Lettering is an imperative skill to master. When done well its just about invisible. When done wrong it will ruin the reader’s experience.

Comics combine the attributes of visual art and literature in a synergetic manner to convey a message. The words and and visual arts both play a role in creating a comprehensive reading experience that rely on both components to be complete.

When lettering your comics understand that it is as important and dramatic as the art itself. 

Good lettering work does not stand out. The least noticeable, the better.

The Comic Draw app was specially designed with useful lettering capabilities. One of the best feature is that if your comic is in the typical format you can drag your dialog, captions & special effects directly onto your pages and adjust them accordingly. You can also quickly block in balloons, captions, titles & special effects so that you can get a feel for how much space it may take up in a panel.

When adding lettering elements pay attention to the flow of action. Create focal points for smooth reader flow. Lettering needs to guide the reader’s eyes through the page.

Sound Effects & onomatopoeias are fun ways to enhance the story’s impact. 

When placing dialogue and captions make it so the reader is given a smooth visual path. Pay attention to the rhythm and direction of the page flow.

A particular attribute to comics lettering is that you can use them to make the reader feel the emotions of the characters. Manipulate components of your letters to convey emotional impact such changing the size and style of the type and choosing speech bubbles of different shapes.

A good comic panel shouldn’t have to rely on dialog to be generally understood. Cartooning is a universal language that can be understood globally. Lettering is a unique specialty of the comics medium that supplements comprehension. When done well it communicates nuances that are imperative to understand and enjoy the story.
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Thank you for tuning into this week’s tutorial. I hope it has been helpful. Additionally Prime Vice Studios is available to help people on their comic creation journeys. Hire us for professional assistance at any level of your creative process.
​ 
Check out the additional resources below for links to the references &  materials used.

Peace,
​ 
Loso

Special thanks to our official sponsor Plasq for providing the invaluable app Comic Draw!
follow on us social media!

@Prime_Vice  #primevice 

@AnanyaVahal

@Plasq

@ComicDrawApp #comicdraw #startyourcomictoday

@ComicConnect

Consistency is crucial. When drawing comics there is always a tendency to change little nuances of your character. 

This week’s tutorial explains the usefulness and purpose of character sheets.

Character sheets help you maintain a clear and consistent image of your character. They serve as reference pages to help you maintain a clear and consistent look for your characters.

Referring to your character sheet minimizes the possibility of inadvertent changes.
Serving as references, character sheets help you keep small changes to a minimum.

​You can alway look back to see if you’ve been drawing a nose different on your current page than when you started your comic. A common occurrence.

Demonstrate images of the various angles of your character. When designing your character sheets make sure you draw the head, the face with an expression or two and the full body front, back. Three quarter views are usually most interesting. Straight on front & back is standard. 

Characters are what they look like. When designing your characters clearly show the character’s attitudes. Ask yourself what are they thinking? What do they do? what is their story? Why do they look the way do? Character’s are defined by what they do

Facial expressions MUST reflect your character’s emotional intent. Their facade must clearly tell you & the reader the character’s inner workings.

Creating character sheets are useful before getting too far into any sequential art project. You may start your comic before fully designing your character or realizing something may need to be changed. You just don’t want to have to go back and redraw a character because you changed something after getting far into a project.

Thank you for tuning into this week’s tutorial. I hope this has been helpful. Prime Vice Studios is available to help your comic creation journey. Hire us for professional assistance.
​ 
Check out the additional resources below for links to the references &  materials I use.

Peace,
​ 
Loso

Special thanks to our official sponsor Plasq for providing the invaluable app Comic Draw!
follow on us social media!

@Prime_Vice  #primevice 

@AnanyaVahal

@Plasq

@ComicDrawApp #comicdraw #startyourcomictoday

@ComicConnect

There is no wrong way to start a comic and it takes time to figure out a stream lined process. Here are some tips on how to breakdown your story into thumbnails. An approach very common in the comics industry. 

When working on the initial breakdowns of your script you will want to have your script handy as reference.

A very useful feature of the Comic Draw app is that you can work on your script and comic art at the same time. You can even drag the lettering straight onto the pages and adjust them accordingly.

