UPDATE – NO MEETING WEDNESDAY AND LATE WORK!!!!

Hello Fellow Holmesians,

First up,

There will be NO MEETING WEDNESDAY.  Ty is unavailable.

So this week is all about final homework and promo and me getting our first issue on to the digital sites for a soft Holmes Inc. digital launch.

The following week, JUNE 22, will be a full meeting where we will show off all the finished artwork and plan distribution.

We will also have a special guest. The guys from Electric Playground will be filming us for a piece on the Cartoonist Workshop and Holmes Inc.! So remember to comb your hair!

Okay, now let’s talk production

We are still waiting on several bits and pieces to come in for production. Keiren is already asking me for things I haven’t got!  We are also falling behind on our promo website posting, though the web crew is adapting for that right now, as best they can.

I apologize to anyone who I haven’t gotten back to promptly. There is so much to juggle between production and promotion I have been unable to keep track of it all.

I do think I should warn anyone with outstanding work that we are fast approaching the cut-off point for stories making it into the comic. So we really need to focus and get things in.

With that in mind, here is an update for one and all.

 

RE: FINAL ART AND FINAL SCRIPTS

1. POLARIZED

Sam and Gibson – Story and Art complete

2. GREEN-BLOODED MURDER

Marshall – Inks are a page away from complete. Final inks are almost done. We need your final script.

3. ENABLED

Vince – Final script and art are done.

4. UNDERWATER

Yolanda and Rob – Final Script and Art are complete.

5. TO EACH ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN…

Rain – Still waiting on final art and script.

6. MIND SPIDERS OF MADAGASCAR

Rob and Dawnson – Final art and script are in.

7. EIGHT SECONDS TO MAYHEM

Kathleen and Danny – Still waiting on final art, then final script.

8. OLD WOUNDS

Mike and Grant – Final Script is in. Final inks are being completed now.

9. THE FAMILY NAME

James and Daniel – Final art and script are complete.

10. THE LAST TANGO

Darius and Christopher – Final art complete. Waiting on final script.

11. SAFE!

Aaron and Rae – Final script is in. Final inks are essentially done.

12. THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA MONSTER

Dino and Pierce – Final script is done. Final art still due.

13. TREY’S DREAM

Draake – We’d love to see if there is any chance to get this in.

 

RE: THE WEBSITE

Since I am busy with other aspects of the Holmes Inc. Launch. All web stuff should go through James and Mike and myself.

jamezcooper@gmail.com

mmar@sprynet.com

gorillamydreamz@gmail.com

And please CC Kathleen as well so the whole web team is in the loop.

kgallagher@gmail.com

 

RE: WEBSITE TUTORIALS/POSTS

We need your student tutorials as post for the website. Remember to keep them short and focused on Holmes Inc. Don’t be afraid to introduce your own work a bit as well and link to it. You should also provide the artwork and let us know where to insert it. If you need Holmes Inc. artwork you don’t have access , let us know.

 

So far we have received:

JAMES – Choosing an opening image

KATHLEEN – Writing Character Voices

CHRISTOPHER – Layout to final page

MIKE- Story Maps

 

That means we are still waiting on:

 

TY –  A discussion of inking.

ROB – Interpreting a script (Shame on me for setting a bad example)

SAM – How to write visually

DAWNSON – Adding tone to tell the story

VINCE – Dealing with deadlines (How appropriate at crunch time!)

GRANT – Designing a character.

AARON – Writing other people’s characters (established characters)

RAE – The evolution of a page

MARSHALL – Taking direction

PIERCE – Washes

GIBSON – Pacing for layouts

 

DARIUS, DANIEL and DINO… Please get back to us with your topics and get writing!

DANNY and RAIN – We can focus on tutorials after your stories are in. Danny is in touch wth me but I need to hear from you Rain, ASAP.

 

RE: WEBSITE BIOS

Anyone who have not submitted a bio, links, contact info and picture or caricature for the site, please get that to James and I ASAP.

