Bubbles of words I made

[sqbr]

Using only the power of my brain I have made not only one new page but four new pages for A Circle of Stars. Plus annotations for all of Chapter Two so far, which, you may note, is eight pages long. Got some catching up to do haven't we nico_wolfwood? :)

I have discovered the best way ever to do speech bubbles, via skeletor_hordak and some trial and error. Basically, you make a new layer with white speech-bubbles and then choose layer->Blending options-> stroke, setting the colour to black. This is also good for making text stand out, see the spiky bubble on this page for an example of both.

The way I make the speech bubbles is using the filled-shape-with-path option on the shape tool (the little square with points on the corners but no pen in the middle) using either ellipses or the custom shape (which comes with speech bubbles!) and fiddling with the anchor points using the add-anchor-point tool. A similar technique is discussed here. I also came across the guy from applegeeks discussing a variation plus other stuff. The advantage of my technique over both of these is that it's very easy to fiddle with the shape using the pen tool or Edit->Transform, which is important given the way I keep changing my mind :) It does require competency with the treacherous pen-tool though.

Doing "The High Voltage Show" for the first time at work day after tommorrow. Scary.

Comments

[penchaft.livejournal.com]

Page two is a bit difficult to read - speech bubble 4 is higher than 3, so I initially read it before 3. I like the joke on the last page. =D

Heh, speech bubbles. I draw the black outlines and then fill white. But the comic style is slightly different to yours. ;)

[alias_sqbr]

Yeah, if I could be bothered redrawing it I would :)

I used to do bubbles that way, but got sick of having to redraw them very slightly larger when I changed my mind about the text. Which I do All The Time. Also, I just noticed your speech bubbles are square. Lazy as!

[penchaft.livejournal.com]

It's a pixel thing! If I did them round, they'd have to be anti-aliased to look decent, and then the sprites would look really weird next to them, because they're not anti-aliased. And I don't think round ones would look good with the tiny frames - they'd take up too much room, some of which isn't used. =/

People believe that reasoning, too!

[alias_sqbr]

Yeah, well, I could make a comment here about pixel comics..but I won't :) (Actually I really like the expressions in your latest, very effective given your constraints)

Also re page 7: Inspired by much bad sff :) I like Terry Pratchett's take on such things.

[penchaft.livejournal.com]

Just be glad I'm not attempting to draw it.

[ataxi.livejournal.com]

Chapter 2 Page 6 has a typo - "wierd" for "weird". Also, Chapter 2 Page 7 has a (possible) typo "wolrd".

Production values appear to be rising :-)

[alias_sqbr]

I need to make a "things to fix when I can be bothered" list, then I can do them all at once.

Still, thanks.

[nico-wolfwood.livejournal.com]

that's right! just taunt the poor author, why don't you!

grr... however, am consoled by the pretty drawings.

[alias_sqbr]

heehee! *taunts*

Personally, I'm just happy to stare at the speech bubbles. So shiny and smooth!

[edible-hat.livejournal.com]

I loved the high voltage show at Questacon (in Canberra) and the Investigator (Adelaide's equivalent). It's great fun.

[edible-hat.livejournal.com]

(and I was only watching)

[alias_sqbr]

Yeah, I'm not worried about boring the audience, just about electrocuting them :)