How can one design comics?

Framed Ink. Credit: Special Arrangement

Understanding Comics. Credit: Special Arrangement

How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way. Credit: Special Arrangement

Comic Book Design. Credit: Special Arrangement

Let's Make Comics. Credit: Special Arrangement

With Comic Con India, a pop-culture celebration, back after two years, the interest in everything connected to comics is high.

Ever wondered how your favourite comic book was designed? Read these books to know more:

Framed Ink: Drawing and Composition for Visual Storytellers

Author: Marcos Mateu-Mestre

Read this pageturner to know how to make your audience ‘feel’ the story. Marcos uses his experiences from the comic book industry and movie studios to provide a system, which will help one create impressive storyboards and graphics. The author also explains how to draw and compose a single image, how to compose steady shots, and how to draw for continuity between shots. Examples of three different story lines are taken and this information is applied to it. Marcos also elucidates on visual character development, emotive stances, and how the environmental setting should be developed.

Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art

Author: Scott McCloud

This book does a thorough examination of comics art — its history, technical components, and cultural significances. As you flip through this book, you will come across a world of secrets between the different panels, lines, and hidden symbols and icons. The book looks at storytelling and visual communication from a different angle. It has been appreciated by luminaries like Art Spiegelman, Matt Groening, and Will Eisner.

How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way

Author: Stan Lee and John Buscema

A must have for Marvel fans, this book gives one a thorough peek into the world of comics. Stan Lee, the man who made Marvel what it is, and John Buscema, the artist behind characters like the Silver Surfer, Conan the Barbarian, the Mighty Thor and Spider-Man, come together to write this interesting guide. It digs deep into tips and information about creating awe-inspiring superhero comic strips. Using examples from Marvel comics, Buscema elaborates on the different methods of comic art. His illustrations and Lee’s laudable wordplay make this book an encyclopedia in itself.

Comic Book Design: The Essential Guide to Creating Great Comics and Graphic Novels

Author: Gary Spencer Millidge

To create unique and original comics, one needs to know some techniques and rules of the trade. Award-winning comic creator Millidge looks at making story line concepts and designs, designing characters, creating background locations, drawing with pencil and ink or digitally, lettering, page layout and grid structure, cover design, among other important topics.

Let’s Make Comics! An Activity Book to Create, Write, and Draw Your Own Cartoons

Author: Jess Smart Smiley

This book uses the format of an activity book and creative prompts to teach the fundamentals of cartooning. Its humourous and informative tone works for all ages, and can inspire from novice to experienced artistes. It includes tasks ranging from creating expressions for characters to making original characters. Each task works on its own as a lesson or can be clubbed with others in the book to stimulate one’s creative process. By the end of the book, one would have created several comics by themselves and picked up new tips.