Obviously, this question is being asked to the writer/artists who maintain webcomics on drunkduck. Which side of the writer/artist divide do you consider to be your starting point?

I would definitely identify myself as a writer who draws. My main interest in doing comics is to tell stories, convey dialogue, crack jokes, and explore narrative. I developed a rudimentary level of artistic ability because I couldn't find anyone else to draw my comic book ideas.

Like most people of this mindset, my comic book art serves mostly as a mere method of conveyance for the plot. It's not flashy or show-offy. Some would say that it's barely rendered at all.

I have encountered people on the other side of the divide. These are people who want to be comic book artists for the most part. However, they aren't able to find anybody who will write scripts for them to work with. So, they sort of develop their own stories.

These stories are usually a flimsy pretext for them to showcase their artistic strengths. It works as a highlight reel for great cartooning, but sometimes the plots can lack depth.


I know that all of us writer/artists strive to strike an equal balance between the two sides. However, we all tilt one way or the other. Where do you think you sit?

Writer who draws. Any artist can look at my art and say its mediocre at best.

Artist who writes. Plotting I don't have a huge problem with, it's the subtleties and dialogue that trouble me.
I'm not great at either but improving.

Air Raid Robertson
Like most people of this mindset, my comic book art serves mostly as a mere method of conveyance for the plot. It's not flashy or show-offy. Some would say that it's barely rendered at all.

Shut ya bum! It was flashy and show-offy enough to catch my interest and make me want to feature you! ^_^

My comic is entirely flashy and show-offy. I am an artist who loves to write! :)
I find though that I treat the two as pretty separate disciplines: when I wan to sit down and write I put a lot of care and thought into it, but it's usually too dense and complicated to work any good as a comic. (typically needs about 60% of the content cut).
When I do my art I like to mostly forget about my written stuff, only keeping the simplest outline in the back of my mind as a guide. So whenever I search back through my old notes (like I did the other day) I am dismayed by how much great plotting and dialogue I just totally missed out on including.

Both to the same degree. When I'm making comics, the process is so deeply intertwined that I can't separate one from the other.

Drawing a comic based on someone else's script, as well as writing a script for other artists, is something I can do, but the experience is much inferior to making a complete comic by myself. It feels more like work.

Also, not to come across as arrogant, but I think I've both found my special niche for writing and drawing. I never get the feeling that either my writing or my artwork could be replaced by someone else, even if their skills were far superior to mine. I don't consider myself that great in both departments, but I do think I'm writing & drawing stuff that only I write/draw.

A writer who draws.

I think it's obvious, if one sees I've actually been paid for my writing. :p

I'm definitely an artist who writes... though to what extent my comic can be considered "art" is debatable. I think I'm pretty good at writing dialogue, and in general I think most of the chapters turn out well. All of the individual components of my comic are great; it's just when I try to piece them together into a flowing larger narrative, it all falls apart. I'm not a good writer at the "big picture" level, so I'd probably do better to write shorter stories in the future.

I think that I could fill either role with relative grace. At the end of the day, for my personal projects, I lean more in the writer direction: my art is meant to facilitate my story or concept. It's nice when people walk away from one of my works saying "that was really strong use of high contrast black and white." I maintain a minimum quality because I don't want the art to detract from the story, but I rarely aim for visual masterpiece.

I love writing stories, especially dialogue. I've been writing since grade school, got a couple awards for it, have been recognized by professors, employers, etc. So, although I never have and never will make money writing, I do consider myself a writer.

The only reason I started drawing was to convince my roommates and friends to actually read my stories. :P No one will read straight prose. Sigh. When I was younger, I used to read my stories onto cassettes and create audio books, which we'd all listen to on long car trips. I remember being proud to hear my grandpa laugh at my dialogue. That worked okay for sharing. However, I hate the sound of my voice, probably more than I hate my crude drawing. XD Plus, since then, I have become fond of animated series and manga (and I can't find a cassette player to save my life), so this makes more sense. -- Oh, and oddly, it holds my interest more too. I rarely have extensive writer's block making my comic. Go figure.

So, I'm a writer -- grasping at straws.

A writer who draws, for sure.

usedbooks
I love writing stories, especially dialogue. I've been writing since grade school, got a couple awards for it, have been recognized by professors, employers, etc. So, although I never have and never will make money writing, I do consider myself a writer.

Like usedbooks I've always like writing since I was little. I liked to write stories and then pass them around for my friends to read. I'd type them out, print them, and make little "books" for my friends to "rent out" xD. Then I started doing a lot of poetry and more stories. I got a couple of poems published in small (insignificant) magazines, and I did newspaper in high school for 3 years and was the Editor-in-Chief for a year.

