to do it. Thanks for letting me know. It means a lot.

[@beastmastersage]

Awesome Tools!! And Great Advice!!

[@ScottSerkland]

Thank you Sage!

[@miyagi_draws]

Lots of good tips, I've used them all! One useful tip that wasn't mentioned is to do panel layouts small to nail the composition, then enlarge them at a copy store (divide the size you want by the size of your small comp, move the decimal two places stage right, and there's your enlargement percentage for the copier) and, with your pencil held sideways, put a layer of graphite on the back of the enlarged copy. Flip the page, tape it to your board and use a ballpoint pen to go over the lines of the copy. The graphite on the back will transfer the image nicely. I've used variations on this for years. I prefer this method to a projector because it feels more natural than trying to draw vertical. Another useful tip that folks are constantly asking is, what size are comics drawn at? Traditional should be 10x15 or something real close. Use 11x17 paper and do a quick 1/2 inch on each side and 1 inch top and bottom. There's your 10x15! (Digital go twice the size of whatever your final product is, and go 300 dpi)

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks Michael. Those are great tips. I’ll have to try your transfer method. And I agree that drawing vertically is difficult and uncomfortable, at least for me.

[@KnoelsNook]

Really loved these hacks! Thanks!

[@ScottSerkland]

Your welcome, Glad you like them.

[@gee355Art]

My window has been my Lightbox for years!!! 👍 some good advice here - thanks for sharing!

[@ScottSerkland]

Absolutely. I use that trick as well.

[@DerrickBarrows]

I made my own guides for making the traditional blue line borders on 11 x 17 Bristol boards. I sacrificed two authentic Blue Line boards by cutting along the lines and saving what essentially is a frame, one for outside bleed edge and one for the inside. Then I made a board with two raised angles adjacent from one another that boarder 11 x 17 just as a mount (you don't need it though) so if I have an 11 x 17 sheet of stock Bristol board or one made for water color I can turn it into a blue line comic sheet by laying in the mount, laying the thick inside frame in, trace the edge, then the outside frame, trace it, now I have a traditional comic page that shows the bleed lines that are normally on a "blue line pro " sheet. It's way cheaper, saves you the time of having to measure all that out, and it is an alternative if you want to use a different canvas for your comic other than bristol.

[@ScottSerkland]

That's an awesome tip! I may have to try it for myself.

[@n1ghtmar3w0lf3]

very interesting,will have to try out a few of these when i work on my own

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks, hope it helps.

[@TheKevphil]

*_Sooo_* glad I'm digital now... LOL Lotsa good tips here, Scott!

[@ScottSerkland]

I’d love to do a hacks for digital comic creators, but don’t think I have enough tricks up my sleeve yet.

[@mumpygumboo8554]

If you want to sell your originals, use acid free archival paper, and make sure your inks are archival as well. Thanks for the hacks; great vid.

[@ScottSerkland]

Great advice. I just did a video in the importance of lightfastness to comic art. I should have mentioned using archival paper in addition to inks.

[@piaxxo]

:0000 ITS AN UNDERRATED CHANNEL You're tips and art are awesome man, keep up the good work!

[@ScottSerkland]

Thank you so much!

[@paulmurphy612]

Loved your ideas!

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks!

[@butina9773]

Thank you so much, your tips really help me out. Thank you...

[@ScottSerkland]

Absolutely, Happy to help!

[@rishatabdulin9716]

Really thank you very much!!!

[@ScottSerkland]

You're welcome! Hope it helped.

[@PortalVIII]

Thanks, those were great tips! I especially want to try the lettering trick, since I've been wanting to either make a handwriting font or to improve my handwriting (it's terrible), but your lettering guide works both for both digital and traditional!

[@ScottSerkland]

Your welcome, and now that you mention it, it's totally applicable to digital art as well.

[@lydialiu4115]

So useful thank you

[@ScottSerkland]

You're welcome. Glad to help.

[@GranMaese]

There were indeed some tips I never thought about. Great tips, man. You deserve more suscribers.

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks! I’m working on it, it just takes time.

