Thread by @Schnumn

Hey! This is a really good question so I'm gonna answer in a thread, hope that's OK!

THREAD: How to start making comics 🧵

(disclaimer: this advice is not one-size-fits all and I can only speak from my own comic-making experience. pls do not cyberbully me lol)

https://twitter.com/Clawswipe/status/1354104898569252865

Firstly, start following a TON of comic artists who are making the kind of comics u want to make. One of the main reasons I started finally making comics was bc of @LucieEbrey 's strips. These days I'm inspired by @rdkieran @charlubby @Wrenternet @ADHD_Alien @pseudonymjones

When I read these people's work (and others), I always feel hyped to make comics. I want to be a part of this awesome community and that's super motivating to me. It's inspiring to see how artists approach comic making in different ways and it makes me feel like I can do it too!

Despite knowing for like, 10 years that I wanted to make comics, I really struggled to actually get started until 2019. My main barrier was myself. I couldn't stop obsessing over whether or not my comics would be good and I would just paralyse myself.

I eventually snapped out of it by realising that making bad comics was better than making 0 comics. It doesn't matter if ur idea is bad or ur art isn't as good as u want it to be. The more u hold yourself back, the more you'll poison yourself. Make bad comics! Make lots of them!

(Also as an aside, maybe distance yourself from or mute any people in your social circle who have shitty elitist art/comic opinions. I used to hang out with people who were Super Elitist about comics and that kind of messed me up for a long time and made me scared to start.)

Honestly I think that's the hardest part, just kind of getting over that part of yourself that hates everything you do, or everything you might do to the point where you won't do it at all. But there's a saying in comics, 'If you want to get good at making comics, make comics!'

Moving on, If you already have ideas for comics, GREAT! Start trying to put those ideas into a script. Everyone's different but all of my autobio comics start off with very rough scripts like this but you'll probably want to break it down more clearly.

A good rule of thumb when writing for comics is 1 panel = 1 action.

e.g. Panel 1: close-up of 2 hands playing a nintendo switch.

Panel 2: more pulled back shot of a girl lay upside-down on the sofa, playing the switch.

panel 3: she reaches for a glass of water

It'll take some time for u to get used to scripting for comics and getting used to panel composition and layouts. Look at how other artists do their layouts and learn from them. Also, generally speaking a comic page should be 5-7 panels (depending on format: not tru for a square)

If you're struggling with ideas, start writing down every idea u have, good or bad. I use Google Keep to write down literally everything. If it's bad, fine, but I'll decide that later. What matters is that the more ideas u allow yourself to have, the more u will continue to have

Maybe you'll re-read that idea you hated in a few months and maybe it'll inspire a better idea. Please just write down your bad ideas lol. No-one else has to see them!

A fun thing I like to do if I don't have an idea is to just think up a really dramatic, easy-to-draw scenario and just go for it because I'm all about being a dramatic bitch. It doesn't have to tell a story or go anywhere. Condense what u love into something basic and GO FOR IT!

btw I wasn't sure where in the thread to put this but I also SUPER recommend this book: Making Comics by @scottmccloud . This book is an absolute TROVE of information and the whole thing is a comic!!! This book helped me a LOT and I flip through it often
amazon.co.uk/Making-Comics-…

WRT sticking to making comics, you're going to want to make a habit out of it where possible. I do this by setting myself a goal: make 3 comics every week. Obviously your goal will be easier!! Making comics/art is my full-time job so your goal could be 1 a week or every 2 weeks

Maybe every other Saturday afternoon could be your comic day. Whatever it is, set a goal and stick to it. Hold yourself accountable! Or find some friends to show your comics to and make that a regular thing

It's easier to stick to it if you're already a part of a comics community. Seek out comic artists who are around your skill/experience level and befriend them! Or if you have a pal who also wants to start making comics, do it together! The social aspect helps a lot.

There are comic making discord servers and facebook pages that you could join also. If you just do a little searching, you'll find a community that's right for you, or make your own!!

I also like to listen to comics podcasts, buy indie comics and zines, watch comics youtube and generally immerse myself in the world of comic making. It motivates me to want to be an active part of that world.

I would advise against participating in comics making challenges like '100 days of making comics' until you have more experience. It sounds like a good idea, something to motivate you, but it's more likely that it'll become something you fall behind on and feel guilty about

It's Imperative to maintain a healthy relationship with making comics. It shouldn't become an obligation or something that you feel bad about. It's difficult but rewarding and fun! Don't lose sight of that. Mental health is important! If your goals are too tough, adjust them.

I'll be upfront about the fact that making comics (at least, for me) is time consuming and Difficult. There is no instant gratification here but it IS extremely rewarding in the long-term. Making comics is an amazing thing and it's great that you're on this journey. You can do it

When I've felt like I don't want to stick with it anymore, I try to talk myself through it:
-Why don't you want to make comics rn?
-What would make you want to make a comic rn?
-Why did you want to make comics in the 1st place?
-How can you make this easier for yourself?

When it comes to actually making a comic, don't be afraid to get rough! It's Always a good idea to thumbnail (do really small rough drawings) a comic page a couple of different ways before you commit to drawing it. Don't be afraid to literally just draw stick people!

Another thing I would suggest is doing the lettering first. A common problem for beginner comic artists is not leaving enough space for the text, but if you do it first, you won't have that problem!

Some General Tips:

- Make lots of short, 1-2 page comics rather than diving into a complicated story as your first project. Focus on improving your craft.

- Do Not spend hours making your panels into illustrations. People will spend One Second looking at it.

- If you need to take a break from making comics, set a date for when you're going to return to it. This means that you can enjoy your break bc it feels more 'official' and it'll be easier to start again because you're more mentally prepared if you have a date in mind.

- Read lots and lots of comics by different people!! Read manga, read webcomics, read indie comics andzines! As I said earlier it's a good idea to research the kind of comics u want to make but it's also good and important to see how many different ways there are to make a comic!

OK oof I think that's all the juice I have in the tank for tonight. I might add more to this later! Sorry if this thread jumps from point to point haha, being cohesive is not my strength;;

I hope I answered your question and I hope this is useful! If anyone else is reading this and has any tips for making comics, drop them below!

This is also a really informative thread on making zines:

https://twitter.com/celineorelse/status/1159416053895761920

And this one

https://twitter.com/thorazos/status/1158556879485906944