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Admin

Registered: 12-2008
Location: Surprise, AZ
Posts: 1561
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Digital inking comics vs traditional inking - Is one really better than the other?


Hey creepers! lol emoticon

As I'm here working my butt off inking my penciled roughs, my mind drifted yet again into the whole "digital vs traditional way of inking comics" and the benefits or draw backs they may each entail.
I've seen a few forums and blogs which had people either defending it or bashing it. I myself, never really tried inking digitally before.
I'm just not into it. I personally, LOVE using actual paint brushes, 102 - 107 Hunts quill and pens to create my work.
There's an electrifying feeling behind working this way and even more so when I begin to notice I'm adjusting with these tools of the trade, which were very difficult to use before.

And in the end, I also get to keep the tangible original piece for keeps or for sale (which is usually the case for most struggling artists in this business). I can't imagine myself making as much with cheap prints over the actual hand drawn page. It would take a lot of prints to even come close to one original piece and well...it's kind of a hassle. So I'm sticking to actual inks for now and possibly for as long as I'm involved in this fun world of comics.

I'm not saying "boo digi inks are bad" either. In fact, I feel it's a matter of preference. So if digi inks is your deal, rock on. (not that I'm implying you needed my approval lol). To each their own.
From what I see in some comics (especially those drawn by McFarlane himself) I really don't see any real significant advantages visually over the actual inked stuff. So its like choosing a Mac or a home built PC. Some people will call Mac a god while others will praise PCs.
I guess, for now... we're just going to have to wait and see for more digital improvements to be able to make more comparisons and check the levels of advantages or disadvantages from picking one over the other.

Any of you guys have any thoughts on this subject? I've read some Photoshop zealots claim that digi inking is the wave of the future and will eliminate traditional inking entirely, which I personally find a little disturbing, since we as a species have grown to push ourselves further away from a soulful or "human" way of creating things, to a much more cheaper, quicker/efficient solution. Can laziness be the true culprit here? Or is it simply the sign of the times for anything done the old fashioned way?
I believe in evolving. But I don't believe in changing what doesn't really need changing. Especially if it's not even a significant improvement.
(keep in mind, I'm only talking about digi inking comics).

Speed doesn't impress me as much as the final quality of the product, although I know many businesses out there will disagree as they only seem to care to turn over products faster than the other guy.
But I'd rather buy a great looking comic book with a solid tale, every 2 months, than a quick, poorly executed comic book every month, which only ends up in my waste basket or skipped all together.
But again, that's just me. What are your thoughts on this subject? I'd be interested to know what you guys feel about it.

5/3/2012, 6:10 am Link to this post Send Email to Nar Comics   Send PM to Nar Comics
 
Autonymous Rex Profile
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The Watcher

Registered: 12-2008
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Re: Digital inking comics vs traditional inking - Is one really better than the other?


Yes one is definitely better than the other.

The one you're most comfortable with emoticon

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5/3/2012, 9:34 pm Link to this post Send Email to Autonymous Rex   Send PM to Autonymous Rex MSN Yahoo Messenger
 
Nar Comics Profile
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Registered: 12-2008
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Re: Digital inking comics vs traditional inking - Is one really better than the other?


quote:

Autonymous Rex wrote:

Yes one is definitely better than the other.

The one you're most comfortable with emoticon



[insert thumbs up or like button here]

I couldn't have said it any better than that, Mark.
5/3/2012, 9:37 pm Link to this post Send Email to Nar Comics   Send PM to Nar Comics
 
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Rockstar!

Registered: 12-2008
Location: So.Cal
Posts: 748
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Re: Digital inking comics vs traditional inking - Is one really better than the other?


I totally agree with both of you. Unfortunately just like traditional animation, digital of most things will be the way to go. There are still traditional animation films made today but just not as many as there was pre 1997.
I am one who loves the traditional medium but I also have to try to stay up to date with the latest techniques because there will be some jobs that require it. I complete agree that quality is better than quantity but there will be some digital creators that can bring both to the table...Just not enough in my mind.

The use of iPads will be the way to go in the industry ( or any other tablets that can get the job done ) just because the work will be able to get done anywhere. I do some work on my iPhone and i'm impressed on the outcome.

End result, Traditional for me emoticon

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- BadApple
"Aiming For Perfection"

5/4/2012, 8:25 am Link to this post Send Email to BadAppleDesignz   Send PM to BadAppleDesignz
 
Nar Comics Profile
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Registered: 12-2008
Location: Surprise, AZ
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Re: Digital inking comics vs traditional inking - Is one really better than the other?


That's cool man. And I agree, it's good to try new tools, regardless of digital or traditional. The only thing that concerned me with some opinions out there was that some believed the industry was doing away with traditional inking, specifically, for digital inking all together and that's really the only idea I oppose, not because I'm biased but because I see no improvement over the end results in either method to convince me digi inking is better than traditional.
Let's think of Danny Miki for a sec. In my opinion, and that's all it is, my opinion, he's the best inker in the world. lol. I've seen his work up close and it's shockingly amazing how he was so much control with the quill and brush.
I would be sad and not that it matters how I feel, if he dropped the quill for a stylus pen. Like the old saying goes. If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.

Now digital coloring, digital animation, digital toilets, I can see why we're pushing in that direction. But digital penciling or inking, I would defend as an alternative and NOT a replacement because in the end, it's pretty much the same thing, just the tool that changed.




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The Watcher

Registered: 12-2008
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Re: Digital inking comics vs traditional inking - Is one really better than the other?


The industry will never "do away" with one format if there are people who can still produce quality stuff, on deadline, with said format. They go with the most cost effective method. If they switched to only digital, and the art suffered (because let's face it, there are still only a handful of artists who have truly mastered the digital medium, and they can't do all the books), then they would go back to traditional.



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5/4/2012, 9:16 pm Link to this post Send Email to Autonymous Rex   Send PM to Autonymous Rex MSN Yahoo Messenger
 


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