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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationDataPotts,Carl.The DC Comics guide to creating comics : inside the art of visual storytelling / Carl Potts ; foreword by Jim Lee.— First[edition].Includesindex.1.Comicbooks,strips,etc.—Authorship.2.Comicbooks,strips,etc.—Technique.I.Title.PN6710.P682013741.5′1—dc232012050026
ISBN978-0-385-34472-2eISBN:978-0-38534473-9
TextdesignbyKenCrosslandCoverdesignbyKenCrosslandCoverartbyJimLee(topimages,frontandback)andBillReinhold(bottom)Half-titlepage:ArtbyAdamHughesTitlepage:ArtbyIvanReisThispageandthispage:ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides
v3.1
Tothosewholovecomicbooks/graphicnovelsandwishtocreate
themortobetterappreciatewhycomicsaresuchapowerful
storytellingmedium.
Thanks
Anumberofpeopleextendedthemselvestohelpmakethisbookareality.Iwould like to thank JimLee, PatrickBarb, CandaceRaney, JoshAnderson,WhilcePortacio,BillReinhold,WillRosado,PhilJimenez,DennyO’Neil,andMarieJavins!ThanksalsotoMarcoDiLeonardo,MichaelWooten,FredRuiz,Shelley Eiber, Jeanette Winley, Wanda Phillips, and Steve Korte for theirefforts.
CONTENTSCover
TitlePage
Copyright
Dedication
Thanks
ForewordbyJimLee
Introduction
PartOne:TheArtattheHeartofComics
ChapterOne:ComicsandSequentialVisualStorytelling
ChapterTwo:YourBrainonComics!
ChapterThree:GoalsandPrinciplesofSequentialVisualStorytelling
PartTwo:AffectingtheReader’sExperience
ChapterFour:Reduction,Encapsulation,andJuxtaposition
ChapterFive:AllAboutPanels
ChapterSix:Pages:TheBigPicture
ChapterSeven:WhereAreWe?
ChapterEight:MoreWaystoEnthrallReaders
PartThree:Narrative+Art
ChapterNine:Narrative:WritingforVisualStorytelling
ChapterTen:Art:DrawingforVisualStorytelling
PartFour:PuttingItAllintoPractice
ChapterEleven:AStep-by-StepProcessforArtists
ChapterTwelve:WatchingtheProsWork
Afterword
GlossaryofComicsTerminology
Contributors
AlsoAvailablefromtheDCComicsGuideSeries
Index
FOREWORDNothinggivesmegreaterpleasurethanintroducingtheartofvisualstorytellingaspresentedbymymentorandartguru,CarlPotts.Forthemostpart,everythingIlearnedaboutcreatingcomicscanbedividedintotwoperiods:thetimeBC—alsoknownas“BeforeCarl”—andthetimeafter,whichIcall“conqueringthedeep,darkvoid.”Inyears1to22BC,Istruggledtolearntheartofvisualstorytelling.Justbecauseyouhavealoveforreadingcomicsandsomeinnatedrawingtalent,thatdoesnotmeanyouautomaticallyqualifyasacomicbookartist.Infact,Ithinkitworksagainstyou,becauseyouthinkyouknowmorethanyouactuallydo.Youthinkthatyoudrawbetterthanyourleastfavoriteprofessionalartistevenifyoucan’tcompleteanentirepageofpanel-to-panelcontinuitybyyourself.Ever.Thatwasme.Butsomewheredeepinside,IrealizedIneededtoimprove.(Because
noonewasgivingmeanywork,right?)SoIlearnedallIcouldaboutcomicsandvisualstorytellingthroughthefewbooksthatwereavailableatthelocallibrary.However,itwasn’tuntilImetCarlthroughanotherMarvelComicseditor—thelate,greatArchieGoodwin—thatIstartedonmytruepathtowardenlightenmentinthedeep,darkvoid.Becausethat’swhatartcanbewhenyourealizeyouneedtostartalloveragain.Youhavetodropanyartificeordefensiveshields(theonesyoucreatetopreemptivelyprotectyourselffromcruelcriticism)andacceptthefactthatthere’salotmoretothisartformthanmeetstheeye.Youhavetolearnthebasicsalloveragain.Forrealthistime.Withfeeling.Waxon,waxoff.Andthat’swhereCarlservedasmyguide.Mysensei.MyJedimaster.
Andteachmehedid:everythingfrom“the22panelsthatalwayswork”byWallyWoodto“hownottocrosstheline.”Hegavemetelephonebook–thicktomesofphotocopiesfrombooksexplainingalltheinsandoutsofcinematicterminologyandvisualstorytelling.CarlpassedalonghandwrittenmemosexplainingwhatIdidwell(notmuch)andwhatIdidwrong(thoughconstructivelypolite)asIturnedintryoutpageaftertryoutpage.CarllaidoutseveralofmybiggestprojectssothatIcould
tryoutpage.CarllaidoutseveralofmybiggestprojectssothatIcouldworkoverhisthumbnails.IabsorbedallthoselessonsuntilIthoughtIwasreadytosnatchthestonefromhishand—theinitiationallnewartistshadtoendureandcompletetotakeaplaceatthevauntedtableofprofessionals.Ormaybeitwaspickinguptheburningwhite-hoturnwithyourforearmsandcarryingittothegatesofthedojo.Ormaybeheofferedmeoneoftwopillsinhishands—oneblue,onered.Idon’trecallthatwithgreataccuracy;theendlesstraininghasthateffectonyourmind.Butwhatevertheprocess,itworked.Iemergedacomicsprofessional,trainedfortheveryfirsttime—onceagain.IjokeabouttheZenmysticismofthewholeprocess,butintruth,thereismuchseriousnesstoitall.Ilearnedagreatdealatthehandsofmymentor,Carl.TheyearsworkingwithhimsetthebaselineandfoundationformuchofmyworkevenasIexperimented,grew,andbroketheveryrulesIwasinitiallytaught.Becausethefinallessonforallthingscreativeiswrittenthusly:Justbecauseitworksforyou,thatdoesn’tmeanit’stheonlywayofdoingsomething.AndIthinkthatwasCarl’sultimatelessonimpartedtomeandonethatistriplyclearinthisfantasticbookyouholdinyourhands.Therearerulesandlessonstobelearned,butcomicsarecalledartforareason.Thesubjectivityofitisasclearandtrueasitsobjectivity,andthatrelationshipisexploredanddemonstratedclearlyinthechaptersahead.Whattookmeyearstolearncannowbeyourstoenjoyinmeredays.Mayyourownjourneyinthedeep,darkvoidbeshortandsweet.
JimLeeBurbank,California
ArtbyJimLeeandScottWilliams.
INTRODUCTIONFromaveryyoungage,Idevouredallformsofstorytelling,especiallyvisualstorytelling.Icouldn’tgetenoughoffilms,TV,andcomicbooks.Asanadolescent,I’dwatchSaturdaymorningcartoonsonTVbefore
headingoutsidetomowlawns.MostofthemoneyIearnedbycutting,raking,andbagginggrassclippingsquicklyfounditswayintothecashregistersofthelocalstoresthatcarriedcomics.TheworksofcomicsmastersJackKirby,SteveDitko,andJoeKubert,
alongwithmanyothers,entertainedandfascinatedme.Ireadandrereadmycomicsuntiltheybegantofray.MyearlydrawingswereofteninspiredbythecomicsIconsumed,but
thosesketchesconsistedmostlyofsingleimages.Myinitialattemptstostringtogethersequencesofpanelsoften
resultedinfrustration.Connectingpanelstotellastoryprovedmuchmoredifficultthangeneratingindividualandunconnecteddrawings.TherewassomethingIhadn’tyetgraspedaboutcreatingcomics,
somethingvitalthatwasrelatedtobutdistinctfromtheindividualpaneldrawingsandthewriters’words.Althoughitwasinplainsight,thiselusivevitalelementofcomicbookcreationwasdifficulttopindown.ThoughmygenreandsubjecttastesexpandedasIgotolder,my
passionforallformsofstorytelling,especiallycomics,remainedstrong.Thethoughtofbecomingacomicscreatorevolvedfromafunfantasytoacareergoal.Insteadofproducingonlyindividualdrawings,Iagainbegantotrytotellstoriesinsequentialpanels.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Iencounteredthetermvisualstorytellingincomicbookfanzines.Itreferredtosomethingcomicbookartistsdidtopresentastoryinsequentialpictures.I’ddiscoveredatermfortheelusiveelementthathelpedmakecomicssuchanexcitingmedium.Therewas,however,nocleardefinitionofthetermandlittleinformationontheprocesscomicscreatorsusedtotellclear,dynamic,andcompellingtales.Thiselusivenessresultedbecausemanycomicscreatorsuseinstinctor
theirgutfeelingswhenpickingwhichscenestoshowand,justasimportant,whichvisualsnottoshow.Theyalsousetheircreativeinstinctswhenframing,cropping,andsizingtheselectedvisuals.Instinctagainplaysaheavyrolewhencreatorspickwhichanglestouse,arrangethesequencingofpanels,anddecideontherelativeemphasistogiveeachofthevisualelementsonacomicspage.BythetimeIbeganmyprofessionalcareerasacomicsartist,Iwas
occasionallyabletousesomeofthosesequentialvisualstorytellinginstincts.Moreoftenthannot,IwastappingintothesubconsciouslessonsI’dpickedupwhileconsumingtheworksofcomicsmastersandgreatfilmmakers.Earlyinmycareer,whiledrawingcomicsforNealAdamsandDick
Giordano’sContinuityStudios,IalsobegandrawingtelevisioncommercialstoryboardsforNewYorkadagencies.Thisworkforcedmetolearntouseveryclearandstraightforwardvisualstorytelling.IstartedutilizingthetechniquesIpickedupfrommystoryboardwork
whenIdrewmycomicsassignments.Icould“feel”whenthestorytelling
whenIdrewmycomicsassignments.Icould“feel”whenthestorytellingwasorwasn’tright,butIcouldn’talwaystranslatethereasonintowords.WhenIwashiredasacomicbookeditoratMarvelComics,itbecamevitalthatIcommunicateclearlywithmycollaboratorstoarticulateeffectivelywhyavisualstorytellingsequencewasnotworkingandtobeabletosuggestviablewaystoimprovethework.Icloselyexaminedthetechniquesthatcomicsstorytellersutilizedinstinctively.IalsostudiedfilmandTVcinematographytechniquesandspokeatlengthwithothercomicsprofessionals,gainingandsharinginsights.Inparticular,theexchangesIhadwithArchieGoodwin,JimShooter,JimStarlin,WalterSimonson,andAllenMilgromcontributedtomybaseofvisualstorytellingknowledge.Later,severalbooks,includingthosebyJosephV.Mascelli,WillEisner,andScottMcCloud,furtherexpandedmyknowledge.Mythanksandatipofthehattoallthepeoplenamedaboveforhelpingmegraspandarticulatevariousaspectsofsequentialvisualstorytellingmoreclearly.Withthenumerousaspects,pointsofview,andpersonalaestheticsinvolvedinvisualstorytelling,thesubjectcontinuallygeneratesnewconceptstoexploreandopinionstoconsider.Thisistruemorethaneverastoolsevolverapidly,asdoprintanddigitalformatsforcomics.Comicscreatorswhoarewellversedinthesubjectofsequentialvisualstorytellingareableto:
•Tellclear,compelling,andentertainingcomicbookandgraphicnovelstories•Communicateeffectivelywiththeircollaborators•Thinktheirwayoutofcreativeproblemswheninstinctfails•Seenewwaysofapproachingvisualstorytellingscenariosinsteadofrelyingontheapproachtowhichtheynormallydefault
Mostbooksoncreatingcomicsconcentrateondrawingand/orwriting.Withsomenotableexceptions,thesubjectofsequentialvisualstorytellingusuallyistouchedononlybriefly.InTheDCComicsGuidetoCreatingComics:InsidetheArtofVisualStorytelling,Iwillcoverallthemajorcreativeelementsthatmake
comics,withaprimaryfocusonsequentialvisualstorytelling.Thegoalofthisbookistohelpcomicscreators,especiallydevelopingartistsandwriters,quicklygainasolidfoundationinthebasicprinciplesandtechniquesofsequentialvisualstorytelling,theartattheheartofcomics.IfthebookhelpsreadersavoidthefrustrationandlosttimethatIexperiencedasadevelopingcomicscreator,itsmissionwillhavebeenachieved.
YOURCOMICSPRIMERThisselectionofbookswillgiveyouagreatoverviewofmostofthecreative,historical,andculturalaspectsofthecomicsmedium.
The Power of Comics by RandyDuncan andMatthew J. Smith(BloomsburyAcademic)
The Five C’s of Cinematography: Motion Picture FilmingTechniquesbyJosephV.Mascelli(Silman-JamesPress)
UnderstandingComicsbyScottMcCloud(WilliamMorrow)
Framed Ink—Drawing and Composition for Visual StorytellersbyMarcosMateu-Mestre(DesignStudioPress)
ArtbyJoséLuisGarcia-LópezandKevinNowlan.
PARTONE
THEARTattheHEARTofCOMICS
Sequentialvisualstorytelling(SVS)istheartattheheartofcomics.WithoutSVS,prosecombinedwithpicturesisjustanillustratedstory.Illustratedstoriesaregreat,butifcreatorswanttomakecomics,theyneedtolearntoincorporatetheprinciplesandtechniquesofSVSintotheirwork.
CHAPTERONECOMICSandSEQUENTIALVISUALSTORYTELLING
Manyattemptshavebeenmadetodefinewhatthecomicbookformisandisnot.Allsequentialvisualmedia,includingfilm,TV,storyboards,andelectronicgames,havemanyelementsincommon.Eachmedium,however,hasitsownuniquecharacteristics.
Fornow,let’sconcentrateonthecreativeelementsthathavetobepresentforaworktobeconsideredacomic,whetherornotthoseelementsareuniquetothecomicsform.Threekeyelementscombinetomakecomics:
Narrative+Art+SequentialVisualStorytelling=Comics
Narrativeisusuallyastory,butcomicsalsoincludemoodpieces,charactersketches,abstractworks,andinstructionalcontent.Artinacomicgenerallyconsistsofdrawings,paintings,orphotos.Narrativeandartwithoutsequentialvisualstorytelling(SVS)isnot
comics.SVSistheartattheheartofcomicsandothersequentialvisualmedia.SowhatisSVS?Basically,itconsistsof:
•Thevisualsacomicscreatorchoosestoshow(andnotshow)•Theframing,angle,layout,andrenderingofthevisualelements•Thejuxtaposition,order,andsequenceofthevisualelements•Theemphasisthatthevisualelementsaregivenrelativetooneanother
Nomatterhowwelltheydraw,artistswhowanttocreatecomicsneedtoemploytheprinciplesandtechniquesofSVSinordertotellclearandcompellingstories.Pictures,evenbeautifullydrawnpictures,thatdonot
compellingstories.Pictures,evenbeautifullydrawnpictures,thatdonotproperlyrelatetooneanotherinanarrativesequencedonotmakegoodcomics.ComicswritersalsoneedtounderstandSVSinordertogeneratescriptsfromwhichtheirartistcollaboratorscaneasilywork.Newwriterssometimesdonotthinkvisuallyandincludeinappropriateinstructionsintheirscripts.Forexample,anaivewritermayinstructtheartisttoshowacharacterrisingfromachair,runningacrossaroom,openingadoor,andthenexitingtheroom—allinonesmallpanel.UnlessthisisastorythatfeaturestheFlashandistoldwithmultipleimagesofthecharactermovingthroughoutthepanel,itwillbeimpracticalfortheartisttoshowthissetofactionseffectivelyinonepanel.WriterssteepedinSVSareabletocommunicateeffectivelywiththeircollaboratorsandcantailortheirtalestotakefulladvantageofthecomicsmedium.Comics*areanextremelyversatilemedium.Theycantargetandappealtoanyaudiencedemographic.
*Inthisbook,thetermscomicsandcomicbookswillcovergraphicnovelsandmangaaswell.
Allcomicscreatorsneedtounderstandhowtovisuallytellclearandcompellingstories.
PhotobyE.Potts.
WhatAreComics?InhisgroundbreakingworkUnderstandingComics:TheInvisibleArt,ScottMcClouddefinescomicsas“juxtaposedpictorialandotherimagesindeliberatesequence,intendedtoconveyinformationand/ortoproduceanaestheticresponseintheviewer.”Notethateventhoughwenormallyassumethatcomicsarea
combinationofwordsandpictures,McCloud’sdefinitiondoesnotmentionwords.Invisualstorytellingmediait’simportantnottoconfusewritingwithwords.Awritercanproduceastorythatistotally“silent,”withnowordsonthepage.Wordlesscomicsarestillcomics,iftheycontainanarrativesequence.Thatsaid,thecomicsformgenerallyinvolvesthemarriageofwordsandpictures.Thetermscomicbooksandcomicsareholdoversfromthe1930s,
whencomicsfirstappeared.Earlycomicswerecollectionsofhumor-basednewspaperstrips.Thesetwotermsstuckevenwhennewmaterialthatencompassedawiderrangeofgenresandsubjectstookoverthecomicbookformat.
Likeothervisualstorytellingmedia(film,TV,videogames,theWeb),comicscantellstoriesinany
genreandeffectivelyportrayalmostanysubject.
Thereare,however,somesubjectsforwhichthecomicsformatisnotparticularlywellsuited.Sometimesthesuspenseandwonderofseeinganeventhappenliveinfrontofyouisessentialtotheenjoymentoftheperformance.Insuchcases,thecomicsformmayhavedifficultycapturingandconveyingthatessentialsuspensefulliveelement.Whenyouwatchastagemagicianlive,amajorpartofthethrillisbeingfooledandsurprisedinrealtime,withnomediabarriersbetweenyoureyesandthemagician.Magicshowsthereforelosesomeoftheirappealonmovie,TV,orcomputerscreens,sincethereisalwaysthepossibilityofafter-the-factspecialeffectsandeditingbeingused.Therefore,theoddsarethatyouwillnotseeacomicbookversionofalivestagemagicshow
orajugglingactorsimilarperformancesthatrelyheavilyontheliveelement.
ComicsversusMovingMediaSomeofthedifferencesbetweencomicsandmovingmediasuchasfilmandTVinclude:
•Stillmediacanonlysuggestmotion.•Movingpicturescanshowbothtimeandspace.•Movingmediaformatsusuallyhaveaconsistentlysizedandproportionedframe/screen,whereascomicspanelsoftenvaryinsizeandshape.
Thatlastpoint—theabilitytochangepanelsizesandshapes—givescomicsamajorstorytellingadvantagewhenitcomestovisualdesign,storypacing,andtheabilitytoemphasizeordeemphasizeapanel’scontent.
CHAPTERTWOYOURBRAINonCOMICS!
Whenwereadcomics,thebrainprocessesthepictorialandtextualinformation,withbothsidesofthebrainoperatingsimultaneously.Weinternallyverbalizethewordswhilepickingupmuchofthevisualcontentsubconsciously,essentiallycreatingamovieinourbrains.
VisualLiteracyContemporarysocietyisextremelyvisuallyoriented.Soonaftercomingintothemodernworld,childrenareexposedtoawidevarietyofvisualmedia,includingTV,movies,videogames,computers,tablets,printandelectronicstorybooks,magazines,andbillboards.Visualliteracy—thedeciphering,utilizing,andcraftingofvisualcommunications—isoftenvitaltothesuccessofpersonalorprofessionalendeavorsintoday’sworld.Readingcomicsrequiresandhelpsdevelopvisualliteracy.Readersofcomicbooksexpecttoexperienceanentertainingstorytold
inaclearandengagingway.Thatmeanscomicbookcreatorshavetoknowhowtostructureacompellingstoryandcreateinterestingcharactersandplots.Mostimportant,theyhavetotellthetaleinsequentialpanels,usingvisualliteracyskillstocombinegraphicswithwords.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
TheReader’sExperienceConsumersenjoythereadingexperienceonagutlevel,usuallywithoutconsciouslyregistering:
•Whethertheyfirstreadthecaptions/balloonsorlookatthevisualsinapanel•Whatinformationtheypickupfromsurroundingpanelsoradjoiningpageswithintheirperipheralvision•Whatassumptionstheymakeaboutthestoryfromthelimitedvisualsandwordsthecomicscreatorhaschosentopresent
Thisishowitshouldbe,atleastupontheinitialreading.Ifthereadershavetostoptosortoutsomeconfusingaspectofthevisualstorytelling,theyaretakenoutoftheflowofthestory—somethingcomicscreatorsstrivetoavoid.Itisusuallyduringsubsequentreadingsofacomicthattheaudiencebeginstolookbehindthecurtainabit,takingmorenoticeofcomicscreators’techniques.Generally,comicbookconsumersabsorbvastamountsofvisual
informationwithoutbeingfullyawareofit.
Readerspickupalotofinformationwhilereadingcomics,muchofitonasubconsciouslevel.Using
onlythevisuals,atotalnovicetocomicsandtheDCUniversecanpickupalotofinformation,even
fromthisrelativelyuneventfulsplashpagefromJusticeLeague#3(November2011).
ArtbyJimLeeandScottWilliams.
ReaderControlWhentheywereviewingtheatricalfilmsand,untilrelativelyrecently,televisionshows,consumershadnocontroloverthepaceoftheirviewingexperience.Eachpersonintheaudiencereceivedalinearexperiencedeliveredatthesamepace.Eventhoughcomicsgenerallyareproducedtobeenjoyedasalinear
experience(thispageisread,followedbythispage,andsoon),comicsreadershavetheoptiontostart,stop,pause(“freezeframe”),goback(review),andjumpforward(preview)withease.Evenifallthereadersofaparticularcomicdecidedtoreadthestorylinearly,eachreaderwouldstillcontrolthepaceatwhichheorshedigestedthestory,drankinthedetails,and(thecreatorshope)enjoyedtheexperience.Comicscreatorshavetoolstheycanusetotrytocontrolthereaders’
pacethroughthestory,andI’llsharetheminPartTwo.
TheReductive/AdditiveRelationshipbetweenArtistandAudienceAlargepartoftheworkofcomicbookartistsisreductive.Outofallthepossiblescenes,characters,andactionstoshowtheaudiencetoadvancethenarrative,theartistspickonlythosetheyfeeldothebestjoboftellingthestory.Artistsmustusetheircreativesensibilitieswithinthepracticallimitationsoftheformattoconveythetale.Forexample,ifthescriptcallsfor“WonderWomanleapingovera
car,”theartistcanbreakdowntheactioninseveralways.Insomecases,thesereductionchoicesarepurelycreativedecisionson
theartist’spart.Inothercases,thenumberofpagesthestoryisrestrictedtoplaysaroleinthecreativedecisionmaking.Thoughmostreadersexperiencecomicsonagutlevel,comicscreators
shouldtrytounderstandhowtheaudienceprocessesthereadingexperience.Doingthiswillallowthecreatorstoaffecttheaudiencemoreeffectively.If,afterlearningtheprinciplesandtechniquesofSVS,comicscreators
prefertocontinuetoproducetheirworkusingonlytheirgutinstincts,theycanstilldothat.Then,ifthecreatorsrunintostorytellingproblemsthattheirinstinctscan’tsolve,theywillhavethetoolstoanalyzetheworkintellectually,ideallyleadingtoaviablesolution.TheprinciplesandtechniquesofSVSalsocanhelpcreatorsspotareaswheretheyarenottakingadvantageofthecomicsformandtocommunicatebetterwiththeircollaborators.LearningtheprinciplesofSVSalsowillhelpbeginningcomicscreators
savealotoftrial-and-errortime!
ThecomicsartistcanshownumerousimagesofWonderWomanateverystageofpreparingtojump,
jumping,soaringoverthecar,landing,andcontinuingonherpath,similartothesequentialframes
inafilm.
ArtbyWillRosado.
Alternatively,theartistcanchoosetoshowfarfewerselectedimagesofWonderWomanmakingthe
leap.
ArtbyWillRosado.
Ifdesired,theartistcanshowonlyoneframetovisuallyexpressthejumpoverthecar.Thefewer
figuresthatareshown,themoreimportanteachfigurebecomes.Whenusingasinglefigurefroma
largesequence,itisvitaltoselectthefigurethatbestcapturesthefullaction,thefigurethatallows
thereadertoimagineeasilytheactionstakingplacebeforeandaftertheselectedfigure.
ArtbyWillRosado.
FillingintheGapsAlthoughthecomicartist’sworkisreductive,thecomicsreader’sexperienceisadditive.Relyingonthevisualsinthecomic,thereadershavetofillinthegaps—theyhavetoimaginewhatistakingplaceintheguttersbetweenpanels.Thereaderfillsinwhattakesplaceintheguttersbyusingthe
informationsuppliedinthestoryand,atleastinpart,byreferringtohisorherpersonalexperiences.Forexample,iftheartistcreatesamartialartsfightsequence,areaderwithmartialartstrainingmayfillinthegapswithmentalimagesthataredifferentfromthosesuppliedbysomeonewhohasneversetfootinadojo.Similarly,areadertrainedintraditionalkaratemayfillinthegapswithvisualsdifferentfromthoseofareadertrainedinkungfu.Touseanimperfectparallelfromtraditionalcelanimation,thecomics
creatorisdrawingkeyframesandthereaderisthein-betweener,fillingintheactionbetweenthekeyframestheartistcreated.Thisadditiveactivityoffillinginthegapssometimescreates
memorableimagesinthemindofthereader.Itisfairlycommonforcomicsreaderstoretainclearimagesfromafavoritecomicbookstoryformanyyears.Whenthereadersfinallyreviewtheactualcomic,theyaresurprisedtofindthatnotallofthevisualstheyrememberedactuallyexistedonthepage.Thereadersmentallygeneratedsomeofthememorablevisualswhenfillinginthegapsbetweenpanels.Thisdemonstratesthepowerofthecomicsmediumandthepowerthatcomicscreatorshave.
