Learning to Create Comics
Greetings! I’ve had a few things going on in my creative and studying time lately. I thought it would be fun to share what I have been up to with you all, and give an insight into my current art practice behind the scenes.
It is probably no surprise to some of you, but an area that I have been interested in for a long time is comics. I love reading them, of course, but I’m talking about making them. It’s been one of those desires that has been in the back of my mind, held off by thoughts of not being “ready yet” (among other things). Classic artist problems, huh?
As I’ve mentioned in the past, I use a reflective period to uncover what I hold myself back from and avoid, and then address it in a period of growth. I tend to tie that to the seasons, since it works out well for me in practice. There’s something about tying the process to my environment that just clicks with me. To read more about that cycle of reflection and growth check out my post Fear In Art Shows You Where to Go Next. Bringing my stories to life, and seeing if comics are the medium to do that, were fears that also popped up during last winter’s reflections. Things that I dream of doing and trying, but somehow avoid.
Over that same winter I started a comic course, and started researching advice for where to begin. I learnt theory about scripting, thumbnailing, and arranging panels. I also looked into common tips and tricks comic authors recommend, and one thing stood out the most. The best way to learn comics is to… wait for it…
actually make comics.
Shocking, ground breaking, I know. There were actually some tips for how to benefit further from the practice early on too though. Creating lots of very short form comics being the most common piece of advice. Single page comics, four-panel comics, and short stories ranging from 8 to 12 pages long.
While I spent most of spring attending to my illustration goals mentioned in that previous blog post, I was also doing comic practice in my studying time. The early stages of it anyway. I practiced scripting and thumbnailing my own ideas, and I also studied how other people design and arrange panels. That was an exercise I picked up from the course. Taking a comic or manga, and reverse engineering the page to see how and why panels were arranged the way they are. What decisions were made and how do they tie into the storytelling? It’s a bit like literature or poetry analysis, trying to find meaning in the structure and picking it apart.
One of the inked panels for the first comic page, before adding watercolour layers.
Which brings us to the present moment. This week I have made my first full comic page! While trying to decide how I wanted to make some of the ideas I have been scripting, I came across several options for materials and process. Rather that let that block me from continuing, I reframed it as an opportunity to put all that advice into practice. For each set of materials I want to try, I’m making a comic page or short-form comic.
This first one is a test of doing the entire process traditionally - including the lettering - and in full colour with watercolour. I’ve designed it as if the viewer has opened a comic book to a random page, and based the story on a tale of Loki from the Prose Edda.
As of writing this post I am a few layers away from finishing the page. My watercolour palette is open on my desk, puddles still wet and the paint water next to it in need of changing. I was in the middle of waiting for a layer to dry when I felt called to write here.
I’m really enjoying the process so far. I like the scripting, thumbnailing, panel design, sketching, and inking process. The watercolour stage has also been enjoyable. It’s pretty much like the joy of when I’m doing ink and watercolour illustrations, but with added elements to the early development. The one thing I’m unsure of so far is the lettering. I’m not sure if the hand-lettering approach isn’t immediately clicking with me because its unfamiliar to me, or if it’s because its a skill I’m new to and will improve at with practice, or if I simply would prefer digital lettering. Something for me to note and explore.
Well, it was lovely sharing this with you but I have a date with a comic page and a watercolour palette to get back to. Happy drawing!
