Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: Prepare to Create Your Comic
• Method 2 of 4: Create sketches
• Method 3 of 4: Draw a comic
• Method 4 of 4: Publish the comic
• Tips
• Warnings

Comics easily evoke a wide range of emotions in us. Whether it's laughter, sadness, intrigue, excitement, or other emotions, the power these stories in pictures possess cannot be denied. Making your own comic can be a rewarding experience. Plus, drawing a comic is much easier than you think. Once you have an idea, just follow the next steps to make it a reality.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Prepare to Create Your Comic

1. 1 Write down the main points. To put it bluntly, a comic is an ordinary story presented in the form of sequential pictures. This means that comics are not much different from other forms of storytelling, which must meet certain conditions.
   • Start. Every story has to start somewhere. Even if your story is drawn on a white background, it’s already something. First, you need to decide on the background on which the actions of the characters will take place. Depending on the story, the background can become an integral part of the story.
   • Characters. You need characters for your story. Your characters develop events, speak out dialogues, they are the link with the reader. Develop your characters' story over time. This is especially important for long-running stories.
   • Conflict. Each story needs a conflict to develop. This is the basis of the story, the reason that explains the actions of the protagonist. Conflict can be as simple as checking e-mail, or it can be universal and save all worlds.
   • Subject. The topic depends on the readership. If you are writing a funny story, what kind of jokes would be appropriate? If you are writing a love story, what lesson in love can you learn from it?
   • Atmosphere. This is the energy of your comic. Are you writing a comedy? Or is your story more like a drama? Maybe you want to draw pictures that cover current issues? The possibilities are endless. Combine comedy and drama, write a novel with a touch of thriller.
   • Convey the atmosphere with dialogues, text inserts and visuals.
2. 2 Write what you know. This is one of the best ways to make a comic book more believable. It will also help you not to lose yourself in the creation process and prevent you from blindly copying existing comics.
3. 3 Choose a style. Since you are creating a comic, the look will be the first thing the reader pays attention to. Choose a style that matches the character of your story and the pictures in your head.
   • Experiment with several styles until you find one that suits you. There are many popular styles that you can use to practice and adapt later. For example:
     • anime / manga;
     • captain America;
     • illustrations;
     • black and white;
     • graphic arts;
     • comic.
   • Drama usually requires more visualization than comedy.Although, as with any rule, there are also exceptions here.
4. 4 Choose a format. These are usually single-frame, multi-frame, or comic books. Experiment with different formats until you find one that works for the characters, follows the storyline, and matches the background.
   • One-shot comics are a typical example of comedy. It doesn't take a lot of preparation for these comics. The joke is based on one or two sentences in dialogue. Usually such comics cover current problems or news, have a political context.
   • Multi-frame comics are a line of sequential pictures. Although there are no restrictions or rules on the length of a tape, it usually consists of 2-4 frames with a couple of replicas each. This is the most popular type of comic, as it has a storyline, but is short enough to release comics on a regular basis.
   • Comic books or graphic novels require more plot content on the page and usually tell longer, more coherent stories.

Method 2 of 4: Create sketches

1. 1 Write a script. The length and amount of detail will depend on the style of your comic. In a one-shot comic, a couple of lines are enough. However, it is still worth writing everything down to assess how the story will be read.
   • Break the script into chunks within frames. Each frame is a separate scene. So, you can control the flow of history.
   • Make sure the dialogue doesn't fill most of the box. Comics are based on visual perception, so most of the action should be conveyed through pictures.
2. 2 Sketch the frames. Don't go into details, exact dimensions and quality assurance. This is just a sketch. This way, you can visualize the scenario.
   • Pay attention to the position of the characters in the frame, to the location and how to fit the dialogue in the drawing process.
   • Once you've sketched, consider whether you need to change the order of the pictures or if you need to make other changes.
3. 3 Make sure the frames are easy to read. Always remember that readers move from left to right and top to bottom. Use different sizes and shapes of frames to help the reader follow the story.
4. 4 Experiment with different uses of the text. In addition to dialogues, text can also be introduced in other ways. For example:
   • text bubble for character thoughts;
   • rectangles help the narrator indicate the scene or describe other important details;
   • the sound can be illustrated using drawn notes;
   • exclamations can be placed outside of speech to add emotion.
5. 5 Think about whether every shot matters. In movies, you don't have to save scenes that are not related to the plot or the ending. It's the same in comics. Don't be afraid to delete, change or correct questionable footage.
6. 6 Experiment with the frame structure. Many successful ideas fail because of the design. Feel free to explore or try different designs. Most importantly, remember, they must match the spirit of your story.