Iftheyarepresentedwiththerightvisuals,properlyjuxtaposed,readerscanfillinthegapsofwhat
occursbetweenpanelswithnoconsciouseffort.Onthebasisofthetwoimagesinthisexample,
readerscaneasilyimaginethein-betweenactionsasSupermanascendswhilethrowingapunch.In
hisgroundbreakingbookUnderstandingComics,ScottMcCloudreferstothereader’simaginingof
what’soccurringbetweenpanelsas“closure.”
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
CHAPTERTHREEGOALSandPRINCIPLESofSEQUENTIALVISUALSTORYTELLING
Sequentialvisualstorytellingisnotanexactart,butthereareconsistentconcepts,goals,principles,andtechniquesthathaveevolved.
Betrulyobjectiveinjudginganew[visualstorytelling]methodoridea.Tryit.Ifitplays—ifitisacceptable—andtheaudiencecomprehendsandenjoysit—useit.Ifitsimplyconfuses,teasesorevendistractstheaudiencefromthenarrative—discardit!
—JosephV.Mascelli
Theprinciplesofsequentialvisualstorytellingarenothardandfastrules.Sincethereareusuallymultiplewaystomeeteachprinciple’sobjectives,differentartistscandrawthesamestory,eachutilizingtheprinciplesofSVS,butproduceverydifferentinterpretationsofthestory.Theprinciplesliberatecomicscreatorstotelltheirstoriesaseffectivelyaspossiblewhilemaintainingeachcreator’suniqueapproach,voice,andstyle.AsolidfoundationinSVSprinciplesallowscreatorstoexperiment
fromabaseofknowledgeinsteadoffromnaiveté(anicewordforignorance!).Itisfineto“violate”theprinciplesoccasionallyaslongasdoingsoisaconsciousdecisionmadetoimpartaspecificeffectintheserviceofthestorybeingtold.Picasso’sabstractworkprobablywouldnothavebeenaspowerfulor
compellingifhehadnothadsuchasolidgroundinginrepresentationalart.Hisknowledgeofrepresentationaldrawinggavehimafirmbasefromwhichtoabstract—heknewwhathewasabstractingfrom.ThesameconceptappliestoexperimentalSVS.Ifyouknowthebasicprinciples,youcanexperimentinwaysthatstillkeepthereaderimmersedinyournarrative.Forallthreeelementsthatcombinetomakecomics(narrative+art
+SVS)itisbesttokeepabalancebetweentheconventionalandtheinventional.(Aninventionalapproachutilizesunconventionalorunexpectedpaneldesign,layout,drawingtechniques,orothervisualapproaches.)Thatmeanscomicscreatorscanutilizethestandardsandconventionsofthecomicsmediumthatenabletheaudiencetoeasilyfollowandunderstandthestorywhileoccasionallydoingsomethingoutsidethenormaslongasitaddstotheaudience’sexperiencewithoutbeingtoodistracting.I’llexploretheconceptofbalancingtheconventionalwiththeinventionalmoreinPartThree.Theoverallguidinggoalforthesequentialvisualstorytelleris:
Keepthereaderimmersedinthestoryornarrative.
Thegoalisthatsimple.Executingtheworktosupportthatgoalisnotsosimple!Therearesomekeyprinciplesthatcomicscreatorscanobservetohelpthemreachthegoaloftellingclearandcompellingstories.
DCComicstitleslikeLegionofSuper-Heroesstrivetokeepthereaderimmersedinthestory.
PhotobyE.Potts.
ThePrimaryPrinciple
MakeAllCreativeDecisionsintheServiceoftheStory.
Allthedecisionsthatcomicscreatorsmake(whattoencapsulateandjuxtaposefromtherangeofvisualstorytellingpossibilities),alongwiththeexecutionsoftheartwork(drawing,design,script,color,lettering,etc.),shouldsupportthegoalofkeepingthereaderimmersed.Whenreadersentertheworldofthestory,theysuspendtheirdisbelief
andareimmersedinthenarrative.Creativedecisionsandexecutionsthatareattheexpenseofstorytellingrisktakingreadersoutoftheflowofthestoryandbreakingthatsuspensionofdisbelief.AsJosephV.Mascelliindicatesinthequoteatthebeginningofthischapter,thisshouldbeavoided.Theexampleofconfusingpanelandcontentlayoutshownonthis
pageisnotfromaDCcomic,butthepagelayout,paneldesigns,andfigureplacementhavebeenre-createdfaithfullyfromDCComicsStyleGuideart.Onlythetopthirdofthepage’scontentandthemiddletierpaneloutlineshavebeenre-createdtoillustratetheproblems.However,therestofthepagecontinuedwithastringofsimilarissues.Comicsartistsaresometimestemptedtoshowofftheirdrawing
abilitiesattheexpenseofstorytelling.Thecommercialviabilityoforiginalart,unfortunately,sometimesplaysarolewhenartistsdecidewhattoincludeonapage.Originalcomicsartpageswithlargepinupshotsofmajorcharactersaregenerallymoremarketablethan“quieter”pagesoforiginalart.However,buildingapagearoundalarge,beautifullyrenderedpinup
shotofacharacterwhenthestoryneedsanestablishingshotforanewscenedeprivestheviewerofinformationheorshewillneedlatertogetaquickandclearunderstandingofwhat’shappeninginthestory.Anartist’stoppriorityshouldalwaysbetokeepthereaderimmersed
inthestory.Inconsistentdrawinglevelsandstylesalsocaninterruptthereaders’
immersion.DrawingabilityandconsistencywillbecoveredinmoredetailinPartThree.
Thepanelandcontentdesignforthisexamplepresentanumberofconfusingeye-pathissuesforthe
reader.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
SupportingPrincipleOne:BeClearComicscreatorsshouldmakesurethatreaders:
•Arevisuallysuppliedwithalltheinformationnecessarytostayimmersedinthestory•Donothavetobreaktheirsuspensionofdisbelieftotrytofigureoutwheretheireyesaresupposedtogotonextorwhattheartisportraying•Don’tencounterunnecessaryordistractingelements
Onoccasion,thecreatormaywanttobepurposefullyunclearorconfusing.Forexample,ifacharacterisdelusionalordisorientedandthecreatorwantsthereadertoexperiencewhatthecharacterisgoingthrough,thevisualcontentand/orthereader’seyepathcanreflectthecharacter’sconfusion.Artistsshouldstrivetoestablishthecast,environment,andscenario
clearlyandkeeptheestablishedenvironmentsconsistent.Unlessthereisastoryreasonformakinganychangestotheenvironmentasurprisetothereader,alterationstoascenesettingshouldbeclearlyestablishedvisually.
ThisisanestablishingshotofGothamCityatnight.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Inthisreestablishingshot,thesamesectionofGothamthatwasshownearlierinthestoryisnow
ablaze.Showingsuchalargeandpreviouslyestablishedareaofthecityonfiremakesitimmediately
clearthattheinfernoisnotconfinedtooneortwobuildings.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
MAKINGCHARACTERACTIONSCLEARMakingtheactionsofthecharacterscleartothereaderisvital.Whateveraction(orinaction)acharacterisinvolvedinneedstobeshownfromthecorrectanglesothattheactionisimmediatelycleartotheviewer.
shownfromthecorrectanglesothattheactionisimmediatelycleartotheviewer.IfthescriptcallsforashotofBatmanleapingupwhileholdingaBataranginonehandandhistetherlineintheother,anartistneedstofigureoutthebestposeandthebestangleonthatposetoshowtheactionclearly.Intheimagebelow,usingaDCDirectstatueinspiredbyTonyDaniel’sartfromtheBatmanBlackandWhiteseriesandsculptedbyJamesShoop,youcanviewapossibleposefromavarietyofanglestoseewhichonesbestshowtheactionclearly.Manyartistsdothisbyimaginingaposeandmentallycirclingaroundittoseewhichanglebestexpressestheaction.Thefirstandsecondanglesarebothfairlyclear,butthefirstanglelooksmoredynamicandtheshapesofBatman’shead,thearmwiththetether,andmostoftheBatarangareclear.InthethirdangleyouseelittleofBatman’sbodyandthecapecoverstheleapingaction,makingBatman’sactionunclear.Thefourthangleisinteresting,butBatman’sleftarmisalignedwithandcoveringhistorso.Also,asaresultoftheoverallsimilarityinthedarktonesofBatman’scostumeandequipment,theBatarang’sshapeisnotclearinthisanglesincemostoftheBatarangoverlapsBatman’scape.Inthefifthangle,notonlyistheBatarang’sshapelostbuttheshapeofBatman’swholeheadislost.Thefirstanglelookslikethebestchoice.Partofkeepingacharacter’sactionsclearinvolveskeepingthecharacter’sdirectiononthe“stage”consistent.Ifacharacterisestablishedmovingfromrighttoleftwithinapanelframe,ideally,subsequentpanelsshowingthatcharacter’scontinuingactionwillmaintainaright-to-leftaxis.Maintainingthisactionflowcontinuityisanimportantconceptthatdoesnotgetasmuchattentionincomicsasitusedto.Thisisdueinparttotheinfluenceofchaotic,quick-cut,documentary-likemusicvideosand3Dgameenvironmentsthathaveaffectedfilm,TV,andcomics.PartTwowillgointothissubjectinmoredepth.
Youcanshowactionfromavarietyofanglesanddistances.Generally,comicsartistsshouldpickthe
shotthatmostclearlydisplaystheactiontothereader.
PhotobyE.Potts.
Onthispage,Batman’smovementineachpanelconsistentlyhasaleft-to-rightbias,makingitclear
thatheisnotchangingdirectionashetravelsthroughthissequence.
ArtbyJimLeeandScottWilliamsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
SupportingPrincipleTwo:BeInvisibleGoodvisualstorytellingisusuallyinvisibletothereader.Thatis,ifcomicscreatorsaredoingtheirjobswell,thereaderwillbeimmersedinthestoriesandwillnotbeconsciouslyawareofthevisualstorytellingtechniquesthecomicscreatorsuse.Distractingpagedesignorconfusingpanellayoutsthatdrawtoomuch
attentiontothemselvesmaybepleasingforthecreatorandthevieweronsomelevels.However,ifthesetechniquesdrawthereader’sattentionawayfromthestory,theycanbreakthereader’ssuspensionofdisbeliefandnegativelyaffectenjoymentofthetale.Whenitcomestomakingtheireffortsinvisible,comicscreatorscan
looktoballetforaparallel.Accomplishedballetdancersputtremendouseffortintotheirperformances.Manyofthemovestheyexecuteareverystressfulandpainful.However,thebestdancersmaketheirperformanceslookeffortless.Theydonotwanttheaudiencetonoticehowhardtheyareworkingorhowmuchpaintheyfeel.Dancerswhodoshowtheireffortorsufferingduringaperformancemaygetsomesympathyfromtheaudience.However,bydrawingattentiontotheireffort,thesedancerspulltheviewersoutoftheperformance’sbeautyanditsnarrative.Artistssometimesspendalotoftimefiguringoutthebestwayto
presentastoryandmaketheirdrawingsjustright.Theycanhavemanyfrustratingfalsestartsandtrashalotofworkbeforearrivingatstorytellingdecisionsandexecutionswithwhichtheyarehappy.Likegreatballetdancers,comicsartistsshouldstrivetokeeptheaudiencefromseeingtheblood,sweat,tears,strain,andpaintheysometimesundergowhenperformingorcreating.Ifcreatorsdotheirjobswell,thereaderswillhavenoideaofthe
difficultiesthecreatorsenduredwhileproducingthestories.Thecreators’choicesandexecutionwillappearseamless—seeminglyself-evidentasthebestwaytoexecutethestories!That’sthewayitshouldbe.
SupportingPrincipleThree:Show,Don’tTellClearlyshowallthevisualinformationsothatthescriptdoesnothavetoincludedescriptiveinformation.Thatway,thescript,ifanyisneeded,canconcentrateonnonvisualinformation,additionaldetail,andsubtext.Intheexampleonthefollowingpages,thescriptcallsforthe
following:
“BatmanridestheBatcycledownaGothamsidestreet,
straighttowardthereader.Thesunsetskyburnsredasa
Gothampoliceairshiphoversjustabovethebuilding
tops,itssearchlightonBatman.”
Formoststories,thevisualstorytellingchoicesandexecutionshouldenabletheviewertotellwhatishappeningfromthevisualsalone.Formostcomics,thislevelofclearvisualstorytellingishighlydesirable.Partofshowingandnottellingis“settingupandpayingoff”:
establishingvisualelementsinthestoryaheadoftimeiftheywillaffectthenarrativedirectly.Ifacharacterentersaroom,theestablishingshotshouldshowwhereeverythinginthatroomisinrelationtothecharacterandtoalltheotherobjectsintheroom.Includedintheestablishingshotshouldbeanyvisualelementthatwillappearlaterinthesequence.Forexample,iflaterinthestoryacharacterretrievesalaptopcomputerthatwassittingonhiscoffeetable,thelaptoponthetableshouldbeincludedinthescene’soriginalestablishingshot.Themoodofasceneoracharactercanbesetupinadvancesothatitpaysofflaterwhenthatmoodmoredirectlyaffectsthenarrative.
Itisawkwardwhencopyhastocoverforinformationthatshouldhavebeensuppliedvisually.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Whenalltheneededinformationissuppliedvisually,thecopycanconcentrateonsubtextand/or
informationthatvisualscan’teasilyimpart.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
ArtbyBillReinhold.
PARTTWO
AFFECTINGtheREADER’SEXPERIENCE
Formostcomicsprojects,theartisthasmorepowertoaffecttheaudiencethandohisorhercounterpartswhoworkinothercollaborativevisualmedia.Thatisthecasebecausethecomicsartistoftenservesanumberofrolesthatusuallyaresplitupbetweendifferentpeopleinothervisualmedia,includingthe:DirectorCinematographerCastingdirectorLightingdirectorSetdesignerIftheartistisalsothewriterofthecomic,heorsheservesasthe
screenwriteraswell.Whentheartistdesignsthesoundeffects,heorsheservesasaFoley(soundeffects)engineertoo.Thus,comicscreators,whoarenotstrangerstotheconceptofpower
beingcoupledwithresponsibility,havetowieldallthatvisualstorytellingprowessforgood!Let’stakealookatsomeofthewayscomicscreatorscanaffectthewaysreadersexperiencetheirstories.
CHAPTERFOURREDUCTION,ENCAPSULATION,andJUXTAPOSITION
Toalargedegree,sequentialvisualstorytellingisaccomplishedthroughthecreativechoicescomicscreatorsmakeregardingreduction,encapsulation,andjuxtaposition.
ReductionAsstatedearlier,amajorpartofacomicscreator’sworkconsistsofselecting“snapshots”fromtheoverallnarrativetoshowthereader.Theartistmustreducethepossibilitiestoavisual,orasequenceofvisuals,thatareencapsulatedintopanels.Manycomicscreatorsrelyoninstincttochoosewhichmomentsto
encapsulate.Relyingoninstinctalone,however,maycausecreatorstofallintoastorytellingrut,executingsimilarscenesthesamewaytimeaftertime.Analyzinghowandwhytoencapsulatesomepartsofanarrativeandleaveotherparts“betweenthegutters”canhelpcreatorsstayfreshandinnovative.Evenifthecreatorwantedto,showingallthestory’seventsinrelative
realtimewouldbeimpracticalandmightresultinboringstorytelling.Forexample,inawarstory,muchofasoldier’stimeisspentdiggingandwaitinginfoxholes,cleaningweapons,standingguardduty,eatingrations,andsoon.Relativelylittleofthescenario’stimespanwillincludetheexcitingexternalactionofcombatordramaticinterpersonalconflictthatisusuallythefocusofthestory.Thatsaid,importantmomentsinastoryoftenincludesceneswith
littleexternalaction.Iftheysupportthestory,panelsthatshowlandscapes,charactersinsilentcontemplation,orother“quiet”scenesareatleastasimportantasthosefeaturingdramaticexternalaction.Forexample,itmaybeimportantinawarstorytoshowandcontrasttheextensiveperiodsofinactivitywiththeburstsofterrifyingaction.Insuchcases,thecomicscreatorneedstodecidehowbesttoshowthosemundanemomentsinavisuallyinterestingwayandhowmuchspacetodevotetothemrelativetotherestofthestory.Thestoryteller’sgoalshouldbetoisolateandshowthemovements
thatbestsupportthenarrativeandbuildthestoryarc.Anythingthatdoesnotcontributetothatgoalispossiblysuperfluousandprobablyexpendable.
Differentartistsmaymakedifferentdecisionsabouthowtoreduceonthebasisoftheirpersonal
creativepreferences:whichvisualstheyfeelbestconveyandpropelthestoryatthepaceatwhich
theywanttotellit.
ArtbyWillRosado.
Whendecidingwhattoshowandnotshow,comicscreatorshavetodeterminewhichpartsofthe
overallnarrativeareexpendable.Sometimes,eveninactiongenres,periodsofrelativeinactivitycan
giveinsightsintocharacters,addmood,andprovideacontrasttothescenesofovertaction.Suchis
thecaseinthisSgt.Rockscenedrawnbythelatelegendaryartist,editor,andteacherJoeKubert.
EncapsulationComicscreatorsneedtoconsideranumberoffactorswhendecidingwhattoencapsulatefromanarrative.Thesefactorsinclude(butarenotlimitedto):•Advancingthestory:–Showingtheinformationnecessarytomovetheplotforward.•Establishingorreestablishingascene,characters,orotherinformation:–Inmostcases,thefirsttimeasettingisseeninastoryorissue,theartistneedstoestablishthescene’scharactersandphysicalenvironmentclearly.Also,whenanestablishedenvironmentorcharacterhasnotbeenseenbythereaderforawhileduringthecourseofanissue,itisgoodtoreestablishthatsceneorcharacterwhenthefocusreturnstothatlocaleorcharacter.Thisremindsreadersofinformationtheymayhaveforgottenandalsoshowsthemiftherehavebeenchangessincethesceneorcharacterswerelastseen.Inadditiontotheneedtoestablishphysicalenvironments,creators
needtoestablishthemoodofthescene.•Suspense/tension:–Doesthecreatorwishtoconcealoronlypartiallyrevealsomeinformationtobuildsuspense?
•Emphasis:–Whatinformationshouldbestressedormadeblatanttothereaderandwhatinformationshouldberevealedsubtlyorsubconsciouslyorevenwithheld?
•Pacing:–Atwhatpacedoesthecreatorwishthereadertoexperiencethevariousaspectsofthestory?
•Marketing:–Coversandsomesplashpagesaredesigned,atleastinpart,toenticetheviewertopickupandpurchaseacomic.Ifthewritercreatesafullscript,itishisorherjobtomakeallthe
reductiondecisions,sortingoutwhichmomentstoshowineachpanel.Fullscriptsincludedescriptionsofthevisualcontentsforeverypaneloneachpage,alongwithalldialogue,captions,andsoundeffects.Thisispartofthereasonwritersneedtounderstandtheprinciplesandtechniquesofsequentialvisualstorytelling.Insomecases,writersalsomakeencapsulationdecisions,describinghowfarthe“camera”willbefromthesubjectorsubjectsinthepanel,howtheshotwillbecropped,howthepanelwillbeshaped,framed,lit,andsoon.However,inmanycases,whenworkingfromafullscriptthatdoesnotgodeeplyintopaneldescriptions,itistheartistwhowillmakethebulkoftheencapsulationdecisions.Iftheartistisalsothewriterorisworkingfromanotherwriter’splot(asopposedtoafullscript),itwillbehisorherjobtodecidewhattoencapsulateandemphasizepanelbypanel.Doingsoinvolvesanothergroupofdecisions:
•Howcloseorfarwillthecamerabefromthesubject(s)?•Atwhatanglewillthesubject(s)beseen?•Whichsubjectswillbeofprimaryfocusandwhichoneswillbesecondary?•Inwhatshapeandsizewillthepanelbeinwhichthesubjectisencapsulated?•Howwillthesubjectorscenebecroppedandframed?•Howwillthesubjectbelitandrendered?•Whatsortofdesignbalanceworksbest?
IfartistsneedtoshowSupermanflyingoverMetropolisinasinglepanel,theyhavetodecidehowtoframethatscene:theangleoftheshot,howtocropit,andhowmuchofthepage’s“realestate”itwilloccupy.Forthispage,theplotcallsforfivepanels:
1.SupermanflyingoverMetropolisinthedaytime.2.Close-upofSuperman.Somethinghascaughthisattention.3.Amilitaryhelicopterisfallingfromtheskynearabridge.Ittrailssmoke.4.Supermanstreakstowardthehelicopter5.Hesupportsthehelicopterfromunderneath,lettingitdescendsafely.
Ifartistsdecidetoopenupthescenetogivethereadermoreofafeelingofscope(andhavethepagespaceavailabletodoso),theymayusemorespaceandalterthenumberofpanelstoachievethiseffect.Intheversionofthepagehere,thefirstpanelisopeneduptogivethereaderabetterfeelofthescopeofthecitysceneasSupermanfliesoverMetropolis.Theactionsinthesecondandthirdpanelsarecombined,asarethefourthandfifthpanels.Thelastpanelbleedsoffthebottomandsidesofthepage,givingitgreaterscopeandimpact.Therearenumerouswaystogetacrossthesameinformationandtopromptresponsesinthereader.Aslongasthestoryistoldinaclearandcompellingmanner,thedecisionsonhowtoencapsulatethecontentfor
compellingmanner,thedecisionsonhowtoencapsulatethecontentforeachpanelareamatteroftheartist’spersonalaesthetics.
Thelevelofimportanceartistsplaceonasceneandthenumberofpagestheyhavetoplaywithboth
affectthewayartistsframethescene.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Ifpagecountandspaceallow,theartist(withhisorhereditor’sblessing)mayuselargerand/or
morevisualstogivethesceneasenseofscope,elapsedtime,and/oremphasis.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
JuxtapositionTheartistmustcombinetheencapsulatedvisuals(panels)intoasequenceonthepagebyjuxtaposingthemnexttooneanotherinadesiredorder.Theorderinwhichthepanelsaremeanttobereadshouldbeclear.If
areader’seyepathdoesnotfollowtheonethattheartistintended,thereaderwillexperienceaverydifferent,andprobablyconfusing,story.Inadditiontojuxtaposingthepanels,comicscreatorsjuxtaposethe
copyelements(captions,wordballoons,soundeffects)withthevisualsandwithotherelementswithineachpanel.Theadditionofwordstoapanelcreatesajuxtapositionthatcanresult
inarangeofeffects.Thejuxtapositionofthechosenpanelsandothervisualelementstells
thestoryforthereaders,alongwiththevisualinformationthereadersconjureintheirheadswhenfillinginthegapsbetweenthejuxtaposedpanels.
Sometimesthewordsareredundantandsimplyreinforcewhatthevisualshows.Generally,thisis
notconsideredgoodformandusuallyisreservedfortitlesaimedatayoungaudienceorforscenesin
whichapointhastobemadeabsolutelyclear.
Complementaryjuxtapositionbetweenartandwordscreatesafuller“picture”ofthescenarioforthe
reader,goingbeyondwhateitherthevisualorthewordscouldproducealone.
Whenthejuxtapositioniscontrasting,thevisualandthetextgenerateopposingfeelingsorpresent
contradictoryinformationand/orsentiments.
Whenthejuxtapositionappearstobeunrelated,havingnoobviousconnection,thereadermay
experienceconfusion,transcendence,profoundinsight—ormakeapoeticassociation.
AllimagescomposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
CHAPTERFIVEALLABOUTPANELS
Acomicspanelisvisualcontentthatencapsulatesamomentfromalargernarrative.Panelsusuallyjuxtaposevisualcontentwithwords.
Theedgesofapanelareoftendefinedbyaborderandareusually,butnotalways,rectangularin
shape.
Sometimesapanelwillhavenoborderorbecontainedonlypartiallybyaborder.
Vignettesarepanelscontainingartthatfadesattheedgesofthevisualarea.
Insetpanelsareplacedinsideorsuperimposedontheframeofalargerpanel.
AllimagescomposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Panel-to-PanelTransitionTypesThereareanumberoftypesoftransitionsthatoccurbetweencomicspanels.Thesecanbeusedtoelicitvaryingreactionsfromreaders.ComicsscholarScottMcCloudestablishedthefollowingcategories:
Moment-to-moment:Thesetypesoftransitionsrequireverylittleclosureonthepartoftheviewer.
Closurereferstotheactiontakingplacebetweenpanelsthatisimaginedbyreaders.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Action-to-action:Followingtheactionofthesamesubjectorsubjectsfrompaneltopanel.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Subject-to-subject:Switchingthefocusfromonesubjecttoanotherwithinthesamegeneralscene.
Requiresmoreworkfromtheviewertoachieveclosure.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Scene-to-scene:Transitionsacrosslargedistancesoftimeandspacecanrequirealotofworkonthe
partoftheviewertogenerateclosure.Suchtransitionsareoftenaidedbycaptionsordialogue.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Aspect-to-aspect:Panelsfocusingondifferentelementsofanidea,scene,mood,andsoforth.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Nonsequitur:Thesetransitionsdonothaveanimmediatelogicalconnectionbetweenthecontentof
theirpanels.
