how to do comics the con way
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How To Do Comics The Con Way tutoriaTRANSCRIPT
HOW TO DO COMICS THE
WAY
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traditional and digital tipsby Con Chrisoulis
My studio setup
1. Overall view of desk space incl. recreational instruments2. I, drawing3. My traditional tools (incl. Pentel Brush, crow quill dip pens, mechanical pencil and a range of felt tip markers)4. Some hard copy inspiration5. Reference material for my non-fiction biographical graphic novel, Tales of The Smiths6. My digital setup (including a basic scanner/printer device and the essential Wacom drawing tablet and pen)
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CHARACTERS and landscape
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The first step in creating and producing a comic book or a graphic novel is establishing the characters and the time and space in which they shall be enacting scenes.
1. The characters’ features must be consistent throughout the books. The ability to drawcharacteristics in a repetitive manner is crucial in allowing the reader to immerse himself into the plot. Facial expressions, specific marks on their faces, wrinkles, moles, moustaches, spectacles, earrings etc help to discern one character from the other.
3. 5. The blurb writes “Watch (though he can’t read it)”. It’s in these small side-notes on the character sheets that the author gets to know his character and fleshes out his personality before creating the plot of the story. It is necessary to note down as many details as possible, even if most won’t be used in the final script. It is these details that make up a human psyche and not the real obvious 2D ones. This will lead to far more realistic results.
2. As with the characters, so with landscape that they shall be placed in, repetitive features are necessary in order to establish the place, country, era etc without having the need to be too wordy about it. It’s in the small details that a place achieves its own character within the book and in those details that the protagonists shall blend.
4. 6. By creating floor plans and detailed interiors of houses (or aerial plans of roads, towns etc) you will again assist the reader in emerging into the illusion of the fictional landscape and most importantly you will avoid bloopers, like changing the side of a door handle or the objects on a table.
1traditional
The first step in creating and producing a comic book or a graphic novel is establishing the characters and the time and space in which they shall be enacting scenes.
1. Panel by panel breakdown of
3. 5. The blurb writes “Watch (though he can’t read it)”. It’s in these small side-notes on the character sheets that the author gets to know his character and fleshes out his personality before creating the plot of the story. It is necessary to note down as many details as possible, even if most won’t be used in the final script. It is these details that make up a human psyche and not the real obvious 2D ones. This will lead to far more realistic results.
2. As with the characters, so with landscape that they shall be placed in, repetitive features are necessary in order to establish the place, country, era etc without having the need to be too wordy about it. It’s in the small details that a place achieves its own character within the book and in those details that the protagonists shall blend.
4. 6. By creating floor plans and detailed interiors of houses (or aerial plans of roads, towns etc) you will again assist the reader in emerging into the illusion of the fictional landscape and most importantly you will avoid bloopers, like changing the side of a door handle or the objects on a table.
FROM PLOTTING to scripting
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BREAKDOWNS and storyboards
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The first step in creating and producing a comic book or a graphic novel is establishing the characters and the time and space in which they shall be enacting scenes.
1. The characters’ features must be consistent throughout the books. The ability to drawcharacteristics in a repetitive manner is crucial in allowing the reader to immerse himself into the plot. Facial expressions, specific marks on their faces, wrinkles, moles, moustaches, spectacles, earrings etc help to discern one character from the other.
3. 5. The blurb writes “Watch (though he can’t read it)”. It’s in these small side-notes on the character sheets that the author gets to know his character and fleshes out his personality before creating the plot of the story. It is necessary to note down as many details as possible, even if most won’t be used in the final script. It is these details that make up a human psyche and not the real obvious 2D ones. This will lead to far more realistic results.
2. As with the characters, so with landscape that they shall be placed in, repetitive features are necessary in order to establish the place, country, era etc without having the need to be too wordy about it. It’s in the small details that a place achieves its own character within the book and in those details that the protagonists shall blend.
4. 6. By creating floor plans and detailed interiors of houses (or aerial plans of roads, towns etc) you will again assist the reader in emerging into the illusion of the fictional landscape and most importantly you will avoid bloopers, like changing the side of a door handle or the objects on a table.
3traditional
The first step in creating and producing a comic book or a graphic novel is establishing the characters and the time and space in which they shall be enacting scenes.
