Product Description
This clever book teaches artists the unique skill of drawing perspective for spectacular landscapes, fantastic interiors, and other wildly animated backgrounds to fit comic-strip panels…. More >>

Perspective! For Comic Book Artists: How to Achieve a Professional Look in Your Artwork

Comic books have been around in the United States since 1934. The term “comic book” was coined due to the fact that the first books were actually reprinted humor comic strips. But as any comic book enthusiast knows, comic books aren’t just about humor anymore as they tell stories and cross many genres.

If you have ever wanted to become an author of a comic book or create your own series, you might have asked what it takes and what is the process.

To start, most comic books are designed by groups of people. For larger and better-known comic book distributors, there are a series of people on staff that include a writer, a penciller, an inker, a colorist, a letterer, and an editor. Sometimes one person can take a variety of roles. For instance, in most alternative and small press comics, the same person will write and illustrate, although it is still common for a separate person to produce the color separations, and sometimes the lettering. In Japan, where the comic book is called a mangaka, one person usually writes and pencils his own work while their assistants may handle the inking, screentone, and lettering. In most European comics, there are usually two or three artists involved: a writer, an artist who provides lettered artwork, and a colorist where necessary.

If you are you are interested in starting your own company and hiring the people or friends to get your comic series off the ground, here are some steps to consider:

1. Concept/World – Maybe you already have the concept or imaginary world of your comic book idea in your mind and this is why you are interested in creating your own comic book. This is a great start. But if you don’t and you just like the idea of comic books, then here is where you try to imagine a concept that nobody else has come up with yet. You can start by asking yourself questions such as who would be my hero or what would happen if this kind of person met this other type of person in an imaginary world? You don’t have to be the writer to come up with a concept, which brings us to number two.

2. Writer/Story – Your writers are the people or maybe just one person, who takes the concept and turns it into a story. A good writer understands the story well and is great at writing dialogue. The writer or writers will also give the story its basic structure, rhythm, its setting, develop its characters, and help refine the plot.

3. Penciller – The penciller uses a pencil to sketch out images to go along with the story. It is done in pencil so that changes can be made as needed. This person has the responsibility of creating the overall look of the comic. Many comic book enthusiasts are very critical about the artwork of a comic and can even choose comics solely by the artwork, therefore the work of the penciller is just as critical as the other positions.

4. Inker – The inker will take the pencil work and bring it to life with color. The inker will typically start off by going over the penciled in work with black ink, giving the lines more depth and more of a three-dimensional look. By enhancing the lines in black and white to start, it makes it easier to copy and color the images. Some pencillers will do this part themselves, but it takes a different kind of skill set than the penciller uses. Although the inker is basically retracing everything, they also are given credit for helping the art become a finished piece.

5. Colorist – The colorist adds color, lighting, and shading to the inks of the comic book. Special attention to detail is critical here, because if the colorist doesn’t use the right colors, people will notice.

6. Letterer – Without words to convey the story, your readers may very well be lost. During this stage of comic production, the letterer adds the words, sound effects, titles, captions, word bubbles, and thought bubbles. Some creators do this by hand with the aide of an Ames Guide and T-Square, but most people do this via computers.

7. Editorial – The editor of the comic book gives it a final look through – overseeing the quality and identifying problems that potentially need to be fixed. The editor has fresh eyes or the project as well, and is able to see the comic as if for the first time.

8. Printing/Publishing – Now for the printing and publishing. Some comics are printed digitally. Having your comic book printed and published is the final element and therefore the book should be complete in every way. Once published, all you have to do is market it and sell it, which could mean a whole other set of staff.

While these eight steps seem simple, the process of creating a comic book that is truly unique and catchy can be a challenge. But if it is your passion, then there is no harm in giving it a try. Who knows, you might have the next best selling comic.

Comic books have carried a negative stigma for as long as they have existed. Viewed as juvenile, cheap or inferior forms of literature and art, comic books have had an uphill battle from day one. But with the success of comic books as represented in Hollywood, maybe, just maybe the perception of them will change.