Method 3 of 4: Draw a comic

1. 1 Create frames. Use a ruler to create a frame. Use suitable paper. For panels with non-standard corners and those that do not fit into the general context, use separate sheets. You will be able to merge them after scanning.
   • If you are creating a comic for a newspaper, check the required dimensions for both the frames and the entire comic. You may need to paint at double size, which will require large details to be drawn.
   • Internet comics can be of any size, but you should consider the size of the average monitor so that the reader does not have any problems when viewing. Focus on a resolution of 1024x 768.
     • Most readers don't like scrolling left or right to see the entire comic. Keep this in mind when creating it. Moving from top to bottom is more acceptable.
2. 2 Start adding content to the frames. Draw so that it is easy to erase or fix details later. Continue until you come to final completion.
   • Make sure you leave enough room for dialogue. Add balloons, rectangles, and other test designs.
3. 3 Circle the final version. Most comic creators draw around a pencil with a pen. Then the pencil is erased. Take your time and edit the work carefully.
   • Add dialogs if you want handwritten text. Make any necessary adjustments when adding. Perhaps you will have new ideas when you transfer everything to comics. Think carefully about everything.
4. 4 Scan the comic. Once you've finished tracing, you can scan the comic to your computer. This will help you add printable dialogs as well as color in pictures if you like. It also makes it easier to publish it online.
   • Scan at 600 DPI (dots per inch). This way, your drawn lines will not be damaged.
   • If your comic is too big to scan in one go, scan it in parts and then put them together using Photoshop.
   • When scanning black and white images, be sure to select the Grayscale option. This function is especially important for drawings with a lot of shadows.
5. 5 Clean up the image. Once you've scanned the comic, you can remove minor errors with Photoshop. Alternatively, you can add extra shadows or thick lines.
6. 6 Create your own font. One way to make your comic stand out from the rest is to use a personal font. There are many programs available on the internet for creating your own typeface. One of the most popular is FontCreator.
   • Consider both visual and writing styles when creating your type. You can use different fonts for each character, however, over-variation in fonts is likely to be distracting and annoying.
7. 7 Add dialog boxes and text clouds to Photoshop.
   • First, there is the text layer on top, then the speech cloud and then your drawing.
   • Go to the overlay parameters of the speech cloud layer by right-clicking on it and selecting the desired item. Different modes allow you to give the cloud a different outline. Select "Stroke" and set the following parameters:
     • size: 2 pixels;
     • position: inside;
     • blending mode: normal;
     • opacity: 100%;
     • stroke type: color;
     • black colour.
   • Enter text on the text layer. This text will be inside the speech cloud. You can use your own font or a font from the list of available ones. Comic Sans is the most popular.
   • Select the speech cloud layer. Use the Ellipse Tool to create a cloud around the entered text. Place the cursor in the center of the text, and while holding down the Alt key, stretch the selection area evenly.
   • Use the Straight Lasso tool. Hold down the Shift key and create an acute-angled triangle in the selected area.
   • Fill the foreground with white.
   • Press Alt + Del to fill the selection on the speech cloud layer. The outline will be automatically created; on this, the work on the speech cloud can be considered complete.
8. 8 Color the comic. This is optional - many successful comics are drawn in black and white. You can either color the comic by hand or use digital technology after scanning.
   • More and more comics are being colored electronically.
   • Remember that the reader covers the whole picture. Both comic and frame. Try to stick to a consistent color scheme so that the frames do not distract the eye.
   • Use the color pickers to make sure the colors look harmonious.
     • Opposite colors on the scale represent high contrast. Their combination in a comic should be kept to a minimum.
     • Similar colors are found next to each other, and their combination is usually pleasing to the eye.
     • The ternary colors are evenly spaced on the scale.Usually one of them is used as the dominant color, and the other two are auxiliary.

Method 4 of 4: Publish the comic

1. 1 Upload the image to the site and distribute the link. It's best to choose free hosting if you want your picture to be seen only by friends and family.
   • Send the link to anyone you want, make a post on the social network along with the link. Find a dedicated forum and share the link with members.
2. 2 Create a DeviantArt profile. DeviantArt is one of the most popular sites for people to post their work. There you will find entire sections dedicated to cartoons and comics. After you publish the comic, fans can leave their comments, giving you a chance to interact with the audience.
   • You can also chat with other artists on the site who can give you new ideas or tips for your future creativity.
3. 3 Create your own website. If you have enough material to share with the world, create your own page. Of course, this will be time-consuming and requires persistence and a lot of promotion work to get tangible benefits.
   • Your site should be well designed. Otherwise, readers will be uninterested and you will lose your audience. Take the time to study web design and information on the style and layout of comic book sites.
   • Invest in a professional website design. It's cheaper than you think, especially if you go for an aspiring designer. You can search the DeviantArt site and study the person's work at the same time.
   • Update content frequently. The whole point is to get people to come back. Establish a routine for yourself. If your readers know when an update is coming, they will come back more often and without ads from you.
   • Connect with your readers. Keep a blog beyond just posting comics. Respond to readers' questions and comments. This way, you will build a strong bond with your fans, who will provide you with additional advertising.
4. 4 Submit your comic to a print agency. If you think your work is worthy of being printed in a newspaper or magazine, talk to the agency. However, do not forget that the competition is very high.
5. 5 Submit your comic to the publisher. If you are considering your work as a traditional comic book or graphic story, check with the publisher. However, remember that you first need to create a name for yourself so that your work is visible and heard. Otherwise, you will most likely not be taken seriously.
6. 6 Publish your own comic. This trend is becoming more and more popular. Amazon's CreateSpace can help you.

Tips

• Find inspiration in your favorite comics.
• Check your spelling! If you are not sure about the spelling of a particular word, check the dictionary. You can also use special spell checkers.
• Draw what you do best. It's better and easier than trying to draw something that you haven't tried before.
• Make a plan before starting work. Make a few sketches and sketches before heading straight to the ending.
• You can make your comic as complex or very simple. After all, you are the creator!
• Don't be discouraged if your first comic did not live up to your expectations. Everything comes with practice!
• Share your idea with someone. Sometimes a second opinion can reveal subtle omissions, and sound suggestions and advice can help make a comic better. Sometimes comic creators get so carried away that they don't notice the obvious.
• Stick to your audience. If you're making a comic for teenagers, don't end up with a childish ending. And vice versa.
• If you plan on drawing the same character over and over again, keep it simple. This will make it easier not only for you, but also for the readers.
• For practice, start with small comics.Fanfiction works great for a start - you don't need to invent new characters and plot development. However, they will also require writing, formatting and drawing skills.

Warnings

• Sometimes it takes a while for your comic to get noticed. Don't give up too quickly!
• Be careful not to copy into someone's brazen idea! It's one thing to be inspired by someone else's work, and it's another to appropriate them for yourself. Be creative!