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Tools for Creating Comics

Paper

Some artists create their work entirely digitally, but most comics are still drawn on paper. 2-ply Bristol board is recommended because it can withstand a lot of erasing and won't tear easily. Make sure you use a paper that won't bleed when ink is applied. Most Bristol boards are available with plate (smooth) or vellum (rough) surfaces. Many artists prefer a smooth surface for precise inking. A rough surface is better for use with drybrush and dry media such as pencils, charcoal, and pastels. Use an acid-free paper if you don't want it to turn yellow and deteriorate over time.

The dimensions of most comic books currently published in North America are 6.625"x10.25". Original artwork is usually drawn at 1.5 times reproduction size on 11"x17" Bristol board with a 0.5" bleed on the left and right and a 1" bleed on the top and bottom. The bleed will be cut off after the page is printed. Panel borders and text are usually kept within a 9"x13.5" safe area so they're not too close to the edge of the page. The bleed and safe area are important because the paper can shift during printing, binding, and trimming. Single panel cartoons are often drawn within a 7"x7" box. Daily newspaper strips are usually drawn 13" wide by 4" tall. Always check the size requirements with your publisher before you begin your drawing.

Translucent tracing paper can be useful for doing rough drawings which can then be transferred to Bristol board. Stretched watercolor paper, a watercolor block, or illustration board should used with ink wash, watercolor, or gouache to minimize wrinkling. Stretched canvas, wood, or hardboard can be used as a surface for heavy acrylic and oil paints.

Pencils

Comics are usually drawn in pencil first before being being finished in ink, although modern scanning technology now allows artists to skip the inking stage. Graphite pencils come in a variety of grades identified by numbers and letters. Pencils marked with an "H" for "hard" are harder and produce a lighter mark. Pencils marked with a "B" for "black" are softer and produce a darker mark. HB (hard black) and F (fine) pencils are of medium darkness and hardness between the H and B grades. The differences in darkness and hardness are due to the amounts of graphite and clay mixed in pencil cores. A 2H pencil is harder and lighter than an H pencil because it contains more clay. A 2B pencil is softer and darker than a B pencil because it contains more graphite. Pencil core formulas can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. One company's B pencil might be softer and darker than another's. Some companies offer a wider range of grades than others.

With all those different grades of pencils available, you might be wondering which is the best to use. It's a matter of personal choice. Some artists prefer the precision of a hard pencil while others prefer softer, darker pencils. Both have their disadvantages. Hard pencils can leave indents in the paper if too much pressure is applied and they can be too light to reproduce. Soft pencils smudge easily. Most comic book artists use something between a 2H and a 2B—not too hard and not too soft.

There are other kinds of pencils you can use. A non-photo blue pencil is colored a particular shade of blue that won't reproduce when photographed with a process camera. Process cameras are now obsolete, however, and non-photo blue may show up when photocopied or scanned. If you do use a non-photo blue pencil make sure you use a brand that can be erased easily, such as the Prismacolor Col-Erase. Some artists draw in non-photo blue pencil so they don't have to erase their pencils after inking. Non-photo blue pencils can be used to make notes on artwork for others in the production process. I like to do rough sketches using a non-photo blue pencil and then tighten my drawings with a graphite pencil before inking. A black colored pencil, china marker, or lithographic crayon is used by some artists to add shading to textured paper.

Erasers

Everyone makes mistakes—that's why they invented erasers. Don't use cheap pink erasers, though, because they can leave pink marks on your paper. A white soft vinyl eraser is cleaner and can be used with a metal erasing shield for extra precision. An art gum eraser is made of soft, coarse rubber and can be used for erasing large areas. Kneaded erasers are very useful. They work by absorbing graphite, so they don't damage the paper surface or leave behind eraser dust. They can be molded to erase smaller areas. I like using them to remove soft pencils that might smudge if another eraser was used. Kneaded erasers should be thrown away when they get too dirty. Abrasive erasers intended to erase ink are sold, but they damage the paper surface and there are better ways to correct inking mistakes.

Ink

Most comics are drawn as black line art because it's cheap and easy to reproduce, though modern scanning technology has made it easier to copy pencil and painted art and the web is an inexpensive way to distribute color images. Use waterproof black India ink with dip pens, technical pens, and brushes. Fountain pen ink isn't waterproof. Some brands of India ink are thicker and darker than others. For dip pens and technical pens I prefer a thinner ink that won't clog the pen. I use a dense black ink for filling in large areas with a brush or cotton swab. Some artists dilute India ink with distilled water to create gray washes that are then reproduced as halftone images. Waterproof opaque white ink is also available. I use it to draw white lines over black ink.

Opaque White Paint

It's inevitable that you'll make mistakes while inking. Opaque white paint is used to cover up inking errors. Process white paint was designed to appear as pure white when photographed with a process camera. Dyes won't bleed through white paint formulated as "bleed proof". It can be difficult to ink over white paint, so it's best to do corrections at the end of the inking process.

Brushes

Brushes can be difficult for beginners to use, but once you've mastered them you won't find a more versatile drawing tool. A good round brush can produce lines of varying thickness, fill in large areas, and produce rough-textured "drybrush" effects. The best brushes for drawing with ink are made from fine kolinsky sable and are quite expensive. It's important to take proper care of your brushes. Always wash them after use and be gentle with the hairs. A cheaper synthetic brush can be used for applying opaque white paint. Round brushes come in various sizes. Most artists use a number 2, 3, or 4. The Winsor-Newton Series 7 seems to be the most popular brand. Other brushes are useful for painting and special techniques. A stencil brush or toothbrush can be used to create splatter effects.

