ComicArtist,S.M.S Details
Class Perks
Special Gift from S.M.S
Limited Edition Illustration : Speedpaint and Working File
12 Personally Curated Exercises
Final Product Working Files
Compilation of Worksheets & Study Materials
※Above are sample images for a better understanding
Expert Comic Author S.M.S's Portfolio
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Shapes of the pastAuthor/Illustrator: S.M.S -
Who’s Mr.PresidentAuthor/Illustrator: S.M.S -
K-Chingu Webtoon for
Korean Cultural Center IDAuthor: Pionicon
Storyboard & Line Art Artist/Illustrator: S.M.S -
One of a KindAuthor/Illustrator: S.M.S -
Terlalu TampanAuthor: Mas Okis
Illustrator: S.M.S
Why Take This Class?
You are a big fan of webcomics...
So why not create your own?
S.M.S was a big fan of comics too, before she turned her interest into her career. Now she has several highly acclaimed webcomic series, with one of them released on the world’s largest streaming platform as an adapted movie. It may seem daunting, but S.M.S is here to show you, that you can do it too.
S.M.S has designed this class to share how you can build your own journey, from the very beginning to the end.
You will learn practical skills for writing and illustrating a webcomic from scratch. You will also learn adaptable skills on how you can publish, market, and promote your work. This class is the ultimate accumulation of S.M.S’s exclusive knowledge from her years of experience, achievements, and of course, trial and error - It’s something you won’t find anywhere else.
Get Ready for the Real-World
12 Class Exercises
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Breaking Down the Style of Storytelling -
Writing Exercise: Premise and Synopsis -
Character Sheet: Traits and Personality
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Character Sheet: Anatomy, Face, Hair -
Character Sheet: Color, Fashion, Assets -
Preparing Assets: Facial Features
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Preparing Assets: Fashion Planner -
Preparing Assets: Background -
Preparing Assets: Making Your Own Brushes
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Final Product 1: Storyboard -
Final Product 2: Sketching and Inking -
Final Product 3: Rendering
Final Product: 4 Panel Comic
※Above are sample images for a better understanding
S.M.S
Comic Author
Hi there! I'm S.M.S, a comic author, illustrator, and graphic designer based in Jakarta, Indonesia. Amongst my experience in the industry, comic is my strongest suit. I’ve worked with various institutions such as Webtoon, Comico, Korea Cultural Center Indonesia, and various creative agencies with my role as a comic artist and author.
My love for comics started in my childhood with Doraemon as the first comic/manga I read. As I grew up, comics evolved to become my passion and now I consider it as one of the most powerful mediums of storytelling. In this class, I will share my 6+ years of experience to equip you as a comic artist and a storyteller — or I’d like to call it a "Comic Author".
Comic Author, S.M.S
[Current]
Freelance Comic Artist/Author
Graphic Designer
[Previous]
Comic Author at Line Webtoon Indonesia
Projects & Awards
[Projects & Awards]
2021 - Best Local Webtoon: Who’s Mr.President? issued by Webtoon ID
2019 - Live Action Movie Adaptation by Visinema: Terlalu Tampan (Too Handsome to Handle on Netflix)
2018 - Grand Winner of Comico ID Challenge #2 Comic Competition issued by Comico Indonesia
2017 - POPCON Award: Terlalu Tampan Webtoon as Webtoon of the year issued by POPCON Asia
[Teaching Experience]
2023 - Guest Lecturer in Webcomic Class held by Brawijaya University
2022 - Guest Lecturer in Webcomic Workshop held by Airlangga University
2018 - Speaker at Line Creativate 2018 held by LINE Indonesia
Class Highlights
Writing an Original Story
Coming up with an original, practicable, and marketable story is a common challenge for comic authors. This class guides you through my workflow of creating an original story that has helped me reach the biggest breakthroughs in my career. It's all about finding the common ground between meeting the industry's standards and showcasing your unique style of writing.
Storytelling through Webcomic Medium
Webcomic is a unique medium that allows a wide range of creative freedom to its creator. To adapt your story into a webcomic, you need technical knowledge such as storyboarding, paneling, character/environment design, and many more. This class covers the essential and practical skills you need to bring your story to its full glory.
Building Your Career as a Solo Comic Author
This class is designed for students who not only want to make comics for themselves but also want to enter the industry. To do so, you have to learn how to make your comic marketable. An original comic is just like a Start-Up and you are the founder. You have to pay attention to every little detail to make it sustainable. I will share the "formula" I use to capture the targeted market of choice.
Class Details
You'll Learn
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Writing an Original StoryStrategic approach to writing an original, practicable, and marketable story that is suitable for the comic medium. -
Character WritingWriting characters from a psychological approach to make them real and convincing, creating attachment between the readers and the story. -
Character DesignUnderstanding and learning the fundamentals of character design: anatomy, shapes, iconic features, and more.
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Implementation in Webcomic MediumUsing webcomic as a medium to bring your story to life requires specific knowledge and skills. From the very basics of storyboarding to the final webcomic illustration, this class has you covered. -
Promoting Your ComicExclusive guidance in making your work appeal to publishers, grasping opportunities for monetization, strengthening your branding, and finding new doors to open. -
Dive into Webcomic IndustryInsight into the webcomic industry- knowing the prospects and challenges, how to sustain your career, and making financial/lifestyle plans when being a professional.
