So... you want to be a comic artist?

heres a handy but totally disorganised load of information on the subject
possibly the most useful guide in existance
and its FULL of links...
some of them are quite old and may not exist anymore but there are so many i cannot be bothered sorting them out
*dn't awww at me you should know how lazy I am*

Panelling and Planning

-Drawing : Panels, shading, angles, techniques, and so forth:
1) Plan your comic out carefully first- just do a few scribbles on what is happening in your comic (are they talking? Any action?)

2) If you're not "good" at drawing people/animals/whatever, get a book on anatomy, watch anime/read manga to get a fair idea on what things should look like- PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT.

3) Camera angles: watch tv/movies/read manga to see how the camera is featured: Is it close-up? Birds eye view? Front on?

-Drawing : Panels, shading, angels, techniques, and so forth

Time and Pacing

The smaller the gutter, the shorter amount of time is taken up. The wider the space of the gutter, the more time.

Overlapping panels usually indicate fast-paced scenes, as do a series of small panels, or oddly shaped panels. Why? because your eye follows over them more quickly than a large panel.

Emphasis and Importance

Small panels generally indicate a small action, or something you want the reader to focuse specifically on, so you give it it's own panel rather than drawing it in a larger one.

Larger panels are usually more important. Establishing shots, introduction shots, and huge dramatic scenes.

Mood(Angles/Shadow/Body Language)

Sometimes you don't have enough space in the word bubbles to get across what you want, or sometimes you want to express something visually to make it stronger.

In comics, you are the camera man. Use angles to great effect, for they can add mood to the comic that might otherwise be hard to get across. The 'camera' looking up often give the scenery or character a sense of power, making it imposing or sometimes even intimidating. Likewise, the 'camera' looking down upon the character can make them seem vulnerable, unsure...

Shadow and lighting also have a role in mood. Even the way you depict shadow can change it! Rough, harsh lines can give something a gritty feel. Soft, clean lines that don't always connect gives an image a light, ethreal one. Generally, the starker the contrast, the more intense the feeling.

Body language is probably something most comic artists omit, but in a well-done comic it is key. Observe the people about you, maybe even go to a park or mall and go gesture sketches. Shy or frightened people tend to keep their limbs and head close to their body. Someone outgoing people walk with a wide gait and stand straight. Models and dancers cross their feet infront of the other when walking.

1. PLAN YOUR PANNELING You should plan your panneling when you script your comic. You need to know where the action is going before you put it on paper. Comics are a VISUAL medium...*gasp*...so you need to know what the overall look is going to be like as well as each individual panel. Know what style of comic you are making to know what your panels should look like. If you are doing one that is more traditional then you have less panel breaking, but if you are doing more of a manga-style comic you will have lots of variation in your panels.

Panels
I've said this many, many times on this forum since quite a few people ask about these darn things. People overlook the importance of panels. They control the pacing, flow, and feel, and even the atmosphere of the comic. Have you ever read a comic where the panelling was so messy that you couldn't tell which panel to read next? That's bad panelling.

There is really no set template or formula when you panel a comic, unless you're doing something like a "4-koma." But generally, if you don't know how many panels to put on a page... seven is a pretty good number. That's not too much, nor is it too little. It's actually pretty hard to teach how to panel, or even to panel well. The only thing I can think of is to study how other people (who do it well) panel. Keep in mind that you're not just looking at the shape of the panel, you're looking at the content too.

Something that you probably shouldn't do is overuse big panels and small panels. Having two giant, massive panels on the page for the entire comic is just... bad. Same with having twelve itty-bitty panels for each page. As someone mentioned before, always plan.

Do a panel map before you draw the actual page, since it may be overwhelming due to its size (like this post). To do a panel map, just grab a piece of paper (I like to use line paper) and draw a mini page that's about an inch or two high. It doesn't have to be complete, it can just be the panels and the dialogue bubbles (which also guide the eye). Then sit back and look at it. If your eyes flow the right way, then you did good. Then again, you drew it so you know which way it's supposed to go. Grab a friend and get them to use their finger to show you which way their eyes are moving.

Techniques

When drawing comics, I tend to draw panels that multitask. I'm not terribly fond of seeing a conversation get volleyed between panels, since it makes the conversation stretch out for paaages. Yanno, when one panel is devoted to one character's face and one sentence. Then the next panel is the other character's face and his reply. Then they go back again, and so on.

I prefer one rather large panel where you can see both characters. Since you probably won't be able to see both of their faces full on, I like to use body language to convey what the other person is saying. I don't use one dialogue bubble for one sentence either-- usually one dialogue bubble has three to five. There's more meat to the page, and there's less clutter. It also frees up more pages for more content.

Another thing I like to do is drawing one big, detailed background, and using it over and over again. It saves time. Like if the characters are in a familiar setting (like a local hangout, or a house, or a street), then I can just spend one day drawing out commonly used angles of that place. Then when I need it, I'll just copy and paste it into the background. Or if you're not using the computer, then I'll just use the lightbox accordingly.


