How to Make a Comic Book on a PC

Graphics and layout programs are key when creating a comic book on a PC.

Digital illustration has come a long way. Programs such as Corel Painter, Photoshop and Illustrator make it possible to create beautiful illustrations. The tools these programs provide allow the artist to make a digital piece look as if it were completed through traditional means such as oil paints, pen and ink, pencil, and more. One form of art that has its basis in traditional media is the comic book. For years, comic books have been painstakingly sketched, drawn and filled with ink and paint. Because of the advances in graphics program technology, it is possible to create a comic book directly on a PC.

Things You'll Need

• Drawing tablet

Instructions

Panel Layout

1. Go to "File," then "New" to open a new document in a graphics program such as Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop or Corel Painter. Set the resolution to at least 300 dots per inch (dpi) for bitmap images created in Photoshop or Painter. Illustrator is a vector program that is not measured in dpi.

2. Click-drag the cursor with the program's "Shape" tool to create variously sized rectangles for comic book panels. Create the panel layout using a graphics program such as Adobe Photoshop, Corel Painter or Adobe Illustrator. Use ruler guides by click-dragging lines from the ruler onto the workspace. Most graphics programs have a "Shape" tool and ruler guide options.

3. Go to the "Style" palette or a line-weight adjustment palette to adjust the line thickness of the panels. Most graphics programs allow the artist to use a line style that adjusts the thickness and overall look of the line. For example, Illustrator has the option to make a line look like a textured charcoal line from the "Style" palette. Line quality is adjusted in Photoshop from a drop-down box along the top of the screen.

4. Hit the "New Layer" button on the Layers palette or go to "Layer," then "New Layer" to create a new layer. Click-drag the new layer underneath the panel layer. Label the layer "Drawing."

Drawing

1. Select the "Paintbrush, "Pen" or "Pencil" tool. Draw the outlines of the comic book characters and background in each panel using a drawing tablet. This will create a more natural, fluid drawing. Vector programs like Illustrator and bitmap programs such as Photoshop and Painter allow the artist to adjust the brush texture, thickness and color. Leave room for text bubbles in each panel.

2. Click the "New Layer" button to make another layer behind "Drawing" and label it "Color." Select the "Paintbrush," "Pen" or "Pencil" tool and color in the images using the drawing tablet. Bitmap graphics programs are best for this, although Illustrator has a "Live Paint Bucket" tool that colors in outlines in a coloring-book style.

3. Hit the "New Layer" button to create a new layer and label it "Bubbles." Place it so that it is the topmost layer. Create the outlines of text bubbles that contain dialogue and narrative material. Use the "Shape" or "Pen" tool or use the "Paintbrush" tool to freehand. Narrative material is typically in rectangular bubbles, while dialogue bubbles tend to be rounder.

4. Press the "New Layer" button to make a new layer, label it "Bubble Fill" and place it directly behind "Bubbles." Fill in the text bubbles with white using the "Fill" or "Paintbrush" tool.

5. Click the "Text" tool, then click the cursor on the workspace. Hit the "New Layer" button to create a new layer that contains the text of the comic book. Make it the topmost layer. Choose a font that is easy to read and is sans-serif. Sans-serif means that there are no small lines protruding from the main strokes of the font. Examples of sans-serif fonts are Arial, Tunga and Century Gothic. Many first-time comic book creators use the font Comic Sans; however, this is not necessary for a successful comic book. Type the text into each text bubble. Repeat Steps 1 through 5 for each comic book page.

Printing Layout

1. Open a new document in a layout program such as Adobe InDesign or QuarkXPress.

2. Enter the desired amount of pages in the designated space in the "New Document" dialog box. Make the document the same number of pages as the comic book.

3. Go to "File," then "Place" and select the first comic book page. This will insert the page into the layout program. Some layout programs also allow the user to "Insert" a picture from a file. Setting up the comic book in a layout program is a good way to prepare the comic for printing.

References

• Photoshop Tips and Tricks: Photoshop vs. Illustrator