Lackadaisy Flimflam

More Answer Pile

Responses to more questions from the ask box.  There’s a lot more after the break.

Q.  naydshiko asked you:
Hi, Boss lady! I absolutely love your comic. It’s obvious that you spend an enormous amount of time on getting everything just right, and it always is worth the wait! I just had one question: How do you decide on panel organization? Is there any good rules of thumb to use when trying to draw a sequential comic?

A.  Thank you!
I work out panel organization in thumbnail form in tandem with finalizing pages of dialogue.  That helps me figure out where establishing shots are needed, where I need room for a lot of dialogue (everywhere), where it makes sense to focus panels on environment, where I should focus panels more on character faces, expressions and reactions, where dramatic angles might be appropriate and so forth.
I’m probably somewhere near the bottom of the list of comic artists to ask for sound advice about organizing panels, though.  I’ve done a lot of things the wrong way where certain practicalities and conventions are concerned, and I still have a lot to learn.  Here are a few basics, though:

-Keep readability foremost in mind. As the author/artist, you know how the story goes and what panel comes next in the sequence, but try to look at what your doing from a reader’s perspective.  Ask yourself (or others) if your thumbnails or penciled pages make sense and communicate what you intend before getting too far into the art process.

- Don’t clutter it.  Content is necessary and details can be great, but it all amounts to visual noise without negative space.  Gutters or frames between panels and negative space within panels are just as vital as paragraph breaks and punctuation are in writing.

- Flow is important too. Keeping things moving left to right and down the page, and utilizing the art and panel arrangement to signal the reader where to look next mitigates confusion and helps progression feel natural.  Thinking of the comic page as a singular composition, even though it’s segmented into frames, can aid the approach.

-Timing and contextual importance impact panel size.  A shot of a lone character looking out over a vast landscape is probably intended to be evocative, and might call for the reader to pause in looking at it.  A wide panel or even a panel that takes most of a single page probably makes sense for such a thing, whereas a fast sequence of events might play out in a series of narrow panels like rapid clicks in time.

-Camera angle changes are important for practical communication and for effect (nothing but straight on shots and talking heads in profile gets pretty dull), but think before swapping angles. Don’t do it just for the sake of making each panel different.  Sometimes it makes narrative sense to maintain the same angle and focus between consecutive panels. If in panel #1, the action is moving to the left, and in panel #2, the camera rotates 180 degrees to view the scene from the other side, the action will now be moving the opposite direction.  Consider how jarring and confusing that can be as you’re reading along.

-Also:
—Study how successful comics handle panel arrangement for different types of scenes.
—Will Eisner and Scott McCloud have books in print that famously myriad principles of comic making and can be very helpful.
—A brief internet search turned up this tutorial by Renee Lecompte, which does a nice straightforward job of explaining some fundamental aspects of panel layout.

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Q.  for some reason, I’m really curious as to what the character’s mothers look like. Namely Mordecai’s.

A.  This was posted as part of a sketch dump a while back.  His mother, Zippy, is on the right -


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Q.  seafeel asked you:
The humanoid version of rocky looks like Huck Finn to me…. or maybe her’s more like Tom…

A.  Hehe.  Comparing him to Huck Finn is probably being far too kind to Rocky, but if he gives off any trace of a Twain vibe at all, I’m pleased with that.

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Q.  There’s lots of small things that make us wonder what happened before the events of Lackadaisy. So, why did Rocky get “the old, uncerimonious boot”? Or, will we ever find out?

A.  There’s a plot-relevant story to that.  It’ll be addressed in the comic.

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Q.  littlefeatherheart asked you:
Is Viktor going to get back on his feet again? He’s honestly my favorite character because he’s such a “sober side” (<—my family made this up and it kind of works for him) that it just seems funny sometimes. I don’t know, that probably didn’t make much sense. What I *do* know is that I love your comic! ♥

A.  Thank you!  Personalities like Viktor aren’t generally the sort to enjoy lounging about in haunted, hollow places without the distraction of work to spare them from themselves.  It’s a fair bet he’ll be on his feet again, whether he should be or not.