The truth is, however, that in some circles comic books will always represent what’s wrong with the world, like many other forms of entertainment. Video games and television have been put under a similar assault by parent groups, religious groups and highbrow elitists that just don’t get their appeal and blame them for the moral downslide of society. Music over the past few decades has suffered the same kind of negative backlash.

The beautiful thing about comic books, though, is what sets them apart from all other forms of art. And that thing is the marriage of art and writing that come together in a symphony of story unparalleled. Much like the film and television industries possess the unique coupling of stories, and sometimes graphic art, with live action, or moving pictures, comic books are unique in the way they present a story.

For instance, take the art in comic books. Any artist worth his salt can illustrate a still portrait or landscape scene, or what have you. Similarly, any abstract artist with any merit can illustrate a still masterpiece of odd attraction and sensibility. But it takes a special kind of skill to use those same artistic abilities and techniques to transform a writer’s words to sequential story-telling, depicting constant movement and a wide range of emotions panel after panel, page after page. Likewise, it’s a chore for a writer to structure their words in such a way that allows the art to do the descriptive ‘talking’ and fill in the dialogue in the appropriate places while still maintaining an interesting and flowing story. And this is what comic books are made of.

Look at an artist like David Mack who pushes the medium of comic books into another level with his use of paints and materials to create abstract beauty while still maintaining the comic form. Or the many acclaimed novelists, like Orson Scott Card and Stephen King, for example, who have made the transition to comics bringing their same talents and skill to the mixed media art form. Yet comic books continue to be disrespected, or looked at as substandard as compared to other media.

That perception may never change, but whether comic books continue to thrive and grow, or eventually fade away, there will never be another art form that quite does what comic books are able to do.

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Is not it amazing when you pick up a comic book and read it for
the first time?

We all remember our first comic book and how one often turns
into another, then another and finally an almost insatiable
addiction. How the characters begin to come to life within a
well scripted and well drawn series.

Comic books have for many years driven the imaginations of
young and old alike which had many of use running around
pretending we are Batman, Superman, and Supergirl or with
friends as the team of X-Men.

Whether you picked up a ‘Walt Disney’ production or a ‘Japanese
Manga Graphic Novel’, be it ‘Detective Comics’ or ‘Marvel’ what
you will have almost certainly done is tried to draw the
characters. Admit it you have!

There are some great artists in those off the shelf books and
many of us wish to emulate our artist heroes not just the comic
books stars; and there are many ways in which you can do that
without the need to be clad in yellow spandex holding the latest
laser gadgets.

Immersing yourself into the world of comics when you draw is an
experience that is fun, so much so you may find yourself
accidentally muttering the words ‘Kapow’ or ‘Smash’ out loud, a
common side effect that is not dangerous so don’t worry to much
if this happens.

One such method is to actually copy the characters and
buildings within the comic. Remember that it is not only the
characters that build the books, but the actual surroundings and
vehicles also. Being able to draw everything is an advantage and
can really bring your work to life.

The method of copying from the comic book is probably the
simplest way you can practice and master the art of comic book
art. One word of caution here: never use the technique of
tracing. Just look at the figures and draw on your notepad.
Initially you will have difficulty to reproduce the figures
faithfully. But in course of time you will improve if you keep
at it. Using tracing you will be able to draw slightly better
but that will be of no use as it will not help you to improve
your basic drawing skill.

To get started all you need is a set of good quality pencils
with a few different graphite (lead) types such as soft and
hard, and rather than going out and buying the colored inks just
yet you should use normal coloring pencils or paints.

You might also like to grab yourself a couple of nice black
fine and medium tipped marker pens for outlining the drawings as
you near completion of your artwork, as this help your creation
to stand out as it does in the comics; and don’t forget the all
important drawing pad for all those sketches and drawings that
you are about to work on.

One you are satisfied that you have what it takes to further
your artistic capabilities you can pick up some rather neat
little publications which can bring your artistry up a few
levels.

About the Author: If you are eager to have serious fun from
making comic characters you must train yourself in the
fundamentals of drawing cartoons. You can find some cartoon
drawing tutorials at

http://pwrinfo.com/cartoon-drawing-course/cartoon-drawing-tutorials.htm

and don’t forget to check the popular cartoon

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