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Making comics is not just about learning how to draw, it’s about storytelling. This page is designed to make the process easier for you, by providing some Free Online Tools for Comic Creators.
For your convenience, I’ve put the comics templates up in two formats: Letter and A4. Choose whatever your printer prefers!
Comic book templates
Unsure of the standard format for making comic book pages? Tired of measuring out borders and bleeds? With these comics templates, you no longer have to! Just right click and save to your computer, open in Photoshop, Manga Studios or Illustrator – or just print out and start drawing!
Check out the .jpg examples here. Below you can find the high quality .pdf files.
Below are PDF templates for both the US comics format and European graphic novel format. Take your pick!
A helpful tool when designing your comic book characters, is a style guide or design template.
I”ve put up a male and a female version, making it quick and easy for your to concentrate on the design rather than anatomy. Please note that people are not ALL the same size, so you may have to vary a bit in your rendering of the characters in your book.
Use the templates as a quick guide to design clothes, hairstyle etc. These templates are also available in both letter format and A4 format.
A nice, sturdy pencil with a good grip. The 0,7 lead tends to break less often than the more widely spread 0,5 version and makes for more versatile lines.
Excellent for small, quick corrections. Dries fast and covers most inks.
Want to know what tools I use personally? Watch this video!
One-sheets for freelance artists:
As told in this article on Muddy Colors, artists Lauren Panepinto and Marc Sheff are putting together a book for freelance artists called Make Art Work, “a guide that gives artists the most specific information in the simplest language possible”. They held an Art Business Bootcamp at Spectrum Live and some pretty valuable info came out of that, as these two one-sheets will tell.
“There’s not one absolute rule that works for everyone, but these one sheets present a good place to start, and a general consensus on a lot of the questions that we Art Directors hear repeated from con, to con, to panel, to email, etc.”
I agree completely! And hereby present you with the two PDF’s:
Hi Ryan! You bet I will be making more videos on drawing, but the scripting part is what most books on making comics tend to skip – and it is HUGELY important! The coming vids in the series will have a lot more on how to draw, but don’t expect to see them on YouTube. The plan is to turn this in to a sort of membership site, but for now sign up is free, so if you haven’t alreade, hurry up and join the newsletter and I will keep you posted on new vids etc.
Hi Palle,
I was very impressed with your advice until I saw that you think Photoshop is the choice for pro comic book artwork. This is not the case, there many other alternatives, and some even better than photoshop.
These include Clip Studio Paint, Corel Painter, etc. Adobe products are no longer the only game in town. Your information is not current.
He said Pro,, as in Marvel, DC, etc. These companies always use Photoshop. I’m pretty sure he has nothing against the competition though his knowledge of what “Pros” use is quite accurate.
Palle,
This is exactly what I need at this moment in time! Thanks for going through the effort to create such epic and useful information. I see myself coming back to this site often to glean more nuggets of comic book wisdom in the very near future.
so I really like this website it has helped me out a lot but I was wondering if you had any tips or tricks on story boarding, i mean comics and storyboards are fairly close and one thing i am trying really hard to do is become a storyboard artist so any advice or ticks or even a place i could go with the information would be greatly appreciated
James, you’re right that comics and storyboards have a lot in common. And you are probably also right to pursue a career in the latter, as it is a lot more lucrative!
Here’s the thing about storyboards: compared to comics, the level of detail is a lot lower, so it’s a lot faster to do. The trick is to provide a sketch of a character, rather than an actual person, and the same goes for almost everything. You also have the opportunity to use arrows etc. to help tell the story. The fixed format and lack of balloons is another difference.
All in all I will say that if you can become a good cartoonist, you can become a good storyboard artist. If you can draw in a semi-realistic, sketchy style and you are good to work with.
It’s hard to give a quick storyboarding course here, but I wish you all the best!
Hi,
I liked the idea of having someone read your script to give feedback. I know absolutely no one that could help me with this. For a fee, can you look over a script and provide feedback? I think that would be useful. Thanks.