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Q.  I know you’ve done work in the digital gaming field, but have you ever considered/been approached to do work in the pen and paper tabletop RPG field? You would make gaming awesome like DiTerlizzi made planescape awesome :D

A.  Well, that’s a kind thing to say.  Thanks!  Some of the very earliest freelance work I ever did was table top RPG stuff.  I’ve been approached a few times about doing more by various publishers, but I really haven’t had the time in recent years for freelancing.

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Q.  neonscience asked you:
What would you look like in the Lackadaisy world… cat wise?

A.
 

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Q.  clogsgalore asked you:
Hello, would you be kind enough to answer a question of mine, has Zib ever done something really really outrageous, like something rocky would’ve done?

A.  Zib’s brand of outrageous is rather different and generally less detrimental to the structural integrity of public and private property than Rocky’s, but he has had at least a few ‘lost weekends’ in his lifetime. 

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Q.  Between drawing, writing, and everything else on the immense scales that you accomplish, how do you keep your hands from turning into crippled claws of pain? Is there some sort of exercise or stretching routine that we can do to give our hands a few more moments of function?

A.  I wish I could say I accomplished things on an immense scale.  If I accomplish anything, it’s usually on a slow, drawn-out scale, and that’s actually kind of a problem because long hours with a pencil or tablet pen in hand is inevitably painful.  Occasional ibuprofen and intermittent ten or fifteen minutes breaks help somewhat, though.  I’ve heard other artists say that stretching exercises designed for alleviating carpal tunnel symptoms help them too.  If the pain and cramping lingers for a long time after you’ve stopped working, you probably should see a doctor about it, though. 
Aside from that, I haven’t got much in the way of helpful advice, I’m afraid.  I’m open to suggestions myself.

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Q.  I just wanted to let you know that while your art has always been amazing and beautiful, it’s obvious that your work has gotten stronger and all the more incredible with each addition you share with us. So thank you for not only giving us a wonderful story to follow, but also the chance to watch a talented person grow as an artist! It’s very inspiring!

A.  Thank you!  And thank you for paying any attention to the things I post online at all.  The interactions, feedback, words of encouragement and all I’ve received in return has played a big role in my artistic progress and has meant more than I can say…or at least more than I can say without delivering an overly sentimental, long-winded speech.

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Q.  Just what was the train of thought that led you to making a web-comic about cat rum-runners during Prohibition? With a somewhat odd main character? What was that first thing, that first little thought that led to all this madness?

A.  It’d be impossible to say with any accuracy, really.  When I was a kid, Rocky was a character I drew a lot in my class notes to keep myself occupied during school hours.  He never really had any context until I bought an old house in an old neighborhood in the St. Louis area and got wrapped up in local history.  For some reason, I put the character and the history together.  Pondering what sort of bizarro situation a personality like Rocky’s might stumble into within the historical setting (the answer was semi-transient fiddle player running illicit liquor, apparently) lead to much of the consequent story development. 
A lot of my unrelated interests collided and a comic happened, in short.  I guess it was really more of a trainwreck of thought.

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Q.  Is Viktor Russian? I just started reading your comic and it’s adorable and the plot is fantastic! I’m curious to know

A.  Thank you!  I’m glad you like the comic.  He’s Slovakian, but he’s used to being mistaken for a Russian. ;)

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Q.  Dear Tracy, This isn’t exactly a question, but for a scholarship I have to write a short essay on someone who has influenced me. I’m writing it about you, because you draw some of the most beautiful characters I’ve ever seen, and I can feel myself becoming a better artist everyday thanks to your wisdom. So, thank you for giving me someone to write my essay about.

A.  That’s very touching.  I’m honored too.  Thank you!  Good luck with your assignment. =)

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Q.  dreamgenesis asked you:
Have you seen Some Like It Hot with Marilyn Monroe? It’s a fantastic movie, and reminds me of Lackadaisy so much!

A.  Yes!  Billy Wilder screenplay + 1920’s goofiness = win.  And Tony Curtis’ Cary Grant affectation cracks me up.

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Q.  Hey there. Please don’t get mad if I ask this, but I didn’t think a lot of people would have asked you. How are you doing? Please note that as a fan of the comic, I also care about the artist/writer as well!

A.  I’m doing okay.  Thanks for asking. =)

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Q.  underthepigsty asked you:
Is the Lackadaisy website a comic-hosted site or was it all made from scratch?