Templates are useful because you can rough out multiple pages in an organized manner. Its the quickest way to plot out your story.

Feel free to make your own templates according to your needs or download the one below free.

Drawing small forces you to focus on composition instead aesthetics. You will be able to quickly see what works and doesn’t. Good storytelling is key in sequential art. Style is a result of your process.

The first line you draw whether mentally or physically is the reading line. You’ll want to control how your reader views your page as much as possible.

In the West we read from left to right and down similar to a Z. Mangas are meant to be read in the opposite direction.

Think about how the reader will read your page. The goal is to grab their attention, guide them through the panels and leave them wanting to keep turning pages.

Your page layouts consist of telling the story through panels. Divide your page according to the pace you deem necessary.

A full script is very specific to the number of panels and activity happening on a page. If you are just working from a plot or looser script calculate your panels according to the rhythm you want the story to have. 

As an artist it is your job to bring the story to life. Your decisions will be drawn from your drawing ability, influences and knowledge.

The top priority is to make sure you able to show the story in a clear & engaging manner. If your art is cool looking but doesn’t tell the story clearly your reader will be lost. If you place your panels in a non-consecutive manner it will also confuse your reader. Keep your readers engulfed in your stories. Don’t let artistic decisions disconnect your audience.

People easily relate emotionally to facial expressions. Master as many different facial expressions as possible.

Body gestures are imperative to have convincing acting in your characters. Take on poses you are unfamiliar with drawing to be as accurate as possible. 

How you place the camera angle in your comics impacts how your reader interprets the story. Be conscious of how shots affects the storytelling. All sequential art employs specific shots to control the narrative.

The thumbnail stage is the most thought heavy phase of the comic creation process. Remember that its just the initial brainstorming phase. Get your story nice and clear before moving on to refining your drawings. 

Be satisfied with the pacing, figures, and shots before moving on to finished pencils.

The foundation of building a solid style and good storytelling is to nail the gestures. Gestures control how the reader views your art. Simple shapes help you create solid compositions using abstract thinking. 

Your readers will not know nor care very much for this very important aspect of the creation process. Nonetheless the results of strong thumbnails will gradually improve your productivity and sharpen your thought process so that your end results will be effective and consistent.

Thank you for tuning into this week’s tutorial. I hope this has been helpful for you on your comic journey. 
​ 
Check out the additional resources below for links to the references &  materials I use.

Peace,
​ 
Loso

special thanks to our official sponsor Plasq for providing the invaluable app Comic Draw!
follow on us social media!

@Prime_Vice  #primevice 

@AnanyaVahal

@Plasq

@ComicDrawApp #comicdraw #startyourcomictoday

@ComicConnect

When drawing cartoons the eyes must be handled with special consideration.The eyes contain and express the spirit of the character.

The eyes are where the characters live they communicate thoughts, feelings and expressions better than any other part of the body.

Whether you are drawing realistic or cartoony eyes remember to use references for believability purposes. 

When drawing pupils you can be simplistic using small neat balls with a shine and get a clear expression.

Understand that the shape of the eye & pupil change depending on the expression.

The eyebrows push down on the eyes for expressions like anger & suspicion. They squish and become shorter & wider.

The eyebrows rise up for expressions like surprise & shock. Stretch the eyeball to make it taller & thinner.

Add emphasis to a look by pressing up the pupil against the side of the eye.

Strengthen the expression of a character looking to the side by tilting the eye frame in the opposite direction.

Always tilt the pupils towards what the character is looking at.

The eyes is one area where subtle details really pay off.

Making your characters’ eyes as expressive as possible will bring a lot of life into them.

Thank you for tuning into this week’s tutorial. I hope this has been helpful for you on your comic journey. 
​ 
Check out the additional resources below for links to the references &  materials I use.

Peace,
​ 
Loso

special thanks to our official sponsor Plasq for providing the invaluable app Comic Draw!
follow on us social media!

@Prime_Vice  #primevice 

@AnanyaVahal

@Plasq

@ComicDrawApp #comicdraw #startyourcomictoday

@ComicConnect