tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11411217680919747382024-03-06T00:37:50.239-07:00Subterranean ChroniclesEvolution of a digital comicBrad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-22767985981928687372014-05-09T13:46:00.000-06:002015-06-22T16:15:57.002-06:00The Subterranean: The Movie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HXkBnry_CoI/T9fFTNhryiI/AAAAAAAABZI/2nKlUS8Y5_k/s1600/Brad-Teare-pg2.8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HXkBnry_CoI/T9fFTNhryiI/AAAAAAAABZI/2nKlUS8Y5_k/s1600/Brad-Teare-pg2.8.jpg" width="210" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>T</b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">he Subterranean was written to be a two hour movie (see trailer below). Dialog is pithy if not sparse and the images do most of the talking. I divided the story into five 30 page segments and have the first three comics completed. The last two episodes are as catastrophic and unexpected as those who enjoyed <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cypher-Brad-Teare/dp/0879058005/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399664399&sr=8-1&keywords=Cypher+brad+teare" target="_blank">Cypher</a></i> would demand (see the Cypher blog <a href="http://cyphercomics.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">here</a>). SubT is a different world than Cypher but I fused the same bizarre sensibility with the superhero genre. Here is the logline for a SubT movie (spoiler alert):</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></strong>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Subterranean-1-Brad-Teare-ebook/dp/B007US9QIC/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399665064&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=suberreane+brad+teare" target="_blank">Episode One</a> is an origin story and a few readers complained they see the hero in full battle regalia in only one frame. Such critique is accurate but I felt compelled to flesh out the origin in a vintage style rather than abbreviating the story according to modern convention.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Subterranean-2-Brad-Teare-ebook/dp/B0081HY7EE/ref=dp_ob_title_ebook" target="_blank">Episode Two</a> introduces Max Jeffries who is an amalgamation of many hero archetypes. Readers suspected he was going to be a sidekick to The Subterranean. But he transcends such a narrow role and his character is fully developed in issues 4 and 5 with some surprising twists.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Subterranean-3-Brad-Teare-ebook/dp/B0099TPMW4/ref=la_B001KIW1HQ_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399665137&sr=1-4" target="_blank">Episode Three</a> heats up the action to a pre-climax boil. The villains are introduced–twins cast in the light of vintage comics and B Action Movies. I plead guilty to using apparent stereotypes on occasion but only to give more contrast to relationships in the final crescendo of the story. It's an unconventional approach but provides a harmonious, familiar world to overturn.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRE-hUO_khf-ssEmU2G3UBAfar9x_kdObh1OTpfXx61OaymY9vQ5eUtIKWgTRpeA6rPOpXyIoU7YoQ4u4-BXX8AyMeIiOihsa1AKFYsSst1r5XFnRc453RZ9-okn33hdn7dk_BPq1M4bk/s1600/SubT-b4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRE-hUO_khf-ssEmU2G3UBAfar9x_kdObh1OTpfXx61OaymY9vQ5eUtIKWgTRpeA6rPOpXyIoU7YoQ4u4-BXX8AyMeIiOihsa1AKFYsSst1r5XFnRc453RZ9-okn33hdn7dk_BPq1M4bk/s1600/SubT-b4.jpg" width="210" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Regarding the motivation of the Thanatos Brothers I can only say that it isn't what you're thinking. And yes, in the tradition of Cypher, <i>thanatos</i> is Greek for death.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Stay tuned.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Brad Teare–May 2012</span><br />
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Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-52540766986699448262013-08-31T20:27:00.002-06:002013-10-03T13:31:31.747-06:00Subterranean Posters!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8zJpIEkplbI/UiKltocxl6I/AAAAAAAAC08/QmUhPhQkSW4/s1600/Brad-Teare-SubT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Subterranean poster" border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8zJpIEkplbI/UiKltocxl6I/AAAAAAAAC08/QmUhPhQkSW4/s200/Brad-Teare-SubT.jpg" title="" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>A</b> friend of a friend is having a table at the <a href="http://saltlakecomiccon.com/" target="_blank">Salt Lake City Comicon</a> and he wants to sell Subterranean Posters. They'll be going for $20 a piece and I have one of each cover of #1 to #3. He will also be giving out SubT cards so you can have easy access to either the free iTunes editions (for iPhone or iPad) or the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=brad+teare&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Abrad+teare" target="_blank">free comics</a> on Amazon (for Kindle and Kindle Fire). A display copy of The Subterranean #1 will also be there for you to thumb through. Hope you enjoy it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Subterranean Poster #1 is $15 plus $5 shipping and is printed on quality canvas. Very cool!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I only printed up a very limited supply so first come, first serve. The SLC Comicon is shaping up to be a first class event with over 25,000 participants already registered. I'm going to try to be there Friday around noon. See you then!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brad Teare August 2013</span></div>
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Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-26654206678712785632013-08-06T22:13:00.001-06:002013-10-29T19:12:51.028-06:00Paper vs. digital<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ps5Xv_2wKA4/UgHBP_kf_gI/AAAAAAAACw4/LEYUgDbHgb0/s1600/brad-teare-subT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ps5Xv_2wKA4/UgHBP_kf_gI/AAAAAAAACw4/LEYUgDbHgb0/s320/brad-teare-subT.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I</b>N a recent conversation with a friend and fellow comics enthusiast I realized that the digital revolution has its limitations. As much as I'm enamored with digital publishers such as <a href="http://graphicly.com/subterranean-chronicles/the-subterranean" target="_blank">Graphicly</a>, which posts digital comics on sites such as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0081HY7EE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0081HY7EE&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#2</a><img src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0081HY7EE" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">Amazon</a> and <a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=brad+teare" target="_blank">Kobo</a>, after a year of selling digitally I feel that more than ever comic collectors love paper comics.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Recently I've been reading the collected works of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0785145672/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0785145672&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EInvincible%20Iron%20Man,%20Vol.%201%20(Marvel%20Masterworks)%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0785145672%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">Iron Man Vol.1</a> by Stan Lee and Don Heck. If you are interested in taking a trip down memory lane I can't recommend a better volume. The stories are to the point, often humorously cheesy, and fun as heck (in the tradition of Stan Lee, pun intended).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The stories are delightful but more importantly they reminded me what I love about comics. The stories are succinct but take the time necessary to develop the characters. There are the usual abbreviations, some call them cliches, that move the stories along at a crisp pace. There are no predictable fight scenes nor over-the-top imagery for the sake of visual pyrotechnics. In fact most panels are quite sparse. Whether the characters are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Off-model" target="_blank">off model</a> or not seems relatively unimportant. Upon finishing the volume I wondered if I would have enjoyed it as much in a digital format.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ultimately it's hard to imagine a true comics aficionado choosing a digital format over paper. Would hardcore</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">fine art</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> collectors find a digital image of paintings by Da Vinci and Van Gogh satisfying? Or would they prefer original art hanging on their walls even if by lesser talents? Just as paintings are best appreciated as tactile, physical objects so too are comics best enjoyed as tangible, collectible books. The more an entertainment is appreciated for its graphic quality the less people will be willing to</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">only</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> consume such entertainment as a digital product. Digital comics seems severed from too many aspects of the aesthetic experience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When this light bulb went on I realized why <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Brad-Teare/e/B001KIW1HQ/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1" target="_blank">The Subterranean</a> project might be stumbling. According to downloads readers are undoubtedly enjoying it but until it is offered as a physical comic I feel SubT will not enjoy maximum success.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The ideal expression of the Subterranean would be a traditional comics format, sometimes referred to as floppies. Each of the five stories are 30 pages and I would want them printed on acid-free newsprint in harmony with the stylistic theme of the project. Such editions would be an ideal vehicle to take to Comicon, or similar venues, in order to attract maximum attention.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If any of you have alternative opinions, sources for printers, or other relevant ideas I hope you will add them to the comments. Many thanks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brad Teare August 2013</span></div>
Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-69442862108168742802013-01-20T10:17:00.001-07:002015-03-12T09:28:45.326-06:00Comics on Blurb<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I</span> WAS ENTHUSED TO DISCOVER</b> that <a href="http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/invited/3272788/13fb7d8d4963cb918e1be1f937c59c1ed2dbf9cc" target="_blank">Blurb Book</a>s, the on-demand book publisher, created a new category of on-demand products; the magazine. I thought this would be a good way to try on-demand publishing without breaking the bank. I downloaded the plug-in for InDesign and quickly reformatted my comic for Blurb. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007US9QIC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bratea-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007US9QIC%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#1</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007US9QIC" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">The Subterranean</a> was originally formatted for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0099TPMW4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bratea-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0099TPMW4%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#3</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0099TPMW4" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">Amazon</a> and is slightly taller and had no bleeds from what Blurb required so I reconfigured the faded paper texture (to give that vintage look). The gutter is also wider than is traditional but I thought the positioning on the page was a good compromise and provided an optimized image. It might seem oversized but I won't really know until I get my hard copy. I can then re-upload the file with revisions to get the scaling right.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I thought the price of $12 was ridiculous for a 30 page comic. Even if every aspect of the publication is premium the price makes the effort of publishing nothing more than an experiment. When I went to buy it and check out I discovered that in addition to the high price I had to pay $8 for shipping! In my estimation absolutely no one will pay that kind of shipping for so few pages.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So what good is Blurb? It is of no use as an actual publisher unless they can get their prices down. The only other use is as a portfolio publisher. In other words, if you were going to a comic convention it might be handy to have an actual hardcopy of your comic to show potential publishers. I am planning on making a book of my <a href="http://bradteare.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">fine art paintings</a> to send to my galleries as a promotional piece. I can envision a few hardcore collectors wanting to purchase the book, but again, the price will be so high it will prohibit any large scale sales.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until Blurb can get their prices down they will only exist as a vanity publishing house. But hey, I fell for it. When I went to check out I was informed I could buy an additional copy for $5. The price seemed relatively cheap so I jumped on it. It was only later that I remembered I had never paid $5 for a comic in my life. I had been successfully upsold on my own comic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Although I am glad to see this business in the early stages of its evolution on-demand publishing has a long way to go before I will be impressed with either their sales techniques or their business model.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brad Teare</span></div>
Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-60406549792785575582013-01-14T22:23:00.002-07:002015-03-12T09:31:55.495-06:00Books for Illustrators<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GuY-wJqZpec/UPTnsX94g8I/AAAAAAAABi4/UNhoIL_hbr0/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-01-14+at+10.22.09+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GuY-wJqZpec/UPTnsX94g8I/AAAAAAAABi4/UNhoIL_hbr0/s320/Screen+Shot+2013-01-14+at+10.22.09+PM.png" height="320" width="281" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>O</b></span><b>VER THE YEARS</b> I've accumulated quite a few books about illustration. I thought I would list some of the best and the reasons why you may want to acquire them, too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A book I bought early in my career that helped me a lot with construction of the figure was <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0671530771/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bratea-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0671530771%22%3EHow%20To%20Draw%20Comics%20The%20Marvel%20Way%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0671530771%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank"><i>How to Draw the Marvel Way</i></a>. It was my touchstone during my years animating <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004I9SJSE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bratea-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004I9SJSE%22%3EThe%20Incredible%20Hulk%20Entire%20Animated%20Seires%20Collection!%201966/1982/1996%20All%2047%20spanning%203%20different%20animated%20series!%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B004I9SJSE%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">The Incredible Hulk</a> (I worked on it in 1982) and The Amazing Spiderman. Get this book if you need more information and inspiration on how to construct the human form. Don't be put off if you are not interested in drawing comics, the construction principles are sound no matter what kind of drawing style you practice You can get this book used for $4.75 which is a pretty good deal considering the amount of information you get.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another book if you need more information about human anatomy is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0823015521/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bratea-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0823015521%22%3EDynamic%20Anatomy:%20Revised%20and%20Expanded%20Edition%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0823015521%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank"><i>Burne Hogarth's Dynamic Anatomy</i></a>. This is a great book if you're looking for a systematic way to render the human form especially the feet and hands (which were always a problem for me). Aesthetically, I'm not a huge fan of Burne Hogarth's more illustrative style in these books but don't let that get in the way of learning from this well thought out book.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Drawing wrinkles on constructed figures was a difficult problem for me in my early days. I once had the opportunity to ask Burne Hogarth how he drew wrinkles when I drove him to the airport during a Dallas-Fort Worth science-fiction fantasy convention. He replied that if you knew the figure well enough wrinkles were a no-brainer. This was not a very satisfying answer and I assumed I didn't know the figure well enough. However, a few years later he published his book<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0823015874/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bratea-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0823015874%22%3EDynamic%20Wrinkles%20and%20Drapery:%20Solutions%20for%20Drawing%20the%20Clothed%20Figure%20(Practical%20Art%20Books)%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0823015874%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank"><i> </i></a><span style="background-color: white;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0823015874/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bratea-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0823015874%22%3EDynamic%20Wrinkles%20and%20Drapery:%20Solutions%20for%20Drawing%20the%20Clothed%20Figure%20(Practical%20Art%20Books)%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0823015874%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery</a>. </i>I flatter myself to think I planted the seed that led to this great book. Again, I'm not a huge fan of Burne's style but once you understand his theory on how to render wrinkles you won't have any problems with them again. If you draw from imagination and are struggling with wrinkles this book is a must have. Thank you Burne for your amazing contribution to comics! I do love Burne's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0823050602/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bratea-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0823050602%22%3ETarzan%20of%20the%20apes%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0823050602%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">Tarzan series</a>. His comics have a fluidity and grace that his more didactic anatomy drawings lacked.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are searching for an overview of the basics of illustration there is no better book than James Gurney's <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0740785508/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bratea-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0740785508%22%3EImaginative%20Realism:%20How%20to%20Paint%20What%20Doesn%27t%20Exist%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0740785508%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">Imaginative Realism</a>.</i> Not only is James one of America's great illustrators he knows how to articulate artistic principles in a manner that is easily understood. I used his methods when I was creating the previsualization drawings and maquettes for <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007US9QIC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bratea-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007US9QIC%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#1</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007US9QIC" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">The Subterranean</a></i>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you find yourself wanting to delve deeper into aspects of form, light, and shadow a great book is James Gurney's sequel <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0740797719/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bratea-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0740797719%22%3EColor%20and%20Light:%20A%20Guide%20for%20the%20Realist%20Painter%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0740797719%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">Color and Light</a>. </i>One reviewer said <i>this is the book that will teach you what you should have learned in art school</i>. It's filled with fascinating theory and technique you won't find elsewhere. Gurney's keen intellect and roving curiosity have served artists well. If you need a daily dose of Gurney's insights be sure to visit his always fascinating blog <a href="http://gurneyjourney.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Gurney Journey</a>. Use the search feature to ferret out the information you need. Jim has written about almost every artistic subject imaginable.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will add more to this list as more books come to mind.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brad Teare 14 January 2013</span></span><br />
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</span></span></div>Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-50242885685211308262012-11-14T23:07:00.000-07:002013-08-07T07:05:42.798-06:00The therapeutic value of comics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">D</span>UE TO A RECENT </b>operation on my knee I haven't been blogging much. I did mention that creativity and energy levels are intertwined. My surgery tends to prove that to be true.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While recovering I indulged myself and purchased several comic book collections. One of my favorites was the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401200419/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1401200419&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EBatman%20Illustrated,%20Vol.%201%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1401200419%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">Batman collection</a>, volume 1, by Neal Adams. Not only is Adams an amazing draftsman but his sense of staging is highly entertaining. I got a lot of great ideas for the upcoming Subterranean comic. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Adams really pushes perspective and camera angles and has a very cinematic approach. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> In the upcoming Subterranean y</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ou'll see a panel </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">inspired by Adams</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> that is a silhouette in which you only see the glow of The Subterranean's goggles. Adams really expanded comics' visual syntax. I highly recommend studying his work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another great volume was <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933865083/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1933865083&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EJules%20Verne's%20Twenty-Thousand%20Leagues%20under%20the%20Sea%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1933865083%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">20,000 Leagues Under the Sea</a> by Gary Gianni. It has a subtle <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk" target="_blank">steampunk</a> vibe and is rendered in a beautiful woodcut-like technique somewhat akin to <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Franklin+Booth&hl=en&tbo=u&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=4ImkUMf7GomPiAKCqIDgAw&sqi=2&ved=0CDsQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=739" target="_blank">Franklin Booth</a> or <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=bernie+wrightson+original+art&hl=en&tbo=u&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=HIqkUJGaOaTviQKMjIHQCg&ved=0CFIQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=739" target="_blank">Bernie Wrightson</a>. Gianni's staging is a bit more conventional, as you might expect, and yet he keeps the pages lively with a strong sense of design. The main thing I learned from Gianni is just simply to go for it and have fun with drawing. Scratchboard technique can be time-consuming but it is also very powerful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another inspiration was <a href="http://concrete.blogs.com/" target="_blank">Paul Chadwick's Concrete</a>, volume 1, entitled <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1593073437/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1593073437&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EConcrete%20Volume%201:%20Depths%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1593073437%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">Depths</a></i>. Chadwick has a unique visual style using lots of black to lead the eye through each page. His storytelling style is unique as well and I really enjoyed the rich narrative. You can read most comics in a matter of minutes, generally under an hour. Not so with this volume. Chadwick packs in a lot of storytelling entertainment. I picked up some ideas from Chadwick as well. You will see in the upcoming Subterranean #4 a series of very small panels depicting the seismic oscillators placed around New York City. I got the idea from one of Chadwick's pages that had 30 small pantomime panels. I found the sequence quite intriguing. I highly recommend studying <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1569710376/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bratea-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1569710376%22%3EThe%20Complete%20Concrete%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1569710376%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">Concrete</a></i> for it's excellent story telling as well its fascinating fusion of art and the written word.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was introduced to comics as a young child when my father brought home a large volume of classic comics, mostly Superman and Batman, while I was recovering from the mumps. Having a few volumes of comics on my nightstand while I recovered from surgery was a nostalgic experience for me. My doctor says I'm making a rapid recovery. Perhaps comics have therapeutic value.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brad Teare 14 November 2012</span></div>