A.  It’s a custom, built-from-scratch site design with php snippets that allow it to use Jay Lim’s Tomekeeper as a sort of external CMS.

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Q.  What does Viktor do in his spare time? Or do I even want to know?

A.  He likes fixing stuff, including cars, and generally doing hands-on things that require his concentration (and provide him excuses to avoid meaningful conversations).  He’s sort of fallen into the role of unofficial maintenance man and mechanic for his corner of the neighborhood.

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Q.  How do you get your motivation to draw your comics, as an artist (sort-of) I can be pretty lazy and don’t draw for days so I get out of practice, I love to draw it’s just that it’s sometimes hard for me to start something- Do you have a way to motivate/force yourself to get some work done?

A.  My techniques vary.  If I’m not already raring to draw, I’ll look at art or other media I find inspirational in order to get into the mood (uh, art foreplay, I guess?), down energy drinks and coffee and use the buzz to get something done, or berate myself for being unproductive until I’m so full of self-loathing, I can’t sleep and might as well just spend the night drawing anyway.

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Q.  ashjest asked you:
It may just be me, but your human Rocky bears a striking resemblance to one Alexander Rybak, Norweigan pop singer/composer/actor/writer/whateverhedoeseverything. For comparison, look at his Fairytales album cover. No? Am I crazy?

A.  People keep telling me that.  I’ve also been told he looks like young Leo DiCaprio (huh?), Zac Efron (what?), Robert Sheehan, Emile Hirsch and various others, however.  I’m not sure who to believe.
To be fair, though, yes, I think I can see the resemblance you’re speaking of.  =)

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Q.  Olo! Love everything you do. Just wanted to put that out there. Now, to the question! From reading your comic repeatedly, I’ve noticed that Rocky has a bit of a hole in his ear. Not that I’m surprised that Mr. Rickaby has an injury. Well, I’m surprised that he doesn’t have more, but what I’d like to know is if there’s a story behind this or rather an unfortunate attempt at ear piercing. Thank you!

A.  There was an sketchy, old development phase comic that illustrated how the notch got there, but the art is so old and rough, I’d be embarrassed to post it here.  Anyway, he shot himself in the ear.  Accidentally.

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Q.  What is your opinion on Thoroughly Modern Millie?

A.  It’s superficially enjoyable, I suppose, if not rather cartoonishly obnoxious…but I guess that’s generally what you’d expect from a musical comedy (or maybe a web comic about cats).  I’ve only ever seen the Julie Andews film version from the 1960’s, though.  I wonder if, for modern day productions, they alter the more egregiously racist bits about the dastardly Chinese stereotypes out to kidnap and enslave the single white girls…or maybe the way I’m remembering it is worse than it actually was.

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Q.  I really have to say that one of my favourite characters from your comic is Lacy! Though sometimes I can’t help but feel that she’s just a simple background character with small interactions on the plot here or there. Will there ever be any arcs of the comic that would focus on Lacy or any parts that would feature her with a bigger role than just Wick’s secretary?

A.  She doesn’t get the sort of focus a main character would, but her role will change to something rather different between Volumes 2 and 3, and she does serve an important purpose in the story.

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Q.  I was wondering about Zib’s race? After you posted the human sketches of him, he seemed like he could be either white or Mexican or something, so I wasn’t sure.

A.  He’s of mostly Polish descent. (His nickname is derived from his surname, Zibowski).

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Q.  What would your reaction be if a big named studio decided to make Lackadaisy a film?

A.  Squinty, wary skepticism?

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Q.  404-thisblognotfound asked you:
Hey Tracy, I hope you can forgive me if this has been asked before, but how do you get your period references? For the cities especially. I have such a hard time tracking down accurate references for old buildings and city layouts online and I wondered if I was missing out on more effective places to find reference material.

A.  I wish I had a singular source that was just a treasure trove of all such information, but I don’t.  I generally have to go digging in different places for different things - web sites run by bigger history nerds than myself, old books, old newspapers, collections of historic photos, even old business catalogues.  Some bits of informtion require a fair bit of tenacity to unearth, but it often pays to be stubborn about finding what you’re after, and there’s an element of enjoyment to the detective work..
You might try contacting historical societies in the places you’re interested in about old city plans, historic buildings and things of that nature. 

