Comic Layout - Need Help

[Dread]

So, I've recently made the transition into doing a web comic and I wanted to know if there are any set ways to create a layout for my web comic. Do I use a pre-made template with panels done how I want them or do I create the panels myself? Should they be a certain size? Should the entire comic page be a certain size? Do I draw the images then put them into a pre-made template or draw directly into self-created panels; if so should they be much larger than the final image then resized to be smaller later?

Ahh, so many questions and too much confusion. It's worth it I know, but I believe I am a noob at this stage.

[Metruis]

Depends on the type of comic. A gag a day sort of comic will frequently have a pre-set layout, however, if you're doing something serious with pages, a preset layout would not be on my list of 'suggested things to do'. If you're planning to have a set number of panels, you may consider sticking to a four panel layout, either vertically or horizonally, and then draw them larger and size the panels into the layout. Myself, I draw my pages by hand with a rough layout in pencil which I don't ink, and then draw in the panel borders in Photoshop, which gives me a different layout each time and the option to break panels if I want or do different sorts of transations. If you're drawing your comic digitally you'll probably want to do something similar, drawing a rough idea of the comic before adding borders and fleshing things out. Drawing the layout first is NEVER a good plan, when doing something serious like that.

So, y'know what? There are absolutely no rules. Generally a gag strip is four panels, or three, in a row, or like this.

12
34.

But a more serious story will need more variety in panels than that, you might want a long panel to show setting or something. Even a story that's not serious but simply has more setting or more character to it might call for more than just a default panel layout. And creative panels can add a lot of dynamics.

As long as each panel leads smoothly into the next, it doesn't matter what shape, size, or angle they are. Just take a look at any manga, you'll see circle borders, large up and down, closeups on eyes, full pages with no extra panels.

As some people browse with 800x600 computers still, it's a good idea to keep your comics 750 pixels wide or less, that's basically the only 'rule'. Respect other people's connections. They still use dialup and small screens out there. I go for 550 pixels wide. But you'll want to work a lot larger than this and size down.

I would suggest drawing the images first and arranging them second, or drawing a 'loose' page first where you can erase and move things around if you're working either by hand or on the computer and not doing a joke comic. Then do your panel borders overtop of that. But it's also considered quite acceptable to draw each image seperately and then arrange them. But I would highly suggest not drawing right into a premade layout, unless you're doing a four, or three, or two panel type strip.

That's my opinion, anyway. The only thing I can guarentee most people will agree with is that you should keep your width under 800 pixels.

[Joel Fagin]

Anything you like. Literally. There are webcomics out there which are one panel high and twenty feet long. You just keep scrolling to read it.

Most people stick to known formats, though - either a newspaper strip format (like Garfield) or comic book sized pages (as used by any number of superhero comics, manga and so on).

- Joel Fagin

[Koad]

If you think at some point you might want to take your comic to print, then it might be easier to make your comic proportional to a standard comic book size. If I remember correctly it's 10'x15' in the US.

[Nikara]

I learned how to lay out my comic from reading lots and lots of manga--and I still have trouble ^^ A good general rule is that your frames should be proportionate to the importance of whatever's drawn in them. You might want to give a really important moment, for example, an entire page. That's why you shouldn't completely rely on a template--the template doesn't know what you would like to emphasize. Another tip is, don't get carried away by drawing boxes. The best comics balance boxes with, er, non-boxes I guess... Here's an example of what I mean (from Sarah Ellerton's Phoenix Requiem).

Good luck! Hope this helps.