[@WillHollandstorytime]

These are great tips indeed for artist who workwith pen & ink.

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks!

[@paulapeterson-warnock3030]

Excellent!!!

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks!

[@adedotunakande6577]

I love this video. Thanks.

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks!

[@abbigailclark1156]

This was awesome. Can apply to more than just comics 👍

[@ScottSerkland]

Absolutely they can

[@ghexhsdhujvcfbsdhucvrej5452]

Youre so underrated, you deserve more subscribers!

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks. Slowly but surely.

[@matthewabrahams8309]

Thanks this was a great vid, learnt lots

[@ScottSerkland]

You’re more than welcome.

[@johnkon2810]

The last 2 tips (inc. Bonus tip), are very instructive. Thank u! I never thought to use my ruler w/ masking tape to spray clue a fix

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks John, glad it was helpful. If you need a little more lift on your ruler you can always and some coins under the masking tape.

[@johnkon2810]

Serkworks Art Labs ... I use these clear circles or squares from Scotch called "Restickable Dots." They give the perfect amount of lift & as their name implies, they're re-usable, for those whom might not have a dedicated rulers for inking. ;) Try them you'll like them I bet. As to the sticky spray, I just tried it, using a cut out, with a ruler & xacto knife and it worked great! Next up, is tracing the comic letters for a more hand drawn look. I have good hand writing but, I'm not a writing specialist. Great tips. Thanks again for those tips and thanks for the reply!

[@johnkon2810]

Serkworks Art Labs ... also, (this is kinda off-topic) but, like you, I enjoy working in the traditional method even though I do have a Wacom, all the art software you could need and a expensive self-built workstation. That said, scanning and printing is something I still use often these days, even though I'm back to drawing & inking traditionally. This is especially important because thought I own every Copic marker out there, it's far cheaper and faster to color on the computer. I only do a base color with markers and paint with covers. That said: my all-in-one is starting to go. I know the ideal setup is to have your own printer and scanner separate however, I don't have the room right now, unless super worth it too. I Any suggestions for a printer & scanner or ALL-IN-ONE? I scan far more than I print. I sometimes don't print for months at a time (ink always drying up). Those knew printers and all-in-one's with "ink wells" ... do you happen to have any tips on them? Perhaps a future video? ;)

[@mixolydian]

Thanks for all that!

[@ScottSerkland]

You're welcome

[@AxiomEcho]

Great tips! Thanks for this!! New sub!

[@ScottSerkland]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@_Alfa_Channel]

love the lettering tip - save the best for last!

[@ScottSerkland]

Yeah, Thats one of my favorite tips!

[@mikewilson8198]

Great video did learn something so subscribed

[@ScottSerkland]

Awesome! Thanks Mike. Welcome aboard!

[@napadave58]

An idea for the splice: Instead of splicing along a straight line, follow some of the curves in the drawing ... along the edge of an arm, a building, etc. The result will be a far less visible splice.

[@ScottSerkland]

This is good advice the only issue would be if you intend to fold it for whatever reason, otherwise I say go for it.

[@tylerdd2680]

Great tips, Jon Favreau. Nice art too, subscribed.

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks. I’ve got Mark Ruffalo before, Jon Favreau is a first.

[@valiumk.9489]

Interesting, thank you!!!!!

[@ScottSerkland]

You’re welcome.

[@smithjohn383]

Nice tips, thanks. 2, I do slicing while drawing faces down on a light table. Tape the papers together, cut halfway, tape over the cut and continue to the end. The papers stay put all the time. 3, I do lightly proportion outlines on the paper and flip it on a light table, then I do the actual sketch on the backside with corrections. Then I flip it again and erase the thin outlines on the first side and ink it correcting again. ( Or flip the paper again and again doing corrections as long as needed before inking. ) This eliminates skewing and no heavy duty erasing is needed at all, also I don't have to use eraser on my inked work. For lettering I put a squared-paper on the light table and place the drawing over it. While sketching it's also handy for getting things vertical and proportions right on buildings etc.

[@ScottSerkland]

Awesome tips John. The best thing about making this video is all the great tips I get from everyone in the comments.