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Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-32210355872917380592012-10-23T23:17:00.000-06:002013-11-05T09:02:04.117-07:00SubT # 2 now FREE!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="font-size: x-large;">F</b>or a limited time the Subterranean # 2 is available free on Amazon.com (was formerly $1.00). Get it here:</span><br />
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Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-14232433953399336372012-10-02T20:38:00.000-06:002012-11-20T14:52:33.876-07:00Fixing typos in a digital comic<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">M</span>AKING CORRECTIONS</b> with a digital comic is remarkably easy with the <a href="http://graphicly.com/" target="_blank">Graphicly</a> interface. Several readers emailed me informing me of a typo I had on page 18 of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0099TPMW4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0099TPMW4&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#3</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0099TPMW4" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">The Subterranean #3</a> (see corrected image below). I made the correction on my original <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007PMALL4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007PMALL4&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EAdobe%20InDesign%20CS6%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007PMALL4%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">InDesign</a> document and exported it as a PDF file. I then went to my dashboard at Graphicly and uploaded the new PDF file. I then re-directed the panels. By <i>direction</i> I mean how the panel-by-panel views will read in the final application. For example, on an <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/brad-teare/id512290878?mt=11" target="_blank">iPhone</a> the screen is quite small so I have the panel-by-panel view display only half a page of each comic page. On one page where I had a small round inset I directed the page so there were three panel-by-panel views.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Generally, I feel it is best to keep the panel-by-panel views as simple as possible and two views per page seems to do the trick. If you had a different experience with panel-by-panel views, or have insights into artistic ways to use this feature, please let me know.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Currently <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0099TPMW4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0099TPMW4&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#3</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0099TPMW4" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">The Subterranean #3</a> is ranked 3,156 on Amazon comics (an excellent rating for a new title). Thanks for making that happen!</span><br />
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Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-90484254228211592372012-09-06T20:58:00.003-06:002012-09-12T20:02:14.493-06:00The Subterranean: the screenplay<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOTJ4igWLtyvyorCLofzzVvlLaVR1rPLJMpA1P25xlrUQ_gGFBCSkzkqFxLLUL8NisWTMHjTONCGeHsQ_ouTdqvIVf4g88pHk_EhHnnjQaiRTMomS9fOdbHjz-GH_2wsmTwctTqB2yI4/s1600/Page-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOTJ4igWLtyvyorCLofzzVvlLaVR1rPLJMpA1P25xlrUQ_gGFBCSkzkqFxLLUL8NisWTMHjTONCGeHsQ_ouTdqvIVf4g88pHk_EhHnnjQaiRTMomS9fOdbHjz-GH_2wsmTwctTqB2yI4/s400/Page-5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I</span><span style="font-size: 12px;"> </span>RECENTLY PURCHASED </b>a copy of the screenplay writing software <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002UU0VYI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002UU0VYI&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EStoryist%202%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B002UU0VYI%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">Storyist</a><span id="goog_469533370"></span><span id="goog_469533371"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a>. The software, combined with the voice recognition capability of my Mac, makes an awesome screenplay writing machine. With the help of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TJZOF2/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001TJZOF2&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EThe%20Screenwriter's%20Bible:%20A%20Complete%20Guide%20to%20Writing,%20Formatting,%20and%20Selling%20Your%20Script%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001TJZOF2%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">The Screenwriter's Bible</a>, </i>which gives me additional formatting info (like how to format a flashback) my screenplay project will get done with less hassle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tonight I opened <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007US9QIC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007US9QIC&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#1</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007US9QIC" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">The Subterranean #1</a> on my iPhone and dictated the dialog directly from the comic into Storyist. I dictated the scene headings and other information and got the first four pages of the screenplay which you can read below (this represents four minutes of screen time!) I don't consider this a finished version, it's going to take a lot of adaptation to get it to work as a film, but it's a fantastic start.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As with most writing the hard part is getting the first draft. Subsequent revisions seem easy by comparison. My only complaint about Storyist was that when I cut and pasted the screenplay into this blog some of the tags came in as upper and lowercase when they should have been all caps. Other formatting is off as well. If anyone knows how to cut-and-paste from Storyist without these flaws please let me know.</span></div>
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FADE IN:</div>
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INT. AN EXTREMELY HIGH-TECH LABORATORY - NIGHT</div>
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In the center of the lab we see a bed upon which a man is fitfully sleeping. The sheets are in complete disarray from his night of torment. He startles awake as if from a terrifying dream. His eyes, now wide in horror, are strangely white as if covered with thick cataracts.</div>
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FERRYL MAUGHN</div>
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(shouting)</div>
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My eyes! My eyes! I can't see!<br />
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SLOW FADE:</div>
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EXT. SKYLINE OF NEW YORK CITY – EARLY MORNING - FLASHBACK</div>
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The city from afar.</div>
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EXT. DOWNSHOT OF A CITROEN VAN CAREENING DANGERSOUSLY AROUND A CORNER.</div>
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1ST THUG</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">(Driving and shouting into a cell phone)</span></div>
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We're almost there!</div>
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In the back of the van another thug prepares a rocket launcher. He is prepping a strange devise by pushing a series of buttons and turning dials.</div>
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1ST THUG</div>
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Approaching mark!</div>
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The second thug attaches the devise onto the launcher as they shout at each other with military precision.</div>
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2ND THUG</div>
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Weapon armed!</div>
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1ST THUG</div>
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Standby to execute!</div>
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2ND THUG</div>
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Ready to launch!</div>
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The door of the van flies open and the 2nd thug braces himself against the doorjamb and pulls the trigger. We see the strange weapon fly toward a second-story bay window of a posh brownstone.</div>
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1ST THUG<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">(Shouting into a cell phone)</span></div>
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Target acquired!</div>
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The van races towards us as the bay window explodes and a huge fireball spews glass and debris onto the street.</div>
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1ST THUG</div>
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Target destroyed!</div>
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SLOW FADE:</div>
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EXT. NEW YORK CITY – PREVIOUS DAY</div>
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We see a skyscraper in the heart of Manhattan with a large sign proclaiming "HyperLabs".</div>
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INT. HYPERLABS</div>
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Several men huddle together in the middle of a cavernous laboratory. They are surrounded by six gigantic high-tech machines that look like a cross between a generator and alien hyperdrives. In a small amphitheater overlooking the lab we see several dozen scientists, military, and other officials jockeying for a vantage point. A weird thrum fills the air. One of the scientists in the center of the lab steps forward.</div>
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FERRYL MAUGHN</div>
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The experiment you are about to witness will revolutionize the creation and delivery of power!</div>
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Two men in lab coats stand several feet behind Dr. Ferryl Maughn. One is feverishly typing commands into a laptop computer.</div>
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FERRYL MAUGHN</div>
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It's impact will dwarf the splitting of the atom!</div>
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Maughn makes a sweeping gesture towards the six devices.</div>
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FERRYL MAUGHN</div>
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I present the century's greatest invention, the seismic oscillator!</div>
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We see the crowd. Some are rapt with anticipation, others have dubious expressions on their faces.</div>
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FERRYL MAUGHN</div>
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Power extracted from the earth's magnetic field is transmitted through concrete, lead, human beings! Virtually any object imaginable. Yet it is completely safe and undetectable at any point along its path.</div>
