Comics tips and resources

This information was originally presented as a handout at the 2023 Prairie Comics Festival. It’s also replicated here with easy links.

Free (and cheap) resources for making comics

Creative Commons – creativecommons.org
Massive repository of artwork, plus licensing
agreements to help share your work with others

Vecteezy / Brusheezy
vecteezy.com / brusheezy.com
Free art resources (with attribution)

ProductionCrate – Productioncrate.com
VFX packs for reerence or promotional content

Blambot – blambot.com
Comic-centric type foundry – lots of free fonts for indies! Dialogue, SFX, and more

Dafont – dafont.com
Can filter for public domain and OFL fonts (remember to check your licenses!)

Google Fonts – fonts.google.com
font families that are free to use (with attribution)

Check your licenses! CC0 / public domain – no attribution
Everything else: check first!

GIMP – gimp.org
Open Source art program

Glaze – glaze.cs.uchicago.edu
Protect your art from generative AI

Creativemanitoba.ca
Seminars, resources, and collaboration

artsjunktion.mb.ca
Free supplies for artists

Artscouncil.mb.ca
Apply for government grants to help you make your comic (and not starve)

prairiecomics.com/events
Lots of great programming throughout the year for adults and kids alike

(many available at the library!)

The Animator’s Survival Kit, Richard Williams
ISBN: 978-0571238347

Comics and Sequential Art, Will Eisner
ISBN: 978-0393331264

Making Comics, Lynda Barry
ISBN: 978-1770463691

If you EVER think you might print your comic, work in 300 DPI CMYK and figure out how to lay out pages
If you ever think you might post your comic online, plan how you want it to look on a mobile device
Back up all your files regularly, and in more than one place
Printing will always take longer than you think it will
Have your own domain name and point everyone there, don’t throw away 200 business cards just because twitter changed their logo
Plan, make schedules, and then do your best to stick to it
Artwork takes around 70-80% of the time involved in making a comic – either pay your artist well, or learn to draw
Make it as easy as possible to make stuff – downtime should be meaningful
Throw it out and start over, you’ll feel better

Take care of your body, because comics will destroy it
Lettering matters! Spend the time and effort to get it right
you can spend an extra two hours on a page, and most readers won’t even notice it
if you want to make a comic from scratch, you must first invent the universe – take shortcuts
Storytelling happens in the art, not just the words
Learn colour theory
Assistance comes in many forms
Try a bit of everything – you’ll never know what you’re good at otherwise!
Draw inspiration from everything, not just comics
Sometimes it helps to change your environment and your workspace
You’re not getting rich. Comics have terrible margins. Sell prints!