Charles Brubaker

Behind the Scenes: Comics Process Part 6

Once the lineart is done, I scan it through the same Epson printer/scanner I use to print the sketches at 600dpi TIFF. On Photoshop I raise the threshold to bitmap and add the dialogues in using a font I made from my handwriting. I also clean-up any stray artifacts that may have gotten in during the scanning process.

Once all that's done I save the lineart as 600dpi bitmap-format TIFF files. I then prep for the coloring stage.

$100 a month! Thank you!

I didn't think I'd keep this Patreon going this long when I started it in 2014, but 5 years down the line it's still going. Just now I reached $100 a month!

I want to thank everyone who's backing! It means a lot to get this many support!

A freelance gig I lost paid $300 a month. If I can just get $200 more, this Patreon will officially replace my lost income. So close!

Again, thanks again!

Behind the Scenes: Comics Process Part 5

And we reach the inking stage! As I mentioned previously, I print the blue sketch onto 8.5x11 cardstock. I start inking from the bottom row first and then make my way to the top. The last picture has a lineup of various pens I use.

From left to right:

1. Rotring Artpen Lettering Broad Nib
2. Rotring ArtPen Calligraphy Pen 1.9 mm
3. Posca Extra Fine, Posca 0.9 mm
4. Pentel Brush Pen
5. Kuretake Zig Cartoonist Mangaka Flexible Pen
6. Presto! White Out
7. Posca Extr...

Behind the Scenes: Comics Process Part 4

After I'm happy with the sketch, I convert it to blue and print it out onto Meemah Exact Index Cardstock, 8.5"x14", where I prepare to ink on paper. I use Epson Workforce WF-7710 to print it out (it's also my large format scanner)

Behind the Scenes: Comics Process Part 3

After I do the rough sketch, I would do a clean-up pass. This is to make it easier to ink so that I don't get anything wrong. I usually flip the canvas while doing this to make sure nothing appears slanted.

Behind the Scenes: Comics Process Part 2

After I got the thumbnails done, I open up Clip Studio Paint and starts sketching. I do the roughs first, just like this, using my Monoprice tablet. I would also write the dialogues and use a shape tool to create the word balloons as templates.

Next step is clean-up, which I will discuss later.

Behind the Scenes: Comics Process Part 1

Thought I'd try this. I'm gonna document the creation of a one-page gag that I drew for Fuzzy, where I talk about each step and what I do.

In a long story arc I would always write an outline documenting what happens in a story, after which I would thumbnail it out on my notebook, similar to the example here. This being a one-page gag, though, I went straight to thumbing it out on paper. As you can see, I would often scribble out dialogues and write new one if I think of something better...

Ask a Cat: Shopping

Sharks and Octopuses and Volleyballs...Oh My! - pages 37-39

Behind the Scenes: Penultimate

Nearly done inking this chapter! Just one more page left! Here's a raw scan.

Got some new backers for the Patreon. Thank you so much!

Sharks and Octopuses and Volleyballs...Oh My! - pages 34-36

Behind the Scenes: JUMP

This is probably the most fun I ever had drawing a panel! Just over the top.

A sketch for the comic. Enjoy!

Ask a Cat: Rock On

Sharks and Octopuses and Volleyballs...Oh My! - pages 31-33

Behind the Scenes: Wrong Turn

Felicia is about to get lost!

Raw scan of a page.

Sharks and Octopuses and Volleyballs...Oh My! - pages 28-30

Behind the scenes: Sketch to Inks

Thought I'd give a freebie, using the latest page as an example. Here's an original digital sketch to finished inks, with close-up shots for detail. I raised the contrast on the inks to make the blue sketch printout visible, as well as white outs and other artifacts.

Behind the Scenes: Racing galore

Here's a page that required a bunch of corrections. Panel 2 has a big paste up covering up the entire original sketch because I realized it wasn't as good as I envisioned. Also lots of white-outs

I raised the contrast to the raw scan so you can see the artifacts.

Behind the Scenes: Felicia Takes Over

Another raw scan! Felicia helps a biker gang out.

Ask a Cat: Catgut

Sharks and Octopuses and Volleyballs...Oh My! - pages 25-27

Behind the Scenes: Free Admissions

Nothing much to say except I used a lot of black ink on this page. Happy with how the night sky looks!

Sharks and Octopuses and Volleyballs...Oh My! - page 24

Behind the Scenes: Cameos

From time to time, I like to put cameos of other comic characters in my comic. Since I had a crowd scene in this page, this proved to be a golden opportunity for some. The cameos are:

Curls (from "Curls" webcomic)

Gramps ("Sheldon")

Jessica ("Manic Pixie Nightmare Girls")

Phoebe ("Phoebe and Her Unicorn")

Calvin ("Calvin and Hobbes")

Miller ("Out of the Gene Pool")

Alix ("Stone Soup")

Tommy and Arnold ("Arnold")

Sharks and Octopuses and Volleyballs...Oh My! - page 23

Sharks and Octopuses and Volleyballs...Oh My! - page 22

Behind the Scenes: Biker Fantasy

It's very rare I do a page that's entirely pantomime (Felicia's "Yee-Ha!" notwithstanding), and when I can pull it off, it's always a good feeling that I accomplished something as difficult.

This is probably my favorite Fuzzy Princess page so far. Note the shout-out to Cashmere Sky, which you should read.

Sharks and Octopuses and Volleyballs...Oh My! - page 21

Sharks and Octopuses and Volleyballs...Oh My! - page 20

Behind the Scenes: Arcade

Latest page I did. Most of the inking was done with Posca felt-tip paint markers .9mm, with some other pens for minor details.

I'm really happy with how this came out, artistically.