Dip Pens

Dip pens are metal nibs attached to wooden or plastic holders. The metal nibs are dipped in India ink. There are a variety of pen nibs available. Some are flexible like the quill pens of the past. Others are more rigid. Calligraphy nibs can be used for drawing letters and borders. Dip pens are cheaper and more versatile than markers and technical pens, and unlike fountain pens they can be used with India ink. A frustrating thing about dip pens is that they have to be frequently refilled with ink and cleaned after use. The pen points often clog. A little bit of water or fresh ink can get clogged ink flowing again. Ink applied with a dip pen takes longer to dry than ink applied with a brush.

Technical Pens

Technical pens were designed for use by draftsmen. They contain a refillable ink reservoir and produce lines of uniform width. They're not very expressive drawing tools, but they're useful for ruling lines, lettering, hatching, and stippling. Technical pens are much more expensive than dip pens and markers and they have to be regularly disassembled and cleaned to prevent ink from clogging.

Markers

There are a wide variety of markers out there. For drawing line art you'll want to use a fine-point marker with a non-bleeding, fadeproof, and waterproof water-based pigment ink. Markers are simple to use and easy to transport. They don't need to be dipped in ink or cleaned after use, which saves the artist a lot of time. Markers are cheaper than technical pens, but they eventually dry out and their fiber tips wear down. There are brush markers capable of producing lines of varying weight, but they're no substitute for a fine sable brush. The black pigment used in markers isn't as dark as India ink.

Compass

A drafting compass is used for drawing circles. Get a compass that comes with both a pencil point and a ruling pen attachment for use with India ink. Some compasses can be fitted with an adapter that can hold pencils, markers, and technical pens or an extension bar that can increase the width of the compass. Beam compasses are designed for drawing circles larger than those capable with a regular compass.

Ruler

Essential for making measurements and drawing straight lines. I recommend an 18" steel ruler with both imperial and metric measurements. A steel ruler won't be damaged if used with a blade to cut straight lines. Make sure that your ruler has a raised edge if you use it with a pen. If the ruler lies flat on the paper ink will get sucked beneath it by capillary action. If the ruler doesn't have a raised edge you can tape some pennies to the bottom.

T-Square

A T-square is a long T-shaped tool that you slide along the edge of your drawing board. It's used for drawing parallel horizontal lines and making sure that objects on the board are level.

Triangles

Triangles, also known as set squares, are used for drawing angles. They're usually available in two styles: 45°-45°-90° and 30°-60°-90°. The two triangles can also be combined to create 15° and 75° angles. Adjustable triangles are more expensive, but you can adjust them to any angle between 0° and 180°. A T-square is used to support a triangle and ensure that it's level.

Circle and Ellipse Templates

Templates are useful for drawing circles and ellipses, especially if they're small and repetitive.

Curves

French curve and ship curve templates are used for drawing curves with precision. Flexible curves can be bent into different shapes.

Ames Lettering Guide

An Ames Lettering Guide is used to draw guidelines for hand lettering. It has an adjustable disc in the center with small holes to fit the point of a pencil. Rotating the disc can increase or decrease the vertical space between letters. The guide is dragged along the top of a T-square to draw parallel horizontal lines.

Art Knife

A razor blade can be used for cutting paper or film, sharpening pencils, and scratching away ink.

Glue

An acid-free adhesive comes in handy for pasting images onto your artwork.

Screentones

Screentones are sheets of shades or textures that can be reproduced as black line art. They are available as self-adhesive sheets or rub-on transfers. Screen tones are expensive and have largely been replaced by computer graphics. Screentones work well with process cameras and photocopiers, but moire patterns can result when they are scanned.

Sponges

Sponges can be used for applying ink or paint and wetting paper before applying a wash.

Rags

A cloth rag can be used for wiping pen points and creating texture effects with ink.

Jars

You should have two jars of water next to your drawing board, one for washing away ink from your pens and brushes and the other for washing away white paint.

Drafting Tape

Low-tack drafting tape is used to attach paper to your drawing board. You don't want the tape to be too sticky or it will damage the paper's surface when removed.

Drawing Board

If you're going to spend hours drawing you should be comfortable. Ideally your work station will include an adjustable drafting table, a comfortable chair, good lighting, and a place to keep your tools within reach. If you don't have a drafting table you can make do with a drawing board rested at an angle.

Lightbox

A box containing an electric light. The box has a translucent top for the light to shine through. It's useful for tracing artwork, but not essential.

Coloring Tools

Most comics are now colored digitally using image editing software like Photoshop. Digital coloring is faster and easier to edit than traditional coloring methods and allows for a wide range of colors. Some artists prefer the look of traditional color media, though. Transparent watercolors, inks, and dyes can be used to add color to line-art. Opaque gouache and acrylic paints are used for fully-painted comics.

Computer Equipment

Most comics now involve the use of computers at some stage of production. Some artists create their work entirely on a computer. It's become common to letter comics using computer fonts and a vector graphics application like Adobe Illustrator. You can create your own fonts using font editing software or purchase them from a designer. Most coloring is now done digitally using Adobe Photoshop. A layout application such as Adobe InDesign or Quark XPress can be used to prepare your digital files for print. A high-resolution desktop scanner is useful for digitizing artwork. A graphics tablet and stylus can be used to create digital art instead of a mouse.