Create better comics faster by using this system

[@maxis2k]

A couple famous Japanese manga authors have shared their process. And almost half their total time is spent on storyboarding/layout. I took this to heart and just expected that's what all professionals do. But apparently there's a lot of others who just fly by the seat of their pants and just do the sketches from the start. These authors often run into walls in their story. But I also don't blame them because they're on insane deadlines. And well, their stuff still sells.

[@BrinkleyComics]

I can understand seasoned veterans "skipping" steps because they can lean on their experience in a pinch but I'm glad that even famous mangaka still spend so much time planning.

[@Evil-Fry]

Who are they so i can search them?

[@stevewik2280]

What I've found is that if I just jump in and try to draw finished art straight away, inevitably I get overwhelmed by the amount of work and demoralized by realizing I could've designed my pages and panels better for story flow. It also slows me down insanely because I'm so intimidated over starting the next page, that I just keep "fixing" things on the current page as a method of procrastinating. I've abandoned every project I tried to approach this way because they just become depressing and overwhelming. What I realized makes me produce vastly faster is to break the process into as many facets as possible and focus on one facet at a time. So for me, my approach to scripting is to make a list of page numbers, and just type in a couple of sentences of what plot point needs to be hit on that page. This allows me to manage the pacing in an overview sense. (and if I happen to have any additional ides for dialog or anything else, I'll jot those down too just so I don't have to remember them). Then, I go through the entire book making thumbnails for every page. But the thumbnails are really the first pass for penciling because I scale those thumbnails up onto the final page files. This lets me work out the page layouts and panel compositions without the additional stress of trying to make final art at the same time and it's very little work to make fixes and improvements. In one case I realized I had five pages that had gotten away from me a bit and in some spots were filled with way too many tiny panels and smothered in dialog balloons. It took me a couple hours to cut/paste and rework panels and page layouts to turn those five pages into a much better seven pages. If I had been going straight to final art, I probably would've given up entirely. The next thing I do is put final lettering on all the pages. I basically have to write directly on the pages because if I try to write dialog in a Word doc, I inevitably end up with these expansive dialog exchanges that engulf the page in balloons, so I'd end up rewriting it all on the page anyway. Plus, I have a gift for writing dialog that won't fit nicely inside a balloon shape, so again I often end up rewriting things so they work better inside a balloon anyway. Writing on the page allows me to massage how the text and art interact so that I can plan how the balloons will guide the reader's eye through the page and to make sure nothing important is getting covered up. Plus I inevitably think up better dialog that fits what's actually happening in the art. And then I put the final panel borders on. This process is highly motivating for me, because I am able to QUICKLY see how the story will READ and how it flows and how the text and art are working in unison, all without the pressure of having to make any final art in a format that's EASY to make changes to if I suddenly think of something better. Once I've got all these steps done, I have a COMPLETED BOOK that is actually readable and I've given myself time to think about what I want the final art to look like while I was doing them. THEN I can jump in on final art, with literally nothing to worry about except making final art. All the design, composition and storytelling have been worked out in simple stages already, so all I have to do now is make it look good. This approach keeps me happy and motivated and free from the crippling pressure of trying to do everything at once. Thanks for reading my novel. The end. lol

[@BrinkleyComics]

I think that's a great way to work generally. Do all the hard graft while the book is malleable and the rest is (relatively) plain sailing from there.

[@hugokalinskel9205]

Thumbnails are really helpful because they not only help you get all your thoughts and ideas out of your head before you engage in the fun part(drawing) but also because it helps motivate you, or rather ensures you dont lose motivation. When I drew my practise comics I always rushed straight to drawing, which not only led to unclear stories, but almost always I never ended up finishing them. Storyboard now and get all the thinking done with. When you draw after, not only do you not have to constantly update your pages but you also have a clear goal(page count). Great videos on your channel, they're so down to earth and easy to follow along to. And i think you repeating your mistakes doesn't make you a worse teacher or hypocritical, quite the opposite since you learned from it.

[@BrinkleyComics]

That's a really important point about losing motivation when you rush straight into a comic without proper planning. I've definitely been there!

