How to Ink Comics with a Brush
Inking comics with a brush is a time-honored, classic technique for completing comic art. An amazing variety of effects and expression can be coaxed out of a simple watercolor brush with black ink. With a bit of patience and attention to detail, you can master the basics of the technique.
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Things You'll Need
- Script
- Sturdy drawing paper
- Drawing pencil
- Eraser
- Ruler
- Micron or technical pen
- Short handle watercolor brushes #1 and #2.
- Black ink
- White gouache
Instructions
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Comic art production starts with a script that breaks the story down into panels. Each panel contains a picture that shows part of the story. Captions and word balloons contain lettering to describe the action and show what each character is saying. Working from your script, draw each panel in pencil. Keep your pencil drawing to line art only. Tones can be created using crosshatching. Be sure to leave room for lettering.
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Once the pencil drawing is complete, add lettering using a micron pen or technical pen, taking care to keep it away from faces and any critical action.
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3
Use a micron pen or technical pen and a ruler to draw straight lines around each panel.
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4
Take a watercolor brush and dip it in ink, taking care to cover only the bristles with the ink. On a piece of scrap paper, pull the brush to draw a line to blot off excess ink and to bring the tip to a point. Start inking the page by tracing over the pencil lines of figures and faces, or the main object in each panel. Then trace the background in ink. Note that a good brush can produce an infinite variety of line widths by varying the pressure on the brush. Use the point of the brush to create fine lines. More pressure can create a thick line, using the body of the bristles. The beauty of the tool is that a single line can go from thin to thick and back again by varying the pressure on the brush as you ink. Very wide lines can be made by laying the brush on its side and dragging it across the paper. The more comics you ink, the more control you will develop over the lines you make with the brush.
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Many comic artists and cartoonists use micron pens or technical pens for fine details or straight lines. You must decide whether to incorporate these tools into inking your comic, or to stick to the brush for all your inking. It is a matter of personal preference. Try both ways to see which looks best to you.
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Once you finish your comic with black ink, it can be corrected as needed with white gouache, which is opaque watercolor paint. Use a dedicated brush for the white gouache. Some comic artists like to draw over the black ink with white gouache to create visual effects, for example in crosshatched areas or to distinguish foreground from background objects.
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Once your page is inked and all ink is dry, erase any pencil lines that are showing.
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Tips & Warnings
The best paper for drawing comics is bristol paper. It comes in a variety of weights, and in smooth or rough surfaces. Try different bristol papers to see which you like best. Lettering can also be done with a Speedball B-6 lettering pen, which is very expressive. It must be dipped in ink. Study comics by masters of brush inking, such as Will Eisner or Milton Caniff. If you want your comic in color, scan your page into Adobe® Photoshop® on your computer and color it in.