 

RE: PIN-UPS

Not all artists have come forward with pin-ups but those that are please get them to us so we can post them and brag all about ya!

Again, the process is to submit three potential designs for Ty to choose from. Once he pulls the trigger, get drawing!!!

 

RE: TWITTER

We have passed two hundred followers and are building more every day. Anyone willing to help out with the Twitter thing please conatct James. He is overseeing that.

Thanks Sam, Marshall, Kathleen and Mike for stepping up to help. (And anyone I missed)

 

RE: DIGITAL RELEASE

We have had terrific response from Digital sites so far. We will likely be on at least five or six platforms but I will try to add more to that. The more the merrier, right?

I should have plenty of news by the meeting a week from Wednesday. See you then. Stay in touch. And get back to work! 🙂

No Meeting – Wed. June 8

Hey fellow Holmesians one and all!

There will be no official meeting on Wednesday night.

Ty has deadlines and I will be helping to feed the production and promotion machines from my command module here in my living room!

Artists!

If your story is complete, feel free to pitch pin-up ideas to Ty for the promo site. And please everyone, do sit down and write put your Holmes Inc. centric tutorials and make sure we know what art you want. Best to send the actual web-size pics to us if possible.

Anyone who wants to be part of the Holmes Inc. Twitter team. Please let James know and tell him what times and days are best for you to Tweet.

Writers!

Final scripts revised to fit the art are still outstanding from most of you. Those artists stil waiting on art, please chat with me directly. We will reconvene on Wednesday June 15th(I think it’s the 15th) to ooh and aah over all the art, plan the next stage of promotion and celebrate the completion a little!)

-Pinc

The Holmes Inc. Commandments of Twitter

Greetings Once again Holmesians,

In addition to our website promotions, James (with an assist from Ty and the Website team) will be trying to orchestrate a Twitter campaign. Anyone who Twitters please volunteer to help. Other wise James will contacting you individually to draft you into service.

We hope to be giving people “Twitter shifts” – a day where they are posting on and off with updates, links etc.

To that end, we need to establish some Holmes Inc. Twitter ground rules.

Homes Inc. Twitter Commandments

1. Spellcheck is your friend. Please ensure all posts are spelled correctly, and free of l33t sp3@k lol!

2. The Royal We: Most posts will be composed as being spoken by the group. “We are very excited about…” or “We can’t wait for you to see…” etc. You may choose to speak in the first person when you post, if you’d like. When doing so, please sign the post with either your name, initials, or Twitter handle.

3. Equal ground: when posting, please refrain from putting anyone’s work above the rest. Basically, that just means no “Check out this new art from the best story in the book!”

4. Don’t swear, you bastards.

5. Keep posts relevant to Holmes Inc., or other comics from our  creators, etc.

6. No dissing other comics, creators and companies. We want to keep this a positive platform to share our work with the world. (In short,  resist any Granito bashing!)

7. If you’re unsure about something, ask Rob before proceeding.

That’s it, until we think of more.

Some of you will be getting Twitter shifts were you get to be the voice of Holmes Inc for a day. Please let James and I know if you want to help get the Tweets out.

Cheers,  Pinc

UPDATE – Promo Website – Tutorials – Twitter

Hello Holmesians one and all!

It’s time for a Holmes Inc Update! I have sent this via email but wanted to double up on the work site for all to check in with.

This Wednesday we saw a whack of completed artwork that knocked our socks off!  Several stories are already complete and ready for lettering. The others are almost there.

What a glorious feeling. Give yourselves a pat on the back with your filthy, ink stained hands. You are officially comic book creators!

Keiren is already working on colouring a teaser image for us by Daniel Wong and Leonard Kirk is hard at work on our awesome cover!

Writers if you have seen final inks or know the final pencils layouts won’t change, do a pass on your script to be sure it fits the art. Cut down on dialogue wherever it looks snug and pay attention to flow. Then get us the script so we can pass them on to our Queen of Letters, Keiren.

