| Posted: 16 September 2017 at 9:49pm | IP Logged | 9
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JW Wrote:
Simplicity and consistency enables the reader to infer intent. Limit your font choices. Limit your colour choices. It's exactly like a colour palette -- it's important to have a theme and stick to it, and vary from it, for a good reason. Lettering SHOULD be invisible. Throwing in seemingly random variations of colour, adding transparency, chucking in multiple dialogue fonts… all this stuff pulls the reader out of the story.
Drew wrote:4) Many things in comics were done for technical reasons, older readers simply see it all as the right way for a comic to look. There are things that break tradition that [insert comic pioneer] WOULD HAVE DONE if they were free to do so. So some of that stuff today seems 'wrong' because it breaks tradition. It's not about whether it's effective or even BETTER, it's about not being how some are used to seeing things done.
Yes, I have learned some things were done to their best effect and THE OLD WAY is still THE RIGHT WAY.
You are both right.
Yes, many of the "traditional" decisions originated due to the restrictions of their times. Yes the golden rule of "KISS" ( i assume all have heard this rule) still applies. But if no one ever pushed the limits of design, the world would be stuck in one style forever. No need for new fonts, or color pallets, or illustrative tools, etc.
From a graphic designer's POV you need to find the balance between "tradition" and "new age". I've always told designers who worked for me design should be about evolution not revolution. Change too many things and the design will look wrong no matter how good it is. Tweak it....massage it.....but the goal should always be to make it better not just different.
Then step back....get input.....and be honest with yourself. Is what you've done better? Does it really serve the design or serve your ego? You'll get opposing opinions no matter what. Trust your gut and go with what you think is best for the reader after you have evaluated all the feedback. Time will prove to you one way or the other.
Comic book lettering has been fine tuned for so long by skilled designers so I trust those before me have ironed out the kinks. A comic book done the "traditional" way will be easy to read. A comic done the "new age" way might have more ambiance and mood. But both efforts need to be designed really well. Bad design just looks bad - no way around that.
The challenge with many new designers is they tend to over design and what they think is good design, really isn't. New designers might also believe that they are being innovators but the truth is sometimes they are innovating down a path that just doesn't work. Maybe there is a good reason no one has innovated down that path already?
I know for my own story (I'll do "some day") I plan on using multiple fonts, one for each race on my imaginary planet. No matter what, the fonts will need to look hand crafted. If I think it works ok, I'll go with it. If I think it adds too much visual clutter, I'll pull back. I'll get feedback from others of course. Maybe some other decision will be able to solve that design challenge. I'll cross that bridge when I get too it.
Drew regarding your tricks. I hope these come across as constructive.
1) Sounds logical and I like the idea. Could work as digital and have challenges with legibility as print.
2) Interesting idea. At first I'd be worried that an alien element in the art would be distracting, but I also know some comic artists have done quite well integrating sound effects into their panels as opposed to placing them on top of their panels.
3) Evolution, Not Revolution...;-)
4) Yeah....sounds like some good story telling wisdom. Readers do need context.
5) Today's communications have nothing to do with good story telling. Don't fall into that trap of trying to apply too much real life into your story telling style.
Here are a couple equations. Assume "new design idea" is a good idea.
A) Unknown artist + new design idea = criticism from traditionalists. B) Famous artist + new design idea = "that artist is a genius!".
The challenge is how to get from A) to B)?
So in the end Drew, be educated about the history of comics (sounds like you are), and trust your gut. Go with what you believe works best once you have processed the feedback of others.
Edited by Robert Shepherd on 16 September 2017 at 10:35pm
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