Tuesday 6 July 2010

Using comic strip tools to create content

Here's a quick idea for some fun website content that takes seconds to make, and which can really personalise a story and make it sing a little... add a bespoke comic strip.
This is my attempt, using Stripgenerator - it took me a couple of minutes from signing up to designing a character, to completing my first strip:



I wish... by alisongow


Or you can see it in its natural habitat, complete with sharing and rating abilities, title and description, at this link.




Anyway, this one is obviously not reportage (although I'm fairly sure I've channelled my cat's fondest wish accurately) but I do like it as an option for web journalists who want to add a bit of spark to an article or blog post, or who fancy having a daily strip in the best traditions of those ol' dead tree publications.


Stripgenerator offers free or paid for options. On the free one you get a selection of stock human and 'beings' characters - from dogs to aliens - plus limited build-your-own options which are automatically saved as 'my characters'. You drag and drop characters, objects, shapes, text or thought bubbles into your selected frames, title, tag and publish. Then you can share on various social networks, or embed. Plus, you could always make it, screengrab it and use it in print should you wish.


And it's not the only one - there are several comic-creating sites I have yet to explore but plan too, like Pixton and Toondoo and I'm currently experimenting with a full-on page turner using the Comic Labs Extreme website (which is for kids but I'm not proud - I'm uploading my own photos and video to use instead).
So, not rocket science or Pulitzer-winning perhaps, but a nice addition to have, nonetheless.





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2 comments:

Stuart Ian Burns said...

I once ran a comic strip on my own blog for six weeks in 2003. Here are links to the six episodes. I'd read them in order:

http://feelinglistless.blogspot.com/2003_07_13_feelinglistless_archive.html#105865754277783882

http://feelinglistless.blogspot.com/2003/07/two-housespreviously.html

http://feelinglistless.blogspot.com/2003/08/two-housespreviously-1-2.html

http://feelinglistless.blogspot.com/2003/08/two-housespreviously-1-2-3.html

http://feelinglistless.blogspot.com/2003_08_10_feelinglistless_archive.html#106105020324124182

http://feelinglistless.blogspot.com/2003/08/two-housespreviously-1-2-3-4-5.html

Unknown said...

Ah, Stu yet again you demonstrate why you are my favourite blogger...
My favourite was "But I am the last woman on Earth" - until I read the last one. Such pathos; poor Shed. *sniff*