Panel1:ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Panel2:ArtbyCarlPotts.
NeilCohn,avisuallanguageresearcher,identifiedseveralmoretransitioncategories:
Inclusionarytransitionsusepanelswithinpanelsand/orconceptswithinconceptstodrawattention
toelementsthatarepartofalargerpanel.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Inoverlaytransitions,asuperimposedvisualelementaffectsseveralpanels.Thesuperimposed
elementcanbeapanel,anisolatedobject,orcopy(balloon,caption,soundeffect).Inthiscase,the
fallingGreenLanternringoverlapsallthreepanelsandisthefocusofthedifferentcharacters
appearingineachpanel.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Embeddedtransitionsfollowmultipleimagesofthesamesubjectthroughasinglepanelscene.This
examplehasnopanelbordersseparatingeachincarnationofClarkKent’stransitiontoSuperman
withintheoverallscene.
ArtbyPhilJimenez.
Inthisgreatexampleofanembeddedtransition,topHollywoodstoryboardartistandgraphic
novelistMarcosMateu-Mestreusespanelborders,breakingupthecharacter’sdescentofthefire
escape.
ArtbyMarcosMateu-MestrefromhisbookFramedInk.©DesignStudioPress.
PanelSizesThesizeandshapeofapanelcanaffectthereader’simpressionofelapsingtime,theimportanceofthepanel’scontents,andthepanel-to-paneltransitioncategorythatistakingplace.
Ifapanelisprecededbyand/orfollowedbysmallerpanels,itimpliesthatthelargerpanelcontains
themostimportantordramaticinformationinthatsequenceofpanels.
Longhorizontalpanelscangivetheimpressionofaslowpaceduetotherelativelylongdistanceour
eyestravelbetweenleftandrightpaneledges.
Thinverticalpanelsgivetheimpressionofafastpaceasaresultoftherelativelyshortdistancethe
eyesmovebetweentheleftandrightpaneledges.
Ofcourse,thepanelcontentcanhaveadramaticeffectonthesenseoftime.Theuseofaseriesof
longverticalformatpanels,showingthesametreeasitchangesthroughthefourseasons,indicates
timepassingveryslowlydespitetheshorthorizontalspaceineachpanel.
IntheclassicepicWatchmen,theartistDaveGibbonsoftenusedpagescomposedofninepanelsinthreetiers,witheachtierhavingthreeidenticallysizedpanels.Thissetaveryeven“pace”formostofthestory.ItalsomadetheinstanceswhereGibbonsvariedfromthenine-panelgridgreatlyaffectthereader’ssenseofthestory’spacing,aswellastheimportanceofeachpanel’scontent.
Agridofnineidenticallysized/shapedpanelsisusedforkeepingasteadypace.
Inthisexample,differingpanelsizesareusedtoshowthingsslowingdown,speedingup,andfinally
slowingdowntoendonalongbeat.
PanelBordersDifferentpanelbordersandgutterscangivevariousimpressions.Theborder’smeaningoftenisaffectedbythepanelcontentsandviceversa.Somepossibleimpressionsthatborderscanimply:normality,emphasisorimportance,casualness,fantasy/dream,explosiveness(emotionallyorphysically).
Thesamevisualjuxtaposedwithdifferentborderstylescanalterreaders’impressionsofthecontent.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
PanelArrangementsonthePageMakingsurethatpageandpaneldesignsareintunewiththereaders’naturaleyepathisvital.Thereadershouldbeabletofollowthepanel-to-panelsequenceintuitively.Theremayberarecasesinwhichacomicscreatorwillpurposely
arrangepanelsinawaythatconfusesthereader’seyepathforaspecificstorytellingeffect,suchasimpartingthesamesenseofdisorientationthatacharacterinthestoryisexperiencing.However,inmostcasesinwhichtheeyepathonapageisconfusing,theartistwascareless,assumingthathisorherthoughtprocesswhenlayingoutthepagewouldbecleartothereader.
IntheWest,theeyepathisfromlefttorightandthentoptobottom.
Stackingpanelsontheleftsideofthepagecreatesuncertaintyinthereadersaboutwheretheireyes
aresupposedtogonext.
OVERLAPPINGPANELSWhenneededordesired,overlappingcanhelpleadtheeyeorestablishconnections.Panels,objects,copy,andsoundeffectscanoverlaponthepage.
Inapinch,overlappinghelpsdirecttheeyeontothecorrectpathwhenthepanelarrangementonthe
pagedoesnotmaketheeyepathclearonitsown.Suchoverlappingis,however,aninelegant
solutionandisbestavoidedbynotstackingpanelsontheleftsideofthepage.
INSETPANELSInsetpanelsareplacedinsideoroverlapamainpaneltoaddemphasis,focusondetail,cuttoaparallelaction,and/oralternatethepointofview.
Makesuretheplacementofinsetpanelsworkswiththereader’sinstinctualeyepath.
TypesofShotsTherearemanyconsiderationsindecidinghowbesttopresentthevisualcontentforeachpanelinasequentialnarrative.AsJosephV.MascellistatesinTheFiveC’sofCinematography,“Proper
cameraanglescanmakethedifferencebetweenaudienceappreciationandindifference.Everychangeincameraangleshouldcount.Visualvarietyshouldbethekeynote,sothattheaudienceiskeptinterestedinwhat’shappeningandwhatwillhappennext.”
DISTANCEHere,categorizedbythedistanceofthesubjecttothecamera,aresomegeneralizationsaboutthedifferenttypesofshotsthatareusedtoencapsulate.Keepinmindthatthesearebroadgeneralizationsandthattherearecountlesssituationsinwhichthesevariousdistancecategoriesareusedindifferentwaysintheserviceofclearandcompellingstorytelling.However,intryingtofigureoutawaytoapproachencapsulatingthevisualelementsspecifiedinascript,thesebroadguidelinesmayprovehelpful.
LongShotsGenerallyusedtoestablishorreestablishascene,longshotsshowasmuchofanenvironmentasisneededtoestablishwherealltheobjectsandcharactersareinrelationtooneanother.Theseshotssetupwherethefollowingsequencetakesplaceandserveasamapofthescenesothatnomatterwherethecameramovesinsucceedingpanelsorwherethecharactersmovewithintheenvironment,theenvironmentalelementswillbeconsistent.
Artistsoftenuselongshotstoestablishascene,showingwhereeverythingandeveryoneisin
relationtoeachother.InthiscasereadersareintroducedtoBatman(infullfigure)seeminglyalone
intheBatcave.Helooksdeterminedandseriousashemarchesdownthestairs.Readersdon’tsee
thewholeBatcaveyet,buttheyseeenoughtotellit’salargeunfinishednaturalcavernwith
installationsofmodernindustrialstyleworkareasandequipment,includingagargantuancomputer
console.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Often,therewillbemorethanoneestablishingshotatthebeginningofascene:onefromaverylongdistance(theexteriorofabuildingsituatedinitssurroundings)andaclosershotinwhichthecharactersareestablishedwithintheenvironment(oftenaroomwithinthebuilding).Occasionally,theorderisreversed.Whenthestoryreturnstoapreviouslyestablishedsceneafterbeingawayfromthatsceneforawhile,itishelpfultoreestablishthescenewithanotherlongshot.Areestablishinglongshotletstheviewersknowwheretheyarewithouttheneedforacaptionandrevealsanychangestheenvironmentmayhavesustainedsinceitwaslastseen.
Sometimestwolong/establishingshotsareusedtointroducethescene.Herereadersareintroduced
tothefactthatWayneManorsitsatoptheBatcave.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
MediumShotsOftenusedtoshowaction,mediumshotsareclosertothesubjectorsubjectsinapanel.Whenpeoplearethesubjectofamediumshot,theyusuallyareshownfromatleastmidthightothetopofthehead,ifnotinfullfigure.Mediumshotscanthereforeshowcharactersinactionveryclearly,assumingtheartistisdepictingtheactionfromasuitableangle.Actiondoesnotjustmeanlarge,dynamicphysicalactions;itcanrefer
tomuchmoresubtleacts,suchaspickingupapen,walkingacrossaroom,orpullingonashirt.
Mediumshotsoftenareusedtoshowactionclearly.That’swhymanyoftheshotsusedinsports
coverage,especiallyinstantreplaysofmajorgameactions,arefromamediumdepth.Here
Catwomanleapsdownontothecomputerconsoleinnearfullfigure.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Close-UpShotsClose-upsaregreatforshowingreactionordetail.Whenthefocusisonthecharacters,close-upscanbeshotsfocusingonthemidtorsotothetopoftheheadorcanbepanelsthatfocustotallyontheheadorface.Whentheshotissotightthatthefacefillstheframe,orclosetoit,itiscalledanextremeclose-up.Close-upsalsoareusedtoshowdetail,includingsuchthingsasthe
writingonanotepad,smallitemskeptinadeskdrawer,andthebuttonsonacellphone.
Artistsoftenuseclose-upstoshowcharacters’reactionstoaprecedingevent.Herewegetan
unexpectedreactionoutofBatmantoCatwoman’sinvasionofhissecretsanctuary.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Inextremeclose-ups,afaceorthepanel’ssubjectfillsmostorallofthepanel.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
SequencesByproperlycombiningthesebasictypesofshots—long/establishing,medium/action,andclose-up/reaction—comicscreatorsgeneratepanelsequencesthatrangefromsimpletoverycomplex.
Artistscanjuxtaposethethreebasicdistanceshotcategoriestocreatenarrativesequences.Herewe
beginwithexteriorandinteriorestablishingshots,moveontoamediumactionshot,andfinishwith
aclose-upreactionshot.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
POINTOFVIEWComicscreatorscanshowthereadersthestoryworldthroughtwodifferentsetsof“eyes.”
ObjectiveShotsMostpanelsarefromanobjectiveview,meaningthecameraisplacedwhereverintheenvironmentthecomicscreatordeemsappropriateandisunseenbyanycharacter.Itistheeyeofaninvisibleobserver.
Mostshotsareobjective,fromthepointofviewofaninvisibleandomnipresentobserver.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
SubjectiveShotsWhenthecontentsofapanelareseenthroughtheeyesof(orovertheshoulderof)acharacter,theyarecalledsubjectiveshots.Theyaretakenfromthepointofview(POV)ofaparticularcharacter.
Subjectiveshotsletthereaderexperiencewhatthecharacterisseeing.AslongasaPOVsequenceof
panelsismaintained,thereadercanseeonlywhatthecharacterseesandisunawareofwhateverthe
charactercannotsee.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
HEIGHTANGLESSeveralcategoriesareusedtodescribetheheightlevelofthecamerawhencomposingashot.Thetermanglealsoreferstothepositionfromwhichthecamerais
seeingasubject,irrespectiveofheight.
HighAngleShotsWhenitislookingdownonasubject,apaneliscategorizedasbeingahigh-angleorbird’s-eyeviewshot.
Highanglesgivetheimpressionofagodlikeperspectiveonthecharactersandenvironment.They
alsocancreatesteepperspectiveandforeshortening(drawinganobjecttoappearshorterthanit
actuallyis,whenangledtowardtheviewer).
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
MediumAngleShotsIfthecameraandthehorizonlineofapanelarenearthecenteroftheframe,itisamedium-angleshot.
Mediumanglespresentafairlyobjectiveviewofthescaleofvariouscharactersandobjects.Subjects
advancingorrecedingindistancestillcreateforeshortening.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
LowAngleShotsInalow-angleorworm’s-eyeviewshot,thesceneisseenfromaverylowlevel.
Lowanglescancausesteepforeshorteningandmakecharactersandobjectslooktallandimposing.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
TiltAngleShotsInatiltshot,thehorizonlineisshiftedsothatit’snolongerata90-degreeangletothepage.Thiscaninstillasenseofsuspenseorunease.
Creatorsshouldusetiltanglessparinglysincetheiroverusewillkilltheiruniquenessandbecome
annoyingtothereader.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
MOVESComicsdonotcreatetheillusionofmovementthatfilmandTVdo.However,sequentialcomicspanelscanemulatesomeofthecameramovesusedinmovingmedia.
ZoomShotsWhenaseriesofpanelsprogressivelymoveinonasubject,itiscalledzoomingin.Ifthesequencegoesinreverseorder,withthesubjectprogressivelygettingfartherawayfromthecamera,itiscalledzoomingout.Zoomshotscanbeeitherobjectiveorsubjective.
Zoominginoroutonasubjectinamultipanelsequencecanaddextramood,action,oremotional
emphasistoascene.Zoomscanfocusonstillormovingsubjects.
ArtbyWillRosado.
TrackingShotsIf,inaseriesofpanels,thecameramoveswithinanenvironment,itiscalledatrackingshot.
Trackingshotsoftenareusedtofollowamovingsubjectthroughanenvironment,asseeninthis
examplefromSgt.Rock.
ArtbyJoeKubert.
PanShotsIfthecamerapivotsinplace,revealingaseriesofshotsinanarc,itiscalledapanshot.
Whenthecamerapivotsinplaceduringasequence,itiscreatingapanshot.Theaboveexampleis
alsofromSgt.Rock.
ArtbyJoeKubert.
MontageAmontageconsistsofvisualsfromdifferentscenes,usuallyborderlessvignettes,arrangedtogetherinapaneloronawholepage.Ideally,thevisualelementsshouldbearrangedinawaythatleadsthe
viewer’seyethroughthevariousvignettes.Amontageisoftenusedtoreviewalotofhistoryorinformationor
summarizepreviouseventsquickly.Sometimesamontageisusedtogivetheimpressionofacharacterexperiencinginformationoverload,hallucinations,ordreams.
Thetopandbottomsectionsofthistwo-pagespreadfromBatwoman#1(September2011)are
montages.
ArtbyJ.H.WilliamsIII.
CombinationsEachpageinastorycontainsacombinationofpanelcategories.
OnthispagefromBatman#3(November2011),pencillerGregCapulloemploysanicevarietyof
shots.
ArtbyGregCapulloandJonathanGlapion.
CHAPTERSIXPAGES:TheBIGPICTURE
Creatingpagescontainingaseriesofjuxtaposedpanelsrequiresastrongsenseofdesigntokeeptheaudienceimmersedinthenarrative.
StoryPagesEachpageofastoryusuallycontainsmultiplepanelsarrangedinawaythat:
•Propelsthestoryforwardinaclearandcompellingway•Keepsthereader’seyesmovinginthecorrectpath•Isasemi-self-containedunitofdesign•Isalsopartofalargersequence
Thekeyistomakethereader’seyepathclearwhiletellingthetaleinawaythat
compelsthereaderforward.
InSwampThing#1(September2011),artistYanickPaquetteusesstablerectangularpanelsasthe
storybeginsinthecity.Hethenusesavarietyofmorecomplexpanelsizes,shapes,and
arrangementsasheintroducesthesupernaturalelements.
ScriptbyScottSnyder,artbyYanickPaquette.
InventionalPanelArrangementsSometimesanunusualpanelarrangementcanhelpconveyinformationeffectively.
Thetricktoinventionalpanel/pagedesignistouseanunusualarrangementthatdoesthe
storytellingjobwithoutbeingovertlydisruptingtothereader’sexperience.
ScriptbyW.HadenBlackmanandJ.H.WilliamsIII,artbyJ.H.WilliamsIII.
J.H.Williams’stwo-pagespreadfromBatwoman#12(August2012)isanotherexampleofhis
inventionalvisualstorytelling.Searchingwithinafun-housemirrormazewherewarpedreflections
mirrortheirconfusion,thecharactersliterallycirclearoundthesameissuethatWonderWomanis
tacklingelsewhere.Thepanellayout,alongwiththearrowsbuiltintothefun-housefloor,ensures
thatthereader’seyepathisclear.
ScriptbyW.HadenBlackmanandJ.H.WilliamsIII,artbyJ.H.WilliamsIII.
CoversThebiggestmarketingtoolacomicscreatororpublisherhasisthecover.Acovershouldenticepotentialbuyerstograbthatcomicandtakeittothecheckout,whetherinphysicalshopsoronline.Usually,thecoverhastograbthepotentialbuyer’sattentionwhile
competingwithnumerousothercoverssurroundingitonphysicalorvirtualracks.Covercontentusuallyfallsintoseveralcategories.
Adynamicordramaticscenefromthestorycontainedinthecomic.
ArtbyTonyDanielandJulioFerreira.
Asymboliccoverthatpresentsthecharactersand/orasituationthatmayormaynotrelatedirectly
tothestoryinsidethatissue.Pinup-typeshotsofcharactersindramaticposesorengagedina
dynamicphysicalactionfallintothiscategory.
ArtbyBrettBoothandNormRapmund.
Amontageofelementsfromtheinteriorstory.
ArtbyWalterSimonson.
Thecoverforeachissueofatitleneedstohavesomeconsistencysothatregularreaderscaneasilyfindeachmonth’snewissueontheracks.Theconsistencyshouldincludethelogodesign.However,thecoversforaseriesshouldbedifferentenoughsothatcoversforsuccessiveissuesarenotconfusedwithoneanother.Iftwocoversinarowfeatureapinup-styleshotoftheleadcharacter
orcharactersinasimilaractionpose,coloredinasimilarfashion,buyersscanningtheracksmayassumetheyhaveboughtthelatestissueofthattitleevenwhenthatisnotthecase.Unlessthereisacompellingcreativeormarketingreasonnotto,
logos,whileretainingthesamedesignineveryissue,shouldvaryin
coloringfromissuetoissue.Thishelpspreventthe“Ialreadyhavethatissue”mistakefromhappening,especiallyonsomestylesofphysicalrackswhereonlytheupperpartsofthecoverareviewable.Ifthereisatrendinthemarkettodocoverswithlotsofdetailedbackgroundsandhighlyrendereddarkcoloring,acoverthathaslotsoflight,opennegativespacewillstandout.Ifthestoreracksarefilledwithlotsofcoversdisplayingmediumshotsofcharactersincombat,acoverfeaturingareallygreatclose-upofaleadcharacter(especiallyifthatcharacterhasacaptivatingexpression)canhelpacomicstandout.Inmostcases,acomicscreatororeditorcan’ttellinadvancewhatthecompetitivecomicscoverlandscapewillbelikewhenaparticularissuehitstheracks.Therefore,whilemaintainingaconsistentlogodesign,it’sagoodideafortheartonthecoversofanongoingseriestovarythetypesofshots,designbalance,levelofpositive/negativespace,andcolorpalettefromissuetoissue.Thatwaytheconsumercaneasilydifferentiatethevariousissuesofatitle.
Sometimesabigeventtakingplaceacrossanumberoftitleswillpromptapublishertouseasimilar
layout,ortradedress,acrosstheassociatedtitles.Thismakesiteasierforbuyerswhoaretryingto
obtainalltheissuesinvolvedintheevent.
CHAPTERSEVENWHEREAreWE?
Characters,vehicles,andothersubjectsoftenareshownmovingthroughenvironmentsinsequencescomposedofnumerouspanels.Makingsurethedirectioninwhichasubjectismovingremainsclearcanbetrickywhenawidevarietyofshotsandanglesareemployedoverasequenceofpanels.Therearetechniquescomicscreatorscanusetokeepthosesubjectsandthereaderproperlyoriented.
MapOrientationSequentialvisualstorytellingmediauserectangularformats,usuallyintheformofhorizontalrectangles.Theaudiencehasgrownuplookingatrectangularmapswherenorth
isatthetop,southonthebottom,easttotheright,andwesttotheleft.Viewersofvisualstorytellingmediahavethismaporientationstoredintheirsubconscious,andcreatorsofvisualnarrativescanuseittotheiradvantage.Ifit’simportanttothestorythatthecharacter,thevehicle,orany
subjectistravelinginaspecificcompassdirection,comicscreatorscanpositionthatobjectintheframetoreflectthatdirection.Thiswillresonatewiththemaporientationintheaudience’sheads.Forexample,cinematographersanddirectorsofoldWesternfilms
usuallyshowedwagontrainsmovingwestwitharight-to-leftbiaswithintheframe,echoingthewesterndirectionofamap.
Subconsciously,mostoftheaudienceassociatesanorth-on-topdirectionalorientationwith
rectangularformats.
WagontrainsdepartedfromMissouriandheadedwesttowardCaliforniaandOregon.Thatiswhy,in
manyWesternfilms,thewagonsareshotheadingtotheleft,orwest.
ArtbyWillRosado.
Ifthewagonsgaveupandheadedbackeast,thedirectionalbiasofthewagons’movementwould
changetoleft-to-right.
ArtbyWillRosado.
It’susuallybesttokeeptheactiondirectioninasceneconsistent.Ifaright-to-leftflowisestablishedinascene,allsubsequentshotsinthatsceneshouldfollowtheright-to-leftdirectionunlessanewdirectionisclearlyestablished.Whentheactionmovesdirectlytowardorawayfromtheviewer,itis
calledaneutralshot.Neutralshotscanbeusedinanysequence,nomatterwhichdirectionhasbeenestablishedforthescene’sactionbias.However,whenusinganeutralshot,itisbesttoestablishtheactionflowbiasbeforetheneutralshotorshotsandthenreestablishtheaction’sbiasafteraneutralshotorshots.
Allshotsinasequenceofawagonmovingwest—long,medium,andclose-up—shouldmaintainthe
right-to-leftactionbias.
ArtbyWillRosado.
Directionallyneutralshotsshowactionmovingdirectlytowardordirectlyawayfromthecamera.
Notethatinthispanel,eventhoughthehorsesaremovingdirectlyawayfromtheviewer,thedirt
trailtheyfollowbendsfromrighttoleft,maintainingthesequence’sactionflowbias.
ArtbyWillRosado.
ActionFlowContinuityActionflowcontinuityinvolvesestablishingandmaintainingthemovementdirectionofcharacters,vehicles,andotherobjectsinthestoryenvironment.Evenwhentheviewerdoesn’tconsciouslyregistercontradictory
actionflow,itcanbeunsettlingonanunconsciouslevel.If,inastory,acharactermadlydashesaround,lookingalloverfor
somethinginachaoticfashion,showingthecharacterchangingdirectionfrompaneltopanelinthefranticsearchsequenceisactuallygoodstorytelling.Otherwise,itisbesttoestablishandmaintaineachcharacter’sactionflowcontinuity.InfilmandTV,thisconceptisreferredtoasthe180-degreerule.Whenfilmingonastageoraset,filmmakersusuallyestablishaline,
anactionaxisthatrunsthroughthescene.Tokeeptheactionflowcontinuityconsistent,theykeepthecameraononesideoftheactionaxis.Theydonotcrosstheline.Itcanhelptothinkofthesceneasbeingonatheaterstage.Theaction
axisrunsalongtherearwallofthestage,andsomovingthecamerabeyondthatlineisimpossible.
It’simportanttomaintaintheproperactionflowcontinuitywhencharactersheadtowardeachother
foraclash.Inthefirstsequence,BatmanandKillerCrocheadtowardeachother,resultingintheir
meetingandclashing.Inthesecondexample,inconsistentactionflowinthepanelsleadingupto
theclashmakesituncleariftheyareheadedtowardeachother.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Ifacharacterisestablishedmovingfromrighttoleftinapanel,succeedingpanelsshouldmaintain
thatright-to-leftbias.If,duringaseriesofpanels,thecharacter’smovementkeepschanging,itcan
causeconfusionforthereaders.Theymaywonderifthecharacterhaschangeddirectionevenifthat
wasnotthecomicscreator’sintent.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
IfBatmanispursuingKillerCroc,then,asisshowninthefirstexampleabove,bothcharactersshould
maintainthesameactiondirectionbiasinthesequence.Iftheinconsistentactionflowofthesecond
exampleisused,itisunclearifonecharacterisinpursuitoftheotheroriftheyareheadedtowardor
awayfromeachother.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Thegrayareaonthefloorshowsthesemicirclethatgivesthe180degreeruleitsname.Theflatside
ofthegrayareaistheactionaxis.Ascanbeseenbythepositionsofcameras1,2,and3,filmmakers
generallydonotmovethecameraovertheactionaxis.Ifacameramovesbeyondtheactionaxis
(camera4view),itmakesthecharactersorobjectsintheenvironmentswitchthesideofthescreen
theyarefacing.Camera4’sviewmakesitappearasthoughBatmanisrunningawayfromhisfoe.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Inasequenceinwhichthesubjectisestablishedasmovinginonedirection,theBatmobiletraveling
righttoleftinthiscase,alltheshotsinthesequence,nomatterwhatthedistanceorangle,should
ideallymaintaintheestablisheddirectionorbedirectionallyneutral.
ArtbyWillRosado.
Whentheactionflowdirectionisnotmaintained,itcangivethereaderstheimpression(consciously
orsubconsciously)thatthesubjectischangingdirection.
ArtbyWillRosado.
ESTABLISHINGACHANGEINDIRECTIONIfinthecourseofastoryacharacterorvehiclechangesdirectioninitsenvironment,itisbesttoshowthatchangeclearly.Ideally,comicsartistsshouldshowtheturnrelativetothepreviousdirectionandestablishthenewdirection.
establishthenewdirection.
Whenasubjectchangesdirectioninastory,theartistshouldshowtheturn(thirdpanel)and
establishthesubject’snewdirectionalbias.
ArtbyWillRosado.
REVERSEANGLESTherearetimeswhenthecamerahastotravelacrosstheactionaxis.Inthosecases,therearewaystominimizeanydisconcertingeffectsonthereaders.
