Writing With Imagery | Darwyn Cooke | Strip Panel Naked

[@benbarnes3260]

Visual story-telling is one of the technical skills in comics that Im most fascinated by. Its a lot like editing in movies. If its good, you hardly think about it, if its bad you notice right away

[@StripPanelNaked]

It’s one of those things where it’s so different comic-to-comic. There are comics where the dialogue really drives them and the images almost just support that, there are comics where the images are solely the driving factor, and then some that work inbetween. It’s strange in a way because it’s a visual medium but not everything necessarily works “visually”, as such.

[@richardabia9735]

​@@StripPanelNakedYour videos are awesome ! It really teaches a lot and they are fun. How come you haven't posted in a while ?

[@Oddernod]

All I think about after watching one of your videos is how much I need to SLOW DOWN whenever I'm reading comics - these are just solid gold. Keep 'em coming!

[@StripPanelNaked]

Haha thanks! Read it as fast as you can 😂

[@Syncratci]

love Darwin Cooke. I think your point about learning to read an image is really good. It took me a long time to learn and I still feel like I miss things pretty frequently, either due to ignorance or rushing.

[@StripPanelNaked]

I think there's also like, is it rewarded? Not everyone is necessarily making comics that reward you for really reading the panels, and especially I think in something like this where the same person is writing and drawing it, you get that specific approach to the drawing being a vital communication tool that you don't necessarily get in other forms. But that's being quite general anyway!

[@pirata1471]

I'm from Brazil, three friends and I always watch your videos. Your work is amazing! thank you for that!

[@ShinoSarna]

Yooo the channel's back!

[@StripPanelNaked]

Woooo! Make sure to check out the previous episode from a few weeks back, too!

[@ShinoSarna]

​@@StripPanelNakedYeah, I just noticed it. It's harder to spot these because Subscriptions page is so cluttered now it's hard to catch up on your subs, which is why I missed the last one.

[@StripPanelNaked]

@@ShinoSarna KZbin!!!! *shakes fist*

[@baileysidney1786]

the panel within a panel on the last page graveyard is so cool

[@StripPanelNaked]

Love that as a technique.

[@ChrisRini]

I was saving this video for a time when I'd be able to give it my full attention. What a delight this series is, and terribly inspiring. Thank you, Hass.

[@StripPanelNaked]

Thanks Chris! Very much appreciated.

[@cersosvanguard]

The king is back 👑

[@StripPanelNaked]

Haha thanks for watching!

[@sajeebbhm2487]

Good day Hass! Thanks for the new contents again.

[@McNIMs]

Hey man, always happy to see an upload from you. Seriously, these videos are absolutely invaluable

[@StripPanelNaked]

Thank you!!

[@McNIMs]

@@StripPanelNaked Absolutely man. Been a big fan of your videos since I found em during the pandemic; your analyses add so much credence to the medium and its academic worth. as a cartoonist-in-progress I give you my honest gratitude :)

[@oHelmy3131]

Maaan thank you for coming back and sharing... gotta get this one on my list! ❤

[@StripPanelNaked]

Thanks for checking it out!

[@actiontheshiningstar]

OMG new Strip Panel Naked!! YAY

[@StripPanelNaked]

Hahaha woo!

[@christopherboggon9054]

Get in there quick dude, it’s Darwyn

[@StripPanelNaked]

Another Darwyn episode!!!!

[@srwapo]

Wait, wait, wait. You made a book that is going to be perfect to gift to my nieces?! Thanks!

[@StripPanelNaked]

Ah haha thank you! Hope they like it.

[@danielg.w5733]

Congrats on the comic. I didn't realize you were the writer. awesome

[@StripPanelNaked]

It’s my debut GN as a writer! My day job is lettering comics, but this is my first proper work as a writer!

[@francesco5594]

Happy to have watched the whole video, happy to pre-order your comic Congrats!

[@StripPanelNaked]

Hey, thanks you! Truly appreciated!!

[@actiontheshiningstar]

Congrats on the comic!

[@StripPanelNaked]

Thank you!

[@mikeneale2459]

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!!

[@StripPanelNaked]

Thanks!!

[@Lesserabunny]

Congrats on the comic 🎉 Can't wait to read your story :)

[@StripPanelNaked]

Thank you! Up for preorder now!!

[@Lesserabunny]

Pre-orders for physical copies (of western comics) don't open on Amazon India until two, three days before actual release. So, I'll have to wait a little longer than others. But I've already wishlisted, and will order as soon as it's opens 👍

[@StripPanelNaked]

@@Lesserabunny It's very much appreciated! Thank you!

