Friday, October 26, 2007

From My W.I.P. Comic


So Ellis, each of these two pictures is exactly 6x9 now. If I have Lulu print them, do I need to center the images differently such that the inner borders are a bit thicker to account for some image being cut off by the binding? Or does that depend on if you are getting perfect binding vs. just staples down the center? And what about bleed around the other edges? Do they want that included in the picture as well? I just don't know the rules for this post-computer-printing revolution stuff.

21 comments:

Mr Goodson said...

Tom. What you're doing is advanced. You can do your cover as one piece but I just did mine as two seperate loads.

It has two different buttons. Front Cover and Back cover. Or that button that says advanced. If you go with the two seperate loads , you can pick the spine color (I left it the default white.) You can art direct the color with a color pick option. But don't get confused when you make that decision and think you lost your cover. It blanks out when you pick the color and then you have to reclick the button above the color to show the cover again.

I'm not really advanced. What i really need to study is all the potential for stores and selling.

rickart said...

Oh boy! I can't wait to buy this one! Nice looking work, Tom! As beautiful and enegmatic as always!

Mr Goodson said...

Plus, I think you've got the placement backwards. If you want the flying guy on front, he's be on the right. Just go with two 6 by 9 300 dpi uploads.

Mr Goodson said...

And I'm in line for a copy too.

Surly Bird said...

Sweet. Count me in as well, Tom. Those images looks awesome!

Tom Moon said...

Oops! I gave you guys the wrong impression by sticking these two pictures together. These are actually separate pictures and they aren't the covers. I'm going full color all the way through the book. I put them together just to put up on the blog.

I think my book will be somewhat of a departure from the standard comic format we are used to. It may borrow conventions from children's illustrated books or the like. I'm not sure at this point exactly how it will all come out.

I'm wondering if they have to be adjusted so that when you open the book, they will still be centered. You know how when a graphic novel is opened and it doesn't lay flat, you can't really see all of the inner border of the pages along the seam. A fraction of an inch is cut off because the book is bound there.

Oh well. I haven't even looked at the Lulu program yet so I'm not familiar with the buttons or layout options your talking about. I guess I'd better fool around and familiarize myself with it first before asking any more questions.

rickart said...

You may want to consider printing a "dummy" book with b & w art to test out the page layout. Sort of a printer's proof.

Mr Goodson said...

Very good Tom. That will make it gorgeous going for color.

As far as layout recommendations, leave yourself some play in the proportion of your intended print size and then when you figure out their sequence it's pretty easy to dummy. Give yourself extra space to the left of the page for odd number pages and to the right of the page for the even number pages. That will space you out from the spine a bit.

Tom Moon said...

Great ideas fellas. Thanks! I'm pleased to say that I've been working steadily,(but very slowly) on this project. An hour or two in the mornings. It's great fun. At the rate I'm going the book should be ready somewhere mid-2016.

rickart said...

I got my Gore Hole! Whoo hoo! It looks grand and it has plenty of laughs!

I had forgotten about "Leave Already!"... funny stuff!

Mr Goodson said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

Mr Goodson said...

Alright Rick! Hopefully mine is waiting for me when I get home.

Mr Goodson said...

Phooey. No package

Tom Carroll said...

I got in Ellis' book the other day and am enjoying it thoroughly!!

All of this has gotten me thinking about a book project for church schools called "Hero Worship" that presents Old Testament stories and characters through the voice of a heroic narrator character, in the case of the book he is known as Bible Hero (but at our own church he is Bibleman!).

I have all the text done and am just putting down visuals showing what kinds of kooky costumes people might design for their characters.

There are a few specific publishers who handle curriculum like this, but if they pass on it, I'll probably self publish.

Anyone interested in throwing a few sketches into the mix for it? I can provide story guides (I'd shoot you the story as it is in the book and you'd get a credit in the book and percentage of whatever accrues from sales ... and when you consider how many churches there are (around the world!!), that might be a good thing.

Nothing would have to be "finished art" just interesting sketches -- like Ellis' are in his book.

Mr Goodson said...

Thanks Tom. Shoot me a copy of Hero Worship. I'll do about ten in the style of Idle Hands.
Send it to egoodson@heavy-iron.com.

I'm doing a book of my Mom's writing right now. It's got me a little wore out. It's not much fun to format type in photoshop.

rickart said...

Isn't there already some Bibleman videos out there?

http://bibleman.com/


I'll do some sketches, too!

Dok said...

Also gotten my copies of "Idle Hands" and both the wife and I _really_ enjoyed going through it. How come you draw so dang good? Nevermind, just don't stop!

Tom Carroll said...

Bibleman is a juggernaut of a Christian property, developed originally by one of the actors that was in "Eight is Enough" ... That's why we only use Bibleman at our church and in the "Hero Worship" book those parts are attributed to a generic hero called "Bible Hero." Part of the book specifically addresses each parish's need to develop a character name and a look that fits the parish, not something that comes pre-made in a box.

I'll email out text-based materials tomorrow (today is verrrrrry busy!!).

Mr Goodson said...

Thanks for the review Dok!

Marty wants discussion to begin on the TAG table for the next Con.

He's hard at work on his contribution.

Buncake is experienced at Con Table minding. He can give tips

Tom Moon said...

I'm not sure that I would have anything to contribute but I'd love to see the script too.

rickart said...

count me in on a TAG table... you have experence at this, too, Ellis... so does Jeff, for that matter. They have lots of rules about what you can and can't sell. If we get the table as a group then we may only be able to sell group products... and con sketches, of course.