Often,thesereverseanglesaredoneduringsequenceswithmultiplecharactersconversingwhilesittingandfacingthesamedirection.Theymaybeseatednexttoeachotherinarestaurantbooth,inacar,onatrain,inaplane,oronasofa.Afterestablishingtheactiondirection,focusonacharacterwhoisfacingtheestablisheddirection.Thenreversetheangle(hoptotheothersideoftheactionaxis)tofocusonanothercharacterwhenheorsheisspeakingorisotherwisethefocusoftheshot.Endthesequencebyreestablishingtheoriginalactionflowdirection.Includingreverseanglesinsequencesthatare“bookended”byshotsoftheestablishedactionflowdirectionhelpskeeptheaudiencedirectionallyoriented.
Whenitisdonecarefully,actionflowcontinuitycanbemaintainedwhileincorporatingreverse
angles.
ArtbyWillRosado.
Ifpossible,whenusingreverseangles,keepthecharactersonthesamesidesofthepanelaswas
establishedoriginally.Inbothofthesepanels,eventhoughtheyareonoppositesidesoftheaction
axis,RobinremainsontheleftofthepanelandBatmanstaysontheright.
ArtbyWillRosado.
MOREOBSERVATIONSONDIRECTIONALCONTINUITYThereareseveralotherwaysvisualstorytellerscanthinkaboutandutilizeactionflow.Usingtheactiondirectioninapicturetohelptellastoryisaveryold
concept.Alternatively,acreatormighthavealltheprotagonistsinastorymovewiththatnaturalleft-to-righteyeflowuntiltheprotagonistexperiencesadefeat,hitsanobstruction,orexperiencesareversalinhisorherjourney.Whenthatoccurs,thecharacterchangesdirectionandmovesfromrighttoleftintheframe—againstthenaturaleyepath.Theantagonistsinthestorywouldmoveinthedirectionoppositetothatinwhichtheprotagonistsmove.Thisisaninterestingapproach,butitcanbetoorestricting.Whateveractionflowapproachtheartistuses,theactionflowcontinuityshouldbeaconsciousandconsistenteffortandnothaphazard.Dowhateverworkstotellthestoryinaclearandcompellingway.
CulturalConsiderationsAsreadersofJapanesemangaareaware,insomecultures,peoplearetrainedtoreadfromrighttoleftbeforereadingfromtoptobottom.Thus,ifacomicscreatorisproducingworkforaforeignaudience,itisagoodideatocheckonthereadingconventionsofthatculture.
THEIMPORTANCEANDRELEVANCEOFACTIONFLOWCONTINUITYTODAYMaintainingactionflowcontinuitymaybemoreimportantinmovingmediathanitisinstillmedia.Itis,however,aconceptthatmanycomicsartistsandeditorsdonotpayenoughattentionto.Unlessthereisaconsciousdecisionbyacomicscreatortoviolate
actionflowcontinuityforareasonheorshefeelssupersedestheneedtomaintainthatcontinuity,itisbesttopracticeconsistentactionflow.Whymightacomicscreatorpurposelygoagainsttheestablished
actionflowbiasinasequence?Onepossibilityisthattheartistfeltthatpromptingthereadertothenextpanelorthenextpagebyusingthedirectionofapanel’sactionflowwasmoreimportantthanmaintainingtheactionflowcontinuitywithinasequence.Inrecentyears,theuseof—oreventheknowledgeof—actionflow
continuityorthe180-degreerulehasdiminished.Thisseemstobethecaseacrossallsequentialvisualmedia.Atonepoint,maintainingactionflowcontinuitywassuchapriority
thatifafilmdirectorscreweduptheactionbiaswhileshooting,filmeditorswouldflop(createamirrorimageof)theinconsistentshotstomakethesequenceconsistent.However,doingthatcouldgenerateotherproblems.Aleft-handedcharactermightsuddenlyusehisrighthandforawhile,oracharacterwithascarononesideofherfacemightappeartohaveascarthatmigratedfromonesideofthefacetotheotherandback!Insuchsituations,theeditorhadtochoosewhichwasthelesseroftwoevils—inconsistentactioncontinuityortheissuescreatedwhenamirrorimagewasmadeofthenegative.
Sometimesartistsfeelitisimportanttourgethereadertogotothenextpagebyhavingtheactionin
thelastpanelofapagemovefromlefttoright.
ScriptbyGrantMorrison,artbyRagsMoralesandRickBryant.
Whyisactionflowcontinuity/the180-degreerulenotobservedasmuchtodayasindecadespast?Herearesomepossibilities:
•Classicvisualstorytellingandcinematographyskillsarenottaughtasoftenorpassedonbymentorsasmuchasinthepast.•WhenviewingmodernGPS,radar,orsonarandwhenexperiencing3D
•WhenviewingmodernGPS,radar,orsonarandwhenexperiencing3Dgameenvironmentmaps,thedirectionatthetopoftheframeorscreeniswhateverdirectiontheuserisheadedatthemoment.Thus,ifadriverisheadedsouth,thetopoftheGPSscreenwillbesouth,notnorth.Thismaygraduallycreateanaudiencethatcancopewithsomeactioncontinuityinconsistenciesbetterthancouldthoseinthepast.•Film/videomakingtechnologyandthe“surfaceflash”ofquickcutsandotherfilm/videotechniquesthathelpgeneratevisualexcitementseemtohavetakenprecedence.MTVgothotinthemid-1980sbyshowingmusicvideos,andmanyofthevideodirectorsusedadocumentaryapproachmarriedtoexcitingsurfaceflashtechniques.
However,unlessthereisacompellingreasonnottoobserveconsistentactionflowcontinuityinanyvisualstorytellingmedium,itshouldbemaintained.Doingthiswillhelpreadersstayorientedontheconsciousandsubconsciouslevels.
Ifamirrorimageiscreatedofacharactertomakeitconformtotheestablishedactionflowbias,
sometimesproblemsarise.Acharacterwithanasymmetricalcostumedesign,asisthecasewith
Firestorm’schesticon(correctintheleft-handimage),willhavehisorhercostumedesignflopped.If
acharacternormallycarriesaweaponintherighthand,creatingamirrorimagewillcausethe
weapontoswitchhands.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
CHAPTEREIGHTMOREWAYStoENTHRALLREADERS
Inadditiontoeverythingcoveredsofar,comicscreatorshaveevenmoretechniquesattheirdisposalforaffectingreaders.
VisualMetaphorsorThemesIftheyareusedinanartfulway,designmetaphorsorvisualthemescanaddanextralayerofcreativitytovisualstorytelling.Thismayinvolveusingavisualelementorelementsthatrepeat
throughouttheworktoforeshadoworreinforceaspecificmoodorevent.Creatorscanuseweather,lighting,color,setting,panelborderdesign,lettering,andothervisualelementstodothis.Water,especiallyfallingwaterasseenindrearyrainyweatherand
tears,isacommonmetaphorforsadnessinfilm,TV,andcomics.Sometimesit’sinterestingtogoagainsttheusualorclichéd
expectationsoftheaudience.Ifrainandtearsaretypicallyassociatedwithdepressingsituations,tryturningthatexpectationonitshead.Visualstorytellersalsocanusefallingwaterasasymbolofrebirthandjoy,aswhenspringshowershelpgrowalushgreenlandscapeorwhentearsflowasamotherandchildarereunited.It’susuallybettertoberestrainedwhenusingdesignmetaphorsthan
togooverthetop,hittingthereadersovertheheadwithyourclevernessanddrawingattentionfromthestoryinsteadofenhancingit.InhisBatmanBlackandWhitestory“GoodEvening,Midnight,”Klaus
Jansonusedseveralvisualmetaphorsandthemes.Foodwasusedasasymbolofloveatthebeginningandendofthestory.Eachofthethreesettingsinthetalehaditsowndistinctweather.Echoingthroughoutthestoryareparents’hopesforandfearsaboutthevulnerabilityoftheirchildren.(SeeChapter15ofJanson’sTheDCComicsGuidetoPencillingComicstolearnmoreabouthisthoughtsandprocessforcreatingthisstory.)
KlausJanson’s“GoodEvening,Midnight”usesvisualmetaphorsandthemestoenhancethe
effectivenessofthestory.
ScriptandartbyKlausJanson.
Action/ReactionDuringsequenceswithtwoormorecharactersinteracting,whethertheyareinaconversationorashootout,somecomicscreatorstendtocutbackandforthbetweenthecharacters,rarelyshowingbothorallofthecharactersinthesameshot.Ifthesequencedoesnotincludeshotswithbothorallcharactersin
thesamepanel,itbecomesdifficultforreaderstoknowwherethecharactersareinrelationtoeachotherandtheenvironment.Forexample,inagunfightbetweentwocharacters,iftheartistdoes
notoccasionallyshowwherebothshootersareinrelationtoeachotherandtheenvironment,itwillnotbeclearhowfarawaytheshootersarefromeachother,whatenvironmentalobjectsarenearby,orwherethecharactersaremovingwithintheenvironmentasthesceneprogresses.Relatedtothatpoint,someartistshaveatendencytoseparateeach
action/reactioncombinationwhentheyshouldatleastoccasionallycombineactionandreactioninonepanel.Onecharactercanshootaweapon,andinthesamepanel,anothercharactercanreacttobeinghitbytheshot.Oronecharactercanverballyrevealsomesurprisingnews,andinthesamepanel,anothercharactercanreacttothenews.Therearetimeswhenanartistmaywanttoseparatetheactionand
reactiontocreateabitofsuspense.Forinstance,afteronecharacterfiresshots,itisnotclearifthetargetwashitforabeatortwo.Bypickingfromandskillfullyutilizingallthevisualstorytelling
techniquesattheirdisposal,comicscreatorshaveawiderangeofsubtletoblatantwaystoaffectreadersemotionallyandpropelthemforwardthroughthestory.
Whenactionsandreactionsinasequencearealwayspresentedinseparatepanels,thereadercan
losetrackofwherethecharactersare(howclose)inrelationtoeachotherandthesetting.Inthis
examplefromaKamandistorywrittenbyDaveGibbonsandillustratedbyRyanSookinthe
WednesdayComicsanthology,Sook’soriginalartwascroppedtohelpmakeapoint.Thenextgraphic
showsSook’soriginalpanelcomposition.
ScriptbyDaveGibbons,artbyRyanSook.
Whenactionandreactionareshowninthesamepanelduringasequence,thereaderstaysinformed
abouttheproximityofthecharactersandtheartistcancutdownonthenumberofpanelsneededto
presenttheinformation.
ScriptbyDaveGibbons,artbyRyanSook.
ArtbyPhilJimenezandAndyLanning.
PARTTHREE
NARRATIVE+ART
Rememberthatnarrative+art+sequentialvisualstorytelling=comics.I’vediscussedSVS,sonowthefocusturnstonarrative(story)andart.Mostcomicsnarrativesarebuiltarounddramaticarcs,andsostory
structurewillbeamajortopic.Somecomicsutilizephotosorothervisualelementsfortheirart.
However,thevastmajorityofcomicsaredrawnusinglineart,andthat’swhatI’llconcentrateon.
CHAPTERNINENARRATIVE:WRITINGforVISUALSTORYTELLING
Evenifcomicbookartistsdonotplantowrite,theyneedtobeabletoworkandcommunicateeffectivelywithwriters.Therefore,allcomicsartistshavetoknowthebasicsofstorystructure,characterization,pacing,andothercreativeelementsoftellingtales.Thefirstbookinthisseries,TheDCComicsGuidetoWritingComicsbyDennyO’Neil,isagreatresourceforwritersandishighlyrecommended.WhatfollowsaresomeofmyownthoughtstogoalongwithDenny’s
insights.
ClassicStoryArcNomatterwhatformofmediaisusedtotellit,astoryusuallyhasaclassicarcstructure.Thevastmajorityofstoriesyou’vereadorseenincorporateaclassicstoryarc.Comicscanemployothertypesofnarrativetoo,includingmood
pieces,charactersketches,abstracttales,andinstructionalandeducationalpieces.However,moststoriesgenerallyfollowanarcinwhich:
•Oneormoreprotagonistsencounteracatalyticincidentthatdisturbstheirstatusquo.•Thatincidentpropelstheprotagonistorprotagonistsactivelyintoanescalatingseriesofeventsorconflictswithoneormoreantagonistsand/orotherobstacles,whetherphysicaloremotional.•Theeventsreachaclimaxinwhichtheconflictbetweentheprotagonistandtheantagonistisresolved(atleasttemporarily)andtheramificationsoftheresolutionareshown(thenewstatusquo).
Therearemanycelebratedworksoffictionthatdonotfollowtheclassicstoryarc.However,themajorityoftalesthathavestoodthetestoftimeaswellasthemostpopularcontemporaryworksoffictiongenerallyfollowthisbasicarc.
FormerDCComicseditorthelate,greatArchieGoodwingaveusahumorousinsightintohiscreative
process.
Copyright2013by“TheEstateofArchieGoodwin.”
Ifyouwanttoproduceastorywiththehighestchanceofreachingandaffectingthelargestpossibleaudience,youshoulduseaclassicstoryarc.Theclassicarcallowsforanattractivecombinationoftheconventional
andtheinventional.Withinthefamiliarclassicstoryarctherearecountlesswaystogeneratetension,jeopardy,novelty,mystery,andsoon,thussatisfyingpeople’scontradictoryneedsforstructureandnovelty.Classicstructureisthemostgratifyingstoryformatforthelargestpossibleaudienceandthereforethemostpopulartypeoffictionstructure.Writersneedtogivereaderswhattheyexpect,butnotinthewaythey
expectit.Characters(includingtheirabilities,weaknesses,andknowledge),storysituations,objectsofpower,andenvironmentsallshouldbesetupasthestoryprogresses.Attheclimax,someoftheelementsthathavebeensetupshouldbeusedinasurprisingwaythatisstilllogicalinthecontextofthestory.Theknowledge,ability,and/orweaponsthattheprotagonistpickedupalongthecourseofthejourneycanbeusedinanunexpectedcombinationattheclimax.
THEPROTAGONISTAprotagonististhemaincharacterinandfocusofthestory.Mostprotagonistshaveheroiccharacteristicsthatarerevealed,puttothetest,and/orchangedduringthecourseofthestory.Therearesomestoriesinwhichtheprotagonistisanantihero.Inthosecases,theprotagonistisoftenpittedagainstheroicantagonistsoragainstothernonheroiccharacters.Usually,theprotagonistischangedinsomewaybyhisorherstory
experience.Attheveryleast,theeventsofthestoryshouldreinforcethecharacter’soriginalpointofview.Iftheprotagonistemergesvictorious,thestoryhasahappyending.
Iftheprotagonistloses,thetalehasasadending.Iftheendingisamixtureofpositiveandnegativeoutcomesfortheprotagonist,thestoryhasanironicending.
Inmostcases,theprotagonistisacharacterthereadercanidentifywithononeormore
levels,helpingthereadervicariouslysharetheaspirations,dangers,andadventuresthatthe
protagonistembodiesandexperiences.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
GenreExpectationsInthevariousaction/adventuregenres(Western,superhero,detective,swordandsorcery,etc.),thereisalmostalwaysafinalshowdownbetweenthemainprotagonistandtheprimaryantagonist.Theaudienceexpectsitandwouldbedisappointedifthestorydidnotcontainasatisfyingshowdown.Thetrickistoaddinventionalelementstotheexpectedshowdowntomakeitnovelandunexpected.InfilmWesterns,theshowdownoftentakesplaceinthedustystreetof
asmalltown.SamuraifilmsareverysimilartoWesterns.TheclassicAkiraKurosawafilmYojimbo,starringToshiroMifune,wasoneofseveralsamuraifilmsremadeintoAmericanWesterns.SergioLeonetookYojimboandturneditintoAFistfulofDollarsstarringClintEastwood.InYojimbo,theviewerknowsthatthebadguyistheonlycharacterwithahandgunandthatMifune’sprotagonisthasonlyaknifeandasword.Beforetheshowdown,weseeMifune’scharacterinadilapidatedshed.Asastrongwindhowlsthroughthesplinteredwallsoftheshed,hepassesthetimebythrowingtheknife,pinningleavesthatblowaroundtheshedinunpredictableways.Later,astheprotagonistandthemainantagonistapproacheachother
onthestreetfortheshowdown,weexpectMifune’scharactertoseekcoverasthebadguybeginstoslowlydrawtherevolverfromthelargesleeveofhiskimono.Insteadofrunningorhidingbehindcover,Mifuneunexpectedly
charges,allowinghimtogetcloseenoughtothebadguytothrowtheknife.Thebladeslicesintothebadguy’smovinggunhandbeforeafatalshotcanbefired.Theaudienceknewitwasgoingtocomedowntoafightbetweenthe
goodguyandthebadguy,buttheexecutionofthefightprovidedatwisttheywerenotexpecting,eventhoughitwassetupbythescenesofMifunepracticingknifethrowingonthewind-blownleaves.Theaudiencegottheshowdowntheyexpected,butnotinthewaytheyexpectedit:amixoftheconventionalandtheinventional.
InternalandExternalDesiresandConflictsMostcharactersshouldhavebothconsciousandsubconsciousdesiresthatmotivatethem.Often,thosedesiresareinconflict.Forexample,acharacterwhoconsciouslywishesthathisorheractionswereappreciatedbyothersmaysubconsciouslyfeelthatheorsheisnotworthyoftheadmirationofothers.Thisinnerconflictcansparkorintensifythecharacter’sconflictswithothers.Let’slookatBatmanforanexample.Judgingfromthebulkofthe
character’spublishinghistory,it’sclearthatheisusuallymorecomfortableasBatmanthanheisasBruceWayne.IfyouexplorethereasonsforthisdisconnectbetweentheBatmanandBruceWaynepersonas,oddsarethatyou’lldiscoveroneormoreconflictsbetweenthecharacter’sinternalandexternaldesires.Batman’sconsciousmission,hisobsession,istoendcrimeandprotect
innocentlives,especiallyyounglives.Witnessingthedeathofhisparentsasachildgavebirthtothisobsession.Thecharacterhasfewcloserelationships.EvenAlfred,theperson
closesttohim,usuallyiskeptatarm’slength.Inpart,thisisbecauseBatman’sobsessivefightagainstGothamCity’scriminalelementdoesnotallowhimenoughtimeormentalbandwidthforcloserelationships.Suchrelationshipswoulddistracthimfromhismission.Also,thelossofhisparentswassoemotionallytraumaticthatBatmandoesnotwanttobeinapositiontofeelthatlossagain,andsohekeepsmostothersatadistance.Havingmaintainedthissocialdistancingformanyyears,thecharacter
haslimitedsocialskills.Outsidetheexternalformalitiesofpubliceventsandappearances,BruceWayneusuallyfeelsawkwardinprivatepersonalencounters.HeiscomfortableonlyasBatman.OnemightsumupBatman’sconflictingdesiresintheseterms:
•Hisexternal(conscious)desireistoeradicatecrime(particularlyinGotham).•Hisinner(unconscious)desireisnevertostopfightingcrime.
Batman’sdesiresareinconflict.IfBatmanactuallyeliminatedcrime,hewouldhavetostopbeingBatman,stopplayingthedifficultbutlargelyrewardingself-maderoleatwhichheexcels.Instead,he’dbeleft
hewouldhavetostopbeingBatman,stopplayingthedifficultbutlargelyrewardingself-maderoleatwhichheexcels.Instead,he’dbeleftasthecivilianwhowashandedafortunealongwithaninabilitytodealwithothers.Inaway,theconflictisillogicalsincethereisnowayBatman,howeverhardworkingandefficienthewas,couldtotallyeradicatecrime.However,itmayexplainwhyBatmanspendsmoretimeandresourcesliterallyfightingcriminalsthantryingtoaddresstheconditionsthathelpfostercriminalactivity.TheconflictbetweenthesetwodesirestakesshapewhenBatmanoccasionallytriestostrikeuparelationshipwithawoman.Whenhedoesgetinvolvedwithwomen(Catwoman,TaliaalGhūl),thewomenareusuallyatleastasdamagedemotionallyasBatman/Wayneis.Theserelationshipsarethereforedoomed.Also,hisexternaldesireleaveshimnotimetolearnhowtohavea“normal”healthyrelationship.WhetherornotyouagreewiththespecificsofthisparticularBatmanexample,youcanuseitasaguideforhowtofigureouttheconflict(s)betweentheexternalandinternalmotivationsofthecharactersyouwrite.Twocharacterswhoshareasimilarexternal/consciousdesirecanbequitedisparatebecauseoftheirdifferinginner/subconsciousdesiresandtheresultingconflictsbetweentheirexternalandinternaldesires.Characterswhoarethefocusoflong-runningseriesusuallyevolveovertheyearstoreflectthetimesandtheinclinationsofthechangingcreativeandeditorialpersonneltellingthetales.Whetheryouareworkingonanestablishedcharacterorcreatinganewone,figuringoutthecharacter’sconflictingdesireswillhelpmakethecharactermoreinteresting.Thisalsowillhelpyougeneratealotofstoriesthatconsistentlyringtrueforthecharacterandtheaudience.
Batman/BruceWayne’sconflictinginternalandexternaldesiresdrivethecharacter.
ScriptbyScottSnyder,artbyGregCapulloandJonathanGlapion.
WHATABOUTROBIN?IfBatmanisdevotedtoprotectingtheyoung,howdoweexplainhisteamingupwithRobin?Perhaps,subconsciously,Batmanrationalizesthatexposingaboytodangeronnumerouscrime-fightingmissionsismorethanbalancedbytheconceptthatifyoungBruceWaynehadpossessedRobin’sabilities,hemighthavebeenabletopreventhisparents’deaths.
ArtbyJimLeeandScottWilliams.
ThemeEverycomicbookseriesandeachstoryinaseriesshouldhaveaunifyingtheme.Athemeshouldbesomethingmorespecificthannebulousmusingsabout“beinghuman”orexploring“whatfreedomis”orsimilarmeanderings.Athematicstatementisbest.Itshouldbeoneortwosentencesatmost,anditshouldbearealstatement.Ifastoryworksonmultiplelevels,therecanbemorethanonevalidthematicstatement.Onlyonethematicstatementisneeded,however,tomakesurealltheplotelementstieintoitandunifythetale.Ideally,thethemewillcontaina“primal”element,somethingaboutsurvival,freedom,love,oranotherbasichumanneedordesire.Keepinginmindwhatwasdiscussedearlierinthischapterabout
Batman’sinternalandexternaldesires,thethemeforaBatmanseriesmightbe:“Obsessionforanever-endingmissionwill,outofnecessity,causetheobsessedto‘shortchange’otherpeopleintheirlives(notbereadilyavailable)anddenythemselvestheexperiences,pleasurableandotherwise,thatmostpeopleexperienceduringtheirlives.”Batmanwashandedafortunebutnofamily.Alfredisasurrogate
fatherbutalsoanemployee.Batmanhasnorolemodelsfortraditionalfamilystructureormiddle-class/lower-classfinancialvalues.Inotherwords,heisdisconnectedfromtheexperiencessharedbymostothers.WhatwouldBatmandoiftherewerenocrime?Beingobsessedallows
Batmantoavoidsomeoftheareasofcivilianlifewithwhichheisnotcomfortable.Inmanyways,asBatman,heisamorebalancedpersonalitythanheis
asBruceWayne.AsBatman,heisanintellectualdetectivedrawingonabroadrangeofknowledgewhilealsobeinganeliteathletewhoincorporatescutting-edgetechnologyintohiswork.TheoriginalWatchmenserieswasalongandverycomplextalewith
multiplethemes.Ifeellikelivingdangerously,sohereisanattempttonaildownoneofthemajorthematicstatementsoftheseries:
Powerfulauthoritiesarepredisposedtohypocrisyandcorruptionandinneed
ofcontrollingsupervisionthemselves—creatingmultiplelayersofsupervision,confusion,waste,and,ultimately,the
instabilitythatmostauthoritystrivestoavoid.Or,astheRomanpoetJuvenalsaid:Quiscustodietipsoscustodes?(Whowatches
thewatchmen?)
Whenworkingonaplotforastory,seeifyoucancomeupwithoneormorethematicstatementsthatallthestoryelementssupport.Thiswillhelpassurethattheworkwillfeelconsistentandwholetothereader.
Self-ContainedandSerialStoryStructureAself-containedstoryisjustthat:asingletalemeanttostandonitsown.Areadershouldbeabletoreadthatparticularstoryandexperienceafullandsatisfyingstoryarc.Eachissueinanongoingorminiseriescomicbooktitleshouldhavea
serialstorystructure.Ideally,eachissuehasitsownarcwhilefillingitsroleintheoverallarcoftheseries.DennyO’Neil(withPaulLevitz)coversserialstorystructureinTheDCComicsGuidetoWritingComics.Attractingandretainingnewreadersisvitaltothefutureofthe
comicsbusiness.Withindustrysalesafractionofwhattheywerefifteenyearsago,it’smoreimportantthanevertomakeeachissueofaseriesasatisfyingandwelcomingexperienceforanewreadereveniftheissueispartofalarger,multi-issuestoryarc.Comicscreatorsshouldbecarefulnottoassumethattheirreaders
haveyearsofseriescontinuityintheirheads.Evenifacomicsseriesultimatelywillbecollectedintoatradepaperback,eachissueoftheinitialseriesshouldbestructuredtoprovideasatisfyingexperienceforreaders,bothnewandreturning.Everyissue,whenevercharacters,eveniconiccharacters,arebrought
“onstage,”theyshouldbeintroducedbynamethroughdialogue,captions,signage,andthelike.Theiractions(includingbodylanguage)andspeechshouldgiveclearindicationsoftheirpersonalities,motivations,andshort-termstatusquo.Avisualintroductiontotheirpowersshouldbemade.Everyissueofacomicissomeone’sfirstissueofthattitleandshould
bestructuredtobewelcomingtonewreadersaswellasentertainingtolong-termreaders.Ifanewreadertriestosampleanissueofanongoingtitlethatisnot
structuredtobeasatisfyingandinformativeexperienceonitsown,thereisagoodchancethatthatreaderwillfeelalienatedandnotcontinuewiththeseries.