[@ShinGallon]

I'm in the middle of my revision run on my first graphic novel, and after having to completely redraw about 15 of the first 40 pages I wish I'd taken more time with planning. And later in the book I'm gonna need to add some more pages to patch a plot hole that came up when I rewrote a scene while drawing the pages (a habit I'm bad about). My problem is if I overplan I'll never get around to actually making the comic, so it becomes a "better a flawed comic that exists than a perfect one that's just in your head" situation. But, on the sequel comic I'm definitely going to thumbnail more. The nice thing about working digitally is you can just turn the thumbnail straight into the rough pencils and refine from there, I find that helps me keep some of the energy of my thumbnails.

[@BrinkleyComics]

You've perfectly described the balance that's needed when making comics. Perfectionism vs Planning. And yeah, digital does have that significant advantage when it comes to easily converting thumbnails to pencils and for those who aren't digital and are reading this, then get yourselves a light box!

[@ianbrooks4516]

As someone who draws, I can confirm that the thinking, or planning stage of any drawing is the most underestimated and time consuming part of the process.

[@crownobsidian]

ive only recently started to put more time/care into my thumbnailing vs sloppy chicken scratch and can already feel that the later stages of the comic will go much smoother-- you have some great content, got my sub

[@BrinkleyComics]

Thanks! :) Great to hear it's working out for you

[@TheTitaniumBunker]

Hey John, great video. I sometimes think the term thumbnailing is kind of misleading. I think people can start to think of the thumbnails as just the layout of the page but i think balloon placement composition of panels and gutter/border thinkness can add a lot to the reading experience. When I thumbnail a page, I draw rough and loose on folded a4 sheets. It allows me to get a better idea for placing word balloons, and as they are folded, I can flip through them to check how the page turn works, etc.

[@BrinkleyComics]

Yeah mate definitely. That's a great idea about folding paper to lay out a page!

[@MDHaughton]

Absolutely. An 8 1/2" X 11" (sorry, entire metric using world) paper folded is the exact aspect ratio as a Tabloid paper, 11" x 17".

[@Smieska_13]

This is my exact issue I'm having at work in storyboard. I'm incredibly slow compared to my peers and i keep beating myself up over it because i just couldn't understand what is making me slow. I spend more time planning it out than drawing and i feel like im a crazy person but in the end, my storyboards barely get revisions. Idk if thats a good thing or bad, but thanks for the vid. I needed that validation.

[@BrinkleyComics]

A good thing, I'd say!

[@RenDrawsWarbirds]

Well, I can only agree with all you've said here... Been stuck with the same 14 pages for four or so years, and after four or five redraws of different stages, I can only hope I've learned something. Love your videos, always come away with a nugget or two of wisdom!

[@BrinkleyComics]

14 pages over 4 years? Wow. What do you feel is preventing you from completing them and moving onto the next page(s) or project?

[@RenDrawsWarbirds]

@@BrinkleyComics Well, for the most part, school projects and then later paid projects came in between several times and the thing was shelved for extended periods of time, but aside from that, I fell into a trap of redrawing and iterating in a way that just didn't allow me to progress. As much as feedback is great, I took too much feedback from too many different people, and on the several occasions I had feedback that made the comic so much better that I couldn't ignore it and just move on without implementing it (which generally meant redrawing pages, sometimes the whole thing). It's also been drawn during a time when I've had an extremely steep growth curve as an artist, which also caused redraws and further iteration... I'm finally glimpsing the light at the end of the tunnel, though, with the inks done and halfway through colouring. And I'm currently being held accountable by a dear friend to a promise of no more redraws. That certainly helps. And safe to say, I'm looking forward to just moving on to another project, because I'm sick of this one. But I'll be glad once it's done, and I'll be happy with it.

[@BrinkleyComics]

@@RenDrawsWarbirds That's a really good idea to get an accountability buddy. I re-drew 2 issues 3 times when I was first starting out and asked my wife to be my accountability buddy for no more re-draws and it certainly helped!