[@reubenoakley8967]

I used number 4 all the time when I was a kid. Oh the nostalgia!

[@ScottSerkland]

I used that trick more when I was a kid as well.

[@JWMCMLXXX]

I had no idea people still worked with their hands. lol This is great. Thanks man

[@ScottSerkland]

Even digital artist work with there hands, I'm sure at some point software will just read our minds and create what we think, but I kinda like working with my hands.

[@ricardobenitez9534]

Awesome 👍👌👍👌

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks!

[@johnsharp3459]

you are so good, top tips every one.

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks John!

[@nibpresscomics]

That ruler trick is really helpful. It was a pain to have the ink smear. Thanks !

[@ScottSerkland]

You're welcome, Glad to hear the tip was useful.

[@miroslavbudinov2198]

Great tips! I'm also a traditional comic artist (beginner) and maybe this tip I come up with can be helpful. When I want to show a character in the same position in two panels but with a slight movement on his hand or head (or eyes etc.) on the second panel, instead of trying to redraw a perfect copy I use rice paper to draw the character from the first panel and then add the movement I want on the copied character for the second panel, then I put indigo paper and the rice paper with the drawed character on top of the comic page. Now the adjusting can be a bit tricky but again if you have these light tables you would see where you'd have to put it on top. By me such panels are usually the same sizes so I would draw the character together with the panel and when I copy it I always leave a part of the comic page panel protruding so I can level it up with the panel of the rice paper one, cuz I only use so much indigo paper as needet for the panel and not a whole sheet to cover the whole page. Of course I try to push lightly cuz the indigo paper is basically a sheet soaked in ink, so if I get it wrong I will have to white it out. Might not get a 100% perfect copy but still better from what I will do on hand alone.

[@ScottSerkland]

Very interesting technique. I haven't used indigo or carbon paper in ages. There are a number of instances where you want to use an almost identical panel or have only a slight variation that this would be helpful for. I usually duplicate it in Photoshop because I color and letter digitally, but if you are going to do everything traditionally then in indigo paper transfer is a definite option.

[@miroslavbudinov2198]

Yes, I wouldn't imagine doing this if I had the chance to do it digitally but by fate I would say, I do my comic books all out dtraditional. I guess the desire to pull off an effect like that brought me up to such an idea, haha XD

[@dustinrichardson1113]

just started my first comic and found this video helpful!!!!!!!!!!!

[@ScottSerkland]

Glad I could help!

[@dustinrichardson1113]

now with you and mark crilley i will be able to write them!!

[@gumshoecomix]

i love your deskspace!

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks! I'll have to do a studio tour one of these days.

[@gumshoecomix]

awesome, I look forward to it!

[@trublgrl]

Pentel Clic-Eraser stick type erasers are available in every office supply store and lots of other general retailers and they make great pencil extenders. Just slip your pencil in the opposite side of the eraser part and you can use it to hold your pencil. If you like, you can leave the eraser in and have a gigantic eraser on the back of your little pencil.

[@ScottSerkland]

ooh! I like that hack, That sounds like it might even be better than the actual pencil extenders.

[@veronikapurplesfinx5348]

Thank you a lot!!

[@ScottSerkland]

Your welcome!

[@lex_yol]

TU very match - its very handy) I agree with previous comment - its actually useful.

[@ScottSerkland]

Thank you!

[@futtynucker5278]

I actually use a few of these methods. Also, it may sound cheap, but I like to draw may character's faces on sheets, in different sizes and angles. Mostly to save time, use those with the lightbox to keep a perfect consistency with everything. It works with poses and dynamic movements. Just to have everything you could need on file to just pop out and redraw. Removes the stress a bit.

[@ScottSerkland]

I like that idea a lot actually.

[@futtynucker5278]

@@ScottSerkland Thanks man! It helps me alot. Edit: forgot the punctuation. Ugh.

[@Jericko427]

Really cool, bro!

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks!

[@heymikomiks]

THANK YOU SO MUCH

[@ScottSerkland]

Thank you for watching.

[@ScotCampbellwindowpainter]

Good stuff.

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks Scot!

