In this program, students learn to create and reproduce comics on their own with commonly available materials

1. D.I.Y Comic-
Book
Making!!!

2. Available At the library:
1) “Drawing Words & Writing
Pictures,” by Jessica Abel &
Matt Madden. Call # 741.51
ABE
2) “Understanding Comics,” by
Scott McCloud. Call # GNMCCL
3) “The Great Women
Superheroes,” by Trina Robbins.
Call # 741.5 ROB

3. Marvel, DC and Darkhorse are high-production, mass-produced,
professionally printed comics.

4. DIY comics are hand-drawn, laid out, printed, folded and bound by you!
(Caitlin Rose Boyle) (Willow Dawson)
(Jessica Abel)
http://jessicaabel.com/resources/diy/making
-minicomics/

5. Why DIY?
1) Editing and illustration
software and hardware is
expensive.
1) Most comic artists get their
start by DIY.
2) You need to learn the basics
first!

6. In addition to being a
guide for your comic,
storyboards help:
a) keep track of page
numbers.
b) determine the basic
layout of pages, panels
and art, or how the
comic looks from page
to page.

7. (8 ½”x 11”
printer
paper
folded in
half. 4
sides)
(Digest
folded in
half. 8
sides)
(Mini
folded in
half. 16
sides)
(Photo source: Abel)

8. ● How many
pages total?
(remember to
count front and
back covers,
content or title
page and an extra
blank page if your
page-count is
odd)
● What supplies
you need and
can access ?
(Do you have the paper
you need? What about
art supplies? Are you
going to make copies?
If so, do you have
access to a
scanner/copier?)
● What art or text
is ready for
production?

9. Step 4) Cover Designs
(Photo source: Abel)

10. Step 5) Photocopy, crop or resize art
Remember, art
drawn with a
pencil needs
traced in ink
before copying!
This step is for art/text
that is originally too big
to put in your comic.
You can resize the art
with a copier or
scanner. Ask for
someone who knows
how to work the copier
to help!

11. Our storyboard keeps ideas on
track, and the mock-up keeps
it’s layout and design on track!
Page numbers are not always in
order on a single sheet. For
example pages 1, 2, 11 and 12 are
on one piece of paper in my
mock-up.
(Photo source: Abel)

12. Master Mold
This is what you will use to
make copies of your comic.
Following your mock up, cut
and paste art and text on the
pages. Use a ruler to find
center (Don’t fold the pages,
as the copier will print the
creases!)
(Photo source: Abel)

13. (Photo source: Abel)

14. Examples:
Much like covers, you
can be creative with
your binding! However,
you have to keep in
mind the space
required for the
binding when you
resize your art and do
your mock-up and
master copy. (Photo source: Abel)