Character Designs For My Third Comic In The Goth Anthology! This One Took Me Forever To Get Right, I

Character designs for my third comic in the Goth Anthology! This one took me forever to get right, I almost gave up and scripted a new one, but it's thumbnailed now and I can't wait to show everyone when it's done!

It's about goths, who are also magical girls. Their gothic magical girl outfits aren't final yet, but I added them in for comparison with the monstrosities that are their default outfits.

Magical goths. I've never been so excited to draw something! 

Okay usually this would go on my junk tumblr, but I love the look on Levi's face too much not to show this to you.

Seriously he looks one second away from a spit-take.

i did one of those redraw things

Hey, I've been considering studying illustration, and I've been wondering could you tell me what university did you study at? I love your art, it's incredible :)

Incredible? Gosh I don't even know what to say to that! 

I went to the University of Gloucestershire, and studied Illustration. I'm afraid I'd made a bad decision on what to study and swapped to the illustration course about a month in, so I never really compared it to other illustration courses, there may be better ones available. It all depends what you think you need to learn.

In first year we were given a grounding in different tools. I think we had basic lessons in Photoshop, Indesign, animation in Flash and AfterEffects, wood- and lino-cut, screen printing and etching. In second year we were given a series of briefs to work from, then in third year we did two big, self-led projects. I think the way to learn the most skills on the course is just to produce as much work as you can, so you can get a lot of practice and feedback. If you want more detailed instruction (composition, colour theory etc.) it's probably not the right course for you.

BUT. There's one important thing the course was really good for: setting you up for professional practice. In second year you learn to work to briefs, and work quickly, then in third year we got weekly hour-long talks about everything from pricing to invoicing and contracts to what our taxes were going to look like, and frequent talks and visits from practicing illustrators in various fields. There's also a mandatory third-year module on self-promotion, so you should leave the course with a game plan.

I've got friends who did other illustration courses, and none of them got anywhere near as much instruction on how to actually set themselves up as a practicing illustrator, so that's something I'm really grateful for. (Although I don't think I've made the best use of all that good advice...)

Sorry, I've written a bit of a novella! Bottom line is if you want to be taught practical skills or to draw better, my course probably won't help much, but it is really good for getting you to work in a professional way, and if you produce lots of work your skills will improve too.  I hope it's helpful to you in deciding where to look. Good luck with your work!

One day, one day the faces I draw will look like this.

UNDINE, STUDY.

Yusss, be there! Although sadly we won't have the new issue of What's the Time, Mrs Woolf? because there was a printing error. That will launch next weekend at the UoG Small Press Fair instead.

This saturday we will have a table at the Bristol Comic and Zine Fair. I’m super excited to see all the other comics and zines that will be there! Our table will host a variety of things made by the group. This includes the last anthology we made in the spring, Mix Tape. We will also have copies of What’s The Time Mrs. Woolf? a bimonthly zine with open submissions. (as far as I know there will be a new issue releasd at this event)

If you would like a collection of free mini comics then the scret password is ‘Do you have a business card?’

Don’t worry if you aren’t free in bristol this saturday. We will also be attending …

UoG Small Press Fair (Cheltenham)- 12th - 13th October 2013

London MCM Expo - 25th - 27th October 2013

Thought Bubble (Allied London hall)- 23rd - 24th November 2013

Thanks, see you there!

Sammy

Prefer Tumblr? www.inspiredcomics.tumblr.com

Prefer Blogger? www.inspiredcomics.blogspot.com

Inktober - Day 5

I felt really bad about Spider being so stupid-looking in the Day 1 picture, so I drew him again. Then added Nettle for good measure.

Also I discovered I have no purple ink. I had to mix it myself like some sort of savage.