[@flyingkage]

Gonna save this for my next comic

[@ScottSerkland]

Awesome! I hope it helps.

[@yobeenocreative6984]

Awesome ideas - One I use a lot is BlueTac. Great for sticking down precious items like vases to surfaces (solves that annoying cat and kids problem :P ), but its also great for art for sticking down ink caps, pencils, or paper to the desk. Also works just like a kneaded eraser for removing graphite. Stick it in the end of a ruler to pick up fallen pens or in your ears to block out noisy disruptions. Just don't use the coloured stuff in your ears as it may leave 'SpiderMan Blue' residue in your ear-hole - like it did to me once :D

[@ScottSerkland]

Those are great ones. I think I mentioned the BlueTac and kneaded eraser in another video. But sucking the BlueTac in your ears is a new on. HaHa!

[@lou5286]

If you have a shallow but wide transparent box with a flat bottom, they work as great light boxes. I’ve found that drawing on windows/monitors is awkward and tablets often shift the screen, but I bought a cheap box with a flat bottom and it works great

[@ScottSerkland]

Good advice. What kind of light source would you recommend for that?

[@emaicee]

Great tips. I use the metal bottle caps from beer or other drinks. I place them on an old speaker magnet so they stay put and this makes it less likely for them to be knocked over. I also mix a little ammonia + water in an old ink bottle and use this to water my ink. It helps it flow better than just water alone. The last thing is to tape up the grip of brushes or dip pens to get a better grip. You can also use pencil grips if you can get them to fit.

[@ScottSerkland]

Awesome Tips! These are Brilliant. I hope you don't mind if I mention these in the sequel.

[@emaicee]

You're most welcomed to!

[@petemarquez8759]

Masking tape on paint brushes to add thickness helps hold foam pencil grips in place on the thinner brushes.

[@KevinCrossArt]

Good tips!

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks Kevin.

[@dingo802]

First time watching one of your videos, and I can't help but think your office really reminds me of old school Nickelodeon.

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks, thats the vibe I'm going for, Nickelodeon meets Willy Wonka.

[@loneangler9063]

Also I use White Acrylic for Whiting out My ink mistakes. It works as good as white out, can clean brushes easier, and If your buy flat sealed Apple barn. It is thin enough yet opaque enough to hid ink mistakes.

[@ScottSerkland]

Another fantastic tip. I have use white gouache before but it can be pricy.

[@inkroverts]

Thank you for the tips! The style of your line art is really cool. One question though, where do you get a light table? I know putting a glass and a light underneath is gonna be cheaper, and I'd probably do that. But I still want to know what places sell light tables; I never really bumped into one in real life but just saw people use them on KZbin.

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks! So, my uncle who is a wood worker built the light table for me as a birthday gift on year, I've had it for a long time and it's one of the best gifts I have ever received. If you're handy with building things there are probably light table plans on Pinterist. Also light boxes are coming down in price with the popularity of LEDs. You can probably find an inexpensive LED light box through a quick Google search.

[@petemarquez8759]

Great tips, subscribed, tell us about the paper with a square in the background with lines coming in towards the center, is that for drawing perspective? Did you create that or can we buy it somewhere?

[@ScottSerkland]

The rulers are just guides for making straight cuts.

[@SolMuun]

I got some of those hacks under my belt :) I like the bottle cap ink well idea. One nice trick is to add a little alcohol (91%) to thin ink and to help it dry a little faster, just a few drops. It kinda makes your ink smell a little boozy though...

[@ScottSerkland]

Great tip Solomon, I’ll have to try that. I’m planning on doing a part 2 so I may mention that.

[@Meggsie]

Yeah I always spill my ink. Oh your pro white tip also works for your markers. If they start drying out you can prolong it's life by taking the cap off and putting it felt down into a glass of water for a bit.

[@ScottSerkland]

Interesting, I've heard about adding rubbing alcohol, but I'll have try try the water trick.

[@dymitrinestor3713]

this is a great video

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks!

