My Webcomic Page Making Process
There are some people who have always been wanting me to tell them the steps behind making Lovarian Adventures webcomic pages. I've told them some people some of the steps but I don't believe I've written anything that lists all the steps involved. Since I'm in the mood to write today, I've decided to outline the process I use to create webcomic pages.
The Story
Before I even start drawing a page, I must have a story for that page. I do not have an actual script though. Instead of writing a script, I write a short-story-like prose about what's going to take place. These short stories are not meant to be read by others. I meant to only be used by myself as guides into drawing the comic pages.
Example Excerpt (used for last part of 7:1, whole of 7:2 and start of 7:3):
As you can see, the dialog for the comic pages are derived from this short story. The language I use in the description isn't too exciting or elaborate but it should be enough for me to remember what I had intended to happen for that page.
Also, you'd notice that I did not put any indicators as to where a page should start and finish. I decide what goes into a page on the day I draw the page.
The Template
I made Photoshop PSD-file page template based on a much older page I've finished using my old process of making pages. This page does not have any drawings but I have preserved the borders and panel outlines. I have also preserved the captions below the page that tells you what chapter number and page number the current page is as well as the copyright information.
I have also preserved one line of dialog so that I do not have to remember the font settings I use for the characters' dialog balloons. I can just copy and paste that then replace the text with the new dialog.
Also in place are Photoshop guides (light blue coloured snap-in lines) that tell me where the panel borders could be drawn. I can use these guides to easily draw the panel borders later on.
So when I'm ready to start on a new page, I start up Photoshop, open the page template, change the chapter and page number text to reflect the chapter:page I'll be working on and save it as another file that follows this naming convention: "CC-PP.psd" where CC is the chapter number and PP is the page number. As an example, Chapter 7, page 2 would be saved as 07-02.psd.
Borders and Dialog
After the creation of the new page, I will now add the panel borders and dialog. This is the part that requires a bit of imagination though as I will not draw anything yet at this stage. I take the short-story/script I have written and decide how much of the paragraphs would go into one panel and the next and so forth.
I look at the blank page and start typing up the dialog I have on the story then imagine what would be drawn in the panels to accompany the dialog based on the actual dialog and on the description written in the story if available.
It is also at this time I decide how big a panel is going to be and where on the page it is going to be placed. Once I've decided, I create a new Photoshop layers called "Temporary Borders" and I draw the border of the first panel using black thick lines only. Next I type up the dialog for panel two and draw the borders for it.
I'll keep on doing this until I run out of panels to fit in the page. By the end of this stage, I have a page that has plain black lined panel borders and dialog text (without the dialog balloons themselves) on the drawing-less page.
Tablet Sketching
I zoom out the blank page to 25% so I can see the "big picture" and using my tablet, I sketch out the under-drawings of what should be in the individual panels.
The advantage of drawing at a zoomed out page is that it gives me an idea of how all the drawings would look like together.
It's also easier to draw characters in proportion. My problem with drawing big is that by the time I start drawing the legs of a character, the rest of the body may be too small for the feet I've drawn for him/her. It's always been easier for me to draw small. So with the page "shrunk", it's easier for me to maintain body proportions.
The sketches I'll have after drawing in zoomed out mode comes out very messy. I'll have to zoom in to clean up the sketches and fine-tune some of the details. The cleaner the final drawings are, the better, as I'll be using these sketches as under-drawings for when I actually draw the page later.
While working on a panel, I also add in the dialog balloons. This way, I do not have to draw anything that will just be covered by the dialog balloons anyway. Also, it helps me reposition the characters and objects for that panel.
I could probably finish the page right there. But as I've discovered when I tried that with Chapter 7 Page 1, I cannot make the page look as good as when I draw the page with an actual pencil. And by the time I finish the page, my hand is in terrible pain. So I do not even attempt to draw finished panels at this stage. Sure I clean up the panels but only to the point where I can use them as under-drawings. When the drawings are good enough for that purpose, I stop.
