A beginner’s informative guide to drawing comics
Drawing comic requires certain artistic talents and skills, but not all who wants to draw posses such. However, numerous resources are now available if one wants to learn comic book drawing.
Aided with the right tools such as comic book drawing guide and tutorials, one can now easily learn how to draw his or her own comic book.
Comics drawing guide
Before you begin, first set up your workspace. Decide on a relaxing place or spot you feel most comfortable to work in. Situate in an area where you can concentrate and exercise your creative skills to the fullest.
Preparing your materials will also create an organize work flow. Set them in order where you can easily reach for them when needed.
Know the right pens and pencils to use when you draw your comics. A Bristol paper is very ideal to draw your comics on, a 2H pencil for lighter lines and an HB for darker ones. To color and ink your comic panels, you could use an India ink and other coloring materials.
When materials and workspace are now properly prepared, you can start your comic book drawing.
1.) Determine the size of your comic panel – it is okay to use any paper size but keep the proportions to scale so it’s easier to size them down when printing.
The ideal proportions keep 2 units wide by every 3 units high while leaving a ½ inch border around each panel.
Use a ruler to draw the comic panels. Make sure to keep it straight and neat to present a clean and professional look.
2.) Create a plot outline – prepare and finalize the action flow in your comics, the characters, and the theme of your comic book before you start plotting your frames.
Plotting requires drawing rough frames on each of your comic book page which includes rough sketches of the comic characters in them.
3.) Sketch the comic’s rough draft – sketching creates an easier reference and keeps you in the correct pace when you draw the comics and finalize it.
It will serve as an outline, one that you can adjust to further enhance your final product.
4.) Draw your comics – this is the most important process and can take days, weeks, even months depending on the length of your comic book. Use the rough draft of your comic as a guide so as to avoid unnecessary errors.
Do not rush drawing your comics. Remember that you have to spend time in planning how your comic drawings will turn out. They should fittingly represent and deliver your comic’s story.
For the comic characters, make model sheets that presents a character’s drawing from 2 different angles. The model sheets should bear as much details as possible. They will serve as references as you try to maintain continuity in your comic book.
5.) Ink your comics – make your panels look vivid and bold. Trace the frame lines using ink pens, markers, and other related materials so readers can identify where each frame ends.
Also, darken the outlines of your characters so they appear clearly against the background.
6.) Erase excess pencil lines and marks – remove model lines & accidental marks. Wait for the ink to fully dry before you rub out extra lines of your rough draft. Be careful not to smudge the ink.
How to draw comic book characters
1.) Choose a character you want to draw. Pick out something you think will be easiest for you to create.
2.) The easiest way to learn and practice is to start by tracing the comic book character using a tracing paper. Place the sheet over the character you want to illustrate and copy its features carefully. Repeat the process over and over until you can do it on your own.
3.) Practice drawing a variety of comic book characters. Take note of their forms and features then draw something that is originally yours.
4.) When you sketch your comic cartoons, illustrate them in different poses and expressions.
Drawing comics on computer
Comic book drawing is made easier with today’s technology. The presence of illustration softwares such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Freehand lessens the work in creating your comics.
Specializing in different comic art styles and effects, these programs provide faster and easier ways to comic book drawing.
• Draw comics in Photoshop – draw and enhance your comic book creations. Photoshop’s various features help you draw comics like a pro.
• Draw comics in Gimp – originally popular with Japan’s comic book artists, Gimp is a free drawing software whose functions are quite similar to Adobe Photoshop.
• Draw comics in Sketchup – provides 3D effects for your comic book art.
• Draw comics in Inkscape – provides nice and clean comic book and comic strip drawings.
When using computer software and programs for your comic drawings, it is best to use a drawing tablet as it is difficult when you only rely on a mouse to draw and color your comic cartoons.
Also, drawing comics online is widely used. Comic drawing sites such as Makebeliefscomix.com and stripgenerator.com are websites that offers comic artists and creators an easier and faster approach in creating comic books, comic strips, and graphic novels.
Remember, drawing comics is a skill that improves with practice. Don’t be discouraged by early challenges; keep drawing and experimenting to develop your unique style and storytelling abilities. Study the work of other comic artists for inspiration and guidance, and most importantly, have fun bringing your stories to life on the page.
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