Do you want to try drawing a comic strip but have no artistic talent? No worries. Technology can make anyone an artist. Even if you struggle drawing stick figures, sequential artwork offers you a way to express your artistic ambition.
If you have a story to tell, you can work it out as a digital cartoon strip or comic book. Visual narratives are a great way to boost reader engagement. Don’t let people try to convince you that comics are just for kids. Storytelling through sequential artwork is one of the oldest forms of human communication.
Visual storytelling media traces back to the beginning of humanity, from tapestries to carvings and ancient cave paintings. If you’re worried that your lack of artistic skill might deter you from producing a comic, think again.
Thanks to the evolution of technology, anyone can create a comic book to tell their story. This post unpacks the top technological tools to help you get your vision into comic panels. All you need is a desktop, laptop, or iPad, and some time. Are you ready? Let’s dive in!
Review the Masters
First, take the time to decide on the type of strip you want to create before you pick up your device and download the required tools.
Do you want to design a single-panel cartoon focusing on political satire? Maybe you want to create a “Garfield” style three or four-panel strip? Do you want to go the distance and make a full comic book like Marvel’s “X-Men?” You may be into Manga and want to create the next Akira. You have plenty of creative options available.
If you don’t know where to start, take the time to study the masters of the craft. Read through articles by legends of the game like Todd McFarlane and Neil Gaiman. There are plenty of online resources from top talents in the game showing you how to start your journey to creating your first comic book.
You could always visit your local comic book store and pick up a few issues of your favorite titles to get inspiration for your project.
No Talent? No Problem
When you have a clear idea of the comic you want to create, it’s time to start the creative process. You may be wondering how you’ll be able to draw a comic book if you have no artistic talent. This part is where the magic happens.
Using software can turn you from a no-talent artist into the next coming of Jim Davis or Bob Kane. Choosing the right app for your project and skill level gives you a great starting point. Apps like “Storyboard That,” “Canva,” and “Pixton” are great choices for an easy learning curve to success.
These tools offer a “drag-and-drop” interface providing you with hundreds of choices for speech bubbles and backgrounds. These tools interface with all devices, from desktops to tablets and smartphones. We also like the “Make Beliefs Comix” website, offering free access to various tools for creating your first digital comic.
Pixton is an online comic production app for mobile and desktop, offering a variety of stock scenes and characters for you to personalize. You can customize the character’s dialogue and actions as you unfold your design, giving your comic a unique look.
Suppose you’re a parent looking to stir your child’s creative capabilities. In that case, the nonprofit website “Common Sense” offers a simple, easy-to-understand guide on comic-making software tools and reviews these apps’ child safety and privacy features.
Make Your Comic with Photos
Use your smartphone if you’re useless with a pencil but a master behind the lens. You can create comics with a snap of the shutter using these tools. Turn your siblings into a superhero or relive a memorable moment in your life. Comic Strip Pro for Android and ComicBook for iOS are excellent apps in this category. Both have affordable subscriptions starting at $3 per month.
Both apps have a similar interface. Begin with choosing a page or panel layout for your strip or comic book. Import images from your smartphone’s camera roll and use them as panel illustrations. ComicBook for iOS and Comic Strip Pro for Android offer users a huge library of stickers, filters, and speech balloons to customize.
After arranging your photos, you can apply these filters to your images, making them appear as comic book panels—all with a simple tap. When you’re satisfied with the finished product, export or email it to share it with your audience. It’s that easy.
Other Apps and Software to Draw Comics
Artistic talent helps when creating your comic masterpiece, giving you more freedom and range in the apps designed for turning pencil sketches into fully-completed comic books ready for distribution. We like the free MediBang Paint tool, offering users a digital comics-creation platform for mobile devices and desktops.
Medibang Paint offers a holistic range of tools designed to bring your artistic vision to life. Illustration and drawing software tools like Procreate also allow users to create artwork for their comics. Sites like Printable Paper offer downloadable comic-book templates you can print and design using your pen or pencil.
After you finish, you can use the previously mentioned software to scan the artwork and put the finishing touches on it with digital tools. There are plenty of free options for your comic book software, but many have limited functionality. Fortunately, they have an affordable monthly fee, ranging from $3 to $14.
Where Can I Hire a Comic Artist?
You have other options if you have an idea for a comic book but can’t be bothered to use the digital tools recommended in this post. You could always find comic book artists for hire on platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, Reedsy, and Freelancer or other sites with dedicated comic artists looking for work.
These platforms make it easy to communicate and collaborate with professional comic book artists. If you find the right talent for your project, you could start a relationship that sees you publish your comic in online or offline publications. The sky is the limit! Good luck!