[@navbuoy]

Nice stuff - He reminds me of Jon Favreau and Mark Rufallo in a Scott McCloud package

[@ScottSerkland]

You’re not the first person to make the Jon Favreau or the Mark Ruffalo comparison, but I do appreciate the Scott McCloud reference. I wish.

[@Dijeouni]

Tip #1: GET TAPE All the other tips: Tape is awesome. Use tape. But no in all seriousness these are fantastic hacks that I'd never have thought of before. Thanks a bunch for this video!

[@ScottSerkland]

You're welcome, I happy the tips were helpful.

[@adildraws]

Helpful tips

[@ScottSerkland]

Glad the tips helped!

[@pikachulove5468]

For people traveling. The common water bottle is also what I use for inking and water colors. Really useful art tool to have for the traditional birds of flight! :3

[@ScottSerkland]

Good tip!

[@larrybrennan1463]

Another good way to check your drawing is turn it upside down. It's amazing how easy it is to spot problems in perspective, proportion, or composition that way.

[@ScottSerkland]

Larry Brennan Absolutely, turning your art upside down or looking at it in a mirror is a great way to spot mistakes.

[@Octo_Ink_Art]

Thank you for the tips. Actually I had to discover all these by myself but at those times there was no such useful videos on youtube. :D Tip No: 12, I usually do that with photoshop. It is more safe and does not damage the original art work. I'd like to add a few things if you won't mind: - Beside an eye drop, syringe is also useful. (Actually my dad was working in health sector so it was easy for me to get my hands on syringes lol ) - Watercolor palettes are pretty useful if you are using 50 shades of ink. :) Like, if you are using lavi technique you can create a nice tone scale on palette. - If you have a large size art work (let's say 35cmx50cm) and an A4 scanner, you can scan the different parts in 3 times and combine them on photoshop. - I also paint the large black areas on photoshop, it works for me for time saving. - And my last, not tip but an advice for whom do not know anything about sofwares. Basic knowledge of Photoshop will help you a lot. And again, thank you so much for the tips.

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks. I had to learn a lot of this the hard way too. Thanks for the tips. I may mention some of these in a follow up video. I use a lot of these digital tips as well, but wanted to stick to just traditional tips for this video.

[@jamesgsr8587]

Useful vid, thanks for making it! Btw, Huion makes some great inexpensive LED light tables (starting at about $30 on Amazon). I have two and highly recommend them. Since they are LED, most are much less than half an inch thick and incredibly bright.

[@ScottSerkland]

That's awesome! Good to know. Kudos to Huion for continuing to make cost effective alternatives to some of our more expensive art supplies.

[@DerrickBarrows]

James GSR i got lucky and my brother ended up with an old x-ray box from a doctor's office, it is now my light box

[@timotheesadowski8967]

I was going to put the same comment :) there is a bunch of different brands already, it goes in between 15$ and 30$ generrally. They are light, easy to carry, they are powered by USB, so you can use either a laptop/computer or a classic phone charger to power them... they also have adjustable brightness!

[@Launchpad05]

Hello.I have some questions regarding the Pro White paint. What's the best kind of brush to use with Pro White? I use a Princeton Select 6 round brush. Is that good for covering up mistakes, or should I use a different brush? Also, I poured some water in my Pro White, and learned it was much easier to touch up very small areas. However, when I opened it up the next day, the water I pored in turned yellow, and faded away. Why did it do that? Thanks.

[@ScottSerkland]

Hey Marc, as far as brushes go it's very subjective but comes down to what your most comfortable with. I haven't used a Princeton Select 6, I'm sure it fine. The most important thing to consider is to make sure your are using a different brush then the one you ink with because even the slightest bit of ink residue could gray your pro white. I use a Windsor and Newton Series 7 size 1 for inking and an inexpensive Cotman water color brush size 0 or 1 for pro white. I've never had an issue with the Pro white yellowing, but I recently switched to Dr PH Martin's Bleed Proof White. You might want to try that if Pro White is and issue.

[@Launchpad05]

Thanks. Now I have another question. Whenever I cover up a mistake with Pro White, and draw over it, the ink doesn't flow smoothly as it would on normal paper. Why is that? Is it because I didn't wait long enough for the Pro White to dry? Am I doing it wrong? Please let me know.