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Q.  conartwork asked you:
do you ever have issues with an artistic perfectionism? My issue is that i want to try more dynamic perspectives, but can’t exactly get them right and find myself redoing the panels. When dealing with webcomics, is it to draw what is efficient, or have an end product you are satisfied with?

A.  I do.  I do a lot of redrawing, and often for similar reasons.  I also get frustrated that my art process in general makes it difficult to produce pages at a fast pace too, but it really comes down to priorities.  I don’t like updating so slowly, but I’d been even more unhappy posting art that felt compromised or unfinished, so I concern myself more with the art in my approach.

With web comics, there are ramifications to the priorities you choose, of course, but there aren’t any mandates.  How you do it depends on you.  If updating quickly is of utmost importance to you, it probably will be practical to compromise on some aspects of the art.  If you value the art quality and presentation more, then treat it that way and redraw as much as you feel you need to.
Wth any luck, you’ll eventually land on a balance of efficiency and quality that you’re comfortable with.

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Q.  Allow me to preface my inquiry with a clarification; this is not, in any way, an attack. It is a mere product of my curiosity. I noticed that you have, in previous tumblr posts, derided the anime/manga drawing techniques. Are you just, genuinely, not a fan of that particular approach to art or are you simply irritated with how often it’s used as a crutch by artists too lazy to develop their own style?

A.  I don’t think I was deriding anime drawing techniques in general.  At least, that wasn’t my intention.  I don’t have any strong feelings about anime on the whole - I’ve seen it done well and I’ve seen it done badly.
The point I was probably trying to make was that it can be detrimental to adopt it as a style at the expense of learning fundamentals/life drawing skills.  This is true of any number of styles, but I cited anime because it’s so prevalent. 
Reviewing job applicant portfolios has long been part of my day job, and I’ve seen a disheartening number of portfolios demonstrating that the artist had learned to imitate a style (often one sort of anime or another), but hadn’t really learned how to draw.   For example, everything in one interviewee’s portfolio looked like a character that wandered out of a Dragon Ball Z comic, even when it appeared they were trying for something different.  That one style had informed almost everything they knew about drawing.  Even if the drawings were competent, it tells me that for any work in any style I might ask of that artist, the DBZ will show through.  On the other hand, for any work in any style I might ask of an artist with a strong grasp of fundamental drawing knowledge, I can be pretty assured the fundamental knowledge will show through.

It’s not about the anime specifically.  Does that make sense?

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Q.  Hey Tracy! I love your comic so much, every single one of your characters is great! I was just wondering something kinda random. What happened to Mordecai’s dad? Did he ever know his dad? It looked like he had a lot of younger siblings…

A.  Thank you.  I’m glad you like the characters!
He knew his father, yes.  He was largely confined to a bed, though, in Mordecai’s late childhood and early adolescence.

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Q.  Quick suggestion about the update schedule - apparently you like to work on the pages in groups, but maybe instead of posting them all at once, you could just post them on a once-a-week schedule once you have a few finished. You wouldn’t have to worry about making each page self-contained or satisfying on its own because readers would know there’s a new page coming soon, and it would cut down on the delay between updates quite a bit with no extra work from you.

A.  Right, but after many weeks of not updating the canon comic, I feel pretty lame just posting a single page.  Of course, that just sets me up to remain stuck in the same cycle the next time around.
Maybe I’ll try spacing the upcoming pages at least a few days apart.  We’ll see.

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Q.  adoctor-of-thinkology asked you:
when will you out up new pages !?

A.  I’ll post a new pages as soon as they are done.  I’m working on an extra large set of them so that I can hopefully finish out 2011 by completing a big chunk of Volume 2.  Pages take a lot of time and effort to produce, though.  I’m sorry it’s not faster.

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Q.  Hi, I was wondering, do you do anything to reward yourself when you update Lackadaisy? Like do you go out for ice cream with your buddies or anything like that?

A.  Not really.  Usually by the time I’m done with another update, all I want to do is swtich my energy drink out for a glass of wine, and then sleep.

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Q.  Are there any pure breads of cats in the comic? wich ones are mixes?

A.  They’re moggies, but I made you a pure breads Viktor.