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The two men in lab coats behind Ferryl Maughn are twin brothers, Drs. Hugo and Theo Thanatos.</div>
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THEO THANATOS</div>
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(whispering)</div>
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Maughn's powers of observation are working against us now, so try to stay calm!</div>
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HUGO THANATOS</div>
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I was going to offer you the same suggestion!</div>
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Towards the back of the laboratory we see a large concrete monolith. Theo Thanatos pushes a key on the computer. The thrum grows louder and begins to pulse. A blue magnetic field envelops the concrete pillar. The pillar begins to vibrate, then crack, then shatter. The large generators begin smoking, then burst into fireballs of flame. The group of observers reacts in horror and begins to run.</div>
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FERRYL MAUGHN<br />
(Under his breath)</div>
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This is impossible! It's all going wrong!</div>
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MAN IN THE CROWD</div>
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Run!</div>
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Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-48724106557746132342012-09-05T23:05:00.000-06:002013-11-05T10:08:33.782-07:00Write a great logline<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZrla9NdQy_2w2ZIzvCFUueNVVaWCfz31NGHa4cTSif5QQx3QUCF7lbjTYj2nLRqh0uNsWmKfzLPQwwfK8dhXfvQtSdeZ8kq1T7V-oWsujLRvOayTZwH7JbNkPrj9RdjCnIDteeDSpjE/s1600/Brad-Teare-issue3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Brad Teare, comics, the subterranean" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZrla9NdQy_2w2ZIzvCFUueNVVaWCfz31NGHa4cTSif5QQx3QUCF7lbjTYj2nLRqh0uNsWmKfzLPQwwfK8dhXfvQtSdeZ8kq1T7V-oWsujLRvOayTZwH7JbNkPrj9RdjCnIDteeDSpjE/s400/Brad-Teare-issue3.jpg" title="Page from Brad Teare's epic comic The Subterranean" width="261" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">A</span> LOGLINE IS A BRIEF</b> explanation used in the movie business to describe the entire story. It's not easy to boil down a complex plot into one sentence but it's necessary if you're going to pitch your idea to a Hollywood executive you meet on an elevator. In anticipation of such a meeting many people memorize their loglines.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Loglines get their name from the short titles producers write on the spines of screenplays. They can then identify which screenplays have potential by quickly browsing the spines. Here's a checklist to use when formulating your logline. You probably won't be able to get all of these elements into one logline. Remember; if the logline gets too long it loses its effectiveness:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>CHECKLIST </b>(squeeze in as many as you can)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Reveal the star's SITUATION</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Reveal the important COMPLICATIONS</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Describe the ACTION the star takes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Describe the star's CRISIS decision</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hint at the CLIMAX</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hint at the star's potential TRANSFORMATION</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Identify GENRE</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Keep it to THREE SENTENCES or less</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Use PRESENT TENSE</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's the logline for </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Subterranean</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> (If you haven't read issues </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Subterranean-1-ebook/dp/B007US9QIC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346907178&sr=8-1&keywords=brad+teare" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">#1</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">,</span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0081HY7EE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0081HY7EE&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#2</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0081HY7EE" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">#2</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0099TPMW4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0099TPMW4&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#3</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0099TPMW4" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">#3</a> , all free. Isuggest reading them first as the tagline contains a spoiler):</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A scientist forced underground by the murder of his wife battles to avenge her and save New York City as former colleagues launch the world's largest bank robbery under the guise of a terrorist attack.</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Is this the best logline I could write for <i>The Subterranean</i>? Haven't I neglected many of the exciting elements of the story? Due to the nature of loglines, yes, but until it ends up on the spine of a screenplay it's a work in progress.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=FFFFFF&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=FF0000&t=bratea-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B007US9QIC" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=FFFFFF&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=FF0000&t=bratea-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B0081HY7EE" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></span></span></div>
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Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-43811176437366858652012-08-31T14:11:00.005-06:002013-04-22T13:06:02.455-06:00Making a trailer with iMovie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I</span> wanted to make a new trailer</b> for The Subterranean using the new iMovie software from Apple (<a href="http://www.apple.com/ilife/imovie/" target="_blank">version 9.0.7</a> that comes with Mountain Lion). I had used a previous version of iMovie (7.1.1) with my blog <a href="http://bradteare.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Thick Paint</a> and found it to be a great video editing program. But if you haven't tried the new version you're in for a real treat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I didn't know about the new </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Trailer</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> feature until I opened up the software. There are fifteen genres to choose from including <i>action, adventure, documentary, epic drama, film noir, friendship, holiday, love story, pets, romantic comedy, sports, spy, supernatural, </i>and<i> travel</i>. The themes are self-explanatory. I used <i>Blockbuster</i> for the trailer</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">above</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> and thought it was perfect for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0081HY7EE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0081HY7EE&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#2</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0081HY7EE" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">The Subterranean<span id="goog_1209226136"></span><span id="goog_1209226137"></span>.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When you start a new project with iMovie you first pick a genre. You then get a new set of tabs. One tab is labeled <i>outline</i>, the next <i>storyboard</i>, and the final one <i>shot list</i>. Into <i>outline</i> I typed in the movie name, the release date, cast member number one,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> cast member</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> number two, etc. I then proceeded to the <i>storyboard</i> tab where I typed in the basic outline of the trailer. This is where I typed in all of the titles you see in the YouTube movie.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Because I was working with stills rather than movies t</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">he next step was the only part that got a little tricky. If you have a set of movies ready to drop into the storyboard your job will be considerably easier. To make the requisite footage I simply made a movie out of a series of stills in iMovie. I</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">t was at this point that I added the camera moves to the still shots. I</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> then imported the newly created movie back into my trailer footage. I selected parts of the newly collaged video to drag and drop the animated selections into the storyboard.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The third tab is the <i>shot list</i> and this shows all the various kinds of clips you can add such as <i>action shots</i>, <i>group shots</i>, etc. Obviously you can place whatever kind of shot you prefer but the suggested layout is well thought out and is a nice guide.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The only bad thing about the trailer templates is that all the time slots are preselected. You can't change a three second shot to a six second shot, for example. This made it a little tricky because I didn't time each scene in my stock footage shots. If I had to do it over again I would make a list of all the footage I needed, then go to the shot list and write down how many scenes I had, and how many seconds each scene should fill. This would be especially important if you were doing a series of still shots and animating them using the Ken Burns effect. If you have pre-existing animation or video footage your project will go much faster because you can import your footage into iMovie and start dragging and dropping into each storyboard slot without having to time fade outs or Ken Burns effects.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To make the original footage I used imagery from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Subterranean-1-ebook/dp/B007US9QIC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346448073&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Subterranean+%231" target="_blank">The Subterranean #1</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0081HY7EE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0081HY7EE&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#2</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0081HY7EE" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">#2</a> and will do another trailer as soon as I get number three published and number four finished. It's just too fun not to do more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Please let me know what you think of the trailer and about your experience with iMovie. Thanks for your comments.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brad Teare September 2012</span><br />
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Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-78822042725234616702012-08-02T14:50:00.000-06:002013-09-05T14:20:52.182-06:00Subterranean #3 available now!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XueYJR6qF2E/UBrpVzkF8cI/AAAAAAAABbM/8ou9gLAjk1Y/s1600/Brad-Teare-SubT17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XueYJR6qF2E/UBrpVzkF8cI/AAAAAAAABbM/8ou9gLAjk1Y/s200/Brad-Teare-SubT17.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">The Thanatos brothers have hatched a plan of monumental proportions. Will it unfold as planned or unravel? Time is running out and only The Subterranean can avert total chaos from striking New York City. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Click here to read!</span><gr:reader href="http://secure.graphicly.com/subterranean-chronicles/the-subterranean/3"></gr:reader>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Get <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0081HY7EE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0081HY7EE&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#2</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0081HY7EE" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">issue #2</a> here:</span><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=FFFFFF&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=bratea-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B0081HY7EE" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div>
Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-78356254522952033822012-07-10T12:56:00.002-06:002015-07-27T13:43:56.346-06:00Designing a comic book cover<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4dWRioYXyI8/T_x5-jGAHoI/AAAAAAAABa4/7Tml56d_Kig/s1600/SubT-cover3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4dWRioYXyI8/T_x5-jGAHoI/AAAAAAAABa4/7Tml56d_Kig/s320/SubT-cover3.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I</span> HAD</b> what I thought would be a strong idea for the cover of <i>The Subterranean #3</i>. I wanted something extremely graphic and thought an extreme close-up of the Subterranean's head showing his goggles with a series of ominous pipes in the background would not only look striking but read exceptionally well on digital book displays (which tend to reduce complicated covers to a smudge). With previous covers I assembled images from the inside pages. This made for an arresting montage while reflecting what the reader could expect inside the comic.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was surprised that the image I envisioned for <i>The Subterranean #3</i> just didn't work. So I reverted to my old solution by making a montage.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Surprisingly the montage made a stronger cover, perhaps the strongest of the three. And it has the advantage of subtly suggesting what the reader can expect from the story.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The lesson is that even on a cover I need to focus on storytelling. When I deviate from storytelling the graphic effect is weakened. This reinforces my theory that comics are best when all elements; art, graphics, narrative, and dialogue, are all subjugated to the art of storytelling. A comic book's storytelling power becomes diluted when one element goes out of balance.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This defusion of artistic intent is illustrated by the all too frequent case where visual effects overshadow the narrative of a film and the natural unfolding of the story is impeded. A </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>special</i> effect</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> intended as a rewarding addition to the narrative becomes an obstacle to clear story telling.</span></div>
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Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-36855586712704344122012-06-27T17:55:00.002-06:002012-09-12T20:09:08.747-06:00How to write a comic<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1RGKoupnOgk/T-sjaUtgUrI/AAAAAAAABag/iQqehrWNOhE/s1600/Brad-Teare-3.26.4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1RGKoupnOgk/T-sjaUtgUrI/AAAAAAAABag/iQqehrWNOhE/s320/Brad-Teare-3.26.4.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">W</span>ITH <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0081HY7EE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0081HY7EE&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#2</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0081HY7EE" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">THE SUBTERRANEAN</a></b> I wanted a different tone from the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0879058005/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0879058005&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20" target="_blank">comics I created in the past</a>. So rather than rely on intuition or studying comic book writing I read several books on how to write screenplays. The best was <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060391685/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0060391685&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20" target="_blank">Story</a></i> by Robert McKee. Whether you write for comics or film I highly recommend this book. Another great book is <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385339038/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0385339038&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20" target="_blank">Screenplay</a>.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After absorbing the basic elements of screenwriting I started jotting down scenes on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006JN7U/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00006JN7U&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20" target="_blank">index card-sized sticky notes</a>. Some of these story events, although highly creative, proved irrelevant to the story. But I recorded every idea because at this stage it's impossible to know every twist and turn of your plot. Some of these ideas were incorporated into the final comic. Others were sacrificed on the cutting room floor. I archived the rejected scenes for possible use in later episodes.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Within two months I recorded enough material on sticky notes that I could begin organizing my narrative.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I divided</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> a spaceous wall in my studio, using</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> string</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">tape</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> into three areas. I labeled the sections act one, act two, and act three. I sorted the events on the sticky notes into scenes that would be most appropriate for each act (see the books listed above for what needs to happen in acts and transitions). All introductory scenes ended up in act one. Some events were highly dramatic and ended up at the climax of the story in act three. Other events made nice transitions and I ordered them appropriately. This wall soon became a mass of notes, arrows, and strings giving order to what otherwise would have been an overly convoluted plot. My <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LJMygNRE1o&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">daughter</a> called it my <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005JKQZ/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00005JKQZ&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20" target="_blank">Beautiful Mind</a></i> Wall. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There were frustrating moments in the process. I would occasionally write myself into a dead-end and would have to reconfigure plot elements<span data-mce-style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"> and resolve them. I frequently had to amp up the drama in slack passages.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It wasn't always easy. It was often quite challenging. But when it finally started coming together it was very satisfying and a great deal of fun.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having a great script to work from is a great confidence booster. But despite my best efforts occasionally a scene didn't translate well into action that could be broken down into panels. So I had to refocus and revise my script on-the-fly.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I recently had to do this at the end of episode #3. In these cases I tightly storyboard all the action by writing the dialogue on small sticky notes and cutting them into round, balloon-like shapes. I then apply them onto a page to give an idea of how to divide the page into panels. I roughly sketch the panels and reposition the dialog balloons when necessary. I then roughly sketch in the figures and backgrounds. The whole idea is to keep everything in flux. Occasionally I redo a panel by completely obliterating the drawing beneath with a sticky note and reapplying balloons and drawings. <span data-mce-style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);">It's a kind of visual brainstorming where anything can change at a moments notice.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've included an example of page 25 from episode #3. Click on the image to see a larger version.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is my process. Let me know what works for you.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brad Teare June 2012</span></div>
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Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-71002641349425853582012-06-26T15:58:00.001-06:002013-04-22T13:11:59.572-06:00The Subterranean #1 & #2 now on Nook Color!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZinHoVkLdcaxt0pwmehpqykAw3fBqZkDnOUbqNkF1Xwu5mhNOMf5_rnoBW6HbgxlGKeNAvViYKqwsnSE0ZWCoTuRgJFuxgvz2mFS8R-7CVijKhHnPWTGkR8g-7rn2weVCW8BJkhBMUKI/s1600/Brad-Teare-1.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZinHoVkLdcaxt0pwmehpqykAw3fBqZkDnOUbqNkF1Xwu5mhNOMf5_rnoBW6HbgxlGKeNAvViYKqwsnSE0ZWCoTuRgJFuxgvz2mFS8R-7CVijKhHnPWTGkR8g-7rn2weVCW8BJkhBMUKI/s320/Brad-Teare-1.10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I</span>'M EXTREMELY</b> proud to report that <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-subterranean-1-brad-teare/1111659969?ean=9780985329907" target="_blank">The Subterranean #1</a> came out for the <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-subterranean-1-brad-teare/1111659969?ean=9780985329907" target="_blank">Nook Color</a> today. Many thanks to the crew at <a href="http://graphicly.com/" target="_blank">Graphicly</a> for their diligence. No report yet as to how it looks on the Nook but if it looks as good as it does on the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007US9QIC/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007US9QIC&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20" target="_blank">Kindle Fire</a> all will be well. Note: The Subterranean #1 is free on the Nook. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If anybody has a Nook Color I hope you will leave a comment and let me know how it looks. Many thanks as always!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brad Teare June 2012</span></div>
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Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-90541058879921520802012-06-21T15:42:00.000-06:002012-11-20T14:56:02.291-07:00Kindle Fire vs. iPad<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPlib02cg4DnZdHHc2H31IPNqylHWVH554IHDmm4KfSJWg3pWPehX0o80N-vm0PkuLyzjnhVG9TQMNpbCyCUR2ubZSbuI6uPxLfZekmV3CCYIp8DS1Tjzx_SvPs0JJY36WxQtWtm4J74/s1600/Brad-Teare3.24.4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPlib02cg4DnZdHHc2H31IPNqylHWVH554IHDmm4KfSJWg3pWPehX0o80N-vm0PkuLyzjnhVG9TQMNpbCyCUR2ubZSbuI6uPxLfZekmV3CCYIp8DS1Tjzx_SvPs0JJY36WxQtWtm4J74/s320/Brad-Teare3.24.4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>WHEN AMAZON</b> made <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007US9QIC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007US9QIC&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#1</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007US9QIC" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">The Subterranean #1</a> a free offering over the Father's Day weekend I expected downloads to increase. With all the promo behind the Kindle Fire I also expected the Kindle downloads to beat <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-subterranean-1/id512290485?mt=11&ls=1" target="_blank">iPod downloads</a>. However when the stats rolled in iPad/iPhone downloads beat Kindle FIre downloads three to one. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kindle Fire downloads for a single day exceeded 110 (on Father's Day) but still didn't surpass the iPad totals.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It will be an interesting contest to see which company wins the eReader battle. Until then it seems prudent to keep a foot in each market.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next week the Subterranean will go live on the <a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/" target="_blank">Kobo</a> (Europe's leading eReader) and the <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/nook-color-barnes-noble/1100437663?r=1&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Device%20Specific%20-%20NOOK%20Color&utm_source=google&cm_mmca1=1826744e-f769-cca9-3ae2-0000725b7714&utm_term=color%20nook&cm_mmc=Google-_-Device%20Specific%20-%20NOOK%20Color-_-General-_-Color%20Nook" target="_blank">Nook Color</a> (Barnes & Nobles' offering). I'm not expecting them to rival the Kindle Fire or the iPad, but who knows?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brad Teare June 2012</span></div>
