by Matthew Russell - Posted 4 months ago
Welcome, my CryptoComics Compatriots. Today we are starting on a new series that should hopefully never stop. I am calling this the “Sequential Artist Workshop.” I hope you dig the name.
Before we really begin on the fun stuff (creating a comic page with ProCreate/Adobe Photoshop/Clip Studio/Affinity, it doesn’t matter to me.) we need to set up a blank canvas. I will be using a combination of ProCreate and Adobe throughout the series.
I created the initial template in Photoshop. I typically do my panel layouts and lettering in Illustrator. I will do most of my drawing in ProCreate. I will put everything together in InDesign. Just because this is my typical workflow, doesn’t mean that it has to be yours.
I only use Adobe because I have another job that pays for it. I have talked in the past about the pay structure of Adobe and some less expensive alternatives. You can read it here. Personal Favorite Photoshop Alternatives. This was written several years ago, so I will have to create an updated version soon.
This series will be written for those that are working in a digital workspace to create the comics for both print and digital. There are far less restrictions on the digital due to the simple nature of paper and inks. This comes from both CMYK VS. RGB or the dimensions of the paper itself.
This is also a subject that I have covered before. Size, dimensions, colors, and styles. What does it all mean? Part 1 was written over 5 years ago, but the information does not change. If you want to create a comic for both print and digital, I would personally recommend creating in CMYK. If it is digital only, feel free to create in RGB. You will get a lot more color options when it comes to effects.
Typically with printed comics you have several options. This is not restricted with digital comics. I talked a little bit about this a few weeks ago and I have been getting some questions about this. You can check out the post here. What Paper Should I Use to Make Comics.
Typical Finished Printing Sizes
Manga (5” x 7 ½”)
Current Comics (6 7/8" x 10 1/2")
Silver Age (7 1/4" x 10 1/2")
Golden Age Size (7.75″ x 10.5″)
Digest Size (5.5″ x 8.5″)
Magazine Size (8.5″ x 11″)
With digital, it does not matter what size that you go with. Keep in mind that screens are typically 16:9 for desktop and mobile devices on portrait mode are 9:16 ratio. This is a generalized average. Every phone is different and there are extreme differences in monitor sizes. This is just a great starting point that will be safe.
The main reason that I am writing this article is to give you several options. I have made a template that I will freely give to you for the “current” comic size. You will have several options for downloading.
Here is the PSD Version so that you can use PhotoShop and any other program that will allow you to open a psd. I had to do a quick google search to find out exactly what programs can open them. Here is a quick list.
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Affinity Photo
Artweaver
PaintShop Pro
ProCreate
Click the image below to download the psd version.
This template is used if you are sticking with the digital versions only. I have actually saved this to my Photos on my iPad and then I just open this up in ProCreate by clicking the “Photo” button on the top right of the home screen and then I will scroll to find this image.
Click the image below to download the png version in CMYK format.
This template is used if you wish to go with both print and digital. It is again, made for the modern comic size of print. You can adjust the sizes if you wish to create a different size for digital. If you do change the size and still wish to print it, I would recommend talking to your print company first as they might not allow the changes, especially if they have a typical “Print On Demand” system already set up. They might want the typical Cookie Cutter page template.
Click the image below to download the png version in RGB format.
In my next post, I will be breaking down how to use this template. Stay tuned and next week I will also give you some great pens and pencils to use on this template and how to hide and show the basic layers.
Until then, you can check out the marketplace for some great examples of storytelling in sequential art. My weekly personal pick has got to be OZ: THE MANGA. Personally, I have always loved L. Frank Baum’s original series and his concepts. I was so excited when I first realized that the manga was now on the system from AntarcticPress.
From the mind of Dragon Arms and Junction 17 creator David Hutchison comes this remarkable re-imagining of L. Frank Baum's timeless classic. Dorothy longs for something more than the gray plains of Kansas, but when her wish is granted, she gets both her fondest dreams and her worst nightmares!
