How to Make a Mini-Comic

Mini-Comics are portable and inexpensive to produce.

Whether you look at a mini-comic as a promotional tool one step up from a flyer or business card or you see making a mini as the first step of printed publication, a mini-comic is an excellent opportunity to put your product into someone else's hands.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Pen
• Dummy
• Sticky notes or flags
• Computer with scanner
• Photocopier
• Ruler
• Proportion wheel
• Scissors
• Clear tape or adhesive
• Correction fluid
• Master
• Bone folder
• Stapler
• Craft knife
• Cutting Mat

Make a Dummy

1. These two folds make an eight-page mini-comic.

   Use some blank paper to make a booklet the size and length your finished mini-comic will be.

2. Peek between the folds to number the inside pages.

   Number each page large enough to see the numbers easily.

3. Unfolded, this is what the front and back should look like.

   Unfold the dummy and look at each block the fold lines and paper edges make: Some numbers will be upside down and, especially if you used two or more sheets of paper, the numbers are not necessarily in numerical order any more.

Create the Master

1. Now that you have your dummy made, it's time to fit the content to the layout diagram your dummy provides. Your master can be the same size as your finished product or it can be proportionally larger and shrunk down during the copying step. This will be the document you copy to make the actual mini-comic booklets.

2. Sticky flags can hold notes on layout.

   Divide your content into pages. Consider the space you have available for each page and divide your comic between the pages.

3. I note each proportion needed on the flag for when I go to the copy center.

   Resize your originals. If you have a scanner or are working with digital images to begin with, simply resize each image to fit the available space.

   If you are using a copier to resize your images use a proportion wheel to find the percentage you need to reproduce it at.

4. Laying the master out is both the most time-consuming as well as the most fun.

   Lay out the pages. Following the numbered dummy, place each page in position on your master. If a number is upside down on the dummy, the corresponding artwork needs to be upside down as well. Create each side of each sheet following the dummy.

5. Make a test copy. After assembly, make a test copy of each sheet, front and back, and put together the mini-comic to check that all the pages are pointing in the right direction and are in the correct order. Check the copy quality for any spots that need cleaning-up or replacing before you begin production mode.

Become a one-person assembly line.

1. Making as many copies as you can afford at once will save you money in the long run.

   Copy your masterpiece. Now that you've laid out and tested the master, make as many copies as your wallet will bear.

2. Once you line up your corners, use the bone folder from the center to each side to press the fold.

   Fold each sheet into the size you settled on. If you nested two or more sheets for your dummy, fold each signature (individual sheet) separately before collating them together. Use a bone folder to get sharp creases and save your fingertips.

3. Many copy shops have long-arm staplers available for use, just ask.

   Staple the spine. Two staples are better than one to hold the pages together.

4. It may take more than one pass with the craft knife, depending on the thickness of your mini-comic.

   Trim the folded edges. Any fold that isn't part of the spine will need to be opened up. Place a metal ruler a millimeter or two from the folded edge and run a craft knife through the layers to eliminate the extra folds and neaten the edges.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure to use the cleanest artwork available when you make your master. Be very careful to avoid smudges and blemishes as the copying process will only amplify these later.

• If you discover a blemish on your test copy, correction fluid can be carefully applied to the master to clean up any stray marks.

• Buy or borrow a long-reach or saddle-stapler to avoid wrinkling your mini-comic as you secure it.

• Remember to leave space on the edge of each page and between pages for margin and gutter.

• Never use frosted tape to create your master! Frosted tape will show up when photocopied and will gray-out any lines it's placed over.