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Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-85831395338467888642012-06-11T17:20:00.000-06:002013-04-22T13:07:34.279-06:00Calling all SubT fans!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pz8ybFy6h_Y/T9VAi5w015I/AAAAAAAABYY/bU6kt1vf8aE/s1600/Business_Card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="115" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pz8ybFy6h_Y/T9VAi5w015I/AAAAAAAABYY/bU6kt1vf8aE/s200/Business_Card.jpg" width="200" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">AMAZON PICKED THE SUBTERRANEAN #</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>1</b> for a <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007US9QIC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007US9QIC&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#1</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007US9QIC" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">Daily Deal</a></i> this morning. Ranking soared from 4 million to around two thousand (which later dropped to 4K). The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Subterranean-1-ebook/product-reviews/B007US9QIC/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending" target="_blank">review</a> by James from Madison, Wisconsin says "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><i>The artwork here is very stylish and quite good . . . and serves this story well . . . this comic was clearly designed specifically for the Kindle Fire</i>." (Note: It is also available for free on the Kindle for Android).</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">As you can imagine this is a huge moment. If you consider yourself a fan of<b> SubT</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> and have friends with a <b>Kindle Fire or an Android</b> please consider forwarding the link below. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>MANY THANKS!</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">PS- I had no idea how <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007US9QIC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007US9QIC&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#1</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007US9QIC" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">The Subterranean</a> would look on the Kindle Fire as I didn't test on the Fire (since I don't own one). However I had been reading several comics titles (the <a href="http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/dc-comics-the-new-52" target="_blank">New 52</a> Batman, primarily) and often found the text too small. I was especially perplexed by the convention of making <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice-over" target="_blank">voice-over</a></i> text at least a point size smaller. As always I decided to opt for maximum communication rather than convention.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brad Teare 11 June 2012, 7:16 pm</span></div>
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Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-44433641446660595482012-06-08T12:12:00.001-06:002012-09-12T20:15:46.344-06:00Making a scratchboard comic<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>SOMEONE ASKED ME</b> why I decided to do a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007US9QIC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007US9QIC&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#1</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007US9QIC" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">superhero comic</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scratchboard" target="_blank">scratchboard</a>. The question behind this question is <i>why do I think a scratchboard superhero comic book will be successful?</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidARZ4evf_ZsefwcT8eTWBwWhlZTrcYD6YgtecbUvoKSztJmveWtU4rNEwnSEPWA7jjKYQrnRhYOc4UTaPf56oW71WGsVhyPk91k142Wo5QFrcI7W4-6jbwK0oT107bV6xmMrh_Dvgol0/s1600/Brad-Teare20.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidARZ4evf_ZsefwcT8eTWBwWhlZTrcYD6YgtecbUvoKSztJmveWtU4rNEwnSEPWA7jjKYQrnRhYOc4UTaPf56oW71WGsVhyPk91k142Wo5QFrcI7W4-6jbwK0oT107bV6xmMrh_Dvgol0/s320/Brad-Teare20.1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The French philosopher <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_de_Montaigne" target="_blank">Michelle Montaigne</a> wrote that to be successful you need to write in an established genre <i>but in a new way.</i> This idea is the guiding spirit behind the Subterranean project. I can't remember having seen a superhero comic done in scratchboard, so it seemed like a good opportunity to test Michelle Montaigne's idea.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Scratchboard is also the technique I originally made successful in the early days of my illustration career. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's the artform with which I have the most proficiency. Sometimes it's not a matter of doing what we desire but expressing the form that finds us. And whether we like it or not we have to be true to our gifts.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With scratchboard I found an ease of execution I never experienced with other drawing media. In scratchboard you explore and discover the surface of the form almost like sculpting. It is also a method where you start with black and work toward light, the opposite of conventional drawing, and more harmonious with the way my mind works.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you've never experimented with scratchboard you may have missed connecting with the unique way your mind works. And when you discover that unique connection you will be more able to express your inner vision.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Note: I currently use a digital version of scratchboard but with a little practise it is identical to the conventional medium.)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brad Teare June 2012</span></div>
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Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-48516978172879541432012-06-04T20:37:00.000-06:002012-11-20T14:31:09.407-07:00How to promote a digital comic<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>ONCE YOU CREATE</b> your digital comic and upload it to <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-subterranean-1/id512290485?mt=11&ls=1" target="_blank">iBookstore</a> or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007US9QIC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007US9QIC&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#1</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007US9QIC" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">Amazon</a> your job isn't over. It's just beginning. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't enjoy promoting as much as I should. I prefer to be writing and drawing my comic book. But if you neglect promotion your book will just sit on its digital bookshelf.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-733vGSAbNKM/T7H0-cDZiYI/AAAAAAAABUI/xx8bNedtoMo/s1600/SubT-page65b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-733vGSAbNKM/T7H0-cDZiYI/AAAAAAAABUI/xx8bNedtoMo/s320/SubT-page65b.jpg" width="216" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are some tips to promote your book:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Make it fun. </b>If you are having fun, even with promotion, your readers will too and will share your comic and blog</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> via social media</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> with friends and colleagues.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Go viral.</b> Let your friends and family know about the TELL A FRIEND and WRITE A REVIEW buttons on the last page of <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-subterranean-1/id512290485?mt=11&ls=1" target="_blank">iBookstore</a> comics. This is a feature that allows fans of your work to easily email a link to people they feel might enjoy your comic. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007US9QIC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007US9QIC&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#1</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007US9QIC" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">Amazon</a> also lets people add reviews (and has a LIKE button). They are features that are easy to miss but by reminding people you let them know in a subtle way that you would appreciate a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007US9QIC/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bratea-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007US9QIC" target="_blank">review or a rating</a>. Many will happily oblige.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Keep blogging.</b> You are excited that your book is finally for sale so you might be tempted to stop blogging and reserve your energy for your next comic book. This might seem like a great time saving strategy but try to resist it. Blogging is how you expand your fan base. You have to find a way to blog at least once a week despite a heavy schedule of drawing and writing.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Make a <i>YouTube</i> trailer video.</b> This seems like a lot of work, and it is, but it's one way many writers expand their promotional efforts. You can make your job easier by using programs such as <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0052VKP0W/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0052VKP0W&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20" target="_blank">Anime studio</a></i> and <i>iMovie</i>, both are extremely easy to learn and use (if you are on a budget use <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0052VKOYO/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0052VKOYO&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20" target="_blank">Anime Studio Debut</a>, it is amazingly functional for a very low price). </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Leverage your fan base</b>. You should have a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Subterranean-Chronicles/256164074457364" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> about your comic as well as a <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/subtchronicles" target="_blank">Twitter</a> account. I opted to post announcements about The Subterranean via my Twitter account which is synced to Facebook. I post once and both accounts post the same announcement.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Keep it simple.</b> I found that trying to maintain a schedule of writing, drawing, <i>and</i> blogging more than once a week was too much for me. Focus on quality not quantity.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Film <i>A Making Of</i> video</b> about your comic. In coming weeks I'm going to re-edit some videos about making maquettes as a drawing aid for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0081HY7EE/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0081HY7EE&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20" target="_blank">The Subterranean</a>. Such videos expand the story of your project.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you have any other ideas about how to promote digital comics I hope you will share them in the comments section below. I look forward to your ideas!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brad Teare June 2012</span></div>