So have these official final scripts:

Enabled

Polarized

Safe!

The Family Name

We also have scripts for 8 Seconds to Mayhem and Old Wounds but they are awaiting final art changes so I’ve held onto them for now.

That means a bunch of us writers, including myself, had better get off our butts and do that final pass to make sure everything flows and our dialogue fits the space! Over half our scripts don’t have final versions. If Keiren doesn’t get final versions she gets to edit them any way she sees fit to make it all work. (And she’d do a fantastic job but you shouldn’t put that burden on her. This is your story and your responsibility.)

Hop to it!
On Wednesday, artists in attendance also pitched pin-up ideas for Ty to choose from.  Those of you who are interested in doing a pin-up for the website, feel free to pitch Ty and I three ideas. 🙂

Now, on to PROMOTION!

Our promo site at <http://holmesinccomic.wordpress.com&gt; goes live as of Monday!  So let the media/online blitz begin!

We can thank James for that. He is are point man on the site.

Now that James has done the heavy lifting on the site, I’d like to introduce our web team:

JAMES COOPER
MIKE MARANO
ROB PINCOMBE
KATHLEEN GALLAGHER

All posts will go through Rob nut I will dividing up the posting and editing among James, Mike and Kathleen.

Aaron and Sam have volunteered to help James get the word out via Holmes Inc. on Twitter. We need many more to step up. Plese let James and I know if you’d like to help and what times of day or days of the week are best for you to make time available. James will then work out shifts so everyone has some of the Twitter fun!

We are in great hands people! So onto CONTENT.

STUDENT TUTORIALS

We will be kicked off with an introductory post by Ty,  then every day the site will alternate teaser art with a tutorial by each and every one of us on some aspect of our work. The fact that we’re sharing information and comic book insider tips will help keep the site sticky, so people will want to poke around, learn more about us and check out the book.

Tutorials should focus on Holmes Inc. work and should incorporate images. The Net is a visual landscape so we want eye candy! Also, use the tutorial to tell readers a little about yourself and don’t be afraid to drop in some bragging about your other work, deviant art page etc.

Tutorials should run between around 400 to 1000 words. Keep it short, sweet and one point!  James is already done his and it makes it point in about 400 sweet, sweet words and one terrific splash image!

Also, remember to include info on your links and send reasonably sized pics to illustrate your post. James suggest adding a note like “PIC A goes here” and  “Link B goes here” into the text.)  Artists, we’d love to show some behind the scenes work – layout to pencils to finished ink, designs, etc .

All tutorials should be CC’d to Ty, myself, Mike and James. This HOMEWORK, gang! Everyone will write one.

Here who’s writing what so far:

TY –  A discussion of inking.

JAMES – Choosing an opening image

CHRIS – Dang, Chris!  I totally forget what you’re writing about.

KATHLEEN – Writing Character Voices

ROB – Interpreting a script

MIKE – The value of story maps

SAM – How to write visually

DAWNSON – Adding tone to tell the story

VINCE – Dealing with deadlines

GRANT – Designing a character.

AARON – Writing other people’s characters (established characters)

RAE – The evolution of a page

MARSHALL – Taking direction

PIERCE – Washes

GIBSON – Pacing for layouts

Wow, that is already an awesome batch of content right there. That leaves a number of creators with tutorials to write.
YOLANDA

DARIUS

DANNY S.

DANIEL W.

RAIN

DINO

So guys and gal, come up with an aspect of how you approached your work and get you writing. And remember to include web friendly pic with your tutorial with instructions on where you’d like them placed. Don’t make James look for images. He’s putting in more than enough time as it is! Pics should largely focus on Holmes Inc.

I also invite our late-inning pinch hitting inkers the amazing Jeff Longstreet and the uncanny Kellam Templeton-Smith to contribute a tutorial if you like. We are proud and grateful that you guys offered to help. You are a terrific addition to our team.