TheDarkKnight’scomicsembodythemesthatkeepthecharacterandhismissionconsistentacross
multipletitlesgeneratedbyanumberofdifferentcreators.
ArtbyAlexRoss.
LettingtheStoryWriteItselfSomewritersliketocomeupwithabasicpremiseforastoryandthenbeginwriting,assumingthatthestorywillwriteitselfandthatasolidendingwillevolvealongtheway.Veryfewwritersareabletopullthisoffconsistently.Manywriterswhothinktheycandoitarefoolingthemselves.Theirstoriesoftenmeanderand/ortheendingsareunsatisfyingfortheaudience.Formanywriters,beforetheywriteafirstdraft,itisimportantthat
theinitialstoryconceptincludeadefiniteending.Asthewritingprogressesandthestoryevolves,thatendingmaychange.However,thereneedstobeanendtargettoshootforatthebeginningorthestorymaywanderaimlessly.Thinkofacartrip:YouwanttodrivefromNewYorkCitytoSanFranciscoandplantostopinChicagoandDenveralongtheway.Youmapoutandfollowthemostefficientroute.Ontheroadwest,youdiscoverparks,museums,events,orotherdistractions.Eventhoughyoudidn’toriginallyplantostopattheseinterestingplaces,itwastherouteyouweretakingtowardaplanneddestinationthatexposedyoutothem.Ifyou’djustgotteninthecaranddrivenhaphazardly,youwouldnothavefoundthoseparticularpointsofinterestandtheywouldnothavehadthesamecontextwithintheoveralltripexperience.It’spossiblethatinDenveryoumeetsomeonewhotellsyouhowfantasticMontereyis.YoudecidetomakeMontereyyourfinaldestinationinsteadofSanFrancisco.It’sbecauseyou’dplannedtogotoSanFranciscotobeginwiththatyoufoundoutthatyou’dprefertogotoMonterey.Changingtheendingofthestoryisokayifitmakessense,butinmostcaseswritersneedtohaveaninitialdestinationinmindwhentheybegintheirjourneyinordertoreachthedestinationandmakesureitstaysincontextwiththerestofthestory.
Mostwritersneedtohaveaplotoutlinedbeforetheybeginwritingthefirstdraftofthescript.That
outlineshouldincludeanendingevenifthewriterlaterdecidestochangetheending.
PhotobyE.Potts.
WritingApproachDifferentwritershavevaryingpreferencesforthewaytheyapproachwriting.Eachwriterneedstodowhatworksbestforhimorher.Thatsaid,becarefulthatwhatworksbestforyoudoesnotbecomeanexcusetotaketheeasywayoutortofollowthesamecomfortablerouteyou’vetraveledmanytimesbefore.Dothepreliminarywork(workoutabasicplotorpitch,gatherandabsorbtheresearch,etc.)beforeyouhammerawayatthefirstdraft.Afteryouhaveyourstorypitch,writethefirstdraftfromthegut
withoutobsessingaboutwhetheritconformstoaclassicstoryarcstructure.Oddsare,ifyouarefamiliarwithclassicstructure(instinctuallyorintellectually),youwillbeusingalotofthatknowledgesubconsciouslyasyouwriteanyway.Whatyoudon’twanttodoatthisstageinthewritingprocessisget
roboticabouthittingeachplotpointinaclassicarc.Doingthismayresultinadry,mechanicalscriptandinhibitsomeofyourinventionalimpulses.Italsomaypreventyoufromcomingupwithsomethingvaluablebecausetheideadidn’tinitiallyfitintoastrictstructuremodel.
WRITER’SPROCESSHere’sastep-by-stepapproachthatworkswellforsomewriters:
•Beforebeginningworkonthescript,draftaroughstoryoutlinethatincludesaspecificconclusion.•Doanyneededresearchandmakenotes.•Writethefirstdraftofthescriptfromyourgut.Ifthestoryveerssomewhatfromtheoutline,explorethenewdirection.Youcanalwaysgobacklaterandtryadraftinwhichyousticktotheoriginaloutline.•Whenyoufinishthefirstdraft,matchthemajorplotelementsinthescriptwithoneormoreoftheclassicstorystructuremodelsandseewhereyourstorydepartsfromthemodel.*•Whereveryourstorydepartsfromtheclassicarcmodel,askyourselfashonestlyaspossibleifthestorywouldbebetterifitwasalteredtobemoreinlinewiththeclassicmodel—orifyourinitialapproachisthebestwaytotellthestoryinthemostcompellingandcreatively
bestwaytotellthestoryinthemostcompellingandcreativelysatisfyingmanner.Usually,theformerwillbethecase.However,onceinawhile,itisnot.Youmaycomeupwithaninventionalstorystructurevariationthattellsyourparticularstoryinamorecompellingwaythanthemoretraditionalstorystructurecould.Amajorconsiderationhereiswhetheryouarewritingsolelyforyourownsatisfactionandexpressionorwritingtograbtheattentionofalargeraudience.
*Whenworkingonserialstories,thestructurewillbealteredsomewhatfromthatusedforastand-alonework.SeeDennisO’NeilandPaulLevitz’scommentsonserialstorystructureinTheDCComicsGuidetoWritingComics.
FORMOREONSTORYSTRUCTUREANDWRITING,CHECKOUT…
TheWritersJourney:MythicStructureforWritersbyChristopherVogler(MichaelWieseProductions)
Story:Substance,Structure,Style,andthePrinciplesofScreenwritingbyRobertMcKee(ReganBooks)
TheDCComicsGuidetoWritingComicsbyDennisO’Neil(Watson-Guptill)
Adventure,Mystery,andRomancebyJohnG.Cawelti(UniversityofChicagoPress)
CLASSICSTORYARCSIMPLIFIEDBasedonauthor,lecturer,andHollywoodstoryconsultantChristopherVogler’swork,hereisasimplifiedversionofaclassicarc:
•Thestorybeginsintheprotagonist’sordinaryworld.•Theprotagonistreceivesacalltoadventure.•Often,theprotagonistinitiallyrefusesthecall.•Sometimestheprotagonistmeetsamentorwhohelpsconvincetheprotagonisttodotherightthing.
•Theprotagonistcrossesathresholdofsomesortandentersaspecialworld.
•Inthespecialworld,theprotagonistencounterstests,allies,andenemies.
•Theprotagonist(andallies)approachthemajorchallengeinthespecialworld.
•Anordealisexperiencedbytheprotagonistwherehe/shefacesdeathonsomelevel.
•Aftersuccessfullydealingwiththeordeal,theprotagonisttakespossessionofarewardofsomesort(savedalife,gainedkeyinformation,destroyedenemy’sresources,etc.).However,thedangeroflosingtherewardstillexists.
•Intheroadbacktobringtherewardtotheordinaryworld,theprotagonistisoftenchasedandingreatdanger.
•Whenabouttocrossthethresholdtoreturnhome,theprotagonistisonceagainseverelytested.He/shehasacloserbrushwithdeathandischangedorexperiencesaresurrectiononsomelevel.
•Havingbeentransformedbytheexperience,theprotagonistreturnshomewiththeelixirorthereward.
ReprintedwithpermissionbyMichaelWieseProductions
TheWriter’sJourney,3rdedition,copyright©2007byChristopherVogler,www.mwp.com
CHAPTERTENART:DRAWINGforVISUALSTORYTELLING
Thesecondandthirdbooksinthisseries,TheDCComicsGuidetoPencillingComicsandTheDCGuidetoInkingComics,bothbyKlausJanson,aregreatresourcesforcomicsartists.NotonlyisJansonahighlyrespectedveteranofthecomicsbusinesswithcreditsonmanymajorprojects,hehastaughtstudentsatNewYork’sprestigiousSchoolofVisualArtsformanyyears.MygoalinthischapteristocomplementandexpandontheinformationinJanson’sbooks.
DrawingAbilityAnyartmeantforconsumerviewingthatisnotwelldrawncannegativelyaffectthereader’sexperience.Whethertheworkisahumorstorytoldina“cartoony”styleoran
interpersonaldramadrawninarepresentationalstyle,thereaderoftheworkneedstobeabletoidentifyallcharacters,environments,andobjectsimmediately.Ifthedrawingisweakandreaderskeepbeingpulledoutofthestoryexperiencetotrytofigureoutwhattheyareviewing,thecomicscreatorhasfailedinthemissiontokeepthemimmersedinthenarrative.Ifawell-drawnmanisnexttoaverypoorlydrawncar,thedifference
indrawinglevelswillcatchtheattentionofmanyreaders,distractingthemfromtheflowofthestory.Also,artistswhorelyonalotofphotoreferenceneedtohaveenoughdrawingabilitytomakesureallthephoto-referencedartmesheswellwiththeunreferenceddrawings.Theartmustdisplayaconsistentlevelofdrawingknowledge,detail,andrendering.Acomicsartisthastobemoreversatilethanjustaboutanyother
categoryofvisualartist.Mostfineartistsandcommercialartistsspecializeinonesubjectorafewsubjects.Theyconcentrateonportraitsorstill-lifesubjects,landscapes,productshots,andsoforth.Agoodcomicsartisthastobeabletodrawanythingrealorimagined
withthesamehighlevelofconvincingness.Anexercisethatpromptsartiststotackleandconquerdifficult
subjectsbeginswhentheygeneratealistoftheobjectstheytendtoavoiddrawing.Thelistsusuallyconsistofobjectstheydonotenjoydrawingbecauseofdeficienciesintheircurrentdrawingskills.Often,thelistsincludeanimalsofvarioustypes,vehicles,andcomplexscenesofbuildingsinperspective.Theartiststhentackleeachitemonthelist,drawingitfromdifferentangles.Thefeelingofaccomplishmentafterconqueringaformerlyavoidedsubjectisfantastic.Sometimes,asubjectthatartistsusedtoavoidbecomesaspecialtythattheyeagerlylookforwardtodrawing.Earlyinmycareerasanartist,Ididnotpayenoughattentionto
exteriorsettings,whethertheywereurbanorrural.Ifapanelcalledfor
buildingsorfoliageinthebackground,I’deithermakethemup(notveryconvincingly)orfindaphotoreferencefromwhichtowork.Littlethoughtwasgiventothenature,age,andmoodofthebuildingsorthetypesoftrees.IthenhadthegoodfortunetobeaskedtoinkseveralissuesofaseriesKevinNowlanpencilled.Kevin’spencilswereverytightandwelldrawn.Ilearnedalotbyinkinghispages.OneofthemanythingsKevindidwellwasgivetheurbanbuildingsinthestoryalotofcharacter.Theslumbuildingswereslightly“outofsquare”(theperspectivewaspurposelyoffabit),brickswerechipped,wallssagged,andtheawningsweretattered.Thedecayingbuildingscastforebodingshadows.Whenthescenesshiftedtothemodernsectionsofthecity,allthebuildingswerestraight,shiningbeaconsofsteel,masonry,andglass,verydifferentinfeelfromtheslums.InkingNowlan’sworkinspiredmetothinkaboutsettingsmoreascharacters.
STORYTELLINGLAYOUTSBYNONARTISTSToproduceroughvisualstorytellinglayouts,comicscreatorsdonothavetobehighlypolishedartists.It’sfairlyrare,butsometimes,withtheapprovaloftheircollaborators,writerswilldothumbnailbreakdownsofthestorytoaccompanythescriptorplot.Aslongasthewritercangeneraterecognizableenvironmentsandcharacters(evenaslabeledstickfigures)andhasaknackforcreatingstrongvisualnarratives,heorshecancreateroughsfromwhichmorepolishedartistscanproducethefinishedart.
TheNatureofLineMostcomicartisrenderedinline.Whatdoourlinesrepresent?InSuccessfulDrawing,therenownedillustrator,teacher,andauthor
AndrewLoomissays,“Theeyeperceivesformmuchmorereadilybycontouroredgethanby…modeling.Yetthereisreallynooutlineonform;rather,thereisasilhouetteofcontour,encompassingasmuchoftheformaswecanseefromasingleviewpoint.Wemustoutofnecessitylimitthatforminsomeway.Sowedrawaline—anoutline.”Linealsoisusedtorenderformswithintheoutlineofthefigure,
representingtextureandshadingonforms.Lineoftenisuseddecorativelyaswell.Often,tothenonartist,theartthatlookslikeithasthesimplestorthe
leastlineworklookslessimpressivethanartrenderedwithlotsoflines.However,thelowerthenumberoflinesanartistuses,themore
importanteachlinebecomes.Thisisbecausemuchmoreinformationhastobetransmittedtotheviewerthrougheachlinewhentherearefewerofthem.ArtistssuchasAlexTothweremastersofconveyinglotsofdrawingknowledgeandinformationwithrelativelyfewlines.
InthismoodyBatmanillustration,JimLeeusesthebuildingsofGothamalmostascharacters,
reinforcingthemoodoftheprotagonist.
DrawingStyleIdeally,anartist’sdrawingstyleshouldconsistofthedesignandrenderingapproachheorshechoosesthatbestfitsaparticularproject.Formanyartists,however,drawingstyleisinpartcomposedoftricks
theyusetogetaroundtheirdrawingweaknesses.Sometimesthese“cheats”consistofahighlydetailedor“busy”surfacerenderingstylethat,ironically,representsanattempttocamouflageordisguisetheirweakknowledgeofanatomyand/ordrapery.Sometimesartistswillusealotofblackareasintheirart,nottocreatemoodsomuchastocoverupareastheydon’tfeelcomfortabledrawing.Artistswithstrongdrawingknowledgecanuseintensedetailand/or
lotsofblackintheirworktogreatadvantagesincetheyareusingthesetechniquesonthebasisofknowledgeandnottocoverupweaknesses.Examplesofartistswithverystrongdrawingskillswhohaveabusy
surfacestyleorwhousealotofblackareasincludeArtAdamsandMikeMignola,respectively.Nomatterwhatstyleorstylesartistsuse,theyshouldendeavorto
gainasmuchdrawingknowledgeastheycansothattheirstyleisinformedbyknowledgeandnotusedasasmokescreentocoveruplackofknowledge.
FORMOREONCOMICSARTANDDRAWING,CHECKOUT…
Fordrawingcomicsspecifically:
The DC Comics Guide to Pencilling Comics by Klaus Janson(Watson-Guptill)
The DC Comics Guide to Inking Comics by Klaus Janson(Watson-Guptill)
The DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics by FreddieWilliamsII(Watson-Guptill)
Fordrawingingeneral:
The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by BettyEdwards(Tarcher)
SuccessfulDrawingbyAndrewLoomis(TitanBooks)
Todraweffectivelywithfewerand“simpler”linestakesasmuchormoredrawingknowledgeas
drawingconvincinglyusingdetailedrendering.Hereyoucanseeexamplesbymastersofboth
approaches.
ArtontopbyAlexToth.ArtonbottombyJimLeeandScottWilliams.
AnintimateknowledgeofdrawingunderliesArtAdams’shighlydetailedstyle.
WHYCOPYINGSOMEONEELSE’SARTFORPRACTICEISADOUBLE-EDGEDSWORD
Thefactthatsurfacestyleispartiallyanattempttocoverupdrawingdeficienciesisoneofthemanyreasonscopyinganotherartist’sdrawingstylecanbeproblematic.Inexperiencedartiststendtoemulatethesurfacestyleoftheartisttheyarecopying,amplifyingbothartists’drawingweaknesses.Therearecertainlyalotofthingsyoucanlearnbyobservingthe
workofothers,emulatinganotherartist’sapproachtodrawing,andevendoingsomecopying.Asageneralrule,thebestacomicscreatorcanbewhencopying
thestyleoractualdrawingsofanotherartistisasecond-rateversionoftheartistbeingcopied.Artistswhoabandoncopyingthesurfacestyleofanotherartisttobeefuptheirskillsandforgetheirowncreativepathhaveachancetosurpasstheiridol’saccomplishments.Sometimes,asatrainingexercise,ithelpstocopythewaysothers
havesimplifiedcomplexfiguresorobjects,renderedvarioustextures,orcomposedvisualelementsusingmethodsthatarenewtotheless-accomplishedartist.Whencopyingtheworkofanotherartistasalearningexercise,comicscreatorsneedtomakesurethatthey:•Picktheworkofartistswithrealdrawingknowledge.•Studyhowfaces,figures,animals,buildings,orvehiclesareconstructed,lit,andrenderedsotheycandraw(punintended)uponthatknowledgelaterwithouttheneedtocopy.
MikeMignola’suseofblackasadesignandstorytellingtoolrequiresahighlevelofdrawingability.
DrawingExercisesDrawingexercisescanimprovedrawingknowledge.Hereareacoupleofthem:
•Makealistofallthesubjectstheartistnormallyavoidsdrawing.Everyweek,theartisttacklesoneofthosesubjects,drawingitfromavarietyofanglesuntilheorshegetscomfortabledrawingthesubject.•Atleastafewtimesaweek,theartistpicksadifferentsubject(person,landscape,householdobject—whatever)anddrawsthatsubjectinatleastfivetotallydifferentstylesand/ormedia.Thestylesmightinclude:–Drybrush–Blindcontourdrawing(akaleading-edgecontourdrawing)–CharcoalorConté–Penandink–Highcontrast–Sculpture(clayorsimilarmalleablemedium):Sculptingisakeypartofthisexercise.Artistssometimesgetcomfortabledrawingasubjectfromacertainangleandunderspecificlightingconditions.Bysculptingahumanfigure,artistscan:+Learnwheretheirdrawingknowledgeisweakandneedsbeefingup.(Artistscan’tcoveruptheirknowledgegapsaseasilyona3Dsculptureastheycanbyusingrenderingstylesona2Ddrawing.)
+Learnhowthefigurelooksfromallangles,includingtheanglestheartistconsciouslyorunconsciouslyavoidswhendrawing.Thisexpandsthenumberofanglestheartistwillfeelcomfortabledrawingthefigurefrominthefuture.
+Upgradetheciphersfor“objectivereality”thatartistsprogramtheirbrainswithsothattheycandrawfrom“outoftheirheads”(withoutreference)moreconvincingly.
+Seehowthesubjectlooksunderavarietyoflightingconditions.
StyleSuitabilitySometimesourinitialassumptionsaboutwhichartstylesareorarenotsuitedtowhichsubjectscanbeoverlylimiting.BeforeArtSpiegelman’sgroundbreakinggraphicnovelMauswaspublished,ifIhadbeentoldthathewasdoingaseriousstoryabouttheHolocaustinacartoonyartstylewithmiceandcatsinplaceofhumans,Iwouldhavebeenskeptical,tosaytheleast.Maus,however,turnedouttobeanamazingandsuccessfulwork
ofcomicartthatappealedtoamuchwideraudiencethandomostcomicsorgraphicnovelprojects.
Drawingthesamesubjectinavarietyofstylescanhelpartistsbreakoutoftheirdefaultrendering
approach.Here,aphotoofJohnF.Kennedywasrenderedinpenandinkcross-hatching,blind
contourline,andhighcontrast.
NegativeSpaceNegativespaceisthepartofthevisualinapanelthatisoutsideandbetweenthemainareasoffocus.Itcanbeopen,unoccupiedspaceorlargeareasofwhiteorblackspace,butitisoftenpartofanobject(suchasawall)thatiscroppedandlitinawaythatdrawsattentiontotheareasofpositivespaceinsteadoftoitself.
Negativespacegivestheeyerelieffromtheclutteroftoomuchpositivespaceandwhenused
properlycanhelpdirecttheeyetothemostimportantpartofthepanel.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Manynewartiststendtofillallofthepanelandpagespacetheycanwithobjectsandlinework.Designingpanelsandpageswithnegativespacecangivethereader’seyesomerelief,focusthereaderontheimportantpositivespaceareas,andmakelifeabiteasierfortheartist.Artistsneedtomakesurethattheydonotusenegativespaceasa
crutchtogetoutofdrawingobjectsnecessarytoestablishasceneor
crutchtogetoutofdrawingobjectsnecessarytoestablishasceneorpropelthestoryforward.Comicsartistsshouldmakeaconsciousefforttousenegativespaceinsupportoftheirvisualstorytelling.Whenawould-becomicsartistshowsmeworkthatconsistentlylacksnegativespace,I’lldrawanemptyhorizontalrectangularpanelandaskhim/hertosketch“amansittinginaroombeinglonely.”Themajorityofthetime,theartistwillsketchafigurethatisdeadcenterintheframe.Usually,thatfigurewillfillmuchofthepanel.Usingthebasicposetheartistsketched,I’lldrawthesamerectangularframe,reducethesizeofthefigureandpushitofftoonecornerofthepanel.Justreducingthesizeofthefigurehelpsimpartafeelingofloneliness.Thenegativespaceaddstothesenseofisolation.Doingthisexercisehelpsillustrate(punintended)howutilizingnegativespaceisnotonlypleasingfromadesignstandpoint,itcanplayahugeroleinthestorytelling.
Theslumpingfigureisofftothesideinanasymmetricaldesignwiththewallandfloorcreatingalot
ofisolatingnegativespace.Evenwiththeinclusionofthebed,window,andmirror,thedesignleaves
alotof“open”space.Thewallandfloorperspectivelinesalsoleadtheeyetofocusonthefigure.
SpottingBlacksThepatternofblackareasinapaneloronapageshouldmakeaninterestingpatternthatalsohelpssteertheeyetothemainsubjectareas.Arrangingtheseblackareasisreferredtoasspottingblacks.Artistscaneasilycheckhowthepatternofblackareasonapagethey
areworkingonwilllook.Byputtingapieceoftracingpaperorvellumovertheworkinprogressandusingathickblackmarkertofillinalltheanticipatedblackareas,anartistcanplanblackareapatternsforthepage.Iftheresultingpatternisn’tpleasingorfunctional,theartistcanredothemwithoutharmingthelayoutortheoriginalart.Ifartistsareworkingdigitally,theycanaddanewtransparentlayertotheartfileandfillintheblackareasonthatnewlayertoseehowtheywork.Sometimes,ifsomeofthenegativespaceinapanelisblack,theblack
areasmayoverlapsomeorallofthepanel’snegativespace.
Placingavellumortracingpaperoverlayonapageroughandusingthickmarkersisagreatwayto
testoutpossibleblackpatternsforthepage.Ifworkingdigitally,theartistcantestoutblackareason
aseparatelayer.
DepthofFieldInmostcases,artistsshouldclearlydefinetheforeground,middleground,andbackgroundplanestocreateafeelingofdimensionaldepth.Theycanuse:
•Tonalorcolorcontrast•Atmosphericblur•Differencesinoutlinecontourthicknessand/orinlevelofdetail•Acombinationofthesetechniques
TonalorColorContrast
Theforegroundconsistsofdarkcoolcolors.Asyougofartherintothebackground,thecolorsget
increasinglywarmerandlighter.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
AtmosphericBlur
Addinganatmosphericblurorhazeoverthebackgroundcontributestothesenseofdistance.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
OutlineContourThicknessandLevelofDetail
Usingathickeroutercontourlineonobjectsintheforegroundhelpspoptheseobjectsforward.To
makeobjectsinthebackgroundappearfartheraway,tryreducingthethicknessand/ortoneofthe
lines.Reducingthelevelofdetailonobjectsinthebackgroundalsohelpscreateasenseofdepth.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Combination
Oftencombinationsofthesetechniquesareused.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Therearetimeswhenartistsmaypurposelywanttomeldorflattentheforeground,middleground,andbackgroundplanes.
Batmanisa“creatureofthenight”andoftenuseshisdarkcostumetoblendintoGothamCity’s
nocturnalurbanenvironment.Toshowthis,artistssometimespurposelymeldtheforeground,
middleground,andbackgroundplanes.
ArtbyJorgeZaffino.
TangentsAtangentoccurswhentheedgesoftwoormoreobjectsinapaneljusttouchoraresoclosethattheyarealmosttouching.Itisbettertohaveobjectseitheroverlapsignificantly(whichcanhelp
createafeelingofdepth)orseparatethemsothatthereisasignificantdistancebetweenthem.
Tangentsarevisuallyawkwardareaswheretheedgesofobjectsjusttouchoralmosttouch.Here,the
topofBatman’scowlearstouchthelineoftheroofinthebackground.TheangleofBatman’sears
alsomatchestheedgeoftheroofline.Additionally,Catwoman’sheeljusttouchestheouteredgeof
theroofline.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Manycomicscreatorsareabitblindtothetangentsintheirownwork.However,theycanspottangentsreadilyintheworkofothers.Therefore,artistscanhelponeanotherbycheckingeachother’sworkfor
tangents.Holdingtheworkuptoamirrororfloppingtheimagebyusingimagingsoftwarealsohelpsanartistspottangentsandotherdrawingissues.
Throughoverlappingand/orseparation,youcaneliminateawkwardtangents.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
CroppingFiguresAsageneralrule,whenyouarecroppingafigure,strivetoavoidcroppingatamajorbodyjoint.Itlooksawkwardwhenanarmiscroppedattheshoulder,elbow,orwristorwhenafigureiscroppedatthewaistorneck.
Croppingafigureatmajorjoints(shoulder,neck,elbows,waist,knees,wrists,andankles)createsan
awkwardlook.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Itusuallylooksbetterwhenthefigureiscroppedbetweenmajorjoints.Whyitlooksawkwardorunsettlingforafiguretobecroppedatamajorjointisunclear.Thereasonmaywellbemorepsychologicalthanaesthetic.