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Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-78879280615271745582012-05-31T19:53:00.001-06:002012-09-12T20:22:06.519-06:00How to edit a digital comic<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>WRITING CAN BE EASY</b> for me depending on my level of creative energy but editing is often difficult. It requires a level of focus and attention to detail contrary to my nature. In today's publishing environment writers must know how to edit their own work. Here is a list of ideas to improve your editing:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Focus on communication.</b> Good communication can be broken down into two steps; writing and editing. Writing is creating content and editing is refining content. Do one step at a time. Don't edit while creating content. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A few good books in your library will help with the basics. My favorites are <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0205313426/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0205313426&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EThe%20Elements%20of%20Style%20(4th%20Edition)%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0205313426%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">The Elements of Style</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0446395072/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0446395072&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EIf%20You%20Can%20Talk%20You%20Can%20Write%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0446395072%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">If You Can Talk You Can Write</a></i>, and<i> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060545690/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0060545690&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3ESelf-Editing%20for%20Fiction%20Writers,%20Second%20Edition:%20How%20to%20Edit%20Yourself%20Into%20Print%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0060545690%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">Self-Editing for Fiction Writers</a></i>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Experience the writing in a new way.</b> Read the manuscript out loud. Awkward sentences can be detected and a more colloquial feel introduced into dialog. Listening to someone read your manuscript is also a good way to detect awkward constructions.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Simplify.</b> Most problems of communication can be resolved by simplifying complex ideas. Complexity is fine as long as clarity prevails.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>There are two types of editing; </b>content editing and line editing. When you edit content you use creativity to order and embellish existing ideas. When you line edit you use logic by following the rules of</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> spelling and grammar</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Rules are irrelevant if you are communicating uninteresting ideas but correct</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> grammar and spelling</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> are still a part of good writing. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>In <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007US9QIC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007US9QIC&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#1</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007US9QIC" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">comics</a></b> you can combine an omniscient narrative with first and third person narrative, add copious amounts of intricate dialogue including internal dialogue as well as incorporating flashbacks and dream sequences. Things can get pretty complicated. The more complicated it gets the more you need to edit for voice, organization, plot, pacing, and rhythm. If you use flashbacks I highly recommend drawing a timeline and adding events at precise moments on that line.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Mistakes will creep</b> into your manuscript no matter what you do. Reading your manuscript backwards is a good way to replicate the mindset of a good line editor. If all else fails enlist the help of a friend with a gift for line editing.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have fun and good luck!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brad Teare June 2012</span><br />
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Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-57581496027712678172012-05-29T22:39:00.001-06:002013-04-22T13:10:30.407-06:00Adding a foreword<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I RE-EDITED</b> The Subterranean #1 (I had several typos) and am hoping <a href="http://graphicly.com/" target="_blank">Graphicaly</a> will re-upload the corrected version (update: They were very happy to re-upload with no charge). Because making your project personal is a way to connect with readers I also took the liberty of adding a two page explanatory foreword, which you can read here:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Subterranean first appeared in the pages of my graphic </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">novel <i><a href="http://cyphercomics.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Cypher</a></i> in 1997.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEhl_667jvOF85WqIEQqm5Uhyphenhyphen86HTeVYIcEly7pxqQd8FI14tKDeaWHiKUsySaMMtODvfxSAAL2HLvh4pVJESfZrJKGXEoOUpY7pa_IZW4Eu9H1lQb1ZGMPftGY69GITbY5uazVxGA2U/s1600/Brad-Teare2.1-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEhl_667jvOF85WqIEQqm5Uhyphenhyphen86HTeVYIcEly7pxqQd8FI14tKDeaWHiKUsySaMMtODvfxSAAL2HLvh4pVJESfZrJKGXEoOUpY7pa_IZW4Eu9H1lQb1ZGMPftGY69GITbY5uazVxGA2U/s320/Brad-Teare2.1-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Cypher</i> was an exploration of all things subconscious and The Subterranean was a metaphor for unexpressed anger. As a scientist <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007US9QIC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007US9QIC&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#1</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007US9QIC" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">The Subterranean</a> had been in a terrible explosion at his laboratory and was now overly sensitive to light and had to remain in darkness. This ticked him off as did the fact that he never got what he really wanted. Somehow this rage propelled him into becoming </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">a superhero against his will.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All of this was communicated in the graphic novel as a comic within a comic. A friend suggested that such a superhero would make an interesting comic book. I agreed with him but I was doing a more cartoon-like technique and found it difficult to imagine a credible superhero being rendered in such a style. I hadn't yet evolved the more realistic style I developed specifically for </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">this project.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But when I finally embraced the idea and began writing the story I discovered the character wrote itself and sprang nearly fully developed from my subconscious. As The Subterranean evolved he split into two parts, Ferryl Maughn, super scientist, and Max Jeffries, ex-special operative. <i>Cypher</i> fans will note that the name Ferryl Maughn is symbolic of <i>feral man</i>. Apparently The Subterranean still has problems with anger management issues.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are other influences, most of them passions I embraced when I was in <a href="http://subtchronicles.blogspot.com/2012/05/power-of-passion.html" target="_blank">fifth grade</a>; Batman, of course, Sherlock Holmes, Supercar (the Sandhog is a low-tech version of that Swiss-Army-knife of vehicles), <a href="http://theghostwhodraws.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Phantom</a> (The Subterranean originally carried a pistol), and of course, Tom Swift (with his secret lab and weird science). And those are only the influences I know about! Much like <i>Cypher</i>, there are undoubtedly a freight load of subconscious influences about which I am completely unaware.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Enjoy the adventure! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brad Teare May 2012</span></div>
Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-68905976402686551512012-05-21T22:55:00.002-06:002012-09-12T20:24:04.331-06:00Blogging with Dynamic Views<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>When I started</b> the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0081HY7EE/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bratea-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0081HY7EE" target="_blank">Subterranean</a> project my intent was to post every page of the 128 page graphic novel online. I didn't foresee that such ambition would create technical problems and make the story extremely difficult to read with any sense of continuity (since I only posted two pages a week).</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A few months into the project Blogger introduced a format called <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/dynamic-views-seven-new-ways-to-share.html" target="_blank">Dynamic Views</a>. I loved the Dynamic Views idea perhaps too much. It's proposed ability to scroll from page to page seemed perfect for comics. But it never worked as advertised as an online comic viewer.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The main reason I still find Dynamic Views interesting after having suffered so much with their beta version is that it works really, really well on the iPhone. If you haven't tried it you should check it out. Unlike other blog formats you can easily read and view everything on the small screen.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another reason I stuck with Dynamic Views is the translate feature. If you're reading this blog and English isn't your first language try translating it into your native tongue by clicking the top tab on the right (on the home page). Note: translation doesn't work well on the iPhone.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dynamic Views never worked as a comic reader as I hoped it would because Blogger never got the page-to-page arrows to work properly. But someday when page-to-page scrolling works it will be an excellent comic reader. Until then I will continue to publish The Subterranean to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007US9QIC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007US9QIC&linkCode=as2&tag=bratea-20%22%3EThe%20Subterranean%20#1</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bratea-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007US9QIC" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank">Kindle Fire</a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/brad-teare?store=ALLPRODUCTS&keyword=brad+teare" target="_blank">Color Nook</a>, Kobo, and the <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-subterranean-1/id512290485?mt=11&ls=1" target="_blank">iBookstore</a> via <a href="http://graphicly.com/" target="_blank">Graphicly</a>. I hope you enjoy the adventure as much as I do.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">NOTE: As of 7 September 2012 I have reverted back to the regular, non-Dynamic Views blog format. Blogger never got the comments to work properly, a feature I decided I couldn't live without. So as of this date Dynamic Views is still not ready for prime time.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brad Teare May 2012</span></div>
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Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-38753336741145060882012-05-17T17:14:00.003-06:002012-08-24T12:16:59.230-06:00Making a digital comic book<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I received new information</b> about digital publisher <a href="http://graphicly.com/" target="_blank">Graphicly</a>. It turns out that <i>panel mode</i> works with the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_10?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=brad+teare&sprefix=brad+teare%2Caps%2C665" target="_blank">Kindle Fire</a> but not with the iBookstore offering (not that it needs the panel mode. I think the comic reads well on the iPhone and it works perfectly on the iPad). Also I can update my ad copy on-the-fly at Amazon.com via the Graphicly dashboard.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Here is a brief overview of the Graphicaly conversion service:</b> For $150 they convert your PDF file and make it available as a digital book on iBookstore, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, <a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/" target="_blank">Kobo</a> (a lesser known reader that nevertheless has a significant market share) and Google Books.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Subterranean #1 and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0081HY7EE/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bratea-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0081HY7EE" target="_blank">#2</a> are now listed on <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-subterranean-1/id512290485?mt=11" target="_blank">iBooks</a> for iPhone and iPad as well as on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Subterranean-1-ebook/dp/B007US9QIC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1337442814&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> for the Kindle Fire. Issue #1 is also available on this <a href="http://subtchronicles.blogspot.com/2012/02/cover.html" target="_blank">blog</a> and my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Subterranean-Chronicles/256164074457364" target="_blank">Facebook Fan Page</a> and are available on the <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/brad-teare?store=ALLPRODUCTS&keyword=brad+teare" target="_blank">Color Nook</a>, and coming soon to Kobo, and Google Books.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Graphically has an additional option of making apps that will work for the iPad/iPhone and the Android. I will probably experiment with the app option when I publish the entire graphic novel at a future date.