[@JH-pe3ro]

The art growth curve thing is definitely an issue, I've been dealing with it too. But I have some tempered expectations since I've started with comics at a later age. This past month I've been doing comic pages just for Artfight, which has been excellent at pushing me to engage with comics in a different way from "telling my own story" - the motive of Artfight is to turn gift art into a game played with strangers - you draw their characters and they draw yours, and when it's in that context, it's easier to shrug off imperfection and try something new in each page. Drawing different character designs on every page and having to immediately figure out how to make each one pose and act in a way that worked with their lore(which is, in some cases, nonexistent) changed my whole process. It made comic-making into more of an art study. That said, I am trying to finish with a huge crowd scene, and this may have been asking too much of myself.

[@BrinkleyComics]

@JH-pe3ro that sounds like a fun idea and the fact you're pushing yourself with the crowd scene means you can only improve.

[@miguerys9503]

I've been thinking about this topic recently, quite concerned thinking about the time it will take me to draw a comic I'm doing right now, also coloring so even more trouble. I'm slowly realizing how telling the story is paramount and that what "good drawing" means in this context. Very important message to convey.

[@martinchristianaguilar5135]

What I’m Subconsciously Doing ever since Pandemic

[@AnoobishManga]

I completely agree with everything you said. I think that by sketching out a panel, there is more flexibility to change things on the fly and we can be more organized with our work and will increase the chances of releasing a higher quality work. I think these are all good aspects of visual storytelling.

[@BrinkleyComics]

100%

[@FifiMangaka]

What a great video John! One of the absolute best I've seen on this topic. Instant sub

[@BrinkleyComics]

Thanks mate! :)

[@elsevillaart]

You are totally right.

[@daem0nfaust]

So relatable right now. I don't know if there's an alternative solution that works equally well, but what you just discussed is helping me right now. The reinforcement and additional tips are most welcome. Thank you.

[@BrinkleyComics]

I'm glad they helped! :)

[@circusten]

I just stumbled across your channel and the Jeremy Clarkson/James May allegory alone got me to subscribe on the spot bahahaha I'm deep diving the hell out of this channel

[@BrinkleyComics]

Haha thanks! :)

[@withoutonly672]

I've gone one step further by only thinking and never drawing!

[@BrinkleyComics]

Can't make a bad comic if you never draw. You do raise a good point though and balance between over-planning and doing it is key!

[@darrensurff8554]

Your life is the comic 😮your thoughts create your comic reality 😮

[@thewatcher6295]

Theses are all very good common sense ideas. I am trying to make a comic with my daughter for fun, doing it digitally. I started years ago but I had a problem and lost all my work. I did not have a back up. I am not a great artist, but my daughter thinks I am. Trying to live up to the legend. I am putting to much pressure on myself, need to stop doing that. That is easier said than done.

[@BrinkleyComics]

That's such a lovely idea! And you're right about not putting pressure on yourself. Comics aren't about great technical drawings, they're about storytelling. Creating one with your daughter will make you a legend, regardless of what you may think of your own drawing skills.

[@thewatcher6295]

@@BrinkleyComics Thank you, I know what I need to do, I just need to have some discipline, and slow down. I feel like I'm taking too long. Its partially due to me not taking the time to think things through first.

[@BurtKocain]

Really solid advice. I learnt a lot of this the “hard” way while making my first manga for the Silent Manga Audition this year.

[@BrinkleyComics]

What's your manga called?

[@BurtKocain]

@@BrinkleyComics It's called "Se Busca". It's a goofy wild west comic with cowboys and bounty hunters. I'm hoping to publish it online somewhere after the competition closes. 🫡

[@BrinkleyComics]

@BurtKocain sounds fun! Where can people read it?

[@amayyaduvanshi2706]

Thank you so much! Needed this video

[@BrinkleyComics]

I'm glad it helped! :)

[@martincroke2155]

You cannot SAVE time only SPEND it wisely .