Whencroppingafigure,dosobetweenmajorjointsofthebody.Inthisexample,thefigure’sarmis
croppedbetweenelbowandwristandthelegiscroppedbetweenkneeandankle.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
DesignBalanceThetwomaintermsdescribingthewaysubjectsarearrangedorbalancedwithinapicturearesymmetricalandasymmetrical.Symmetricalbalanceoccurswhenalltheobjects/positivespacesarein
themiddleofthepanelorareevenlydistributedthroughoutthepicture.Asymmetricalbalanceoccurswhenobjects/positivespacesare
distributedoffcenterand/orunevenlywithinthepanel.
Symmetricalbalance:Allvisualelementsareevenlydistributedthroughouttheframe.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Asymmetricalbalance:Thevisualelementsareunevenlydistributedthroughouttheframe.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
UNDERSTANDINGBALANCESymmetricaldesignsoftenimpartafeelingofformality,stiffness,orsolemnity.Asymmetricaldesigncanimpartawiderangeoffeelings.Tograsptheconceptofdesignbalance,ithelpstohavealiteral
interpretationofthetermbalance.
Imaginethebottomofthepictureframeasthesurfaceofaseesaworteeter-totterwithafulcrum
underthemiddle
Nowimaginethatallthepositivespaceobjectswithinthepanelfalltothebottomofthepanel,
pushingtheirrelativesizesandweightsdownontheteeter-totter.
Keepinmindthatthefartherawayfromthecenter/fulcrumthatanobjectis,themoredownward
pressureitwillexertontheteeter-totter.
Inthiscase,theseesawinthepanelaboveremainsbalancedsinceallthepositiveelementsare
evenlydistributed.Theseesawinthepaneltothelefttipstooneside,meaningthatithas
asymmetricaldesign.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Youcancounterbalancealargeobjectnearthecenterofframewithsmallerobjectspositionedfarthertotheoppositesideoftheframe.
Thesame-sizeobject,whenplacedslightlyoffcenterofthefulcrum,doesnotexertasmuch
immediatedownwardpressureontheseesawasdoesthesameobjectplacedfarouttothesideon
theendoftheseesaw.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Asaresultofleverageontheseesaw’sfulcrum,thebigheavyhelicopter,placedslightlyoffcenter,
wouldtheoreticallybebalancedbyBatmanstandingonthefaroppositeendoftheseesaw.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
BalancedAsymmetricalDesignThereisasubcategorytoasymmetricaldesign:theseeminglyoxymoronicbalancedasymmetricaldesign.Balancedasymmetricaldesignoccurswhenthepositivespaceelementsarearrangedunevenlythroughouttheframebutwouldstillbalanceouttheseesawbecauseofthewaythevariousobjectsizesareplacedinrelationtothefulcrum.Asnotedabove,thefartherawayfromthefulcrumanobjectis,themoredownwardleverageithas.Thus,alargeobjectclosetothefulcrumcanbebalancedoutbysmallerobjectsthatarefartherawayfromthefulcrum.
Themediumandsmallervisualelements,whenplacedfartooneside,canbalancealargeelement
thatisslightlyoffcenteroftheseesaw’sfulcrum.Whenanartistisdoingearlypaneldesignsketches,
breakingthevisualelementsdowntodifferent-sizegeometricformscanmakethebalancingact
easier.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
DESIGNBALANCEVARIETYComicsartistsshouldincorporateavarietyofdesignbalancesinastorysothattheworkdoesn’tfallintoavisualrut.Also,artistscanusethedifferenttypesofbalancetoaddemphasisandaidstorytelling.Forexample,artistsmayuseaseriesofbalancedpanels,butwhenthecharactersreachanupsettingconclusion,theartistsswitchtoanasymmetricaldesigntoemphasizethemood.Ortheartistsmayintroduceasceneofadictator’srallywithstarksymmetryandshowaragtaggroupofheroesgoingupagainstthedictatorinasymmetricallydesignedpanels.
TheRuleofThirdsFormanycenturies,therehavebeentheoriesonhowtodividespaceinthemostaestheticallypleasingway.SinceatleastthetimeofancientGreece,thegoldensection(akagoldenratio)hasbeentoutedasanidealtostrivefor.Looselyrelatedtothegoldensectionandeasiertounderstandisthe
ruleofthirds.AsMarcosMateu-MestrenotesinhisexcellentbookFramedInk,dividingtheframeintothirdsbothhorizontallyandverticallyshowsthestrongcompositionalpointsforplacingsubjectswithintheframe.ThecroptoolinrecentversionsofAdobe’sPhotoshopshowsthe
divisionsbythirdsasusersadjusttheselectedareatoberetainedafterthecrop.
Agoldenrectanglecanbecutintoasquareandasmallerrectanglewiththesameaspectratio
(proportionalrelationshipbetweenwidthandheight).
Afterdividingtheframeintohorizontalandverticalthirds,tryplacingoneormorecharactersor
majorobjectsoffocuswhere(ornearwhere)thelinesintersect.Thiscanhelpcreatestrong
compositions.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
ThelinesinPhotoshop’scroptoolthatdividetheimageintothirdshorizontallyandverticallyhelp
theusereasilycroptheartinawaythatplacesthemajorvisualelementsattheintersectionsifso
desired.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
FacingPagesIntheWest,whenreadersopenacomicinwhichtwostorypagesareviewablesimultaneously,theygenerallyreadthepagesinthecorrectorder,processingthepageontheleftbeforemovingtothepageontheright.However,areader’speripheralvisionmaypickupinformationfrom
therightpageasheorshereadstheleftpage.Therefore,somecomicscreatorsmaywishtomovemajorplottwists,bigreveals,orothervisualsurprisesfromthelatterpartofapageontherightsidetothenextpage.Thiswillpreventthatvisualinformationfrombeingpickedupbythereadersuntiltheyturnthepage.Itisnotalwayspossibleforartiststotellforsurewhichpagesina
storywillfaceeachother.Somecomicshavescatteredadvertising,promotion,publicservice,andletterspages.Theplacementofthesenonstorypagesisoftennotintheartist’scontrol,andtheirpositioninthecomicmaynotremainconsistentfromissuetoissue.
Mostfacingpagesaremeanttobereadindividually,leftpagefirstandthentherightpage.Good
pagedesignmakessurethereader’seyepathisintuitive.
ScriptbyScottSnyder,artbyGregCapulloandJonathanGlapion.
Double-PageSpreadsOccasionally,astorymaycallforadouble-pagespreadwherethetwofacingpagesaredesignedtobeonelargepage.Thisrequiresthattheartistcheckwithhisorhereditortomakeabsolutelysurethatthefacingpagesneededforthedouble-pagespreadwillindeedbefacingeachother.Somedouble-pagespreadsconsistofonegiantpanelthatspansboth
pages.Otherdouble-pagespreadscontainmultiplepanels.
Thistwo-pageJusticeLeaguespreadwithartbyJimLeeandScottWilliamsisonelargepanel,
creatingabigimpactonthereader.
Thistwo-pagespreadwithartbyJimLeeandScottWilliams,alsofromJusticeLeague,createsabig
impactwhilecontainingmultiplepanels.
BleedPagesAbleediswheretheartextendstotheveryedgeofthepageinsteadofbeingcontainedintheframethatnormallyisrecessedinfromthepage’sedge.
Thebottompanelartruns,orbleeds,offtheprintedpageonthebottomandsides.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Likemostspecialeffects,bleedpagescanbeoverused.Whentheyareusedtoooften,thespecialnessandemphasisthatableedlendstoapanelorapageislessened;itbecomestheruleinsteadoftheexception.Anotherproblemoccurswhenfacingpagesbleedintoeachotherina
waythatconfusesthereader’seyepath.Readersmayhavetostopmomentarilytodecideiftheartististryingtoleadthemacrossbothpagesasthoughtheyareonegiantpageorifeachpageshouldbereadindividuallyinthecustomaryway.
Ifindividualfacingpagesbothhavebleedartthatmeetsinthemiddleofthespread,eachpage
shouldhaveitsowndistinctivecolorschemeandpanellayout.Otherwise,asisthecasewiththetop
panelsinthisexample,readersmayhavetostopmomentarilytodecideiftheyshouldreadacross
bothpagesorifeachpageshouldbereadindividually.
ScriptbyGeoffJohns,artbyJimLeeandScottWilliams.
CaptionandBalloonPlacementColoringandletteringgreatlyaffectmood,characterization,andstorytelling.ReadMarkChiarelloandToddKlein’sTheDCComicsGuidetoColoringandLetteringComicsforalotofin-depthinformationonthesetopics.Therearetwomainapproachesforplacingcopyelementsinapanel.Thefirstapproachbuttscopyupagainstpanelborders:
Somecreatorspreferthatcaptionsandballoonsbepushedupagainstpanelborderstopreserveas
muchofthepanel’srealestatefortheartaspossible.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Thesecondapproachrecessescopyawayfrompanelborders:
Othercreatorslikehavingcaptionsandballoons“floating”infromtheborders,surroundingthecopy
elementswiththeartorcolorwithinthepanel.Thetheoryhereisthatrecessingallowsthereader’s
eyestofillinthecopyareaswiththesurroundingartwhenthereaderisnotactivelyreadingthecopy.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
Whenballoonsandcaptionsarebuttedupagainstapanelborder,ineffect,theybecomepartofthe
border,creatinganodd-shapedframeforthepanel’svisualcontent.
Recessingballoonsandcaptionsinalittlefromthepanelbordermaintainsthepanelborder’s
originalcleanrectangularshape.
Thecaptionandballoonplacementapproachacreatorusescanaffectthe“frame”formatofapanel.Thereisnorightorwrongapproach.It’samatterofpersonalaesthetic
taste.Comicscreatorsshouldconsciouslydecideonthecopyplacementstyletheywanttouseinsteadofplacingcopyhaphazardly.
ICONSANDSYMBOLSSymbolsandiconsjuxtaposedwiththeartand/orwordsinapanelcanaddanotherlayerofmeaning.Emanataisatermusedtodescribemarksoriconsthatexpressa
thought,emotion,oraction.Sometimestheyarecontainedinaballoon,butoftentheyhovernearacharacterwithoutaballoonorothercontainment.
Emanatajuxtaposedwithavisualcanimpartadistinctfeeling.
ComposedusingartassetsfromDCComicsStyleGuides.
ArtbyWhilcePortacioandRichardFriend.
PARTFOUR
PUTTINGITALLintoPRACTICE
Newcomicsartistsareoftenunsurehowtotakeascriptandturnitintoacomic.Therearemanydecisionstobemadeonwhatvisualinformationtoshowandhowbesttoshowit.Confusionandfrustrationcanresult.Havingaclearmethodologycanhelpalleviatethatfrustrationand
streamlinetheprocess.
CHAPTERELEVENASTEP-by-STEPPROCESSforARTISTS
Okay,rollupyoursleeves,grabapencil,andgetreadytolearntheprocessforturningascriptoraplotintoacomic.
WorkingfromaFullScriptWhenworkingfromafullscript,thenumberofstorypages,thenumberofpanelsperpage,anddescriptionsofthevisualscontainedineachpanelarespelledoutfortheartist.Sometimestheartistwillenvisionchangestothestoryorfeelthat
rearrangingthepacingwillimprovetheproject.Theartistshouldgetapprovalfromhisorhereditororcollaboratorsbeforemakingchanges.Whenworkingonthestorytellinglayoutsfromafullscript,themain
compositionaldecisionsanartistwillhavetomakeinclude:
•Angles,layout,dynamics,depthoffield,andsoon•Wheretoprovideroomforlettering,alongwithsomeaspectsofthejuxtapositionofvisualsandcopy•Relativeemphasisofthepanelsandtheircontentoneachpage•Pacing,primarilythroughpanelsizesandshapessincethepanelcountperpagealreadyhasbeendecidedbythewriter•Paneldesignbalance,negativespace,primary/secondaryfocus,blackpatterns
Thoughmany,butnotall,ofthecreativedecisionswillhavebeenmadefortheartistbythescripter,thecomicsartistwillstillhavetoexecute—todrawthestory.
WorkingfromaPlotWhenworkingfromaplotorfromahybridbetweenaplotandascript,artistshavealotmoreinputintothestory,itsexecution,anditspresentationthantheydowhenworkingfromafullscript.Remember,whenworkingfromaplot,theartistwillbemakingthe
decisionsonwhatvisualstoencapsulateandshowtheaudienceaswellaswhatvisualstoleaveout.
Step-by-StepMethodforArtistsThefollowingstep-by-stepmethodologymaybehelpfulwhenanartistisworkingfromaplotoraloosescript.Ithighlightsmanyofthedecisionsthatartistshavetomake.Thesedecisionsandtheresultingcreativeexecutionsdeterminehowtheaudienceexperiencesthestory.Remember,theultimategoalofthevisualstorytelleristokeeptheaudienceimmersedinthestory.
•Readtheplotthoroughly:–Makenotesofanyquestionsyoumighthaveaboutthestory.–Highlightallinformationthatcan/shouldbeshownvisually.(Lookforthenounsandverbs!)–Ifinitialideasforvisualshityou,dosmall,simplethumbnailsketches.
•Ifneeded,communicatewiththecollaborator/editortogetresponsestoanyquestionsyouhaveaboutthestory.•Writestorypagenumbersontheplot,roughlyfiguringouthowmuchofthepreviouslyhighlightedinformationcancomfortablyfitoneachpageofthecomic.Ifyouhaven’tusedupallthepagesallowedforthejob,gobackanddecidewhatstoryelementsyouwanttogivemorespaceto.Ifyourunoutofpagestoworkwithbeforetheentirestoryisaccountedfor,figureoutwhichstoryelementscanbecombined,editeddown,orcutaltogether.•Doasecondreadingoftheplot:–Ifyoudidnotdosouponthefirstreading,drawthumbnailsketchesofideasforanyvisualsthatpopintoyourhead,includingideasforpanelarrangementsonthepages,scenes,andcharacterposes.–Noteanyvisualreferenceyou’llneedtoresearch.•Identifythekeyvisualsthateachsequencewillneedtopropelthestoryforward.•Drawroughpageschematics(emptypanelarrangements)indicatinghowmanypanelseachscenewillneedperpage:–Rememberthatatorverynearthebeginningofeachscene,there
shouldbeanestablishingscene.–Whenacharacterisintroducedforthefirsttimeintheissue,includeafull-figureshotofthatcharacter.Ifpossiblewithinthecontextofthestory,trytointroducecharactersactivelytoestablishtheirpersonalities,moods,andabilitiesvisually.Also,soonafteracharactercomesonstage,includeaclose-up.–Identifyinformationthatneedstobevisuallyestablishedorsetupearlierinthestorysothatitcanplayalargerpartlaterinthetale.–Thatway,whenyouarethroughexaminingthescript,youcanrevisitthesketchesanddecidehowviablethoseinitialvisualthoughtswere.
•Drawthumbnailsofideasforpanelcontentsonthebasisofthevisualinformationthatwashighlightedearlier.•Arrangethepanelthumbnailstocomposepagesthatarebasedonthepageschematics:–Adjustwhereneededtomakepagedesignandeyeflowwork.–Workoutwherecaptions,wordballoons,andallotherletteringwillgo,makingsureallwillbeintuitivelyreadinthecorrectorder.
•Lookupneededvisualreference.•Designcharactersandsettingenvironments,ifneeded.•Createpageroughsforeachstorypageon8½-inch×11-inchpaper.•Dofinishedpencilledartonafull-sizedartboardoronthecomputer.
THUMBNAILINGAstheyreadaprosenovel,screenplay,orcomicbookscript,mostartistsgeneratementalvisuals—theycan’thelpit!Astheyreadascriptorplot,comicsartistsoftendrawverysimplethumbnails(smallroughsketches)tomakearecordoftheseinitialmentalvisuals.Thesketchescanbeinthemarginsoftheplot/scriptoronaseparatesheetofpaper.Thumbnailingisaformofbrainstorming.Aswithallformsof
brainstorming,manyoftheinitialideasmaynotproveusefultothestoryforvariousreasons(e.g.,poordesign,wrongangle,tooclichéd).However,someofthenonusefulthumbnailedideasmayactasspringboards,spawningotherideasthatcouldbemorehelpful.
REFININGTHEROUGHSAfterworkingouttheinitialvisualstorytellingonpageroughsandbeforemovingontodrawingfinishedpencilsonfull-sizeartboards,artistsshouldreviewtheroughstomakesurethatthey:
•Selectedthebestangle,eye-levelheight,anddistanceforeachshottoconveyaccuratelythevisualinfotomovetheplotforward,showactionclearly,andindicatethemood(happy,sad,ironic,suspenseful,horrified,humorous,etc.).•Clearlyestablishedthecastofcharactersandtheenvironmentsandreestablishedthemwhentheywerereintroducedafterbeingoffstageforawhile.•Keptthefocusofeachpanel/pageontheprimaryinformationand/oractionwhileincludingelementsthatareloweronthescaleofimmediateimportance.•Maintainedconsistencyofestablishedvisualinformation(didn’tcontradictorignoreestablishedenvironments).•Createdtherightstorypacingbyusinginternalpanelcompositionalongwiththesize,shape,and/ornumberofpanelsineachsequence.•Usedaninterestingvarietyofdesignbalances,compositions,blackpatterns,andopen/negativespace.
patterns,andopen/negativespace.•Establishedandmaintainedactionflowcontinuity.•Leftappropriateandwell-designedroomfortitles,wordballoons,captions,soundeffects,credits,andotherlettering.•Effectivelyusedadesignmetaphororvisualtheme(ifonewasused).•Didnotcreateawkwardtangentsorcrops.
ESTABLISHING-SCENEBASICSRememberthebasicsforestablishingascene:
•Usuallyrequiresalongshot.•Establishthecastinfullfigure.•Makeclearwhereeveryoneandeverythingisinrelationtoeachother.
•Setupthescenesothatsubsequentpanelswillbeabletomaintainactionflowcontinuitywithintheestablishedenvironment.
•Sometimeshavetwoshots:oneexteriorshowingadwellinganditssurroundingsandthenaninteriorshotwheremostofthesequencewilltakeplace.
Doingpageroughson8½-inchx11-inchpaperiseasierwheneachsheethasapageborderwith
marginswideenoughtoshowbleeds,andonwhichstandardpanelborderdividershavebeen
indicated.Drawoneupanduseacopymachinetoprintasmanyasyou’llneed.
PhotobyE.Potts.
TRANSFERRINGFROMPAGEROUGHSTOBOARDSThereareseveralwaysinwhichanartistcantransferthepageroughsontothefull-sizeartboardtoproducethefinishedpencildrawingsforapage.Theartistcan:
•Replicatethepageroughsbydrawingthemfreehandontothefull-sizeboard.
•Blowupthepageroughsinacopiersothatthemainartareais10inchesx15inches,andthenlight-boxtheroughsontothefull-sizeartboard.
•Useanopaqueprojectortocastanenlargedimageoftheroughsontothefull-sizeboardfortheartisttotracefrom.
•ScanthepageroughsintoacomputeranddrawfinishedartinlayersontopoftheroughsusingPhotoshop,MangaStudio,orothergraphicssoftware.
Asartistsgrowinexperienceandconfidence,theycanbegintoskipthepage-roughstage,jumpingfromthethumbnailstagetoworkingonthefull-sizefinishedart.Someexperiencedcomicscreatorscanmentallyimageandorganizesowellthattheycangofromreadingtheplottoimmediatelydrawingonthefull-sizeartboardswithgreatresults.Otherspreferthemoremethodicalstagedapproachoutlinedonthispage.
Forsketchingthumbnails,thisarrangementoffourpagesonasinglesheetof8½-inchx11-inch
paperishandy.
Forthosewhopreferdoinglargerthumbnailsorwholiketoworktheirwayupfromsmall
thumbnails,tolargerlayouts,tofull-sizefinishedart,thissingle-pagetemplateonan8½-inchx11-
inchsheetisveryhelpful.
CHAPTERTWELVEWATCHINGthePROSWORK
Inthischapter,threehighlyaccomplishedcomicbookartistshavedrawnthesamethree-pagesequence,showinghowpersonalanddifferenteachartist’sworkcanbewhileobservingthesameprinciplesofstrongvisualstorytelling.Attheendofthischapter,Ihavealsoincludedmyinterpretationofthesequence.
Seehoweachartisttransformsapageofwordsintodynamicvisualstorytelling.
TheArtists•WhilcePortacio•BillReinhold•PhilJimenez
FromScript
ToArt
Theartists’workincludestheircommentsonthedecisionstheymade,includingif,when,andwhytheyfeltthatagoaltheyweregoingforrequiredthattheydosomethingoutsidethegeneralstorytellingprinciplesandtechniquesoutlinedinthisbook.Hereisthethree-pageplotfromwhichalltheartistsworked.Examineandlearnfromthesimilaritiesandthedifferencesamongthevariousartists’interpretationsofthisplot.
WhilcePortacioVersionWhilcePortaciowasborninthePhilippinesandspenttimeinHawaii,MidwayIsland,andNewMexicobeforesettlingintheSanDiegoarea.Breakingintocomics’professionalranksin1984,WhilcebeganinkingoverthepencilsofFrankCirocco,ChrisWarner,andArtAdamsatMarvel.HisfirstprofessionalpencillingworkwasonashortsequencecontainedinthefirstissueofStrikeforce:Morituri.Afterthat,hereceivedaseriesofincreasinglyhigh-profileassignmentsatMarvel,includingThePunisher,X-Factor,andTheUncannyX-Men,becomingoneofthemostpopularcomicscreatorsintheprocess.AsoneofthefoundersofImageComics,Whilcecreatedandproduced
Wetworksandseveralothertitlesforthatimprint.Morerecently,hehasdrawnhighlysuccessfulrunsforvariousBatman
projects,Spawn,JourneyintoMystery,andTheIncredibleHulk.Hecurrentlyisworkingonanewcreator-ownedtitle,Non-Humans.
WHILCEPORTACIO’SCOMMENTSThefirstthingIdoisreadthewholeplotfromareader’spointofviewjusttoenjoythestory.Idothistogetafeelforwhatbasicemotion(s)thewritermaywanttoconveywiththestory.WhenIreaditthesecondtime,Igoslowlyandcarefully,asanartist,
toseehowIwanttovisualizethewrittenstory.ImentallyvisualizetheimagesIwanttodraw.Generally,ifIcaneasily“see”astoryinmyheadasIread,itmeanstherewillbeampleroomonthepagetovisualizeit.Ofcoursethisistheperfectsituation.Inmostcases,however,therewillbesomescenes,sometimeswholeplots,whichwillrequirealotofpanelstoconveytheactionproperly.Insteadofsketchingsmalllayouts,Iliketodomyroughsonthefull-
sizedoriginalartboard.ThatwayIgetanexactfeelforhowIamfillingthepage.Duringthisfirstpencilonpaperstage,IamlessinterestedintheflowofthepagethanIaminworkingoutthecorrectnumberofpanelsneededtoconveytheactionthatthestorycallsfor.Forme,visuallyconveyingclearactionismoreimportantthanflowonthepage.IamconfidentthatifIlaterfeelthereisamajor“flow”problem,Icanfixitbyreworkingthecompositionofthatpanel.Myfirstattemptatlayingoutthestoryisbasedoninstinctand
Myfirstattemptatlayingoutthestoryisbasedoninstinctandconcentratesonmakingtheactionclear.Ireadthescenedescriptionandaskmyselfwhatpanelsareneededtotelltheaction.EvenatthisstageItrytothinkofwhichactionsaretrulynecessarytoshowandwhichcanbepushedtothebackground—orwhichwecandowithout.AteverystageofthislayoutprocessIstrivetoidentifytheactionsthatIcaneditoutandstillhavethestoryremainclear.This,hopefully,allowsmetohavethemaximumspacetodrawthestoryIwant.
Page1
Itisquicklyevidentthereisatremendousamountofactionandbackgrounddetailinthisplot.Igointoeditingmodeandtrytosqueezeactiontogether.Thisisespeciallythecaseonthelasttwopages,wherethereissomuchactionthatIfearlosinganyemotionalgriponthereaderbecauseeverypanelmustbesosmallandtechnical(interactionofcars,trucks,andbuildings).Sothereareveryfewpanelsofourheroashestrugglestosavetheday.Sincethefirstpageisrelativelysimple,I
trytogetinmybigshotsoftheherothereincaseIwon’thavespacelater.
Page2
Page3
AsIgetintothelasttwopages,Iseethereisverylittlespacetohavepanelsthatcutbacktoourhero.Ikeepthisinthebackofmymind.Atthispointtheclearnessofactionisthetoppriority.InvariablyIendupwithpagescontainingpanelsofsimilarsize.This
canberemediedinthenextstage.Nowthatalltheactionisonthepage,IcanclearlyseewhereIneedtoadjustmylayouts.Next,ItakethelayoutsintoPhotoshopsinceit’sfastertoeditandshift
panelsdigitallythantoredraweverythingbyhand.(Deadline,deadline—alwaysinthebackofthemind.)Iaddemotionalfeelingandalterthe
panelsdigitallythantoredraweverythingbyhand.(Deadline,deadline—alwaysinthebackofthemind.)Iaddemotionalfeelingandalterthepacingbyadjustingpanelsizeandcompositionand,insomecases,combiningtwopanelsintoone.OverallIamhappywiththelayouts.Therewasn’tasmuchofasqueezeforspaceasIanticipated,butIamworriedabouttwopoints:
1.ThereislittleroomtomakethestorypersonalbyshowingBatmaninthelasttwopages.