1. The characters’ features must be consistent throughout the books. The ability to drawcharacteristics in a repetitive manner is crucial in allowing the reader to immerse himself into the plot. Facial expressions, specific marks on their faces, wrinkles, moles, mustaches, spectacles, earrings etc help to discern one character from the other.
3. 5. The blurb writes “Watch (though he can’t read it)”. It’s in these small side-notes on the character sheets that the author gets to know his character and fleshes out his personality before creating the plot of the story. It is necessary to note down as many details as possible, even if most won’t be used in the final script. It is these details that make up a human psyche and not the real obvious 2D ones. This will lead to far more realistic results.
2. As with the characters, so with landscape that they shall be placed in, repetitive features are necessary in order to establish the place, country, era etc without having the need to be too wordy about it. It’s in the small details that a place achieves its own character within the book and in those details that the protagonists shall blend.
4. 6. By creating floor plans and detailed interiors of houses (or aerial plans of roads, towns etc) you will again assist the reader in emerging into the illusion of the fictional landscape and most importantly you will avoid bloopers, like changing the side of a door handle or the objects on a table.
PENCILS, layouts and panels
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INKING and emphasising
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The first step in creating and producing a comic book or a graphic novel is establishing the characters and the time and space in which they shall be enacting scenes.
1. The characters’ features must be consistent throughout the books. The ability to drawcharacteristics in a repetitive manner is crucial in allowing the reader to immerse himself into the plot. Facial expressions, specific marks on their faces, wrinkles, moles, moustaches, spectacles, earrings etc help to discern one character from the other.
3. 5. The blurb writes “Watch (though he can’t read it)”. It’s in these small side-notes on the character sheets that the author gets to know his character and fleshes out his personality before creating the plot of the story. It is necessary to note down as many details as possible, even if most won’t be used in the final script. It is these details that make up a human psyche and not the real obvious 2D ones. This will lead to far more realistic results.
2. As with the characters, so with landscape that they shall be placed in, repetitive features are necessary in order to establish the place, country, era etc without having the need to be too wordy about it. It’s in the small details that a place achieves its own character within the book and in those details that the protagonists shall blend.
4. 6. By creating floor plans and detailed interiors of houses (or aerial plans of roads, towns etc) you will again assist the reader in emerging into the illusion of the fictional landscape and most importantly you will avoid bloopers, like changing the side of a door handle or the objects on a table.
5traditional
The first step in creating and producing a comic book or a graphic novel is establishing the characters and the time and space in which they shall be enacting scenes.
1. The characters’ features must be consistent throughout the books. The ability to drawcharacteristics in a repetitive manner is crucial in allowing the reader to immerse himself into the plot. Facial expressions, specific marks on their faces, wrinkles, moles, mustaches, spectacles, earrings etc help to discern one character from the other.
3. 5. The blurb writes “Watch (though he can’t read it)”. It’s in these small side-notes on the character sheets that the author gets to know his character and fleshes out his personality before creating the plot of the story. It is necessary to note down as many details as possible, even if most won’t be used in the final script. It is these details that make up a human psyche and not the real obvious 2D ones. This will lead to far more realistic results.
2. As with the characters, so with landscape that they shall be placed in, repetitive features are necessary in order to establish the place, country, era etc without having the need to be too wordy about it. It’s in the small details that a place achieves its own character within the book and in those details that the protagonists shall blend.
4. 6. By creating floor plans and detailed interiors of houses (or aerial plans of roads, towns etc) you will again assist the reader in emerging into the illusion of the fictional landscape and most importantly you will avoid bloopers, like changing the side of a door handle or the objects on a table.
SCANNING and adjusting
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PHOTOSHOP and digital setup
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The first step in creating and producing a comic book or a graphic novel is establishing the characters and the time and space in which they shall be enacting scenes.
1. The characters’ features must be consistent throughout the books. The ability to drawcharacteristics in a repetitive manner is crucial in allowing the reader to immerse himself into the plot. Facial expressions, specific marks on their faces, wrinkles, moles, moustaches, spectacles, earrings etc help to discern one character from the other.
3. 5. The blurb writes “Watch (though he can’t read it)”. It’s in these small side-notes on the character sheets that the author gets to know his character and fleshes out his personality before creating the plot of the story. It is necessary to note down as many details as possible, even if most won’t be used in the final script. It is these details that make up a human psyche and not the real obvious 2D ones. This will lead to far more realistic results.
