Since I always liked to create stories and also cute characters, I decided to create my very own webcomic.
There's just a small problem: I don't know how to draw.
I do, however, have a post-graduate degree in 3D animation. Even though I gave up on this career option as soon as I got my degree and went back to being a programmer, I thought I could use my small knowledge in the area and make rough 3D scenes to guide me on my drawing.
But let's start from the beginning. I start with an idea or feeling that I want to convey in that comic.
For example:
"Trying to stop myself from buying an expensive thing."
After that, I draw a very rough sketch in Adobe Fresco on iPad, deciding the overall character poses and facial expressions, along with temporary lines.
If I'm satisfied with the sketch, I open Blender on PC and try to replicate the scenes in 3D.
I'm not very good at Blender, and it's been ages since I last did anything in 3D, so the 3D characters are very simple. Since I didn't create any riggings for the models, I need to drag the vertices to put the characters in the poses I want. I really should take some time to learn rigging and bones in Blender to help me handle the characters...
Anyway, when creating the 3D scenes, I play with the camera and perspective to help me make the scene feel a little more dynamic and put more sense of depth.
After I create the 3D image, I open it in Photoshop and decide on the final lines and their positions, both English and Portuguese, so when drawing the bubble speeches I can be sure both languages fit in there.
With that done, I send the images to Adobe Fresco on iPad, where I draw on top of that. The 3D scenes also help me see how shadows behave and the most visible highlights.
There are some things I don't build in 3D, like the tails, white fur on the belly, and some details in the background or other scene objects. Those, I end up drawing from zero. That's why these things may feel a little weird or even different between each scene, and I hope I get better at drawing them with more practice.
After I finish all the panels, I put them all together in Photoshop with the lines, and create different versions for different languages, and also square versions to post on Instagram.
The finished comic is here.
And that's how I create my webcomic. It certainly takes way longer than a real artist would take to make them without needing the 3D scenes, but it's the option I found to circumvent my lack of artistic skills and still be able to create something I really wanted to.
If you thought this interesting,
you can check my Patreon page, where I post my sketches and 3D scenes for all my patrons.
You can also check how you can support this comic in the Support Us section.
I release new comics weekly, so I hope to see you back here often! o/