Take a look at the theme for my comic and imagine what it would be like with different types of characters: Rethinking your characters and setting is a great way to make your theme stronger! The theme of this project should be inspired by a single word: relationship.īy thinking about the point of view of your characters, their needs, and their wants, you will be able to uncover a theme for your comic.ĭon’t be afraid to go back and revise your ideas. Because theme is an unseen element, it is also the part of the comic that sparks the imagination of the reader. Like 90% of an iceberg, you can’t always see it, but you know it is there. The theme of a comic is the main idea happening below the surface of the story. Take a look at my sketch for the setting of my comic: I use the parts of the setting to create a composition that surrounds my characters without getting in the way of the main action of the story. It helps me to think of a setting as the backdrop and set pieces on a stage. With a few simple lines, I’m able to create a simple swamp setting. When I think about a swamp I picture still water, patches of vegetation, and small crooked trees. My comic is set in a swamp a location inspired by the natural habitat of my alligator character. Take a look at the two main animal characters in my comic and note their contrast:ĭrawing the setting of a comic can be simple… as long you pick the right lines! It can be done by creating differences in the animals’ sizes, shapes, moods, and other aspects of a character.

And when it comes to characters in a comic, the more differences they have, the more clearly you can show their roles in the story! Awesome! I like to keep a notebook with me at all times to keep track of all my good (and sometimes not-so-good) ideas.Īs I share the different parts of this project, be sure to jot down your own notes or sketch ideas that might inspire your comic!įrom hero to villain and everything in between, all characters are visual representations of an idea.įor this project, you will be telling the story of the relationship between two animal characters.Ī great way to learn about two characters is to watch them interact with each other. When you’re following along you may have some ideas for your own comic. Next, I will show you how I used each of the three elements to create my comic. The second description evokes the three main elements of storytelling we’ll be dealing with in this project: CHARACTER, SETTING, and THEME. “A crying alligator sits alone in a desolate swamp.” I see “An alligator is crying.” Not bad, but let’s try to extract more description from my drawing. Let’s start with panel one (the top left most frame). By doing this project, you’ll get an understanding of the decisions a graphic novelist makes to create a comic.Ī great way to learn to analyze a comic is by describing the story you see on the page out loud. Well, the goal of this project is to learn to look closer. With a quick glance you can understand the story of this four-panel comic strip, right? We’ll start by taking a look at my own finished class project: Wanna try it for yourself? Let’s go! Learn to Make a 4-Panel Comicįor today’s project, I’ll be guiding you through the process of creating a simple four-panel comic about animals and relationships. What makes comics a great fit for a young, aspiring storyteller is that comics require only a few simple things to get started: a pencil, paper, and a basic understanding of the elements of comic art. I’ve been drawing comics since I was a kid and a big reason for that is that it’s really easy to get started! Hi there! My name is Ira Marcks, I’m a graphic novelist, a teacher, and the author/illustrator of Shark Summer. Written by Ira Marcks, author and illustrator

Drawing simple comic characters