2. As with the characters, so with landscape that they shall be placed in, repetitive features are necessary in order to establish the place, country, era etc without having the need to be too wordy about it. It’s in the small details that a place achieves its own character within the book and in those details that the protagonists shall blend.
4. 6. By creating floor plans and detailed interiors of houses (or aerial plans of roads, towns etc) you will again assist the reader in emerging into the illusion of the fictional landscape and most importantly you will avoid bloopers, like changing the side of a door handle or the objects on a table.
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The first step in creating and producing a comic book or a graphic novel is establishing the characters and the time and space in which they shall be enacting scenes.
1. The characters’ features must be consistent throughout the books. The ability to drawcharacteristics in a repetitive manner is crucial in allowing the reader to immerse himself into the plot. Facial expressions, specific marks on their faces, wrinkles, moles, mustaches, spectacles, earrings etc help to discern one character from the other.
3. 5. The blurb writes “Watch (though he can’t read it)”. It’s in these small side-notes on the character sheets that the author gets to know his character and fleshes out his personality before creating the plot of the story. It is necessary to note down as many details as possible, even if most won’t be used in the final script. It is these details that make up a human psyche and not the real obvious 2D ones. This will lead to far more realistic results.
2. As with the characters, so with landscape that they shall be placed in, repetitive features are necessary in order to establish the place, country, era etc without having the need to be too wordy about it. It’s in the small details that a place achieves its own character within the book and in those details that the protagonists shall blend.
4. 6. By creating floor plans and detailed interiors of houses (or aerial plans of roads, towns etc) you will again assist the reader in emerging into the illusion of the fictional landscape and most importantly you will avoid bloopers, like changing the side of a door handle or the objects on a table.
COLOURING the panels
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COLOURING the line art
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The first step in creating and producing a comic book or a graphic novel is establishing the characters and the time and space in which they shall be enacting scenes.
1. The characters’ features must be consistent throughout the books. The ability to drawcharacteristics in a repetitive manner is crucial in allowing the reader to immerse himself into the plot. Facial expressions, specific marks on their faces, wrinkles, moles, moustaches, spectacles, earrings etc help to discern one character from the other.
3. 5. The blurb writes “Watch (though he can’t read it)”. It’s in these small side-notes on the character sheets that the author gets to know his character and fleshes out his personality before creating the plot of the story. It is necessary to note down as many details as possible, even if most won’t be used in the final script. It is these details that make up a human psyche and not the real obvious 2D ones. This will lead to far more realistic results.
2. As with the characters, so with landscape that they shall be placed in, repetitive features are necessary in order to establish the place, country, era etc without having the need to be too wordy about it. It’s in the small details that a place achieves its own character within the book and in those details that the protagonists shall blend.
4. 6. By creating floor plans and detailed interiors of houses (or aerial plans of roads, towns etc) you will again assist the reader in emerging into the illusion of the fictional landscape and most importantly you will avoid bloopers, like changing the side of a door handle or the objects on a table.
9digital
The first step in creating and producing a comic book or a graphic novel is establishing the characters and the time and space in which they shall be enacting scenes.
1. The characters’ features must be consistent throughout the books. The ability to drawcharacteristics in a repetitive manner is crucial in allowing the reader to immerse himself into the plot. Facial expressions, specific marks on their faces, wrinkles, moles, mustaches, spectacles, earrings etc help to discern one character from the other.
3. 5. The blurb writes “Watch (though he can’t read it)”. It’s in these small side-notes on the character sheets that the author gets to know his character and fleshes out his personality before creating the plot of the story. It is necessary to note down as many details as possible, even if most won’t be used in the final script. It is these details that make up a human psyche and not the real obvious 2D ones. This will lead to far more realistic results.
2. As with the characters, so with landscape that they shall be placed in, repetitive features are necessary in order to establish the place, country, era etc without having the need to be too wordy about it. It’s in the small details that a place achieves its own character within the book and in those details that the protagonists shall blend.
4. 6. By creating floor plans and detailed interiors of houses (or aerial plans of roads, towns etc) you will again assist the reader in emerging into the illusion of the fictional landscape and most importantly you will avoid bloopers, like changing the side of a door handle or the objects on a table.