By the way, Jeff, we are using last years bio and info for you on the site. If you would like to update it and provide a new pic of self-portrait, please send that to me (Rob).

Kellam, we need a bio from you as well. Please include a pic, any links you wish to include and if you like, your Twitter handle.

Whew! We covered a lot this week.  So good to finally move into the next phase of our work – production and promotion!

Congratulations one and all!

Pinc

Submitting Final Art and Scripts – Guidelines

Ola Holmes Inc -ers!

ARTISTS! As the finished art rolls in at last I just wanted to pass along some suggested re. submitting art from Ty and Keiren.

Ty points out that sending files as Tiff files with LZW compression is perfect when sending in the final files.  When sending ’em in to be approved, it’s better to reduce them to jpgs at 100 dpi, just so they open faster and smaller, but final pages as tiffs are fine.

Keiren says since I don’t have photoshop, there isn’t any reason to CC me (Rob) on the big files, just the jpg’s will do. Send Ty and Rob confirmation jpg’s and send Keiren the .tiffs.  Her e-mail address is in the group e-mails I sent out about all this.

Remember, sending large files through email will bog down her Gmail…and some of the files might end up quite large.  Keiren suggests you try and zip or Win.rar your files if you can (makes ’em smaller, saves both of you on your usage).

Best bet is for them to zip ’em and yousendit.com or anything similar you like. Keiren even has a Dropbox account if any of the students have one but yousendit should be fine.

If anyone needs/wants Dropbox, here’s a link to install the program:  http://db.tt/S23WGmN.  You can access any files you upload to it, on any computer and send messages to others giving them access to particular files or folders.

For computers in your home/possession, by installing Dropbox on each of them (rather than just accessing with a bookmark) any files you upload will be automatically updated when you make any changes to that file–saving you having to upload again and again.

WRITERS!  As soon as you get finished final authoritative completed done scripts (reworked according to the final artwork) send those along to Ty and I.

Remember also to add full credits, either in the document or in the accompanying e-mail. (Preferably in the script doc)  including artists (pencilers and inkers if we doubled up) and Keiren Smith on letters. We are getting scripts without credits that force me to add them to the e-mail.

Excelsior!

Pinc

Optional Meeting Wednesday and Homework – It’s BIO time!

Hello fellow Holmsians. Ty is pretty busy so this Wednesday will be an OPTIONAL MEETING!

No one has to come out if they are busy.

However, I will be at the TCW from 7 to 9 to answer any questions I can and help us organize for our “media blitz”! We are putting a plan together for the promotion of Holmes Inc. 2 and the TCW.

We have put James Cooper in charge of revamping the Homes Inc website and Mike Marano will be in charge of overseeing the written content. Both will be reporting to Ty and I but they will be rallying you guys for help with art and writing duties.

And to help us get started  I have HOMEWORK for one and all!

First of all – WRITERS MUST SUBMIT a FINAL VERSION of their script based on the pencils ASAP!

This will be the copy Keiren uses to letter your story. There may be changes to the scripts based on a new panel arrangement. There may be more limits to the space than you realized. Focus once again on cutting down on word count. typos, and flow. It’s like dialogue Tetris!

Everyone,WRITERS AND ARTISTS alike, need to PREPARE A SHORT BIO with contact info. You can see examples of this on the Holmes Inc. website here:

http://holmesinccomic.wordpress.com/who/

A single paragraph will do. Be positive, be truthful, but don’t be afraid to brag!

Also, please include to links to other work, your home pages or deviant art accounts, etc.

And do let us know if we may include your e-mail information on your bio page so people can contact you if they find your work intriguing!

I am happy to give feedback on your bios if people are nervous. Send me your drafts  and I will get back to you ASAP.

Next, wee will be composing a short questionnaire for one and all participants to answer via e-mail. That will become a mini-interview so this site will be a one-stop shop to learn more about this amazing collection of creators!

Now get writing, Holmesians!

Pinc!

