@peachyprotist's post on Artfol
Closing the book! (or something like that).
I made my Divide story as a novel and I've mentioned its completion before. But I also had the ambition to make a comic version, with a slightly different twist. Same plot generally, but featuring other units that I couldn't mention in the novel due to length (If I had done so, it may have diluted the plot with a surplus of characters and information).
So onwards to making the comic! I have prepared myself for years for this very moment! Panel planning went on, research was a constant, but when it came to doing it... I suffered several problems.
For information, I had completed 2 episodes (out of 10-12++) for the comic, totalling up to 49 pages so far, including the respective covers. The problems I encountered were:
- Health problems
: Eye blood vessel-related among others (I have doctor's appointment next year...), and leads to next problem...
- Time constraint
: I thought I could finish 3 episodes within 6 months or so (til the end of the 2025). But fate said: Hell nah!
- Financial constraint
: To make a comic needed more financial security than my unemployment at the time. Now that I have a job again, however, I have increased the problems of the first 2 points.
The solution to all this would've been simple. Get a job to solve problem number 3 and stretch out the deadline a little to solve problems 1 and 2. Except that it isn't (I have reasons).
So, I concluded... Divide comic is simply not feasible given present conditions! I did intend to use 3 episodes as a test from the start, just to see and calculate. It would require me to spend maybe 3-5 years total to complete, instead of my initial 1.5 years, and by then, many new life things can pop up to further delay. And personally, I want to get on with other things as well, instead of losing joy for the one thing I love the most. Or ofc, if I get funding to make the comic lol which isn't happening.
That being said, I will for the moment, end it at 2 episodes. I cannot fully express in words how sad I am. But I just try to think that, "Hey! At least I finished the novel version!"
But let's end it with a more productive note.
Lessons I learned when making a comic:
- You will push yourself to draw things you never thought you would.
- You learn a lot more about everything because of research.
- Pick a style that you can commit to, and one that fits you the most.
- Sound effect, no sound effect, narration, no narration, background, no background, one big ass panel, small panels -- There is no right or wrong!
- Font size matters a lot, especially for print. So determine the way you want to display the comic: Phone? Webcomic? Print? Multiple? Up to you.
- If you make backgrounds, make sure to have a floor plan of the location so that things don't look weird / impossible from different anges.
- Variety on panels is good. (Avoid making just portraits every time -- but again this could be a genre issue. I notice dramas tend to focus more on facial expressions, but remember the face is not the only way to express).
So thank you for reading. (I'm currently having a cold, sigh...)
P/S: I had the entire plot for comic version written down in .txt and even planned panels for the next few episodes, but I am just dropping it and leaving it there.Dec 16, 2025
I made my Divide story as a novel and I've mentioned its completion before. But I also had the ambition to make a comic version, with a slightly different twist. Same plot generally, but featuring other units that I couldn't mention in the novel due to length (If I had done so, it may have diluted the plot with a surplus of characters and information).
So onwards to making the comic! I have prepared myself for years for this very moment! Panel planning went on, research was a constant, but when it came to doing it... I suffered several problems.
For information, I had completed 2 episodes (out of 10-12++) for the comic, totalling up to 49 pages so far, including the respective covers. The problems I encountered were:
- Health problems
: Eye blood vessel-related among others (I have doctor's appointment next year...), and leads to next problem...
- Time constraint
: I thought I could finish 3 episodes within 6 months or so (til the end of the 2025). But fate said: Hell nah!
- Financial constraint
: To make a comic needed more financial security than my unemployment at the time. Now that I have a job again, however, I have increased the problems of the first 2 points.
The solution to all this would've been simple. Get a job to solve problem number 3 and stretch out the deadline a little to solve problems 1 and 2. Except that it isn't (I have reasons).
So, I concluded... Divide comic is simply not feasible given present conditions! I did intend to use 3 episodes as a test from the start, just to see and calculate. It would require me to spend maybe 3-5 years total to complete, instead of my initial 1.5 years, and by then, many new life things can pop up to further delay. And personally, I want to get on with other things as well, instead of losing joy for the one thing I love the most. Or ofc, if I get funding to make the comic lol which isn't happening.
That being said, I will for the moment, end it at 2 episodes. I cannot fully express in words how sad I am. But I just try to think that, "Hey! At least I finished the novel version!"
But let's end it with a more productive note.
Lessons I learned when making a comic:
- You will push yourself to draw things you never thought you would.
- You learn a lot more about everything because of research.
- Pick a style that you can commit to, and one that fits you the most.
- Sound effect, no sound effect, narration, no narration, background, no background, one big ass panel, small panels -- There is no right or wrong!
- Font size matters a lot, especially for print. So determine the way you want to display the comic: Phone? Webcomic? Print? Multiple? Up to you.
- If you make backgrounds, make sure to have a floor plan of the location so that things don't look weird / impossible from different anges.
- Variety on panels is good. (Avoid making just portraits every time -- but again this could be a genre issue. I notice dramas tend to focus more on facial expressions, but remember the face is not the only way to express).
So thank you for reading. (I'm currently having a cold, sigh...)
P/S: I had the entire plot for comic version written down in .txt and even planned panels for the next few episodes, but I am just dropping it and leaving it there.Dec 16, 2025
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