INSERTING halftones and patterns
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LETTERING by hand
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The first step in creating and producing a comic book or a graphic novel is establishing the characters and the time and space in which they shall be enacting scenes.
1. The characters’ features must be consistent throughout the books. The ability to drawcharacteristics in a repetitive manner is crucial in allowing the reader to immerse himself into the plot. Facial expressions, specific marks on their faces, wrinkles, moles, moustaches, spectacles, earrings etc help to discern one character from the other.
3. 5. The blurb writes “Watch (though he can’t read it)”. It’s in these small side-notes on the character sheets that the author gets to know his character and fleshes out his personality before creating the plot of the story. It is necessary to note down as many details as possible, even if most won’t be used in the final script. It is these details that make up a human psyche and not the real obvious 2D ones. This will lead to far more realistic results.
2. As with the characters, so with landscape that they shall be placed in, repetitive features are necessary in order to establish the place, country, era etc without having the need to be too wordy about it. It’s in the small details that a place achieves its own character within the book and in those details that the protagonists shall blend.
4. 6. By creating floor plans and detailed interiors of houses (or aerial plans of roads, towns etc) you will again assist the reader in emerging into the illusion of the fictional landscape and most importantly you will avoid bloopers, like changing the side of a door handle or the objects on a table.
11traditional and digital
The first step in creating and producing a comic book or a graphic novel is establishing the characters and the time and space in which they shall be enacting scenes.
1. The characters’ features must be consistent throughout the books. The ability to drawcharacteristics in a repetitive manner is crucial in allowing the reader to immerse himself into the plot. Facial expressions, specific marks on their faces, wrinkles, moles, mustaches, spectacles, earrings etc help to discern one character from the other.
3. 5. The blurb writes “Watch (though he can’t read it)”. It’s in these small side-notes on the character sheets that the author gets to know his character and fleshes out his personality before creating the plot of the story. It is necessary to note down as many details as possible, even if most won’t be used in the final script. It is these details that make up a human psyche and not the real obvious 2D ones. This will lead to far more realistic results.
2. As with the characters, so with landscape that they shall be placed in, repetitive features are necessary in order to establish the place, country, era etc without having the need to be too wordy about it. It’s in the small details that a place achieves its own character within the book and in those details that the protagonists shall blend.
4. 6. By creating floor plans and detailed interiors of houses (or aerial plans of roads, towns etc) you will again assist the reader in emerging into the illusion of the fictional landscape and most importantly you will avoid bloopers, like changing the side of a door handle or the objects on a table.
LETTERING digitally
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digital
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SETTING UP for print
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The first step in creating and producing a comic book or a graphic novel is establishing the characters and the time and space in which they shall be enacting scenes.
1. The characters’ features must be consistent throughout the books. The ability to drawcharacteristics in a repetitive manner is crucial in allowing the reader to immerse himself into the plot. Facial expressions, specific marks on their faces, wrinkles, moles, moustaches, spectacles, earrings etc help to discern one character from the other.
3. 5. The blurb writes “Watch (though he can’t read it)”. It’s in these small side-notes on the character sheets that the author gets to know his character and fleshes out his personality before creating the plot of the story. It is necessary to note down as many details as possible, even if most won’t be used in the final script. It is these details that make up a human psyche and not the real obvious 2D ones. This will lead to far more realistic results.
2. As with the characters, so with landscape that they shall be placed in, repetitive features are necessary in order to establish the place, country, era etc without having the need to be too wordy about it. It’s in the small details that a place achieves its own character within the book and in those details that the protagonists shall blend.
4. 6. By creating floor plans and detailed interiors of houses (or aerial plans of roads, towns etc) you will again assist the reader in emerging into the illusion of the fictional landscape and most importantly you will avoid bloopers, like changing the side of a door handle or the objects on a table.
13traditional and digital
The first step in creating and producing a comic book or a graphic novel is establishing the characters and the time and space in which they shall be enacting scenes.
1. The characters’ features must be consistent throughout the books. The ability to drawcharacteristics in a repetitive manner is crucial in allowing the reader to immerse himself into the plot. Facial expressions, specific marks on their faces, wrinkles, moles, mustaches, spectacles, earrings etc help to discern one character from the other.
