Scott McCloud's Blog, page 56
April 1, 2009
The Spring Challenge
First reader to find the secret message wins.
March 31, 2009
The S. Clay Wilson Trust
It’s all here. Help out one comics’ greats any way you can.
Also going the distance is David Chelsea who’ll be dedicating his next 24-hour comic event to raising money for Wilson.
March 30, 2009
New York Seminar, May 1 & 2
Hope you’ll join me for my two-day making comics seminar in Manhattan, courtesy of the MFA in Interaction Design Program at the School of Visual Arts and IxDA NYC. Details here.
March 28, 2009
Easy on the Eyes
In reference to our earlier thread on formats, I think for those who choose a screen-fitting page-to-page approach, the format SMASH uses is one of the better ways to go.
Designed for photo slideshows, I assume (at least that’s where I usually see it) but a nice fit for long-form comics.
March 27, 2009
Seymour Responds…
And the first one to get that reference wins second-biggest nerd prize.
Don’t know if you’d glanced at the right sidebar, but we now have a proper feed, as well as (thanks to Lori) a syndicated livejournal feed.
“Scotty”
"Scotty McCloud" by Becky from Tiny Kitten Teeth
Met an old friend of the family (and her own wonderful family) at Vassar last month who called me “Scotty.” I realized that my older sister Ruth was the only one who ever called me that. (Diana, the FOTF, was about my sister’s age).
We did have a “Scotty” (Scottish Terrier) named “Maddy” for years though, sadly no longer with us. Preceded the naming of Neil’s youngest, though no cause-and-effect should be inferred.
Random thoughts, spurred by yester
March 26, 2009
Gotta Love a Blank Wall
The New England Webcomics Weekend (remember?) was a big hit and newsworthy in and of itself, but of special interest to the mad scientist set (okay, me) was their “Infinite Canvas Room”—a big room of blank walls anyone could add post-it panels to. This was the same method that produced Merlin’s groundbreaking PoCom-UK-001 at London’s Institute for Contemporary Arts in 2003. No Merlin around to adapt this one, but fortunately we have this video walkthrough to commemorate it.
March 25, 2009
Why Definitions Matter
“…Goldman started with a definition of what comics are: stories told with words and pictures”
[SXSW "Comics on Handhelds" panel - link via James Burns]
Dan Goldman is, I’m sure, using the above in the spirit of opening minds to comics’ range and flexibility. But under the image of the Watchmen “motion comic” it offers a grim reminder of how our conception of comics now can point us down some dark roads in the near future.
I don’t doubt that a lot of hard work and earnest creativity went into the bu
March 24, 2009
Mmm, Formatty…
Recent interview by Scot Hanson, boxed up and linked à la my old trails webcomics. Scot asked good questions, so I did my best to give him good answers—or will (it’s dated November 2009 at the top).
Also online this week is an old interview from the family’s visit to University of Virginia during the 50 State Tour in 2007. Go here to download Issue #3 of the student-run Pulse Comic Zine for my interview.
Hey, great discussion on yesterday’s post, Everybody. Thanks!
March 23, 2009
The Problem with Balance
Cartoonists are always finding ways to balance their page. We can’t help it. If there’s a close-up in the lower left, we balance it a little on the upper right. If there are a lot of spot blacks on one page, we find more spots on the other. We’re taught that dynamic balance is more interesting than static balance, but the goal of balance itself remains. Balance can lead to harmonious, satisfying compositions, but is that what comics artists really want? A satisfying page is a page you can stay o
