I'd Comment But...

I'd Comment But...
« on: May 27, 2016, 09:01 PM »
So this is something I've heard a bit of, that people would like to crit but don't know how to say anything that's not been said.

Angie's already made a good thread on giving crit here, but some peeps in chat said a bigger guide would be a good idea. Suggestions and comments welcome for this too of course (I'm not sure if this is even on the right board). What stops you from giving a comment on comics? No judgement, just insight & discussion.

What should be in my comment?
For starters, you don't necessarily have to crit if you don't feel comfortable with it. Getting any comment like 'oh I loved this joke!' is great. If possible, always try to leave one for each person participating in the battle (who submitted something) because it's no fun to be left out or ignored. Even if one comic spoke stronger to you than another, someone's still put the effort in and will feel boosted or driven by just a 'good job, let's see more next time!'. If someone's posted something unfinished it would actually be pretty cool though to give them more than that as feedback to help them do more next time if you like. But time's an issue.

If you want to give a "proper" crit, there's two approaches - one is to just lay everything out in any order, the other is 'the sandwich technique' where it's a bit more structured - open and close with feedback on what's been done well and chuck all the stuff to improve on in between.

It's good to read over everyone's comments to make sure you're not repeating something that's been said over and over already, but if you have a new dimension or just want to add your agreement because that's all the feedback you have - don't feel too bad and just go ahead and post it.

A critique (note, small fun comments exempt!) shouldn't be purely negative or positive. Crit should always, always, always be constructive and helpful or there's little point to it. If you're pointing out something wrong, note why it doesn't work and how it can be improved. If they're doing something right, say why you liked it and why exactly it worked - and maybe how you think it could be used differently or improved even further in future ('I'd like to see you try this with...')

This person is a lot better than me and I have no right to critique them
Again if you don't feel comfortable, just a comment is fine. But really STOP RIGHT THERE because you have eyes in your head and thoughts in your brain and your own personal taste, so you have EVERY right. Most critics are not themselves creators, they're just people who have learnt to appreciate whatever they're critiquing and gained an understanding of how things work within it - while not necessarily being able to create something themselves. You have a leg up because as a comic artist, you have an INSIDER understanding even if your skill level is not the same. Best of all, by looking critically at the work of people you think are more talented than you, you will learn more and help yourself get even better at comics.

No one's perfect, and everyone here appreciates (craves it, even) feedback. So don't sweat it.

What stuff should I critique?
Using the three things you vote on is a great guide - how good was the quality, creativity & entertainment of the comic you just read? How do you think it could be better? What do you want to see more of? What do you want some insight into (eg. why/how they did something)?

Here's some things you might look at (don't worry about hitting all of them, these are just some suggestions if you don't know what to talk about):
  • How does this work differ from the artist's other work?: Are they trying something new? Have they improved a technique or are they missing something that worked for them before?
  • How clear is everything?/Flow: Can you read the text, understand the plot (why x happens, why characters are doing certain things), properly visualise the settings? Can you easily follow the direction of dialogue bubbles and panels? Are the panels separated enough to read easily? Does anything trip you up and make you go back to read it again?
  • Use of Medium: Has the artist used their tools correctly? Or maybe in an interesting way? Have digital tools and tricks been used pointlessly (eg. photoshop filters)? Have they done interesting things that can only be done with comics? Could you suggest better ways to use the medium?
  • How quality of art or writing affected your enjoyment: Did anatomy issues trip you up and pull you out of the comic? Did a line of dialogue pull you in or throw you out?
  • Originality: Have you seen this plot a million times? Did they trip you up by messing with your expectations?
  • Pacing: Does the story go at a reasonable speed? Does it sometimes jump ahead too fast? Does a joke or dramatic moment work particularly well for you because of the way the comic was paneled?
  • Conflict: Was conflict shown in an interesting manner? If not present, how did the story get driven without it? Where do you think more could be used?
  • Resolution: Did the story end well for you? If there's a cliffhanger, is it a pointless one? Do you feel enough loose ends have been wrapped up or are you enjoying questions left unanswered?
  • Stand-Alone Quality: Do you need to read 50 other comics to get what's going on? Has it detracted from your entertainment at all?
  • Character Development: Did you feel the characters learnt anything or progressed through the story, or were they just sort of -there-? Did their development make sense? Was it handled well?
  • Engagement & Re-readability: Did you feel yourself glued to the seat and wanting more or did it lose you at a point? Can you pinpoint why?
  • Portrayal of opponent character (if any): Was the opponent's character handled with respect? In an interesting way? Were they present enough to feel like it was a 'battle' and not just a solo comic with cameos? Did they bring in an interesting interpretation to the character or develop them in a cool way?
  • Influences: Does the artist's work remind you of anyone's? Are they trying too hard to emulate something that isn't working for them? Can you recommend them an artist whose style or techniques might help them understand their own style better/they might take some good inspiration from?
  • Time management: Treat this one with some discretion as life happens to people. Sometimes getting up a comic rather than defaulting is an achievement in itself. Note also that lower-than-you-expect page counts shouldn't factor in here if the comic is -complete-. Does the comic look like the artist's used their time well on it? Were they perhaps over ambitious? Was there anything they could have cut down on to keep a good story without making things look so rushed?

There's way more stuff than this too! Feel free to add and I will edit it in to this list.

I only have nitpicks
All of it's valid! You can even say that you think they're only nitpicks in your comment. Seriously it's better than nothing.

I think what I have to say is actually mean
You can always ask someone first. What you're saying is probably totally fine and valid, but it's a (often valid) stereotype that some artists don't have the thickest skins. Make sure you're going back to find the good things, finding constructive ways for them to improve and just have the intention to help the artist do better - and you should be fine.

I feel terrible but I just really don't have time ;-;
And that's totally ok! If you do read a comic though, just leaving a quick 'thank you for a good read' to the artist either on the boards or in private is a nice boost, and it's good to remember if you do go out of your way to make time - people are more likely to repay the favour when you do a comic. Good luck with whatever's keeping you busy! Not everyone can comment on every comic but if you try when you can that's the best anyone can ask.

May add more later but that's that for now!
« Last Edit: Nov 19, 2018, 10:42 PM by Miss Jetster Fukken Jay ❤︎ »
sugoi

Re: I'd Comment But...
« Reply #1 on: May 28, 2016, 11:06 AM »
Stickied because this is important stuff
Kittens wearins mittens

 

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