3. 5. The blurb writes “Watch (though he can’t read it)”. It’s in these small side-notes on the character sheets that the author gets to know his character and fleshes out his personality before creating the plot of the story. It is necessary to note down as many details as possible, even if most won’t be used in the final script. It is these details that make up a human psyche and not the real obvious 2D ones. This will lead to far more realistic results.
2. As with the characters, so with landscape that they shall be placed in, repetitive features are necessary in order to establish the place, country, era etc without having the need to be too wordy about it. It’s in the small details that a place achieves its own character within the book and in those details that the protagonists shall blend.
4. 6. By creating floor plans and detailed interiors of houses (or aerial plans of roads, towns etc) you will again assist the reader in emerging into the illusion of the fictional landscape and most importantly you will avoid bloopers, like changing the side of a door handle or the objects on a table.
PRINTING and uploading
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traditional and digital
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PUBLISHING and publicising
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The first step in creating and producing a comic book or a graphic novel is establishing the characters and the time and space in which they shall be enacting scenes.
1. The characters’ features must be consistent throughout the books. The ability to drawcharacteristics in a repetitive manner is crucial in allowing the reader to immerse himself into the plot. Facial expressions, specific marks on their faces, wrinkles, moles, mustaches, spectacles, earrings etc help to discern one character from the other.
3. 5. The blurb writes “Watch (though he can’t read it)”. It’s in these small side-notes on the character sheets that the author gets to know his character and fleshes out his personality before creating the plot of the story. It is necessary to note down as many details as possible, even if most won’t be used in the final script. It is these details that make up a human psyche and not the real obvious 2D ones. This will lead to far more realistic results.
2. As with the characters, so with landscape that they shall be placed in, repetitive features are necessary in order to establish the place, country, era etc without having the need to be too wordy about it. It’s in the small details that a place achieves its own character within the book and in those details that the protagonists shall blend.
4. 6. By creating floor plans and detailed interiors of houses (or aerial plans of roads, towns etc) you will again assist the reader in emerging into the illusion of the fictional landscape and most importantly you will avoid bloopers, like changing the side of a door handle or the objects on a table.
15traditional and digital
The first step in creating and producing a comic book or a graphic novel is establishing the characters and the time and space in which they shall be enacting scenes.
1. The characters’ features must be consistent throughout the books. The ability to drawcharacteristics in a repetitive manner is crucial in allowing the reader to immerse himself into the plot. Facial expressions, specific marks on their faces, wrinkles, moles, mustaches, spectacles, earrings etc help to discern one character from the other.
3. 5. The blurb writes “Watch (though he can’t read it)”. It’s in these small side-notes on the character sheets that the author gets to know his character and fleshes out his personality before creating the plot of the story. It is necessary to note down as many details as possible, even if most won’t be used in the final script. It is these details that make up a human psyche and not the real obvious 2D ones. This will lead to far more realistic results.
2. As with the characters, so with landscape that they shall be placed in, repetitive features are necessary in order to establish the place, country, era etc without having the need to be too wordy about it. It’s in the small details that a place achieves its own character within the book and in those details that the protagonists shall blend.
CONVENTIONS and book fairs
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traditional
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Influences / Bibliography
1. Overall view of desk space incl. recreational instruments2. I, drawing3. My traditional tools (incl. Pentel Brush, crow quill dip pens, mechanical pencil and a range of felt tip markers)4. Some hard copy inspiration5. Reference material for my non-fiction biographical graphic novel, Tales of The Smiths6. My digital setup (including a basic scanner/printer device and the essential Wacom drawing tablet and pen)
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4
5 6
1
2
3
4
5
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traditional and digital tips
The first step in creating and producing a comic book or a graphic novel is establishing the characters and the time and space in which they shall be enacting scenes.
The characters’ features must be consistent throughout the books. The ability to drawcharacteristics in a repetitive manner is crucial in allowing the reader to immerse himself into the plot. Facial expressions, specific marks on their faces, wrinkles, moles, mustaches, spectacles, earrings etc help to discern one character from the other.
The blurb writes “Watch (though he can’t read it)”. It’s in these small side-notes on the character sheets that the author gets to know his character and fleshes out his personality before creating the plot of the story. It is necessary to note down as many details as possible, even if most won’t be used in the final script. It is these details that make up a human psyche and not the real obvious 2D ones. This will lead to far more realistic results.