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you want to make a comic book and convert to digital via a company such as Graphicaly here are some suggestions:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Edit </b>thoroughly. My experience is that once you commit your PDF file to the conversion process it's difficult to change. If I had known that the upload was more or less final I would have been much more diligent with the editing process and not allowed my enthusiasm to rush the upload. Graphicly has been very accommodating to change to re-upload but it is still time consuming.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>After</b> uploading your PDF file you then "direct" the comic, meaning that you specify the panel-by-panel views. There is an edit button at this phase of the process and it gives the impression that after you direct the panel-by-panel views you can go back and tweak the cropping at any time. My experience suggests its best to crop the panel-by-panel views right the first time (and on the largest screen possible). There were a few panels where I didn't quite get the cropping right and<span data-mce-style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"> other places where I might have directed the panels differently. But again, I let my enthusiasm get the best of me. I kept <span data-mce-style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);">thinking I would go back at some point and re-edit. But before I knew it the comic had been uploaded to Amazon and iBooks and there was little I could do to correct the situation except ask Graphicly to re-upload a revised PDF.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I would</b> be more diligent writing the book description. I basically wrote a single sentence describing the comic, like a logline. But I should have written something much more interesting and descriptive,<span data-mce-style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"> like good ad copy with teasers but no spoilers. Amazon and iBookstore</span><span data-mce-style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"> copy this directly into their pages and it will be the only description readers have when they purchase your book. After waiting nearly two months for Amazon to vet my book I assumed they would do something to help sell it. Although I now know I can edit this after the initial upload I think it's best to get it right the first time. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>There</b> are other things I regret. I didn't put my blog address anywhere in the first two comics. In retrospect that's an insane omission, especially with the first comic being free and having potential to redirect people back to my blog (to become fans of future issues. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span data-mce-style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);">Note: Amazon won't allow free sales unless the book is exclusive with Amazon so</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> issue #1 at</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Amazon is $.99.)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <span data-mce-style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);">I was</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> also</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span data-mce-style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"> remiss not adding an introduction or at least a postscript giving readers some background and letting them know where the project was heading (note: I have since re-uplaoed a new version with an afterword).</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Although</b> I would do some things differently overall I'm pleased with the end product as well as the process. <span data-mce-style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);">The people at Graphically have been attentive, quickly answered my questions and solved problems. I think their conversion process is both visionary and practical. They have gotten so much right and promise to add even more features in the future. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I applaud</b> Graphicaly for setting a price that is very competitive. I wish them the best and hope they continue their project well into the future.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brad Teare 2012</span></div>
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Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-15872315903868060362012-05-15T22:46:00.003-06:002012-06-23T12:01:24.635-06:00The power of passion<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>A boy came to his father</b> and said, "When I grow up I want to be an artist." The father answered, "Pick one son, you can't do both." The father, obviously an artist himself, understood the basic premise that maintaining creative passion requires a child-like perspective. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Picasso" target="_blank">Picasso</a> famously stated, "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjh_5aLSr-PB0JoTX_UbPjpCIKoNy7cdjW7wi_eCdfo1_9-iSA16gd7hkLlxHYIgqmzHwM_JdgajXdfzEHgawZMLnhoYhY1GJE-y4Pt1TP5KEx5vvncakaCzfmrnZDgq2im2aqzWDCYiU/s1600/SubT-b4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjh_5aLSr-PB0JoTX_UbPjpCIKoNy7cdjW7wi_eCdfo1_9-iSA16gd7hkLlxHYIgqmzHwM_JdgajXdfzEHgawZMLnhoYhY1GJE-y4Pt1TP5KEx5vvncakaCzfmrnZDgq2im2aqzWDCYiU/s400/SubT-b4.jpg" width="167" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some psychologists suggest that as adults we retain many of the insecurities we had when we were twelve years-old and that remembering this insight will allow us to feel equal to all regardless of social status. In a similar vein some suggest the passions we had as twelve year-olds are the most telling about our personalities. I'm not sure about the scientific credibility of this idea but it<span data-mce-style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"> is an interesting exercise. It certainly can give insight into our current passions. Most likely we are simply culling through our memories and remembering the ones that really excited us. But the result is the same; a treasure trove of seething enthusiasm.</span></span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br clear="none" /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span data-mce-style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);">Intrigued by the idea of recovering my youthful zeal I decided to put <i>The Subterranean</i> to the test and excavate for its cultural roots. </span>At age ten I was given an anthology of Sherlock Holmes stories. I was enthralled by the hyper-rationality of the detective which was amplified by my fascination with books such as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Swift" target="_blank"><i>Tom Swift</i> series</a> (which focused on futuristic, weird science). I remember spinning yarns for my best friend Dan Stark about how my dad worked at a secret laboratory. I knew Dan didn't believe me. I didn't expect him to. I suppose it was an early example of my storytelling compulsions manifesting themselves. Dan and I spent countless hours in our basement drawing on a huge blackboard my dad scavenged from his lab (he was actually a scientist. He just didn't work at a <i>secret</i> lab). I drew schematic versions of a hybrid machine that could fly and go underwater. It was a lot like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercar_(TV_series)" target="_blank">Supercar</a> I suppose but my vehicle was definitely a precursor to the Sandhog with its low-tech, kludged together design.</span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br clear="none" /></span></span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was a big fan of comic books, of course, especially pulp-like offerings such as <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442423870/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bratea-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1442423870" target="_blank">John Carter of Mars</a></i> that blended weird science and proto-steam punk. It should be no surprise that I loved Batman comics and his fingerprints are all over <i>The Subterranean</i>. They both have an affinity for rationality, have no super powers but their wits, and both work best at night.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span data-mce-style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);">Pablo Picasso made another interesting observation, "Bad artists copy. Good artists steal". Which is a funny way of putting it but concisely sums up the fusion of cultural elements of successful popular fiction. </span>If you have a creative project that needs more depth take a trip down memory lane and excavate the passions you held as a fifth-grader.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brad Teare May 2012</span></div>
</div>Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141121768091974738.post-40377993376644662142012-05-10T22:53:00.004-06:002012-05-15T22:51:43.009-06:00Overcoming a creative block<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>T</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>here are few things</b> as frustrating as the inability to press forward with a creative project. I recently had a bout of creative block and was unable to move forward with <i>The Subterranean</i> for several weeks. It prompted me to reflect on why we get creative blocks and how we can overcome them. Here are some ideas that might help you snap out of it:</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Creativity is disruptive.</b> Don't be afraid of down time. It's part of the process. A fallow period is one way to recharge your batteries.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Creativity can take time to surface.</b> Allow yourself the luxury of leisure. Relaxing and taking a break will allow your subconscious mind to take control of the project. Read a few chapters of a good book or take a few hours and submerge yourself in your art library.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Creativity works best when distractions are at a minimum.</b> Sometimes you've got to be a hermit. Turn off the TV. Stop Facebooking. Turn off the radio. Boredom can be an incentive to entertain yourself and entertaining yourself is one of the roots of creativity.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Forget how old you are.</b> Lighten up a bit. The non-completion of your project is not going to be the end of the world. Engage in some creative play.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Cope with fluctuating energy levels.</b> One reason you have a creative block is probably because you are out of energy. Think of a way to recoup your energy and you probably just solved your creativity problem.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Change your location or your activity.</b> Clean your studio. Go for a walk. Take a trip to the zoo or library. Anything to jolt you into a new and positive way of thinking.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Rearrange and combine things into something new.</b> Allow yourself to borrow ideas from others, even if this starts as a blatant rip-off. Your ideas will evolve out of these borrowed ideas and become something new. Don't worry about the evolutionary roots of your work.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Trust your subconscious mind.</b> It knows a lot more than you do. You are defeating your most trusted ally with all your internal negativity. Relax and let the subconscious mind do your work for you.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Start somewhere, anywhere.</b> Sometimes you just have to start. Make yourself sit down and tell yourself that after a half hour of work if things aren't moving forward you'll just take a nap. Most of the time you'll keep working because you want to keep the creative streak going.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Creativity is an expression of energy.</b> The more energy you have the more creative you will be. Most likely the reason you have a creative block is you've been pressing too hard. You've tackled a difficult project and you're simply running out of energy. Find a way to regain energy and you've solved your problem. Eat better. Sleep more. Exercise. Relax.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>And finally, remember that creativity is an act of courage.</b> Sometimes you just have to reach down deep and find the courage that first prompted you to become an artist. Creativity is one of the most noble and beneficial acts you can engage in. Keep that in mind and press forward taking one step at a time. Break your project down into small steps, listing each step on a scrap of paper, and the impossible will begin to seem possible and you are back on your journey once again.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Brad Teare May 2012</span></div>
</div>Brad Tearehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04311014022243382658noreply@blogger.com2