Comic Design

• 1). Write down everything that must be told in the program. If it is a dance or music recital, the performances will be in a specific order with the name of the performer and the scheduled music. In this case, each performer will count as one event. Count the number of events, include the breaks and any special mentions of the instructor or other participants in the event count. The total number of events dictates the number of panels to create for the comic.
  
  
• 2). Open the drawing program. Create a new document 8.5-by-11 inch horizontal letter sized document with fold. Not all programs have templates for folded documents. If yours does not, plan to work with two separate pages. The first will have feature the front and back covers the second will feature the inside content. Allow for margins and the fold.
  
  
• 3). Create a new layer on the inside content page. This layer is for managing the comic panel borders. On each side of the page create a white frame that is about 30 pixels wide all around the inside of the print margins of each side of that half of the page. If it is too difficult to see the white border, create a temporary layer beneath and add color to it. Divide each of the frames into a number of squares and rectangles with 10 pixel wide lines to allow for each of the events to have its own pane. The panes can be uniform such as on a tic-tac-toe game or the rows can have different sized panes. Some of the dividing lines can have a lightning bolt type of zig-zag in the middle or where they intersect. When all of the white frames are complete, merge them together as one layer and outline the unit with a black line that is about two pixels wide. Save the work.
  
  
• 4). Create the characters. This step is optional. If you are not comfortable with drawing skills or wish to limit the time involved, the rest of the program can be made with text effects. Create a new page to work on characters. Drawing characters can be as simple as creating a few basic body shapes with different arm and leg positions. Add a four to six pixel black border for the 2D cartoon effect and change colors of the clothing. Bodies need not be perfectly shaped or to scale. Just create the indications of body parts using a combination of basic geometric shapes. Digitally cut-out participants faces from photos to place on top of the cartoon styled bodies.
  
  
• 5). Add characters and text to each pane. Use the Comic Sans font to tell what each person will be doing, and the bold version for their names. If desired, add clipart of musical instruments or other appropriate items as character props. The characters can introduce what they will do inside of speech bubbles. Speech bubbles can be made by merging a few white circles and a white triangle together and then adding a two-pixel-wide black border.
  
  
• 6). Add onomatopoeia bursts. An onomatopoeia is an action word that is seen in comics inside of shape that suggests movement such as “Bang!” or “Wow!” inside of a starburst. Select two or three locations on either side of the inside page that look like there is some empty space to fill. Some drawing programs have a quick shape tool that makes a variety of starburst shapes. Otherwise, merge a number of pointy triangles around a circle and add a two-pixel-wide border.
  
  
• 7). Add dimensional text to the front cover. Type in the name of the program, such as "Summer Recital" in your choice of font. Add a bold black border around the letters. It may be necessary to play with several font selections and main for the desired appearance. If the program has an Envelope or Perspective tool, use it to shorten the right side of the text and expand the left side for an effect similar to Superman or Indiana Jones titling. If the program has an Extrude tool, use it to make the letters appear thick and moving toward you.
  
  
• 8). Add information to the back cover. Typically the back cover includes the acknowledgement to sponsors who help with the event. Consider adding a “Big Thanks” inside a starburst to dress this page.
  
  
• 9). Print one sample. Review it thoroughly. Make any necessary changes and print one more sample. Print a small run of the final programs on a home computer or at a copy store.