As far as I know, TAINTED LOVE is the only webcomic that extensively uses animated GIFs to tell a story in a cinematic format. I really got attached to the concept of doing my first webcomic this way, but innovation doesn’t come without its hurdles. But, for every moment of difficulty this format encounters, I feel there’s at least ten moments of brilliance that make it all worth it. It’s been and will be a learning process, for sure.

BLAH BLAH BLAH

WHERE DO I START?!

The most common feedback I get from readers is confusion over the flow of dialogue in episodes. Here’s some bits of insight on my thought process while putting together text on a panel. Hopefully it will help new and old readers absorb the story more instinctively.

  • In virtually ALL cases, the TOP most line is the FIRST line in the panel.
  • In most cases, dialogue will trail off and fade into the direction of the intended listener. The words are basically flying to the person they are spoken to or next text in the series.
  • Dialogue trailing left or right is aimed at a person who might be on/off screen.
  • Dialogue that fades out can be either a monologue or rhetorical.
  • In most cases, I orient dialogue near/around the mouth of the character speaking. Or as best I can.
  • I do extend the duration of longer text blocks. Typically, I base the timing of a line to fit the performance as well.
  • Dialogue uses the same font universally, the only other font is for sound effects, along with an Asterisk (still not sure how I feel about including sound effects in my comics).
  • Italicized text is used either for dialogue coming off-screen or an off-kilter remark.
  • Brackets, < and > respectively, are used to indicate an electronic recording/transmission. (It might also be used in the future to indicate a reader translation for another language)

In closing:
Don’t worry so much where you come in on an animated panel! They are made to be enjoyed and savored. I make an effort to design panels so if you do come in during the middle or end, it will still makes a kind of sense and hopefully, work as a loop.

Take your time.
Let each panel play a few times.
Absorb it multiple ways.

– John

Categories: Blog

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