Most of us have spent our childhood watching superheroes and superwomen saving people worldwide. I am sure some of you have also read Batman’s comic books, Ms. Marvel, Gotham Academy, and many more.
Sketching and illustrating these superhuman characters for a substitute reality is pure bliss. Although, being excellent at something requires a lot of hard work and passion.
It is quite challenging to advise about how to enhance your artistic skills. Well, in that context, a widespread answer is that you have to practice more and more.
Besides practicing, there are a few techniques that work as catalysts for your work.
The fundamental factors of a successful comic artist are to draw, conceptualize, and illustrate. The reason for the Japanese mangas being famous is that they had a great storyline, clean drawings, channels, and illustrations.
If you aim the same but lost your way, hold on to this lighthouse. In this article, I am going to analyze some hacks to enhance your skill of comic creation.
Begin with an idea:
Like everything, your comic book should also start with a basic idea.
A comic book or a graphic novel depicts the alternative reality through its illustrative art forms. To proceed with, you must need an idea to hold on to.
Do not hesitate if your idea is not fully realized. Your fragmented ideas may be meaningful.
A common mistake among comic artists is to draw the characters beforehand. Grabbing a piece of paper and drawing your attractive characters might seem fun to do. But, without a proper storyline, your drawings are ultimately going in vein.
Try to construct an engaging storyline. Take your time to tie the events of the story in a way that readers be magnified. You don’t need any expensive application or fancy editing for constructing your storyline. A simple text editor will be enough.
You should consider some essential points while constructing a story. You should know your genre, the character’s ultimate goal, and the types of events you will incorporate. Another crucial task is to set the creation in a believable setting.
Every storyline should have a good beginning, a climax, and a smooth and appropriate ending. This flow of the story should be maintained.
Layout:
Once you are done with the story, your primary goal is to plan your comic’s layout. While working on the layout, your main task is to keep the reader glued to your creation. You can end some of the pages with a cliffhanger. Let the suspense draw your readers. Give them a hint about the upcoming event, but let them explore it by turning the page.
Don’t forget to add spaces for dialogues! Otherwise, you are going to showcase numb characters!
Comic drawing and coloring:
sketching:
Well, we have now come to the most exciting part of comic creation. Drawing the same figures on every single page may seem tiresome. You might not be able to draw exquisite figures at this time.
Don’t you leave the work incomplete! At this stage, you do not need to be perfect. Concentrate on your drawings and get them done. You may draw them in both traditional and digital ways.
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Inking:
At this level, you need to clean up the drawings and make a proper outline or border for them. Inking intensifies your illustrations. Seek advice from other artists if you are confused.
Coloring:
Coloring your drawing can act as a qualifier. Although, several comics are being popular in a monochromatic format. Different colors play with the psychology of the readers, making them stick to the piece.
Be very careful while coloring your drawings. Differentiation may lead the readers to confusion. Imagine Batman’s costume being red on one page, pink on another. How hard will it be for the readers to relate to the character?
You must change the background according to your storyline. Otherwise, the comic becomes loose in its intent; hence loses all the attention.
Lettering:
Another task that is usually overlooked is the lettering of your comic. You might have the perfect story, excellent color combination, beautifully illustrated characters; if you don’t have proper lettering, nobody is going to pay attention!
The sound effects, some of the dialogues should be written in a way that the readers can associate them with.
You may use digital fonts for this purpose. Earlier, when there was no software available, people used to draw and illustrate the fonts. But you are in the 21st century reading my blog on your digital screen. Utilize the technology.
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Selling and marketing:
congrats! You have made a comic. Now what? How is the world going to know about your work?
Selling and marketing are crucial th this moment. Promote your comic. Tell your friends and family. As I said earlier, use the technology. Nowadays, social media platforms work well for promotion purposes.
You don’t want to sound tedious to everyone with the comic every hour, do you?
Don’t just pitch and poke your audience with the news of your new venture. Promote your comics at a suitable time.
Final words:
Comic books or graphic novels are enjoyable to read. But they are challenging when it comes to creation. You may feel bored and tired while writing the script or inking, or even drawing. You should never give up. Feel free to consult with other artists in case you are puzzled.
Grab your pen and paper or your digital tools and start today. Last but not least, remember, ‘practice makes a man perfect.’
Good luck!
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