My Process

I've gone a step further here in these "process" posts and included the script page and layouts. This is something I wish more people would do so others can learn something about breaking down a script and laying out a page.

This is page 4 from Ambush at the End of the World, appearing in Mysterious Adventure Magazine. When I write, I don't break pages down by panel. Each page is its own piece and has its own beats and that's what I write to. Then I number the balloons (I don't know why I don't do it in the typing stage) to make it easier to follow in the layouts.

Then come the doodles. I beat my head against the page until I get something that works. Usually I'll have a panel or two already worked out in my head as I write and this part is to get the rest of the page to jive with those. I never show this step because it's a jumbled mess and really only makes sense to me.

When I've got something that works, I do a tighter layout on a pre-printed sheet that I'll blow up to 11x17 and lightbox on to my art board. This saves me a lot of time trying to recreate compositions and forms on the art board. This is also where I make sure my balloons work with the pictures.

Then I transfer that to the art board in non-photo blue pencil, run over that with a 4H pencil, go over that with an HB to tighten up spots if there's a lot of little detail that I don't want disappearing, write up my dialogue and ink the word balloons, and then ink it all in.

And that's what I do.

Then *mattcrap throws some pretty ziptones on it. You can see those here [link]