Thanks for the vote of confidence, Marcos, but at this point I can’t possibly take on any more work. I simply don’t have the time!
Hopefully you will find someone who can help you out. It doesn’t have to be a story expert, just someone articulate enough to ask the right questions. Best of luck!
Ha ha, thanks Gareth! It’s a big internet out there and I’m basically a one-man show here. I don’t have the marketing budget of Warner or Nike. But word of mouth seems to be working too, so… Keep sharing!
Since you included a writing section, this isn’t out yet, but ComiXwriter was successfully funded and is a comic-book-specific script writing utility that should be of great help for producing properly formatted comic scripts. http://www.comixwriter.com/
Big Fan of comic here. Just doing some research and adding some content to my site. This is a great resource to referred to for sure. Hope you don’t mind me sharing your site on my homepage at http://www.blackflak.com in the “Great Resources” section. Thank you for sharing these Palle.
Sure, Drew, thanks! Be sure to check back often. Between this page, the blog, the podcast and the tutorial videos, I think you’re going to find a lot of value and link-worthy content.
Palle, first off thank you so very much for doing all of this, I really mean it, thank you so much!
I’ve taken two of the Joe Kubert correspondence courses, the one on penciling and the other on Superheroes. While they were good and I did learn somethings, they didn’t go into enough detail for me. The one page assignment at the end of each section just wasn’t enough, at least for me. As an artist I wanted to know more about writing, especially from an artist point of view.
I think writing is different if you’re also the artist, and I haven’t seen much info on writing for the artist. So I’d like more info from that point of view if possible
I know your a busy man, but what’s really needed is a very comprehensive comics course, many people can’t afford to attend the actual schools that may teach sequential art, so a really good and in depth course would be a Godsend. I think cartoonist all over would jump on it!
I am participating in your 7 day course.
Once again, thank you so very much for doing this!
This is a fantastic resource! Thank you so much for all the wonderful information and massive help. I always believe you can tell the truly talented people from the ones who still have a way to go by their level of sharing; there’s room for us all with all our ideas and creative angles. I’d like to help contribute to this site, and if I could submit anything you may find helpful, how would I submit possible additions for free use for anyone here? Any information and feedback would be much appreciated, and thank you again for this site.
Hi Ilya, thanks for the kind words – and for your kind offer! You can reach me through the contact page: https://comicsforbeginners.com/contact/ Look forward to hearing from you!
Hey Paul, If you scroll through the blog you’ll find a bunch of bonus vids that have drawing in them. And of course the premium vids. For me personally it doesn’t teach me much to look at a person drawing (and that is the point of this site) but I’ll definitely take your suggestion into account. Thanks!
I think I used a Penol 777 marker. I tend to go for fatter borders than most comics. Anything waterproof that doesn’t bleed to much will do the trick. If you haven’t already, check out the resources section for more recommendations.
So, I was looking for some templates and found this page. I tried to set up an account, and BOOM! I’m already a member. I can’t freakin’ believe I haven’t been hangin’ out in here more often. I got you on my favorites bar now, though. No more slippin’ the mind. 😉
You’ve got great stuff on here, and I appreciate your work. Thank you.
Highly recommended for beginners, everything is here! This sets the foundation and is easily understood with tons of resources. I have experience, but this helps fine tune my skills to become a better artist and it fills in the gaps with all the information you need to move forward. Thanks again
Awesome. Just what I was looking for. Hope to see even more templates and goodies.
Thank you for sharing.
Thanks, Martin! Tell me what you need and I’ll see what I can do.
Glad these templates were helpful to you!
–Palle
Can you please make a video on youtube about how to draw comics because I finished my script but I’m having a lot of troubles with drawing
Hi Ryan! You bet I will be making more videos on drawing, but the scripting part is what most books on making comics tend to skip – and it is HUGELY important! The coming vids in the series will have a lot more on how to draw, but don’t expect to see them on YouTube. The plan is to turn this in to a sort of membership site, but for now sign up is free, so if you haven’t alreade, hurry up and join the newsletter and I will keep you posted on new vids etc.