Printing
At this stage, I already have a "finished" page. I have the panels and the dialog balloons drawn out. It's an ugly page but I can upload it like that and people should be able to read and understand it. But as much as possible, I do not wish to upload a page that isn't on a certain level of quality. I've decided some time ago that I'll no longer ink the comic pages but I'll make sure the pencils will look good enough to stand alone. But before I can add the traditional pencils on to this purely digital work, I will have to print the page.
I flatten the layers of the current page then flip the whole page horizontally, giving me a mirror image of the page. I will then print the page on my Canon bubble-jet printer.
Finish Drawing the Page
I will now have a mirror-image version of the page on paper. I then flip the page and I start drawing on the blank side of the page. The printed under-drawings, borders and dialog balloons would still be faintly visible from the blank side of the page. I use them as guide when I draw with the pencils.
Sometimes I just trace the under-drawings if I find the drawings to be pretty enough. Sometimes though, I just use it to guide me in positioning the characters and objects when I redraw them.
When I'm done with the pencilling, I scan the pencilled page back to my PC.
Finishing Touches
I copy and paste the scanned pencilled page into the template as a layer behind the dialog balloons. Then, I draw the actual panel borders on top of it in another layer.
When that's done, I flatten the layers then resize the page down with the width equal to 500 pixels. I save that as a JPEG file and upload it to the site. And I'm done.
There you have it. That's my relatively new process for creating a webcomic page. I think I'll be sticking with this process for a while as it relatively easy for me to do. In the past I've incurred delays in finishing a page because I cannot decide what to draw in a panel or how to draw what should be in a panel. But now that I do all of that part digitally, I can easily resize, reposition and alter any under-drawings I have already drawn. No need to redraw anything.
Anyway, I'm not sure if this will help you in creating your own webcomic (which wasn't my intent in writing this) but at the very least, I hope you found this article interesting.
The Story
Before I even start drawing a page, I must have a story for that page. I do not have an actual script though. Instead of writing a script, I write a short-story-like prose about what's going to take place. These short stories are not meant to be read by others. I meant to only be used by myself as guides into drawing the comic pages.
Example Excerpt (used for last part of 7:1, whole of 7:2 and start of 7:3):
Meanwhile, inside one of the wagons passing in front of the steps, Mendoran and Sephriel finally snapped out of the Cursor's spell.
"Where are they taking us?" asked Sephriel.
"I haven't a clue," replied Mendoran.
"We have to get out of here. We have to save the others."
"It's no use. I've seen Sylosian prison carriages before and I know it's enchanted with a type of magic that makes the walls indestructible and us inside inaudible to those outside."
"Well, maybe this is different from the one you saw before."
Sephriel tried kicking the door open but he was only pushed hard by a strong unseen force away from the door. He flew across the small space and hit his head on the opposite carriage wall, knocking him out.
"Uhurm. Kids," mumbled Mendoran while he positioned Sephriel into a more comfortable sitting position. "They always think they know everything.
Meanwhile, back inside the cave, Helix, Nadine and Lili faced a group of summoned gargoyles.
As you can see, the dialog for the comic pages are derived from this short story. The language I use in the description isn't too exciting or elaborate but it should be enough for me to remember what I had intended to happen for that page.
Also, you'd notice that I did not put any indicators as to where a page should start and finish. I decide what goes into a page on the day I draw the page.
The Template
I made Photoshop PSD-file page template based on a much older page I've finished using my old process of making pages. This page does not have any drawings but I have preserved the borders and panel outlines. I have also preserved the captions below the page that tells you what chapter number and page number the current page is as well as the copyright information.
I have also preserved one line of dialog so that I do not have to remember the font settings I use for the characters' dialog balloons. I can just copy and paste that then replace the text with the new dialog.
Also in place are Photoshop guides (light blue coloured snap-in lines) that tell me where the panel borders could be drawn. I can use these guides to easily draw the panel borders later on.
So when I'm ready to start on a new page, I start up Photoshop, open the page template, change the chapter and page number text to reflect the chapter:page I'll be working on and save it as another file that follows this naming convention: "CC-PP.psd" where CC is the chapter number and PP is the page number. As an example, Chapter 7, page 2 would be saved as 07-02.psd.