2.Theendpanelsareverysmall,givingthemverylittlesignificanceasaresolution.
NowImustlookoverthelayoutsandtrytoreclaimsomespacetoremedythesetwopoints.
PAGE1ADJUSTMENTSPanel1:Theplotasksforalottobeestablishedhere.Thebestwaytotrytohandletherequiredelementsistodistributethemondifferentvisuallayers.Theorderofpriorityis:
•BatmanandGordon•Thepolicemen/cars•Thefueltruck
NoticethatIdrawoneboardinggateinfullinthefarbackgroundandthensuggestothergatesbyshowingjustpartsofthem.Ialsodon’tneedtoclearlyshowthreepolicecars.Panel2:Thisisatypicalestablishingshotofanairporttowerandairplaneonapproach.Ikeepinmindtheneedtocomposethepanelsinawaythatallowsspaceforthewritertoaddcaptionsand/ordialogueballoons.IfIleavelittleroomtoaddcaptionsorballoons,thecopymayendupcoveringimportantpartsofthedrawing.Panel3:KnowingIwillhavepreciouslittlespacetoshowBatman,IchoosetoinserthisandGordon’sfaceshereinanunconventionalway.Itmakesthemstandoutandthereforehopefullygivesthemprominenceonpage1sothatthereadersarelessawaretheyseeverylittleofBatmanlateron.Panel4:SinceIamtryingtogainspaceinpages2and3,Itransfer
Panel4:SinceIamtryingtogainspaceinpages2and3,Itransferpanel1frompage2(theplanelandingpanel)tohere.Becauseitisnexttoafullshotoftheairplane,Idon’thavetoshowthefullplaneinthispanel,justthelandingwheelstouchingground.
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PAGE2ADJUSTMENTSPanel1:Intheoriginalversion,panel1andthispanelplayedrealwellwitheachother.Intheoriginalpanel1(nowthelastpanelonpage1),theplanelandsontheleft-handsideofthepanel.Withthispanel,theplaneisnowfullyonthegroundandisinthemiddleofthepanel,indicatingithastraveledfartherinspacethanitwasinthepriorpanel.IwouldhaveanoteforthewritertomakesureGordonsays“theplaneispassingusby”justtobeclear.
passingusby”justtobeclear.Panel2:Nowwehavethefueltruckhittingthebaggagetruck,andtomakesureweunderstandtherelationshipofthisactionwiththeplane,Ichoosetousethesameangleoftheplaneinthepriorpanel,justzoomedinabit.Panel3:ThisisashotoftheBatmobilehittingthefueltruckwiththepolicecarsbehindshowingtherelationshiptheplotcalledfor.NoticethatImakesurethefueltruckisorientedinadirectiontowardtheestablisheddirectionofthetaxiingairplanewithBatmancominginfromtheoppositedirection.Panel4:Asthetruckisflyingupintotheair,Istarttochangethepositionofthecamera.Atthispointinthestorythedramaisabouttoswitchfromtheairplanebeinghitbythefueltrucktothefueltruckslidingintothepassengerterminal.Panel5:Thecamerapositionhasnowcompleteditsmovementandisshowingthatthedangerisnowpointedtowardthepassengerterminal.Panel6:Thispanelwastransferredtothispagefrompage3.Thepanelvisuallyplaysbetterherebecauseitzoomsinonthepreviouspanel,showingthetruedangerBatmanmustavert.
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PAGE3ADJUSTMENTSPanels1,2,3,4,and5:ImoveupallthesepanelstofillintheextraspaceInowhave.ForactionclarityImakesurethefueltruckisalwaysgoinglefttorightandBatmanisgoingtheoppositeway.Panel6:NowwithroomforanewshotofBatmanIchoosetoendthe
scenewithBatmaninhisBatmobileandthecheeringcrowdbehindhim;noticeagainBatmanorientedrighttoleft.
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AUTHOR’SCOMMENTSONWHILCEPORTACIO’SPENCILSWhilcefirstestablishestheairportterminalandintroducesthecharactersindramaticfullfigure.Hechosetoestablishtheincomingplaneseparately.WegetahintoftheBatmobileontheright.Onthelowersectionofthepage,Whilceutilizesavariationofan
overlaytransition.WiththeBatmanandGordonfiguresseparatefrombutoverlappingthesecondandthirdpanels,theimpressionisthatthecharactersareobservingtheeventsinthosetwopanelseventhough
charactersareobservingtheeventsinthosetwopanelseventhougheachpanelisfromadifferentangleandtheactionhappenssequentially,notsimultaneously.
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Sincethepolicevehicleswerenotshownonthefirstpage,Whilceestablishesthatpolicecarsarepresentinthefirstpanel.Thereisalotofcontentandinformationinthispanel.Ideally,itwouldhavebeenniceiftheBatmobileontheleftwerefartherfromthecamera.ThiswouldallowustoseemoreoftheBatmobileandclearlyestablishthevehicle.Whilceestablishestheplane,baggagetrain,andfueltankerinthefirstpanel.Becausetheartistmaintainstherelativepositionsofthevarious
vehicles(planeontheleft,baggagetraininthemiddle,tankerontheright),theactiontakingplaceinthesecondpanelisclear.Ifthesecondpanelshothadbeenpositionedfromtheothersideoftheactionaxis,therelativepositioningofthevehicleswouldhavechanged,verypossiblyconfusingthereader.Whilcemakessurethereaderdoesn’tencounteranysuchproblems.Bymovingthefirstpanelfromthethirdpagetothebottomofthesecondpage,Whilcenotonlygavehimselfmoreroomtoworkwithonthethirdpagebutendedthesecondpagewithamorepersonalandemotionalthreattotheciviliansintheterminal.
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Onthethirdpage,WhilceclearlyshowstheBatmobileskiddinginfrontoftheslidingfueltankerwiththefrontofthevehicleangledtotheleft.Thatdirectionalbiasismaintainedthroughouttherestofthepage,helpingtheviewerfollowtheactionthroughavarietyofshotsandangles.Heendsthepagewithapanelprojectingasenseofaccomplishmentto
wrapupthesequence.ItincludesarelativelylargeheadshotofBatman,somethingtheaction-packedplothadn’tallowedforsincethefirstpage.
somethingtheaction-packedplothadn’tallowedforsincethefirstpage.
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BillReinholdVersionAlifelongIllinoisresident,BillReinholdgraduatedfromChicago’sAmericanAcademyofArtin1982.Afterheworkedforseveralsmallercomicspublishers,Bill’sprofileinthecomicsbusinessbegantorisewithhisworkonTheBadgerforFirstComicsinthemid-1980s.Hisworkcaughttheattentionofeditorsatlargerpublishers,andBill
wassoonreceivingpencillingandinkingassignmentsfromMarvelonThePunisher,TheSilverSurfer,Daredevil,TheProwler,theEarthXtrilogy,andSpider-Man.AlongwithwriterMikeBaron,Billco-createdSpykeforMarvel’sEpiclineofcreator-ownedtitles.AtDCComics,Billhasproducedartforavarietyoftitles,including
Batman:LegendsoftheDarkKnight,TheBookofFate,ChallengersoftheUnknown,GreenArrow,andTheBraveandtheBold.HepencilledandinkedtherecentrevivalofMagnus,RobotFighterfor
DarkHorseComics.Bill’sworkoftenincorporatesimpressivedrybrushandinkwash
techniques.Forthisthree-pagestory,Billdemonstrateshisstart-to-finishart
process,frominitialthumbnailstopagelayouts,topencils,andfinallytofinishedinkedpages.
BILLREINHOLD’SCOMMENTSWhenIfirstgetascript,Iliketoreaditstraightthroughtogetanunderstandingandfeelforthestory.Igenerallysavenotetakingorroughsketchingforasecondread.Ifit’safullscript,alotofthepanel-to-panelstorytellinghasbeen
doneunderthewriter’scontrol.Asanartist,workingfromaplotorroughscriptcanbeveryrewarding.Thefreedomofchoicescanreallyfueltheimagination.OnmyfirstattemptatthumbnaillayoutsforastoryIdon’tworry
aboutpanelsizeorpagedesign.Ijusttrytovisualizeeachscenefromdifferentangles.Isometimesclosemyeyesandimaginebeingacamerarevolvingaroundascenelookingfortherightshot.Ihaveevenusedprops,toys,andsoon,tosimulateascenesoIcanlookatitfromdifferentangles.HowmanypagesIhaveforanyscenewillhelpmedecidewhatbesttoemphasize.Icouldusetenpanelstoshowaplane
decidewhatbesttoemphasize.Icouldusetenpanelstoshowaplanelanding,orjustone.Thenthereistheentertainmentvalue.Alotofsmallpanelscanbefunandtellastory,butsometimesalargeshotisbestfordramaorthecoolfactor.It’sallaboutmakingchoicesthatwillservethestorybest.ThisshortBatmansequencehadmanychallenges.Carl’splothasaverycinematicfeelthatmadeitalotoffuntodraw.Alotofreferencewasrequiredforairports,planes,police,andthediversecrowdattheairport.Forreference,IusedeverythingfrommaterialsI’vecollectedovertheyearstoonlinevideosofplaneslanding.Ialsousedamirrortoworkoutposesforthecharacters.Page1:Ichosetotakehalfthepagetoshowtheexpanseoftheairportandadetailedviewofbuildings,vehicles,andanoverviewofourplayers.However,asIcontinuedonthestory,IfeltthatBatmanandCommissionerGordonweregettingtoolittleattention.WithalongerstoryIcouldhaveeasilydetailedthesceneandshownourplayersdramatically.ButIhadtochoose.Asmallerfirstpanelwouldstilltellthestoryandestablishthescene,leavingmeroomforalargerpanelwithBatman,Gordon,andthepolicewatchingtheplaneland.Ithinkthisbetterputthevieweratthescene.Page2:Webeginwiththeplanepassingthegateandeveryonegoingintoaction.BatmanisalreadylonggonebythetimeGordonyellsathisofficerstopursue.AfterIestablishedthechasesceneandallplayers,insteadofanotheroutsideobjectiveview,ItookusinsidetheBatmobile,gettingBatman’sPOVofthetankerrammingtheluggagetrain.AftertheBatmobileslamsintothefueltruck,IsetupthenextpageastheBatmobiletravelsaroundtheslidingtanker.Page3:Asthetruck’scabdislodgesfromthetanker,theBatmobileslidesintoplace,attemptingtoblockthetankerfromsmashingintotheairportterminal.Insidetheterminalweviewthepanickingcrowd.TheBatmobile’sstrainingbrakeslockitssmokingtires.IdecidetogetpersonalagainwithinsetpanelsportrayingapanickedgirlandadeterminedBatmanstrainingtostopthetanker’smomentum.ForthelastpanelIfirstchosetoshowBatman’ssuccessfromthecheeringcrowd’sPOV.InsteadIdecidedtoshowthehaltedtankerandatriumphantBatmanwithGordonapproaching.Smokestillbillowsfrom
triumphantBatmanwithGordonapproaching.Smokestillbillowsfromthebrakesandtires.IimaginethatBatmanissummingupthesituationasheandGordondecidetheirnextmove.I’msurethetankerdriverisbeinghandcuffedastheyspeak.WhenI’llbeinkingmyownwork,Iprefertodrawinaloosepencilstyle.ThatwayIcanseealotofmyunderdrawing,helpingmemakefinalstructure,lineweight,andblackplacementchoiceswhileI’minking.
AUTHOR’SCOMMENTSONBILLREINHOLD’STHUMBNAILS
Bill’sinitialtinythumbnailscombinedroughideasformajorpanelsandsimpleschematicsshowinghowthepanelswouldbearrangedonthepage.
Nexttomanyofthesketcheshenotedtheinformationcontainedineachpanel,makingsurethathecapturedalltheinformationfromthescript.
Ashedidonthepage3thumbnails,Billsometimeswilltrysketchingthesameshotfromseveralanglestofindthebestonetoshowtheactioninawaythatisbothclearanddynamic.
Author’sCommentsonBillReinhold’sLayoutsBillmovesontodotighterlayouts,drawingeachpageat5inches×7inches.Onthefirstpage,thesplashpanelclearlyestablishestheairportand
wherethevariouscharacters,buildings,andvehiclesare.Thissetsupallthevisualelementsthatwillsooncomeintoplay.Eventhougheachpanelispackedwithvisualelements,Bill
incorporatesroomfordialogueandcaptionsaswellasleavingsomeopenspaceforeyerelief.Sincethefirstpanelissuchalongshot,Billcomesinprogressively
tighterinthenexttwopanels,fullyestablishingthetwomajorcharacters,BatmanandCommissionerGordon,whileadvancingtheactionoftheplane’slanding,taxiing,andturning.
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Onthesecondpage,Billusesaninsetpanelwithaclose-upofGordonreactingtotheplanemovingawayfromitsassignedgate.AfterestablishingthattheBatmobileistotheleftofthefueltanker
truckinthesecondpanel,BillmaintainsthatrelationshipinthethirdpaneluntilclearlyshowingBatmanmaneuveringhisvehiclearoundtherightendoftheskiddingtanker.Onallthreepages,Billhadtodealwithcompressedtime—depictinga
lotoftimeandactioninaverytightpageandpanelcount.Thissituationwasperhapsmostextremeonthethirdpage.AsBillstatedregardingthesequenceinwhichBatmanusestheBatmobile’sbrakestostopthetankerfromcrashingintothecrowdedterminal,“Icould’veusedfiveormorepanelsforthatscene,demonstratingmovementwithvariousclose-ups.”Artistsoftenareforcedtorevealalotofactionandinformationinlessspacethantheywouldlike.Whenfacedwithsuchsituations,thebetterartistsfindawaytopullitoff,asBilldidhere.Lesservisualstorytellerswillshowpartoftheactionandhopethewriterwillcoverthegapsinvisualclarity.
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Onpage3,inthemiddletierofpanels,BillincorporatestwoinsetpanelsoverasceneofBatmandesperatelytryingtostopthetankerfromcrashingintotheterminal.ThefirstinsetshowsseveralofthehelplessinnocentcivilianswhomBatman,inthesecondinset,strugglessodeterminedlytoprotectfromthepotentialdisaster.
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Author’sCommentsonBillReinhold’sPencilsAftertheyaredonetohissatisfaction,Billcopiesthelayouts,enlargingthemtothestandard10-inch×15-inchoriginalartsize.Usingalightboxtotracethework,Billtransfersthelayoutstothefinishedartboards.Whenthebasicformshavebeentransferredtotheboards,Billtightensthepencils.However,wheninkinghisownwork,heusuallydoesnotpencilverytightly.Forthisjob,heproducedtighterpencilsthanhenormallydoes.
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Whenitcomestofiguringouttheplacementofblackareas(spottingblacks),Billsays,“Itvariesforme.Ifitstrikesmeinthethumbnail/roughstage,I’llsketchintheblackareas;otherwiseI’llworkthemoutinthepencils.”
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Author’sCommentsonBillReinhold’sInksBillinkedhispages,givingreadersacleardemonstrationofthestepsforcreatingcomicartfromstarttofinish.Wheninkinghisownpencils,Billsometimesusesinkwash,adifficult
andsomewhatlosttechniqueinwhichtheartistusesdilutedinktomakeagraytonepainting.Billalsooccasionallyusesadrybrushinkingtechniquetoaddtexture
tohiswork.Drybrushinvolvesdrainingthebrushofmuchofitsinkbeforeapplyingittothepagesothatinsteadofacleanblacklineflowingoffthebrush,theinkbreaksupintoroughstreaksandspots.Youseesomeofthisonpage1inBatman’scapeinpanel3andinthecastshadowtowardthebottomofthepage.
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PhilJimenezVersionAnativeofLosAngeles,PhilJimenezmovedtoNewYorkCityandattendedtheSchoolofVisualArts.HisfirstprofessionalworkwasforDCComicsin1991,whenhecontributedafewpagestotheWaroftheGodsminiseries.Phil’s’highlydetailedstylecombinedwithhissolidstorytellingsoon
wontheadmirationoffansandfellowprosalike.AtDCComics,Philhasdrawnandwrittenformanyhighlypopular
projects,includingNewTitans,JLA/Titans,Planetary/TheAuthority,Tempest,WonderWoman,AdventureComics(featuringtheLegionofSuper-Heroes),andthemegaseriesInfiniteCrisis.HehasrecentlyworkedonFairestforDC’sVertigoimprint.Previous
workforVertigoincludedTheInvisibles,SwampThing,andOtherworld.ForMarvel,PhilhasproducedworkonAstonishingX-Men,NewX-Men,
andTheAmazingSpider-Man.Acomicscreatordedicatedtosharinghisknowledgewithothers,Phil
servesasaninstructorathisalmamater,theSchoolofVisualArts,whereheteacheslifedrawing.HeisalsoamentorfordesignstudentsattheCooper-HewittNationalDesignMuseum.Forthethree-pageBatmansequence,Phildidtightlayoutsandshared
histhoughtsonhisprocess.
PHILJIMENEZ’SCOMMENTSWhenIfirstreadacomicscript,Itendtoavoidthedialogue,asit’snotmygeneralinterestsoearlyon.WhatI’minitiallylookingforisplot,action,locales,and
numbers/typesofcharactersI’llbeexpectedtodraw,becauseIthinkaboutandapproachaction-heavyscenesdifferentlythanImightintimateconversationalscenesandbecausethosedifferenceswillaffecttheamountoftimeI’llbesittingatmydrawingtable.Thatistosay,Itrytobudgetmytimeandenergydependingonwhat
I’llbeexpectedtodrawandhowmuchresearchand“thoughttime”willbedevotedtoeachpage.(Theirony,ofcourse,isthatnomatterwhatI’mexpectedtodraw,Ineverreallygetanysortofheadstartonthematerial;Itendtodoalotof“thinking”andlotsofresearchuntilIhavenochoicebuttostart,andinvariably,I’venotleftmyselfenoughtimeto
nochoicebuttostart,andinvariably,I’venotleftmyselfenoughtimetocompletetheassignmentandthereforerushthroughtotheend.)ThefirstthingInoticedreadingthisscriptwashowreference-heavythepageswereandhowIwouldn’tevenbeabletoblockouttheactionwithoutfindingthereferencefirst—thespecificsinthereferencewouldactuallydeterminecompositiononsomeofthepages,soIneededtoknowthesize,scale,andlookofthelocationsbeforeIbrokethepagesdowninthumbnails.Thus,IstartedscouringmybooksandtheInternettofindphotographsofairportsandairportterminals,planes,andthefueltruckthatIcouldusewhilebreakingthepagesdown.
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Page1:Iloveestablishingshots.Ilovecreatingenvironmentsforcharacterstointeractwith.It’ssortoflikegivingactorsastageorsettoplayon;themoreofaworldIgivethemtoreactto,themoreemotionandrangeIcangetoutofthemandthebetterandmoreclearthestorytellingexperienceforthereader.Onthispage,Itooktheopportunitytobreakatwo-panelpageinto
three,whichmayormaynothavebeennecessary.ButIwantedtogiveadistancedshotoftheairporttoshowustheterminalandGothamCitybehind,aswellasestablishtheairplanelanding,whichwasan
adistancedshotoftheairporttoshowustheterminalandGothamCitybehind,aswellasestablishtheairplanelanding,whichwasanimportantpartofthescript.Intheestablishingshot,Iscribbledinsomeforegroundobjectsfromthereferencefirst,thenplacedBatmanandCommissionerGordoninthescene,backstous—onceagain,atascalethathelpedestablishsize,distancebetweenobjects,andthecharacters’relationshipstotheobjectsaroundthem.Also,onmyinitialthumbnails,Istartedlayinginareasofsolidblackwithasimpleblackmarkertostartbuildingasenseofdepthandspaceandmassandanoverall“graphicness”tothepage.Inthethirdpanel,IwentincloseonBatmanandGordonataslightworm’s-eyeview.Mytendencyistotrytodrawatleastoneclose-upoftheleadcharactersearlyontoreallygivereadersaconnectiontothem.Also,it’scompositionallyoppositetothelarger,distance-establishingshot—creatingtwosimpleshapestooppose/contrastthemultitudeoffiguresandnumerousshapeshappeninginthepanelabove.
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Page2:Page2holdsanenormousamountofaction.Itwastrickybreakingthepagedown,andittookseveralpassesbeforeIwasabletofigureouthowtogetitallinafewpanels.PartofitisjustgettingtheactiondowninasmanypanelsasIthinkit
requires.I’mfiguringouttheactioninmyheadbyfiguringitoutonthepage.Notethattheplanethatweestablisharrivingattheairportonpage1,
panel1,landsonpage2,panel1.I’mparallelingactionandpanelshapetoprovidecontinuitybetweenpanels.
panel1,landsonpage2,panel1.I’mparallelingactionandpanelshapetoprovidecontinuitybetweenpanels.Ultimately,Ipulledthecamerabackandup—wayup—togivereadersanotherestablishingshotoftheplane,thepolicecars,andtheairportterminalitself.TheseareBIGobjectsthatdwarfhumanbeings,andIwantedtoremindreadersofthatbygivingthemanothersenseofscope,eveninasmallishpanel.Close-uponBatmanandGordonagain.Incontrasttothethirdpanelofpage1,thecharactersarenowreacting,turningastheyhearsomethingroaringatthemoffpanel.Ikeptthepanelsandshapesherelongandrectangular;partofthisistomimicthe“widescreen”effectthathasbecomesopopularincomics.Also,anysortofornatedesignwouldhavemadeitnearlyimpossibletocompresstheactionintothepageandstillmakeitclear.Simplepanelshapesandasimplenarrativestreamgivethereadersthemostbangfortheirbuck.Imovedsomeactionfrompage1topage2togiveitmore“surprise.”ThisiswhatBatmanandGordonarereactingto—atruckbarrelingthroughaluggagecarrier,whichistornapartbythetruckcabin.BatmanleapsintotheBatmobileinthenextpanel—notehowIdrewGordonintheforegroundbutleftplentyofroomforBatman’scapeandtheBatmobile.Also,innearlyallofthesepanels,Itrytoincludecompeting“invisiblediagonals”compositionallybycockingthecameraandlayinginthevehiclesandfiguresatdiscernibleangles.Thesecreateatensionthatelevatesthesenseofmovementandexcitementonthepageeventhoughthepanelsaresosimplylaidout.Thelasttwopanelsarelongandbig;thisiswheretheBatmobilesideswipesthetruckandknocksitover.Becausecaractionishyperdependentonmovementandbecausethereisnomovementonthestaticcomicpage(whyIgenerallyeschewthatkindofactioninacomicbook),Iwantedtocreatelongshapesandusespeedlinestosuggestthekineticfrenzyoftheaction.Ialsowantedtoleavethebiggestpanelforlasttoshowcasetheexplosiveoutcomeofthecollision.
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Page3:Aneasierpagecompositionally,soIendedupgoingbigagain.Fourpanelsorso.Thefirstpanelisbigtoshowcasetheinterioroftheterminalandthepeoplethreatenedwithin.Throughthewindows,weseeGothamCityinthebackground,onceagainremindingthereaderwherethecharactersareinrelationtothelargerworldaroundthem(andgivingtheairportaproperGothic,creepybackdrop).Therestofthepageservesthestoryfairlysimplywithanoverhead
shotoftheBatmobilepushingthetrailertoitscompletehalt.Ichoseabird’s-eyeviewhereforbothcompositionandeaseofstorytelling
shotoftheBatmobilepushingthetrailertoitscompletehalt.Ichoseabird’s-eyeviewhereforbothcompositionandeaseofstorytellingreasons.Thenwehavethefinalshotofthecheeringpassengersintheterminal.Onceagain,Ichosefairlytightclose-upsofthehumanbeingsinthestorytoconnectreaderstothepeoplethey’rereadingaboutandhopefullybringallthatactionhomeonamorehumanlevel.
AUTHOR’SCOMMENTSONPHILJIMENEZ’SLAYOUTSPhillikestoincorporatecompositionaldiagonalsthathelpleadreaders’eyesbackandforthacrossthepage.Forexample,onpage1,theapproachingplanetravelslefttoright.Inthesecondpanel,theangleoftherunwayandterminalperspectivemovetheeyerighttoleft.Inthethirdpanel,thedirectionofthecharacter’sgazepromptsreaderstomovelefttorightonceagainandontothenextpage.Onthebottomofpage2,againPhilusesthediagonalcreatedbythevehiclestoleadthereadertothenextpage.Thelastpanelofpage3,however,isaneutralshotoftherelievedcrowdofpassengers.Thisstopsreaders’eyes,signifyingtheendoftheactionsequenceandallowingreaderstocatchtheirbreathmomentarily.Philsometimesplacesahigherpriorityonleadingtheeyewithpagedesignthanonmaintainingconsistentactionflowcontinuity.However,ifthestorytellinggenerallyremainsclear,emphasizingdesignelementsbecomesamatterofcreativepreference.
Author’sVersionIknewthisplotwasjam-packedwithalotofinformationforthreepages.Itwasn’tuntilItrieddoingroughlayoutsforthesequencemyself,however,thatIrealizedjusthowdifficultataskitwasgoingtobe.Tryingtoshoweverythingclearlyinthespaceallowedwasdaunting.Page1:Thefirstpanel,thesplashpanel,isalsoanestablishingshot.