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Class Preview
Check Out S.M.S's Class Preview
Curriculum
In-Depth Look
SECTION 01. OT
01. Orientation
- Introducing your instructor
- What you will learn
- Helpful websites and software programs
SECTION 02. Introduction: Guide to Making an Original Webcomic as a Solo Comic Author
02. Comic as a Medium of Storytelling
- Introduction to comic medium
- Introduction to the industry: work ethic and culture
03. Types of Comic Artists in the Industry
- Type of comic artist
- Partnerships
- Comic production
- Solo (Author+Artist)
SECTION 03. Planning Your Webcomic
04. Adopting a Business Perspective
- Analogy of viewing comic as a “Start-Up”
- 4 different aspects of a business perspective
SECTION 04. The Importance of Storytelling
05. Strategic Writing
- Referencing to the demographics
06. Comprehensive Guide of Narrative Style
- Character-driven story structure
- Story-driven story structure
07. Exercise
- Choose your favorite movie
- Break down the style of storytelling
SECTION 05. Creating an Original Story
08. Finding Inspiration
- Finding inspiration using personal experience
- How to avoid referencing to other work
09. Original Story Creation
- Knowing the purpose of the story
- Guide to comprehensive research
- Arc, dialogue, and implementing narrative styles
10. Writing Exercise
- Create a premise
- Write a synopsis
SECTION 06. Character Writing and Design
11. Writing a Character
- Writing a character
- Psychological approach
- Studying personality traits, attachment styles, etc
12. Correlation of Character Writing and Design
- How personality affects appearance of character
13. Character’s Color Palette
- The right color scheme for the right character
14. Anatomy
- Face
- Body
- Clothing
15. Iconic Features
- Shape of the body
- Facial features
- Silhouette
16. Expression
- Range of expressions for webcomic illustration
17. Making a Character Sheet Exercise
- Implementing ideas from previous classes
- Make a character sheet for your webcomic
SECTION 07. Creating a Webcomic (1)
18. Color Palette & Tone of the Comic
- Color theory
- Webcomic is different than regular illustration
- Colors suitable for digital media consumption
- Provide comfort for binge reading
19. Deciding Art Style
- Simple art style
- Highly rendered art style
- Which one is more suitable for our purposes?
20. Adding Elements
- Assets
- Clothing
- Background materials
- Fonts & text
21. Preparation Exercise
- Implementing previous lessons
- Preparation of your webcomic
SECTION 08. Creating a Webcomic (2)
22. Storyboarding
- Paneling options and treatment
- Perspective and angle
- Visual communication
- Semiotics
23. Sketching and Inking
- Sketching for webcomic
- Inking effectively
24. Rendering
- Coloring
- Rendering
- Post-production
25. Final Product - Exercise
- Creating a short webcomic
26. Publishing Your Work
- Debuting as a solo comic artist
SECTION 09. Marketing
27. Marketing and Promoting Your Work
- Promoting your work on social media
- Joining art trends
- Deep dive in character
- Engaging your character with the audience
- Collaborating with other authors
SECTION 10. Closing
28. Deep Dive of the Industry
- Challenges and advantages of the industry
- Adaptation into other mediums and its prospects
- Other work opportunities
*The release date of this class, curriculum images, and associated content can be changed without prior notice.
** Class videos may be seperated for a more streamlined viewing experience
Interview with
Comic Author S.M.S
Could you please share how you started your journey in the industry?
I've always been interested in different forms of art since I was little and I was a big fan of comics. It led me to take a graphic design major in university and I met people with the same interest as me who motivated me to learn more about comics. The peak moment of my career was when Webtoon Indonesia held a webtoon contest in 2016. I joined the competition and my work caught the interest of both the Webtoon ID editorial & writer of [Terlalu Tampan] and they offered me the illustrator role. In 2018, I joined another comic competition held by Comico (NHN) Indonesia winning as the grand winner, and in 2019, [Terlalu Tampan] live-action movie adaptation was released on the big screen. Everything happened so fast and it was a moment of endless gratitude. Around the end of 2019, Comico Indonesia's service was closed and my first debut as a writer and comic artist was held off. It was a tough journey, but in 2021, my debut was published on Webtoon Indonesia under King’s Production titled [Who’s Mr.President?]. I cannot mention all the details, but I think I gained more experience and insight into the industry through the tough process of [Who’s Mr.President?] than other smooth productions I’ve experienced in the past. I hope my experiences will be a pivotal chance for students to take a deeper look into the comic world and to learn from my gains and mistakes that helped me grow exponentially.
What makes your class different from other classes?
I haven’t found a lot of people covering the topic of creating an original story for webcomics. Throughout the years, I realized that there are many artists who not only want to draw but also want to write their own stories. However, many of them did not feel entirely confident with their storytelling skills and ever since then, it has been one of my goals to help them to reach their full potential. Because writing a webcomic is not a commonly discussed topic, I think it is one of the strongest elements that can help you stand out in the industry as a solo comic author.
Another point I want to mention is that I’ve gained my most insight through altruistic teaching where the teacher positions themself as a student to tell what it is that the student needs. I intend to keep my classes as informative, effective, and altruistic as possible where students can actually learn something applicable after finishing this class. I put in a lot of work to keep all the material as fresh as possible and avoid general knowledge that can be found on the internet easily.
What do you think is the most important trait(s) to success in your industry?
Professionalism is a must. This is one of the reasons why I decided to make this class for aspiring comic artists because I know how hard it is to find new ways of improving and constantly seeking growth. I think other important traits are skills of communication which some solitary artists could find challenging. The ability to handle criticism is one of them since the probability of your work reaching people with different opinions is very high. Some critics may discourage you at times, but you should keep moving forward and learn from your trial and error.
Required Programs
This course will use Clip Studio Paint.
Please purchase and install these program(s) for an optimized lecture experience.
*These programs and/or materials will not be provided with the lecture.
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