Borders and Dialog
After the creation of the new page, I will now add the panel borders and dialog. This is the part that requires a bit of imagination though as I will not draw anything yet at this stage. I take the short-story/script I have written and decide how much of the paragraphs would go into one panel and the next and so forth.
I look at the blank page and start typing up the dialog I have on the story then imagine what would be drawn in the panels to accompany the dialog based on the actual dialog and on the description written in the story if available.
It is also at this time I decide how big a panel is going to be and where on the page it is going to be placed. Once I've decided, I create a new Photoshop layers called "Temporary Borders" and I draw the border of the first panel using black thick lines only. Next I type up the dialog for panel two and draw the borders for it.
I'll keep on doing this until I run out of panels to fit in the page. By the end of this stage, I have a page that has plain black lined panel borders and dialog text (without the dialog balloons themselves) on the drawing-less page.
Tablet Sketching
I zoom out the blank page to 25% so I can see the "big picture" and using my tablet, I sketch out the under-drawings of what should be in the individual panels.
The advantage of drawing at a zoomed out page is that it gives me an idea of how all the drawings would look like together.
It's also easier to draw characters in proportion. My problem with drawing big is that by the time I start drawing the legs of a character, the rest of the body may be too small for the feet I've drawn for him/her. It's always been easier for me to draw small. So with the page "shrunk", it's easier for me to maintain body proportions.
The sketches I'll have after drawing in zoomed out mode comes out very messy. I'll have to zoom in to clean up the sketches and fine-tune some of the details. The cleaner the final drawings are, the better, as I'll be using these sketches as under-drawings for when I actually draw the page later.
While working on a panel, I also add in the dialog balloons. This way, I do not have to draw anything that will just be covered by the dialog balloons anyway. Also, it helps me reposition the characters and objects for that panel.
I could probably finish the page right there. But as I've discovered when I tried that with Chapter 7 Page 1, I cannot make the page look as good as when I draw the page with an actual pencil. And by the time I finish the page, my hand is in terrible pain. So I do not even attempt to draw finished panels at this stage. Sure I clean up the panels but only to the point where I can use them as under-drawings. When the drawings are good enough for that purpose, I stop.
Printing
At this stage, I already have a "finished" page. I have the panels and the dialog balloons drawn out. It's an ugly page but I can upload it like that and people should be able to read and understand it. But as much as possible, I do not wish to upload a page that isn't on a certain level of quality. I've decided some time ago that I'll no longer ink the comic pages but I'll make sure the pencils will look good enough to stand alone. But before I can add the traditional pencils on to this purely digital work, I will have to print the page.
I flatten the layers of the current page then flip the whole page horizontally, giving me a mirror image of the page. I will then print the page on my Canon bubble-jet printer.
Finish Drawing the Page
I will now have a mirror-image version of the page on paper. I then flip the page and I start drawing on the blank side of the page. The printed under-drawings, borders and dialog balloons would still be faintly visible from the blank side of the page. I use them as guide when I draw with the pencils.
Sometimes I just trace the under-drawings if I find the drawings to be pretty enough. Sometimes though, I just use it to guide me in positioning the characters and objects when I redraw them.
When I'm done with the pencilling, I scan the pencilled page back to my PC.
Finishing Touches
I copy and paste the scanned pencilled page into the template as a layer behind the dialog balloons. Then, I draw the actual panel borders on top of it in another layer.
When that's done, I flatten the layers then resize the page down with the width equal to 500 pixels. I save that as a JPEG file and upload it to the site. And I'm done.
There you have it. That's my relatively new process for creating a webcomic page. I think I'll be sticking with this process for a while as it relatively easy for me to do. In the past I've incurred delays in finishing a page because I cannot decide what to draw in a panel or how to draw what should be in a panel. But now that I do all of that part digitally, I can easily resize, reposition and alter any under-drawings I have already drawn. No need to redraw anything.
Anyway, I'm not sure if this will help you in creating your own webcomic (which wasn't my intent in writing this) but at the very least, I hope you found this article interesting.
posted by Gabeprime at 10:54 AM
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