Myfirstinclinationwastodoalongshotfromabovetheairporttogivethereaderaclearlookattheairport’slayoutandsetupthesequence’sfutureaction.However,suchalongshotwouldmeanthatthecharacterswouldbeseentoosmalltoreallyestablishclearly.Thatwouldmeanhavingtoestablishthecharactersfullyinsucceedingpanels.Toestablishboththecharactersandtheairportsettingsimultaneously,Isettledonthislayout.Theground-levelangleallowedmetoestablishdepthbymeansof
overlappingandscale.Theskylineofamajorcityisseeninthebackground.Batman’scape,
CommissionerGordon’scoatandhair,andtheflagonthecontroltowershowusthatit’swindy.Cloudsstreamacrossthesky.WeseesomeoftheBatmobilebehindBatman,butprobablynot
enoughtoreallyestablishthevehicle,especiallysinceitisamajorelementintheactionthatfollows.IwouldpulltheBatmobileouttotheleftabittoshowmoreofitifItooktheselayoutstofullpencils.TheangleoftheterminalbuildingandGordon’spositiontotheright
ofBatmanhelpcreateanasymmetricalpyramiddesignwithBatman’sheadattheapex.Sincewereadlefttoright,eventhelandingplane’swinghelpsleadtheeyetowardthemaincharacters,asdoesthedirectionoftheascendingplaneinthebackground.Oneofthevisualstorytellingproblemswashowtogetacrossthatthe
planeislanding.Planesassumethesamenose-uppositionwhentakingoffandwhenlanding(thewheelsunderthewingstouchdownfirst,andthenthenosedescendsandthefrontwheelsmakecontactwiththeground).Sincetheplane’spositionalonecouldn’tindicatewhetheritwaslandingortakingoff,Iusedanupwardcurveonthecontrailsandengineexhausttoindicatethattheplanewasdescending.Thepanelfitsinalloftheestablishingsceneinformationwhilestill
havingafairamountofopenspace(sky).Thereisroomforatitleandcredits.
havingafairamountofopenspace(sky).Thereisroomforatitleandcredits.Thisisacasewherethereaderwilllookatthepanelforafewmoments,absorbtheinfo(mostlysubconsciously),andthenmoveonwithoutrealizinghowmuchwentintoworkingoutthestorytellingandcompositionofthepanel.Thisishowitshouldbe.Thesecondpanelestablishesthefacesofthetwomainprotagonistsandgivesthemspacetofillthereaderinonnonvisualaspectsofthescenariothroughtheirdialogue.Thethirdpanelwiththegroundtrafficdirectorintheforegroundsetsupthetaxiingplane’sturnandusestheant-sizedprotagoniststofillinmoredetails.
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Page2:Inpanel1,IwantedtoshowtheplaneclearlychangingdirectionanditsorientationtowhereBatmanandtheGothamlawmenwerestationedontherunway.Todothis,Iusedalongdownshot.Eventhoughit’sverysmall,thejetfueltruckisalsosetup,positionedbetweentheboardingdocks.Theclose-upofGordoninthesecondpanelshowshisreactiontothe
planemissingitsgateandcontinuingdownthetarmac.It’shardtotellinthesepencilroughs,buttheplaneisreflectedinhisglasses.Inthethirdpanel,Gordonandhismenscrambletogetintotheircars
inthesepencilroughs,buttheplaneisreflectedinhisglasses.Inthethirdpanel,Gordonandhismenscrambletogetintotheircarstofollowtheplane.Batman,however,isalreadyroaringaftertheplaneintheBatmobile.Ontheright,thefueltruckbeginsmovingtowardtheplaneastheaircraftfinallyturnstodockatagatefartherdowntheterminal.Farinthebackground,atractor-towedbaggagetrainisalsopullingout,headedforthearrivingplane.Thefueltruckplowsthroughthebaggagetraininthefourthpanel,sendingthetractor,driver,andluggageflying.Thisshotcouldbeseenasazoominonthefueltruckandbaggagetrainfromthepreviouspanel.IttookawhiletofigureoutagoodangletoshowtheBatmobileslammingintothetruck’scabanddivertingit.I’mstillnotsureifthisisthebestsolution.Inthesixthpanel,theBatmobileslidesinfrontoftherollingfueltanker.BillReinholdpulledoffasimilarshotmuchbetterinhisversionofthestory.Thehandintheforegroundleadsustothenextpage,where…
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Page3:…oneofthepanickedpassengershashishandplasteredagainstthewindowwhileheyellsawarningtotheothersintheterminal.Togetsomedepthandgivetheimpressionofalotofpanickedpeople,
IusedcroppedoverlappingfiguresreactingastheBatmobileattemptstostopthefueltankerfromslammingintotheterminal.ToshowtheskiddingBatmobileandfueltankerapproachingthe
terminalwiththeGothampoliceinpursuit,inpanel2Iusedanotherlongdownshot.ThepreviousshotsofthetankerandtheBatmobile
terminalwiththeGothampoliceinpursuit,inpanel2Iusedanotherlongdownshot.ThepreviousshotsofthetankerandtheBatmobileheadingtowardtheterminalhadtheactionmovingrightatthereader.It’snoteasytoconveymosttypesofmovementwhentheactioniscomingstraightatthereader.Therefore,Ifeltitwaspasttimetomaketheactionclearer.WeseethepursuingGothampolicecarschasingtheskiddingtanker.IwastemptedtoincludeaninsetpanelofBatman’sfootpushinghardontheBatmobile’sbrakepedal.Withsomuchinfoandactioncrammedintothreepages,itwashardtofigureouthowtoshowtheBatmobilesuccessfullybrakingtoahalt.Itmaybehardtotellintheroughs,butpanels3through6focusonaBatmobilewheelasitprogressivelyslowstoastop.Themulti-imagingofthewheel/tiredecreasesoverthesequence,andthesmokefromtheburningtiresstopsstreamingbackasthecarcomestoahalt.Sincethecarisnolongermovinginpanel6,thesmokedriftsstraightup.GordonandhisuniformedcopsarriveafterBatmanhasexitedhisvehicle.Thebatteredtankersitsstill.Theamountofinformationinthisthree-pagesequencecouldeasilyhavefilledtwicethenumberofpages.However,comicsartistsdon’talwayshavetheluxuryoftellingthetaleinthespacetheyfeelisideal.
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AFTERWORDThesedays,thepotentialcomicaudiencehasanearlylimitlessarrayofdiversionsthatvieforitsattentionanddollars,includingmovies,TV,videogames,andtheInternet.Tograbtheattentionofalargeaudiencetoday,whetherinprintordigitalformats,comicscreatorsneedtohavetheskillstotellgreatstoriesininteresting,clear,andcompellingways.Polisheddrawingandrenderingskillsaregreat,butunlesstheyare
combinedwithstrongstoriesandsequentialvisualstorytellingskills,theshortattentionspanoftoday’scomicsaudiencemaywellcausesalestofadeinsteadofgrow.Greatstories,welltold,willhelpcompelalargeaudiencetospendits
moneyanditstimeoncomics.Whenindoubtaboutwhetheryourvisualstorytellingdecisionsare
solid,rememberthatyourultimategoalistokeepthereaderimmersedinthenarrative.Anythingthatdetractsfromthatshouldprobablybeavoided.Nowthatyouhaveasolidgroundinginthebasicprinciplesand
techniquesofSVS,continuetoexpandyourvisualstorytellingknowledgeandskills.Readthesourcessuggestedthroughoutthisbookanddiscovernewsourcesofinformation.Ifyouhavesomenewinsights,pleaseletmeknow.Iamalwayslookingtoexpandmyknowledge.Youcanreachmeatcpotts1@hotmail.com.Youalsocanleave
messagesonmyblog,“GeneralEclectic”—justgotowww.carlpotts.com.Lookingforwardtohearingfromyou!
ArtbyAlexRoss.
ArtbySteveDitko.
GLOSSARYofCOMICSTERMINOLOGY
Creatorsworkinginothersequentialvisualmedia—includingfilm,television,andelectronicgames—sharemanyconceptsandtermswiththosewhoworkincomics.Termsforcertainrelatedconceptsbetweenmediaaresometimesused
synonymouslyeventhoughtheydonotmeanquitethesamething.Thesetermsincludeframeandpanelaswellasshotandangle.
AngleTheviewpointfromwhichthecreatorchoosestoshowashot.Majorcategoriesincludebird’s-eye/aerialshot,medium/neutralshot,andworm’s-eye/lowshot.Tiltshots(akacantedangleshots)occurwhenthehorizontalframeisnotparallelwiththehorizon.
BalanceAdesignterm.Therearethreemaincategoriesofbalance:symmetrical/balanced,asymmetrical/unbalanced,andbalancedasymmetrical.Mostoftenreferstothedesignbalancewithinapanelbutalsocanrefertothedesignofapageorspread.
BleedApanelorimagethat“bleeds”offtheedgeoredgesofapage.Theartiscroppedbythephysicaledgeoftheprintedpageinsteadofbyaborderrecessedfromtheedgeoftheprintedpage.
BorderAlinethatdefinestheoutsideedgesofapanelorpage.Differentstylesofborderscanaffectareader’sperceptionofthepanel’scontents,indicatingwhetherthecontentsrepresent“normalreality,”adream,aflashback,afantasy,andsoforth.
ContinuityMaintainingconsistencyofallnarrativeelementssothattherearenodiscrepancies.Canrefertoconsistencyinplot,series,fictionaluniverse,characterization,environments,actionflowdirection,andsoforth.Alsoreferstothesequentialorderofthenarrative.
CrosscuttingAlternatingpanelsorsequencesbetweentwoormorescenestoindicateparallelaction.
EmanataAtermcoinedbyBeetleBaileycreatorMortWalker.Marksoriconsthatexpressathought,emotion,oraction.Sometimescontainedinaballoonbutoftenhovernearacharacterwithoutaballoonorothercontainment.
EncapsulateTopickandencaseakeymomentofanarrativetoshowinapanel.Canalsoimplycondensingaswellasencapsulatingamoment.
EstablishingShotUsuallyalongshotatornearthestartofascenetoestablishwhoandwhereallthecharactersareinrelationtooneanotherandthescene’senvironment.Italsocanestablishthegeneralmoodandsituationofthescene.Scenesusuallyneedtobereestablishedwhentheyarereturnedtoafterasignificantabsence.
FrameOftenusedsynonymouslywithpanel.Italsocanmeanasingleframefromafilm.However,forbothfilmandcomics,thetermalsocanapplytothepartofalargervisualthattheartisthaschosentoshowthereader—along,medium,orclose-upshot—andfromwhatangle.Theframeisdefinedbytheoutsideedgesofapanelthattypicallyisestablishedbyaborder.
GutterThespacebetweenpanels.Thespaceisusuallywhiteornegativespace,butinsomecasesitmayconsistofpositivespaceifthegutterisbetweenpanelsthatareinsetorsuperimposedoveralargerpanel.
IconAvisualelement,usuallyasimplifieddrawingorsymbol,thatrepresentsanidea,person,place,thing,oraction.
InsetPanelApanelplacedinsideorsuperimposedoveranotherpanel.
JuxtaposeToplacepanelsnexttoeachother,thuscreatingarelationshipbetweenthepanelsandmodifyingthemeaningofeachpanel’scontentsthroughitsassociationwithaneighboringpanelorpanels.Thetermalsoreferstothecombinationofwordsandpictorialelementswithinapanelandincomicsingeneral.Themeaningsofthe
juxtaposedtextandpictorialelementsaremodifiedthroughtheirassociation.
MontageAnarrangementof“independent”visualsorvignettesinthesamepanel.Oftenusedtorepresenteventsoractionsthatarebeingcondensedandsummarized.Sometimesindicatesvariouseventshappeningsimultaneously.
MotionLinesorSpeedLinesLinesthatindicatemovementofacharacterorobject.Canbeappliedtotheobjectinmotion(usuallyseenintheWest)ortothesurroundingenvironment(oftendoneinmanga).
NeutralShotWherethemainactioninapanelmovesdirectlytowardordirectlyawayfromtheviewer.Sometimesreferredtoasheadortailshots.
PageAnentireleafofaprintedcomicbook(approximately6 ½inchesby10inchesinthetraditionalAmericancomicsformat).Forelectronicmedia,apageiswhateverfitsonadisplayscreenatonetime(includingscrollableareas).
PanWhenthe“camera”pivotsononespottorevealmoreofascene,ortofollowtheactionofasubjectinanarc.
PanelAvisual,oftenaccompaniedwithwords,whichencapsulatesamomentfromanarrative.Usuallyarectangularboxandoftencontainedbyaborder.Panelssometimeshavenoborderorareonlypartiallycontainedbyaborder.Occasionally,panelcontentwilloverlapotherpagevisualelementsorfadeattheedges(vignette).
PlanesThedepththatthevisualelementsinapanelhaveinrelationtoeachotherandtothecamera.Thedepthlevels,orplanes,usuallyarebrokendownasforeground,middleground,andbackground.
ReverseAngleApanelthatis“shot”approximately180degreesfromthepreviouspanel.Oftenusedwhentwocharactersinvolvedinconversationaresittingnexttoeachotherwhilefacinginthesamedirection(asinacar,plane,train,etc.).
SequenceAseriesofsequentialpanelsthatconstituteasceneoraneventinanarrative.
ShotThedistanceatwhichthecreatorchoosestoshowasubjectorscene.Themajorcategoriesarethelongshot,mediumshot,andclose-up.Movingshotsareshotsmodifiedbytracking(sequentiallyindicatinglateralmovementacrossasubjectorscene),zoom(sequentiallymovinginoroutfromasubjectorscene),fade(sequentiallyclarifyingorobscuringasubjectorscene),andsoon.
SplashAlargepanel,oftenafullpage,atornearthebeginningofastoryorissue.Oftenservesasthebeginningofthestory(evenifitisprecededbyaprologue).Thetitleandcreativeteamcreditsforastoryoftenappearonasplashpage.
SpreadPanel(s)orvisualsthatspreadacrosstwofacingpages.
SubjectiveShotShowsaviewthroughacharacter’seyesorovertheshoulder(OTS).Similartotheviewfor“first-personshooter”games.
TierAhorizontalrowofpanels.
TravelingShotWhenthe“camera”movesthroughspace.
CONTRIBUTORSArthurAdams,JoeBennett,W.H.HadenBlackman,BrettBooth,DougBraithwaite,RickBryant,GregCapullo,NickCardy,TonyDaniel,JohnDell,SteveDitko,JulioFerreira,MarkFredrickson,RichardFriend,JoséLuisGarcia-Lopez,DaveGibbons,JonathanGlapion,GeneHa,RussHeath,Hi-FiDesign,SandraHope,AdamHughes,KlausJanson,PhilJimenez,GeoffJohns,J.G.Jones,ScottKolins,JoeKubert,AndyLanning,JimLee,FrancisManapul,MarcosMateu-Mestre,MikeMignola,RagsMorales,Moritat,GrantMorrison,KevinNowlan,EddieNunez,YanickPaquette,GeorgePerez,WhilcePortacio,E.Potts,NormRapmund,BillReinhold,IvanReis,EduardoRisso,WillRosado,AlexRoss,P.CraigRussell,MiguelSepulveda,JamesShoop,WalterSimonson,ScottSnyder,RyanSook,ArdianSyaf,AlexToth,J.H.WilliamsIII,ScottWilliams,JorgeZaffino
ArtbyDougBraithwaiteandBillReinhold.
AlsoAvailablefromtheDCComicsGuideSeries
TheDCComicsGuidetoColoringandLetteringComics
TheDCComicsGuidetoPencillingComics
TheDCComicsGuidetoInkingComics
TheDCComicsGuidetoWritingComics
TheDCComicsGuidetoDigitallyDrawingComics
INDEX
Aabstractworks,1.1,9.1actionaxis,7.1,7.2ActionComicsactiondirectionactionflowcontinuity,3.1,7.1,7.2action/reactionAdams,Art,10.1,10.2,12.1Adams,NealAdventureComicsAdventure,Mystery,andRomance(Cawelti)angles,itr.1,3.1,10.1,11.1highangleshotslowangleshotsmediumangleshotsreversetiltangleshots
antagonistsart,1.1,8.1,10.1bleedpagescaptionandballoonplacementcopyingsomeoneelse’scroppingfiguresdepthoffielddesignbalance,10.1,11.1double-pagespreadsdrawingability,3.1,10.1drawingexercisesdrawingstylefacingpages
iconsandsymbolsnatureoflinenegativespaceruleofthirdsspottingblacksstorytellinglayoutsbynon-artistsstylesuitabilitytangentsasymmetrical/unbalanceddesignbalancedatmosphericblur,10.1,10.2
Bbalanceasymmetrical/unbalanceddesignbalancedasymmetricaldesignbetweenconventionalandinventional,3.1,9.1,9.2symmetrical/balanceddesignballoonandcaptionplacementBaron,MikeBatman,internalandexternaldesiresofBatman:LegendsoftheDarkKnightBatmanBlackandWhiteseries,3.1,8.1BatmanConfidentialBatman#3,5.1,10.1Batwoman#12Blackman,W.Haden,6.1,6.2bleedpagesBookofFate,TheBooth,Brettborders,5.1,5.2,5.3,5.4brainstormingBraithwaite,DougieBraveandtheBold,TheBryant,Rick
CcaptionandballoonplacementCapullo,Greg,5.1,10.1castingdirectorChallengersoftheUnknowncharactersketches,1.1,9.1characterizationChiarello,MarkcinematographerCirocco,Frankclassicstoryarc,9.1,9.2close-up/reactionshots,5.1,5.2comics,definedcommercialartistscomplementaryjuxtapositioncontinuity,3.1,7.1,7.2conventionalandinventional,balancebetween,3.1,9.1,9.2coverscreativedecisions,inserviceofstorycroppingfigures
DDaniel,Tony,3.1,6.1DCComicsGuidetoColoringandLetteringComics,The(Chiarelloand
Klein),10.1DCComicsGuidetoDigitallyDrawingComics,The(Williams)DCComicsGuidetoInkingComics,The(Janson),10.1,10.2DCComicsGuidetoPencillingComics,The(Janson),8.1,10.1,10.2DCComicsGuidetoWritingComics,The(O’NeilandLevitz),9.1,9.2,9.3DCComicsStyleGuides,2.1,3.1,3.2,3.3,4.1,5.1,5.2,5.3,5.4,7.1,
7.2,9.1,10.1,10.2,10.3,10.4,10.5,10.6,10.7,10.8depthoffield,10.1,11.1designbalance,10.1,11.1direction,establishingchangeindirectordistancecategories
Ditko,Steve,itr.1,afw.1documentaryfilms,7.1,7.2double-pagespreadsdrawingability,3.1,10.1drawingstyledrybrushinkingtechniqueDuncan,Randy
EEastwood,ClinteducationalpiecesEdwards,BettyEisner,Willemanataencapsulation,3.1,4.1,4.2establishingshots,5.1,5.2extremeclose-ups
FfacingpagesFairestFerreira,Juliofilm,differencesbetweencomicsandfineartistsFirstComicsfirstdrafts,9.1,9.2FiveC’sofCinematography,The:MotionPictureFilmingTechniques
(Mascelli),itr.1,5.1Foley(soundeffects)engineerforeshorteningFramedInk—DrawingandCompositionforVisualStorytellers(Mateu-
Mestre),itr.1,5.1,10.1frames(seePanels)Friend,Richardfullscript,workingfrom
GGarcia-Lopez,JoséLuisgenreexpectationsGibbons,Dave,5.1,8.1Giordano,DickGlapion,Jonathan,5.1,10.1goldensectionGoodwin,Archie,itr.1,9.1graphicssoftwareGreenArrowgutters,2.1,4.1,5.1
Hhappyendingsheightangleshighangle(bird’s-eyeview)shots
IiconsImageComicsinbetweener,readerasInfiniteCrisis,8.1,12.1inkwashinsetpanels,5.1,7.1instinct,itr.1,2.1,4.1instructionalcontent,1.1,9.1internalandexternaldesiresandconflictsinventionalandconventional,balancebetween,3.1,9.1,9.2invisibility,ofgoodvisualstorytellingInvisibles,Theironicendings
JJanson,Klaus,8.1,10.1,10.2Japanesemanga
Jimenez,Phil,5.1,8.1,12.1,12.2JLA/TitansJohns,Geoff,10.1,10.2,10.3JudasCoin,TheJusticeLeague,2.1,10.1,10.2Juvenaljuxtaposition,1.1,2.1,3.1,4.1,10.1
KkeyframesKirby,JackKlein,ToddKubert,Joe,itr.1,4.1,5.1Kurosawa,Akira
LLanning,AndyLee,Jim,fow.1,2.1,3.1,10.1,10.2,10.3,10.4,10.5left-to-rightbias,3.1,7.1LegionofSuper-HeroesLeone,SergioLevitz,Paul,9.1,9.2lightingdirectorline,natureoflineartlogoslong/establishingshots,5.1,5.2Loomis,Andrew,10.1,10.2lowangle(worm’s-eyeview)shots
MmagicshowsmaporientationMascelli,JosephV.,itr.1,3.1,3.2,5.1Mateu-Mestre,Marcos,itr.1,5.1,10.1McCloud,Scott,itr.1,1.1,2.1,5.1
McKee,Robertmedium/actionshots,5.1,5.2mediumangleshotsMifune,ToshiroMignola,Mike,10.1,10.2Milgrom,Allenmirrorimagemontage,5.1,6.1moodpieces,1.1,9.1Moore,AlanMorales,RagsMorrison,Grant
Nnarrative,1.1,1.2,3.1,8.1classicstoryarc,9.1,9.2genreexpectationsinternalandexternaldesiresandconflictsnegationofthenegationprotagonists,9.1,9.2self-containedandserialstructurestorypitch(logline)themewritingapproach
negativespace,10.1,11.1neutralshots,7.1,7.2NewDrawingontheRightSideoftheBrain,The(Edwards)NewTitansnonsequiturNowlan,Kevin,itr.1,10.1
Oobjectiveshots180-degreerule,7.1,7.2,7.3O’Neil,Denny,9.1,9.2,9.3outlinecolorthickness,differencesin,10.1,10.2
overlappingpanels
Ppacing,9.1,11.1pages,(seealsostep-by-stepprocessforartists)bleedcoversdouble-pagespreadsfacingpanelarrangementson,5.1,6.1panshotspanels,itr.1,1.1,1.2,3.1,3.2,4.1,4.2,4.3,5.1(seealsostep-by-step
processforartists)actiondirectionaction/reactionarrangementsonpageborders,5.1,5.2,5.3,5.4cameramovescaptionandballoonplacementcombinationsdesignbalance,10.1,11.1double-pagespreadsgutters,2.1,4.1,5.1heightanglesinset,5.1,7.1inventionalpanelarrangementsmontagenegativespaceoverlappingpointofviewsequences,1.1,5.1sizesandshapestransitiontypestypesofshots,5.1,7.1vignettes,5.1,5.2,5.3Paquette,YanickPicasso,PabloPlanetary/TheAuthority
plot,workingfrompointofviewPortacio,Whilce,10.1,12.1,12.2Potts,CarlPotts,E.,3.1,3.2,9.1,11.1PowerofComics,The(DuncanandSmith)protagonists,9.1,9.2
RRapmund,Normrectangularformatsreduction,4.1,4.2reductive/additiverelationshipbetweenartistandaudience,2.1,2.2reestablishingshotsReinhold,Bill,3.1,12.1,12.2,con.1reverseanglesright-to-leftbias,7.1,7.2Rosado,Will,2.1,4.1,5.1,7.1,7.2,7.3Ross,Alexroughs,refiningruleofthirds
SsadendingsSamuraifilmsscenebasics,establishingscreenwritersculptingsequences,1.1,5.1sequentialvisualstorytelling(SVS),(seealsopages;panels)components
ofencapsulation,3.1,4.1,4.2goalsandprinciplesofreduction,4.1,4.2setdesignersettingupandpayingoff
Sgt.Rock,4.1,5.1,5.2Shoop,JamesShooter,Jimshots,typesofSimonson,Walter,itr.1,6.1sizesandshapesofpanelsSmith,MatthewJ.Snyder,Scott,6.1,10.1Sook,RyanSpiegelman,Artsplashpagespottingblacks,10.1,12.1spreadsSpykeStarlin,Jimstatement,thematicstep-by-stepprocessforartistsestablishingscenebasicsJimenezexamplePortacioexamplerefiningroughsReinholdexamplethumbnailing,11.1,11.2transferringfrompageroughstoboardsworkingfromfullscriptworkingfromplot
storypitch(logline)storystructure,8.1,9.1,9.2,9.3storyboardssubjectiveshotsSuccessfulDrawing(Loomis),10.1,10.2SwampThing,6.1,12.1symboliccoverssymbolssymmetrical/balanceddesign
TtangentsTempestthemethumbnailing,11.1,11.2tiltangleshotstonalorcolorcontrast,10.1,10.2Toth,Alextrackingshotstradedresstransitionsbetweenactionsbetweenelementsbetweenmomentsbetweenscenesbetweensubjectsbetweenunrelatedelementsinnerpanel-in-panelsuperimposed
TV,differencesbetweencomicsand
UUnderstandingComics:TheInvisibleArt(McCloud),itr.1,1.1,2.1,5.1
VVertigoimprintvignettes,5.1,5.2,5.3visualliteracyvisualmetaphorsandthemesVogler,Christopher
WWaroftheGodsWarner,Chris
Watchmenseries,5.1,9.1WednesdayComicsWesternfilms,7.1,9.1Williams,Freddie,IIWilliams,J.H.,III,6.1,6.2Williams,Scott,2.1,3.1,10.1,10.2,10.3,10.4WonderWomanWritersJourney,The:MythicStructureforWriters(Vogler)writingapproach
ZZaffino,Jorgezoomshots