On Writing

DON'T BE REDUNDANT: As you can tell from what I am writing, no one likes to hear the same thing over and over again. Get straight to the point, and don't beat around the bush when writing a comic. People like seeing the story move along, not sit and fester.

Make sure that the plot can be understood: If it can't, people will be spamming you on the forums for a good long time until you either explain or fix things. [editor's note: or just switch off]

Make sure that you transition from one point to another in a way that doesn't confuse everyone: What I mean is this; don't skip from one scene to a compleatly unrelated one without somehow showing, either in words or art, that one is occuring. Going along with that...

Don't overuse dramatic irony (I.E. I know something that the characters don't) and don't use too many points of view: In both cases, a little extra perspective can be nice, but too much can spoil the story, as well as keep the story from moving along at all. Keeping your focus on only one or two groups for each story line is a good idea. Of course, publishing a webcomic seven times a week is the exception here, since you have a lot more time for a lot more story. Just make sure that you move the plot along. (Yes, it is important)

1. IT IS NOT A NOVEL Know that scripting for a comic/GN/Manga is much different than writing a novel. You need to know how to be precise/inspiring/funny with relatively few words. Too many comic artists get overly wordy or don't use the right words.

2. SHOW, DON'T TELL. The actual dialouge should be used for just that...DIALOGUE. If you can't show me in the drawing what is happening, practice some more, because I don't need a 20 minute exposition about your comic within the comic.

3. WRITE YOUR SCRIPT FIRST It is wise to remember that you should always write your script first BEFORE you start drawing it out. It doesn't have to be set in stone, but it helps immensely. This is the stage where you should also do panel planning. You should revise and edit your script, you should have a BETA (or a person that looks it over and gives you opinions on needed edit) read your script. You should also have a proofer after the page(s) are complete...you WILL miss grammar and spelling errors, so have a friend help you out.

Plot & Writing
I know a lot of people like comics that have a basic setting but no plot to speak of, but I don't. Think of your plot carefully and don't be afraid to create subplots. Plots are the driving force of your comic. There are many, many books out about creating plots, I suggest you check them out. I don't have any advice for this other than "avoid being generic." If you're generic, nobody is going to remember you. Besides, what's the fun in drawing something generic and bland?

Getting a Writer
Having a writer is not a bad thing. I don't know why so many people think it's "weak" to have one. Just remember that you must respect the writer, and they must respect you. When you get a writer, interview them first. You don't want to get someone who understands nothing about drawing, comics, or how things are done. Those kind of people are the ones who will drive you like a slave. They'll expect you to spit out complete, colored, professional quality pages in two hours.

It's always best to make friends with your writer and establish good communication. If you don't know how to draw such-and-such, or if you think the main character's costume is waaaaay too tacky/ugly/overdone/simple, you got to tell them. Don't forget that as the artist, you have creative freedom too. Unless they don't give you any.

My sister also adds that if you're getting a writer, you need to make sure that your writer is actually a writer, and not somebody who says "hey I got an idea! I'll be your writer!" Dialogue is very, very important. If your writer can't write good dialogue, you're better off on your own. This is your own personal creation, and it's their's too. I must repeat this: respect each other. Neither one of you does less work than the other.


Useful Links

Fonts
[link]
[link]
[link]

Software
[link]
[link]
[link]
[link]
[link]
[link]
[link]
[link]

Comic Forums
[link]
[link]
[link]
[link]

Art Galleries
[link]
[link]
[link]
[link]
[link]
[link]
[link]
mangaworkshop.net
[link]

Online Comic Shops
[link]
[link]
[link]

clothing reference
[link] < a doll sight
[link] < midievil clothing
[link] < renaissance clothing
[link] ..s to various links
[link] < gothic clothing
[link] < early 1860'S
[link] < victorian to cival war
[link] < a mix of victorian, midievil, and cival
[link] < mix
[link] < mix
[link] < mix
[link] < mix
[link] < 1940's clothing charts
[link] < 1950's/b]
[link] <[b]fantasy costumes
[link]
[link] < fantasy costumes
[link] < mix

Links
[link] (great links abound, CHECK IT OUT)
[link] (screentones)
[link] (screentones)
[link] (screentones-these are some very unique one's, but remember to credit the artist)
[link] (screentones)
[link] (this is an easy guide to how to make your own screentones in photoshop)
[link] (screentones-you have to download it, but they are good)
[link] (screentones)I really like this site)
[link] (a really great comic making link, go there and have fun with all of its links and tutorials)
[link] traditional screentones
[link] (buy very good comic fonts...pricey)
[link] (lots and lots of free fonts)
[link] (I use it for fonts and website building)


Character Sheets:
[link]

Character Questions to Consider:
[link]
[link]
[link]

Designing Worlds:
[link]
[link]
[link]

Designing a Magic System:
[link]