How to create comics for beginners

How to create comics for beginners

 So I just finished reading a graphic novel/comic book lately. it's a series and it's called, "Scott Pilgrim ". And while I was reading it, I kind of got inspired by it because it was such an awesome comic. It has great story, awesome characters, awesome fight scenes and has a comedic atmosphere in it. And so, I got inspired to make a comic book of my own. And as the title of this blog says, I will teach you how to create a comic book for beginners.

Steps:

1. Start with an idea

- All things start with an idea; and your comic book or graphic novel is no different.

As a storyteller, your best tool is a notebook (whether it be electronic or paper). My advice: keep it with you at all times. That way, when an idea pops into your head, you can jot it down.

Don't worry if your idea isn't fully realized yet. Go with it. You never know where it'll take you.

2. Make your story

- One of the most common mistakes in making comic books is start drawing it when you don't have your story. I, personally, were victimized by this method. I started my comic book without even writing my story first. So the outcome is I ended getting stuck and got bored in doing it.

So, first you need to write a script. If you don't know hot to write a script, an example of a movie script can be your guide. Or if you want, you can make your own format in making your script (whatever suits you well).

When it's time to write your script, there are four main points to keep in mind:

• Know your genre
• Understand your main character's goals/challenges
• Create a believable setting(or if your story takes place in some magical place, then create a fictional one)
• Include a beginning, a middle, and an end

3. Plan the layout

Once your script is complete, it's time to start drawing. Well... it's almost time to start drawing.

When working on the layout, your goal is to keep the reader interested. One way to do this is to end each page (maybe not all, but some) with a cliffhanger. Draw the reader in! Let them know something interesting is about to happen, but don't reveal what that is until they turn the page.

I find the most efficient way to 'work out a layout' is by using thumbnails. Thumbnails, which are similar to storyboards, help work out any composition problems before you invest time into inking and coloring your drawings. Think of them as a very (VERY!) rough draft of your drawings, and of course, your layout.

Note: Don't forget to leave room for the dialogue!

4. Draw the comic

- Whether you're working traditionally or digitally, drawing the comic can feel like a daunting task. But at this stage of the process, your work doesn't need to be perfect.Focus on getting your comic drawn; you can work on perfecting it later during the inking stage.

5. Time for inking and coloring

- Now that you have drawn your comic, time for inking and coloring.

• Inking - It is at this stage where you clean-up your drawings and add depth to your illustrations. You can use brush pens in this part, but if you are out of budget you can use sign pens and markers.
• Coloring - Well, coloring can actually be optional. Some comics, like Bryan Lee O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim, is a black-and-white format(as you can see above). But of course, if you want you can color your comic book. Choosing the colors can make or break a scene. In addition to proper color selection, not keeping your colors consistent can break things too.Imagine how confusing it would have been to see Superman's cape colored red in one page and green in another. While this silly example is just that – silly – the point is, keep things consistent or your readers may be confused.

6. Writing the dialogues inside the balloons

- After you ink your comics, you can now write the dialogues inside the balloon. It can be hand-written or computerized. But since you're a beginner, you can hand-write it but make sure your hand-writing is legible. You don't want your readers to be confused what were the characters are saying in a certain scene.

7. Compile your work

- You're almost done. You just have to compile it. Whether you want to book bind it, staple it, or whatever, it's your choice, it's your comic book.

AND YOU'RE DONE!