Scott Kurtz: Improving Your Art
Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at 5:01AM 
In Robert's first article on the webcomics business model, he bent a couple noses out of shape. Many of you felt stuck inside or below "the base" of his model.
"The opportunity for the base is something I have the least expertise in, but my advice nonetheless would be to not focus on the business and focus on getting readers. I'm by no means a creative type, so I sadly can't help you much on how to grow your fan base (my skills come in handy when you already have them), I just know that's what you should be doing. This stage in your lifecycle is where your skills and talents are most critical. Again, listen to guys like Brad and Scott." — Robert Khoo
The problem
Before I started this article, I started looking at your comics. Not reading them in depth -- just skimming them. Checking them out. Seeing if any of them interested me, and trying to get an idea of where the majority of you stand when it comes to first impressions.
For those of you in or below the base, getting new readers is fundimental, and you can't get new readers if your work doesn't seem appealing.
Some of the things I was looking for while checking out your comics were:
- Style: Your finishing touches and details that ad up to what will hopefully be your unique voice. It's also a map of your influences.
- Fundamental drawing abilities: Perspective, modeling, anatomy, etc.
- Shortcuts: When faced with a limitation of your artistic knowledge, are you taking shortcuts?