(@usedbooks - it is very simple to get a little money here and there for writing if you really want to do it; you should look through a "Writer's Market" book for a publication that pays :D)

But yeah, I've always loved writing more than drawing. I suppose I my art is acceptable (but pretty average). I don't always like drawing because it's such a long process for me and it can be frustrating ^^;. But I like how art brings a story to life, so I enjoy the finishing a page. I still have tons of stories that I write on-and-off that I'd never illustrate though.

I hate to sound like I'm bragging, but I think I'm pretty good at both. I tend to lean towards the art side of things more though.

most definitely and obviously a writer who draws.... at least I hope I'm a writer who draws because I'm definitely no artist ;)I have actually published a novel and tend to have really complex story lines... just can't seem to get my art to do what I want it to :P

It's a bit complicated for me. I get the art first in basic forms with story mixed in and improve on both in equal amounts at the same time. I gained the same qualification level in both Art and English at school and used to sit drawing pictures and writing stories in my spare time even combining the two.

Dunno if my natural desire to put equal focus on both aspects is limiting what I could do if I just let one run ahead of the other, but I guess I'll just have to wait and see in the next few months. I have enough spare time now to complete work and personal projects alike to fill portfolios.

Writer who draws. Heck, it's been listed in my profile for years now.

I had some dreams of cartooning more seriously in my younger days, but I have a short sighted windbag of a rigidly traditionalist art teacher to thank for having given up on that. I had the extreme misfortune of having her teach for me for three years, no matter what grade. course, or building I was in. She was like a reoccurring seasonal virus in my teens.

A writer, I don't draw.

im an artist who draws and i dont write my story becuase i couldnt find anyone else to write it, but becuase i have my own vision for how i want it written. my main effort though does go into my art. but who knows, having one person do both parts may not always be a bad thing. there's writers out there that do nothing but wtite, but suck at it, and same for artists, so that's irrelevant i think. but when someone's got both reigns, and can control them at least a little bit then maby the two can meld together better.

Hmm. I guess I'm an artist who writes. I'd like to consider myself "a creative" who is willing to work in whatever media suits my idea, but I'll be honest, 95% of the time that involves drawing something. :]

Very interesting topic, i must say. :D I'm not sure which category i fall under. I just write & draw my comic. :D However I can say I try to focus more on the story than the art cause art comes more naturally to me.

A writer who draws, although my comic right now isn't a very good example of that.

I've written a lot more than I've drawn. I've also often stopped drawing for some period of time, but I've never stopped writing or inventing stories/characters/worlds. I'm one of those who uses writing therapeutically, which makes it a very important process. Drawing is mostly a passion or hobby that relaxes me.

Writer who attempts to draw, all the way.

I spend a LOT more time drawing than writing, but mostly because I've always been a writer... my college degree is actually Creative Writing, so the writing part comes very quickly and easily for me.

But, I've always wanted to draw, too, and have a minor in art, but it was mostly the sexy drawings in old Playboy magazine (the colorful art deco style panels that were dotted around the news sections and stuff) that sparked my interest most. I bought hundreds of 22x30 inch poster boards and markers and copied just about every one of them. Then I drew western style comics for a few years, mostly just as a vehicle for my stories, even though the books themselves are mostly focused on art, then started drawing manga style which I've done the last 5 or 6 years that is perfect for writer/artists because both the art and the writing are equally important.

Obviously, I'm still on a learning curve but hopefully someday it'll all gel for me :-)

Hang on a sec...






... Writing IS art!

JazylH
However I can say I try to focus more on the story than the art cause art comes more naturally to me.

I'm exactly the opposite! I put a lot of focus and effort into drawing, and I put hardly anything into writing because I've got all my writing habits burned in so deeply (and they are mostly good habits). I know the story and dialogue will be good, but the visuals will always take a great deal of effort just to be passable.

When I started here I was definitely a writer who draws; but I dunno, I guess I'm less specialised now.

I am both.
I love writing and I like to think i'm good at it, but at the same time, everyone always says I'm a great artist.
I suppose art, but I am a writer too.

Hmm, quite a few of writers that draw seem pretty down on their ability to draw. I seem to recall that Will Eisner referred to himself as a writer who draws, I'm obviously paraphrasing but I remember him being quoted as saying something similar.
As for me, if I had to go with one I'd say artist who writes. For me this is totally going to be flaunting my ego but I don't think my writing style's awful but it's not good either. When I draw lazily or loosely I can usually come up with something that at least looks interesting, to get passable writing I have to work my ass off.

I'm a writer who takes photos ... which says a lot about my drawing ability.

I'd say I'm an artist that writes. The writing in my comic is for the most part not planned out lol

I'm definitely an artist who writes. I find drawing more enjoyable, but understand that a plot is essential, otherwise it's a waste to draw anything.

I feel most like a pretender attempting to approximate proficiency in both fields.