Create a Comic

On this page I will provide some tips on how you can create a comic based on your story. Comic making are popular and fun projects. You can make your story into a comic book or shorter comic strips.

If you enjoy drawing and have a story ready, start creating your own comic with this Create a Comic guide.

(Top Right: One of my character fan-work. Kurama from the Japanese comic, Yu Yu Hakusho.)

Equipment

If you don't have fancy store bought #2 pencils, pricey paper, or a light box, don't fret about it. All you need is a pencil, a good eraser, and paper. You could even work on the back of used paper if you want.

Since these are your first comics, don't let trivial things like equipment slow you down. Pencil, eraser, and scratch are perfect.

Even if you do have these fancy things, don't fuss with them too much. You can use or purchase them when you become more advanced. For now, create a comic that works with your story.

Best Advice: Just Keep Going!

A lot of people want to create a comic because they are attracted to drawing. If you have a drawing talent, splendid (I’m jealous), but if you’re not gifted, don’t stress too much on drawing.

As long as people can understand what your characters are doing, your comic will be fine.

You will become better and begin to develop your style as long as you continue. All the expert cartoonists say that practice is what makes perfect. Take this advice to heart.

(Right: My pencil and paper fan-work of Yusuke from Japanese comic, Yu Yu Hakusho.)

Team Comic Artists

Professional comic artists often work as a team to create comics that fit release dates and quality control. You can create a comic alone, of course, but if you’re with a group, here are some jobs to consider:

The story still needs to be neatly divided into chapters if you’re making a comic book. Someone could decide what part of the story to include and when the chapter ends and starts.
One of you may be particularly good or eager to draw. Someone could be the main artist.
A secondary artist may help the main do some panel work. Some professional artists mainly do background settings while the main artist draws the characters. You can work something out, who would draw what?

There are a lot more jobs in the professional world, but you can split up the work to what pleases your team. Work and decide what to do for each page of the comic.

Comic Drawing

Here are some comic elements that you may want to play with. Remember to not get hung up on details and looks:

Black and White vs. Color
B/W works well with darker story themes. You can put in a little color for dramatic effect too.

Colored comics naturally draw more attention than b/w at first. Decide what works best for your story.

Narrator
Many comics use a short narration at the beginning and end of a comic. “What will Raven Blade do now that Annie is in the hands of Boss?...” These tend to help dramatize the story because the narration speaks more directly to the viewers. Would a narration work with your comic story? Or will it ruin the mood?

Different Angles and Distance
Comics tend to look a little plainer when all the panels are set at the same distance from the characters and level. If something looks plain to you, you might want to try drawing at different angles and with some zoomed close to the character, and some far way. This will instantly grab the reader’s attention just by the image alone!

Breaking Out of the Panels
Panels are the squares that hold each image/action. You can draw something over the panel and even span over a few rows on a page. (Right: scan of Japanese comic, Beserk)

Talk and Thought Bubbles
You should be able to tell the difference between a talk or thought bubble depending on the shape (line) of the bubble. Thought bubbles may have curvy shape, a lighter color, or dotted lines. Think of how you can make it obvious that someone is thinking.

The background of the bubble is usually white with the letters in black. You can play with that aspect as well.

Worded Sound Effects
The “BAM!” or “POW!” was used in older comics. But worded sounds are still popular in new comics today. It might work well with your comic too!

Fore and Background
Think about fore and background. Give the focus to where the action is. If the action is on a character in the foreground, don’t use too much detail on the background, it may actually take away the focus from the main action.

Panels
Panels are almost always straight but sometimes they are in triangles or tetragons or in zigzags depending on the mood or story. They can also be different sizes and may overlap each other. (Right: scan of Japanese comic, Beserk)

# of Panels
Don’t have more than 9 panels on a page unless for special occasions. You can have less, sometimes maybe even only one picture for a whole page, for strong dramatic effect.

When you start to create a comic of your own, use what makes sense to you and your story. Feel free to break the guidelines when you see fit.

Begin Your Comic

Half of the team could focus on how to make the drawings work.
The other half could decide what will happen next in the story.
Do not take more than thirty 20 to 30 minutes on a page. Don’t risk boring everyone else down or overwhelming yourself by getting stuck on details.
Don’t feel like you have to finish making your comic in one sitting either!

Tell me what you think about this, Create a Comic guide. Do you have something to add or questions? I’m no expert so share with me!

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