Underwater – Pencils

Greetings fellow Holmsians!

Remember, Wednesday’s meeting is optional for those with final questions and concerns. Or who want to help James and Mike with the website revamp!

I have asked for scans of the pencils to post for all to admire but have received none so far. However, I do have my own pencilled pages and Rae’s (Just waiting on the new page one from Ty, Rae). I will post as I get them.

In the mean time, here are my pencils from Yolanda’s “Underwater”, currently being pencilled by Kellam!

Pinc out!

Comic Book Page Dimensions

Hey all,

Once again, we’ve had more confusion as the measurements of the pages. Ty sez..

The actual size of the art is:

9.85 (or 9 and 7/8ths)  x 15 is the size of the area that gets printed…plus an extra quarter inch around the outside that MUST be drawn on, but will get trimmed off when printed.  The LIVE area, where the lettering must go, is in the inside of the printed area, is 9×13.5, but that 9×13.5 area is not to the full bleed.  

If you scan that size at 400 dpi, it fits perfectly into the template at 600 dpi.  

Ty

Sadly, since I do not Photoshop, I cannot attach the template. But Ty e-mailed it to all the artists a week ago or so.  See you all tonight!

Rob

Polarized – Layouts

Hey All.

We went over the magnificent Gibson Quarter’s pages for Sam Ruano’s “Polarized” in class and only small tweaks were required. But we neglected to post the digital copies!

So here they are in all their glory.

And here is a revised full layout for page seven with the savage love kiss between Elizabeth and a startled Edgar II! Gibson added some “Cat in Heat” action to the scene.

Is it getting here despite being at the frozen bottom of the Earth, or what?!

Gibson has started on pencils and they are looking lgorious. We’ll post more when they are done

But he has posted a tasty sneak preview on his website to wet our appetites!

Enjoy!

As always, comments are encouraged.

Pinc

The Old Man and the Sea Serpent Layouts – With Notes!

Hello Watsonians! (Let’s give Elizabeth’s side of the family a little love this time around).

I’m a bad, bad assistant editor — so behind on posting.

But I’ve got a special surprise this time around though. Pierce is coming down the stretch and has approved layouts to share as he goes to pencils!

Ty sez:

I’m pretty good with all of it, but I want you to squeeze up the top panel on page seven, and give me a little more room for the bottom three panels, especially the last one with Igogpogo in the background.  You can’t short-change the very end of the story like that, not for a top panel that’s not important enough to the overall narrative as the last one is.  Sell me my ending a little more.

ALSO:  The “hologram” is coming apart mechanically.  Is it nano-bot instant building tech?  Or is it something mechanical in the story in the script?  I remember it as being a hologram last time I read it, but I have a poor memory, so educate me iffen I’m wrong, danke.  We’ll cover it in the dialog/captions if we have to.

There’s some terrific stuff in here, a tremendous fun read for these characters, and some HUGE larger-than-life action.  Fun.  – Ty

Ty’s fave panel is also mine, along with the beastie rising in front of the boat at the bottom of page 3!  Dino, Pierce and Ty all weighed on the hologram question…

The current iteration of the hologram is that it’s just a “regular” light hologram…so when it comes apart, it should just be shards of light coming apart…nothing solid. Does that make sense?  Does anyone have a better visual effect for Igopogo breaking through it? – Dino

Well, holograms are projected from a source, so wouldn’t it just interrupt the signal, like standing up in front of a film screen?  If you wish to break the image up into visual “shards” I’m fine with that, but it shouldn’t look quite so mechanical as it shatters… Ty

I like the shards of light effect suggestion. Kind of like when a prism breaks up light.  – Pinc

Ty makes an interesting point though…maybe the hologram could simple break apart…like when an image on a tv kind of dissapates (sp). Like interference or something. I’m totally open to different interpretations of how it could happen.  – D.

And so, with everyone having weighed the final choice we leave with the artist. Which is as it should be.

Run with it Pierce!

Pinc