[@tremblingcolors]

Darwin Cooke was the best and it's a real shame that his idea to launch what would become the Marvel Adventures line didn't happen under him. He'd have made great stories for kids that aren't dumbed down.

[@StripPanelNaked]

Not heard that story! But yeah he manages that balance really well in The Spirit, too.

[@eboi5575]

Very helpful , thank you

[@pacup]

G'day from Australia! Been a big fan for a while, and, not only is it so cool you've got a comic written, but sheer coincidence, I've gotten a paid gig to write a one-page comic for an anthology! No pressure, but got any tips for where to go next? Thank you very much!

[@StripPanelNaked]

Congrats!! Just keep making comics. Shorts are great for learning your own approaches and style, keep making them. Find a community of other artists and writers making comics too, really helpful in the long run in building up your own friends and network of people making comics. But the best advice is just to keep making them.

[@lzrdkng]

god i missed your videos!

[@StripPanelNaked]

Haha thank you!

[@tremblingcolors]

I look forward to reading your comic.

[@StripPanelNaked]

Thank you! Available for preorder now! 😅

[@middenway]

I find the phrase "show don't tell" is all too frequently misunderstood, so I say "demonstrate don't tell" as it more accurately conveys the idea. Dialogue can demonstrate instead of telling, but it's something people can be blind to if they're thinking of "show" in very literal terms.

[@StripPanelNaked]

Yeah, it’s really more like, don’t over-explain. In a lot of mainstream comics you’ve got situations where you might not know who is drawing your comic before you write it, and obviously lost dialogue is being written before you’ve even seen a page. So I understand the need often to be as explicit as possible in the dialogue when you’re working in that way, because it’s like writing blind. But when you find that harmonious collaboration (or you find that harmonious balance within yourself I guess, if writing and drawing), you get really cool examples of it like this. (Sorry- rambled way off topic!)

[@middenway]

@@StripPanelNaked No, don't be sorry. I appreciate the rambles.

[@dantenavarro9604]

Thanks a lot for these videos! I love them ❤

[@StripPanelNaked]

Thanks for watching--!

[@TonyTylerDraws]

I wonder if Darwyn’s storytelling techniques were a result of his animation experience, where you *have* to show and not tell. Alex Toth was the same way.

[@franciscobello1519]

There is something to this, yes. Boarding and editing, and the rigor and discipline animation teach economy of communication.

[@StripPanelNaked]

I’m sure that helped. I think when you’re writing and drawing it’s easier to know what you’re communicating through the imagery, too. In a lot of cases in comics the writer writes a script before anything is drawn, so you might not know exactly what the images are “saying”, so you might lean on dialogue in more instances to make sure clarity is found. Creators like Cooke doing everythig themselves have a good idea what the panel and page are already saying silently and can work more directly with that. That’s all generalisations obviously, many comics have a lot of back and forth too, but just speaking on a larger perspective.

[@salavini]

ahhh so cool!

[@StripPanelNaked]

Thanks!!

[@Ali-fs7ze]

Hey Hassan, great episode, I had a question if it's alright. You're a professional letterer, right? So I gotta ask, why is lettering in western (particularly American) comics so Tiny?? I always try to avoid zooming in on pages but I often have to with American comics, cause it's sometimes hard to read even on my giant monitor. This is certainly not helped by how much more text western comics usually have. It's especially noticeable with giant splash pages where there's like one balloon that takes up less than 5% of the image. (Uhh, sorry if the question came out kinda aggressive and hostile, didn't mean it like an accusation or attack, just genuinely curious. Good luck with your new book!)

[@StripPanelNaked]

It’s wildly different because there are no standards. I actually agree with you though! I think my lettering is probably on the larger end of the spectrum because maybe I’m getting old haha. But I think it’s a mix of digital lettering being often quite clear at smaller point sizes and the amount of dialogue some superhero comics have requiring finding that balance between legibility and space. But yeah, all comics from different publishers are all different sizes, there isn’t one size fits all!

[@Ali-fs7ze]

@@StripPanelNaked Thank you for the answer. Please tell all your colleagues to increase their font sizes by 10pts so mole rats like me can read them too. :')

[@TheSeensca]

❤谢谢你。 马拉西亚漫画家

[@ShinoSarna]

Also uhhhh wasn't his name Darwyn, not Darwin? Might wanna edit the video title.

[@StripPanelNaked]

Haha thanks for the spot.