[@gabriellegillen]

Thank you so much for this video, it's perfect timing for me 🙏 I'm a Webtoon creator for Color Me Yours, and I get so stuck spending loads of time on the actual drawings, but most people say they focus on the story and barely look at the art. I write the script in Highland 2, then sketch thumbnails on Procreate. After, I start work on the final art and put it in Clip Studio Paint, where I add the speech bubbles and art together. I've noticed that the actual drawing takes less time when I've made thumbnails and can decide, "Oh, I don't need to draw 3 pictures, I can cut down to 2," etc. It's still very time-consuming for me though, as I'm more a musician/songwriter than a comic creator. (My latest episode has taken many days and hours overall, and it's tough balancing quality with speed...) I appreciate your advice of drawing less and really focusing on the storytelling, how the characters come off the page, and if the art alone can tell the story. Ex, if I remove the speech bubbles, can I see what's going on clearly? I have a lot of work to do still as a self-taught artist, but I hope I can keep it up! Will check out more of your videos, thank you for sharing :)

[@BrinkleyComics]

It's great that you got a lot from the video, I'm really happy to hear that. I subscribed to Color Me Yours on WebToon, too. Balancing time with quality is a huge challenge and I don't think any of us truly get it right. We're all work in progresses :b

[@gabriellegillen]

@@BrinkleyComics Thank you so much for the support, I really appreciate that!! And I suppose the best we can all do is keep on trying and learning :)

[@KEEFOj]

nice video! its really funny because apparently I learned this exact lesson somewhere on my journey and I've been doing this method since

[@BrinkleyComics]

Glad you enjoyed it! I think a lot of creators go through this and it makes me think it's because people don't talk about thumbnailing enough. Art resources tend to skew towards anatomy online I find.

[@Cyfrik]

Meanwhile, I'm trying to teach myself to do the complete opposite, learn to plan less. I keep getting so bogged down in various forms of planning that I never actually get to making the things I want to make, which causes me to lose interest in them and start over with something new. Repeat ad infinitum. So to mitigate this I have started setting word limits on most text-based planning. Not yet sure what to do about visual planning, maybe stroke limits. I'm also intending to try to partially improvise, by just... at some point start drawing some kind of mostly unplanned comic, and then do some loose planning while I'm already in motion. I've never been good at improvising and acting on the fly. It's time I learn, if I want to actually get anything done.

[@andreivulpe6148]

thanks

[@StevePadmore]

This is really great advice and i love how clearly it was presented! How long have you been making comics?

[@BrinkleyComics]

Thanks Steve! I started my first about 10 years ago or so.

[@nathancallaway2996]

great advice

[@quimera963]

Thanks for the advices

[@jessieisverysilly]

usefull tips!!!

[@yasminmagalhaes4309]

Great video! I'm so glad, finally received a golden recommendation +1 sub

[@BrinkleyComics]

Oh, that's great to hear! Whoever recommended me as exquisite taste ;P

[@brandondelgado7731]

Love this video. Thumbnailing the whole book is the best way to save time for sure. You know where you’re going and only need to edit as you go if you truly need it. Also, couldn’t draw for two weeks due to your Cintiq not working. Do people no longer draw on 11”x17” paper anymore?!?!

[@BrinkleyComics]

Well I'm English so I never draw on that paper anyway. A4 all the way! And yeah I drew in my sketchbook but I only used it to sketch out my thoughts. It was a blessing in disguise, really, because my usual method for making comics was to dive in head first and hope for the best.

[@quimera963]

I have a question, when making the thumbnail, pencils and ink, should it be covered per page or chapter?

[@BrinkleyComics]

That depends on what works for you. You can go through each process on each page individually or you can thumbnail an entire chapter, then pencil, then ink. Try both and see which one you prefer. :)

[@sebastijancamagajevac9942]

👍

[@emmahamilton1514]

What broke?

[@BrinkleyComics]

?

[@emmahamilton1514]

@@BrinkleyComics you said something broke and you couldn’t work for two weeks while it got fixed? Syntique or something?

[@BrinkleyComics]

@@emmahamilton1514 oh! Yeah, my cintiq. It's a drawing tablet.