[@123rockfan]

Well some of these blew my mind

[@ScottSerkland]

Awesome! Hope the tips helped!

[@lnasilvia]

I have a question : What kind of paper should I use for drawing comics?

[@ScottSerkland]

Typically Bristol. Both Strathmore and Canson are good brands. 11x17” for Standard American comics. I don’t remember the size for Manga off hand.

[@lnasilvia]

Ohh! Got it! Thank you! :D

[@petemarquez8759]

Lots of great tips, my favorite was the one on hand lettering, the background on referring to on my previous comment says Fiskers at the 6:42 mark, so now I know its commercial, what is that called and where can we get one?

[@ScottSerkland]

Hey Pete, so that thing that says Fiskers is a cutting mat and it’s self healing. So it won’t leave a lot of cut marks. You Can find Them at craft stores like Michaels. I just bought a couple new ones from another in company on Amazon. They have all different sizes and a few colors. Just search for cutting mat.

[@yoyohanaBR]

This video is old but I have my tip for a light table 4:57 What I do is taking off the glass from a portrait (a big one if you have) and put it on top of two columns of books (like, 2 books and 2 books on a table) and them a put my cellphone in between them with the lantern on. That's it! A on budget light table! 😁

[@ScottSerkland]

Great tip, you just need to make sure the glass is thick enough, typically portrait glass is really thin.

[@nibpresscomics]

What type of brush would you recommend for using Pro White?

[@ScottSerkland]

I use a Cotman watercolor brush. I think its a number 1. What's more important that what brush you use is that you use a different brush from the one you ink with because no mater how much you clean it you're bound to get some graying if you don't switch brushes.

[@kriswaylander4162]

What kind of Body-Kun do you have on the table? It's very large and cool i've only got the small one :p Great video as usual!

[@ScottSerkland]

Thanks Kris, that’s actually more of a decoration than an actual artist mannequin. They sell them at IKEA , but they aren’t very posable. A good art supply store would sell a better one only with greater poseablility

[@user-tt2qn1cj1x]

You can use a beveled ruler to prevent ink smudge by flipping it over, as beveled edge is away from paper contact.

[@ScottSerkland]

Done that! Great tip!

[@aaronwood8012]

That last “bonus hack” - what pen did you use to trace the lettering there at the very end ?? Thanks

[@ScottSerkland]

I remember it being a felt tip pen, but I don't remember the brand. I don't think I have that particular pen any longer.

[@tanukigalpa]

Does anyone have any tips for possible makeshift drafting tables? I have a great one at home that makes drawing so much easier on my hands, back, etc, but I'm in college now where all the tables are flat and the dorm desk is tiny anyway

[@ScottSerkland]

I wish I did, although it probably would be a mater of using two similar sized pieces of wood attached with a hinge and some way to prop the end up to the degree you want. It could be just placed on an existing table. I'm sure there has to be some diagram for how to build this on Pinterest. I wouldn't mind building on myself.

[@Uradamus]

This was an interesting video, and I'm sure it will be very helpful for those interested in traditional workflows, but I've got to say it has reminded me of many old annoyances that I'm glad to have nearly forgotten about thanks to going digital. >.

[@ScottSerkland]

Digital definitively has it's advantages and one day I will probably make the jump to doing all of my comics digitally, but it's hard to do an art hack video for digital comics. I imagine it would just be a bunch of keyboard shortcuts

[@Uradamus]

Ya, true. Most things would be program specific details. One kinda general purpose one I can think of for those like me using a graphics tablet is that it can help a lot to take a sheet of some sort of card stock, like a typical bristol board, and lay that over the tablet to draw on with the stylus. It tends to give a more natural/traditional pencil drawing feel and if the drawing surface and frame are made of different things, then it will help avoid having your hand catch as it crosses over that transition.

[@ARVETDEG]

Hello, I have a question about the font (loved the font trick!), what's the name of the font you used?

[@ScottSerkland]

I’m pretty sure that font was called “Wild and Crazy”

[@ARVETDEG]

Serkworks Art Labs Thanks man!