Thanks again!
Hi Palle,
I was very impressed with your advice until I saw that you think Photoshop is the choice for pro comic book artwork. This is not the case, there many other alternatives, and some even better than photoshop.
These include Clip Studio Paint, Corel Painter, etc. Adobe products are no longer the only game in town. Your information is not current.
Very disappointing
He said Pro,, as in Marvel, DC, etc. These companies always use Photoshop. I’m pretty sure he has nothing against the competition though his knowledge of what “Pros” use is quite accurate.
Palle,
This is exactly what I need at this moment in time! Thanks for going through the effort to create such epic and useful information. I see myself coming back to this site often to glean more nuggets of comic book wisdom in the very near future.
so I really like this website it has helped me out a lot but I was wondering if you had any tips or tricks on story boarding, i mean comics and storyboards are fairly close and one thing i am trying really hard to do is become a storyboard artist so any advice or ticks or even a place i could go with the information would be greatly appreciated
James, you’re right that comics and storyboards have a lot in common. And you are probably also right to pursue a career in the latter, as it is a lot more lucrative!
Here’s the thing about storyboards: compared to comics, the level of detail is a lot lower, so it’s a lot faster to do. The trick is to provide a sketch of a character, rather than an actual person, and the same goes for almost everything. You also have the opportunity to use arrows etc. to help tell the story. The fixed format and lack of balloons is another difference.
All in all I will say that if you can become a good cartoonist, you can become a good storyboard artist. If you can draw in a semi-realistic, sketchy style and you are good to work with.
It’s hard to give a quick storyboarding course here, but I wish you all the best!
@James: By the way, I wrote a post on freelancing that you might find helpful:
http://www.makingcomics.com/2012/03/12/ten-pieces-of-advice-for-freelancers/
Thanks!
Awesome!
This will all be a great help! Thanks for the link 🙂
You’re welcome, Chloe, feel free to share!
Your website is really awesome! Really looking forward for more of your videos. Keep it up!
Hi,
I liked the idea of having someone read your script to give feedback. I know absolutely no one that could help me with this. For a fee, can you look over a script and provide feedback? I think that would be useful. Thanks.
Marcos
Thanks for the vote of confidence, Marcos, but at this point I can’t possibly take on any more work. I simply don’t have the time!
Hopefully you will find someone who can help you out. It doesn’t have to be a story expert, just someone articulate enough to ask the right questions. Best of luck!
-Palle
This is one of the most fantastic things I’ve ever seen. Why have I only just found out about it?
Ha ha, thanks Gareth! It’s a big internet out there and I’m basically a one-man show here. I don’t have the marketing budget of Warner or Nike. But word of mouth seems to be working too, so… Keep sharing!
Thanks again.
-Palle
Since you included a writing section, this isn’t out yet, but ComiXwriter was successfully funded and is a comic-book-specific script writing utility that should be of great help for producing properly formatted comic scripts. http://www.comixwriter.com/
Thanks for sharing, Phil! I’ll check it out. So far I’ve been using Final Draft.
Big Fan of comic here. Just doing some research and adding some content to my site. This is a great resource to referred to for sure. Hope you don’t mind me sharing your site on my homepage at http://www.blackflak.com in the “Great Resources” section. Thank you for sharing these Palle.
Cheers,
Drew
Sure, Drew, thanks! Be sure to check back often. Between this page, the blog, the podcast and the tutorial videos, I think you’re going to find a lot of value and link-worthy content.
Thanks again!
Best,
Palle
I was just wondering if there’s any content still being added to this website in 2015.
Or if it’s just a resource that’s kinda completed and nothing needs to be added.
Don’t worry, Rabbit, there’s more content on the way. Just been super busy is all 🙂
Palle, first off thank you so very much for doing all of this, I really mean it, thank you so much!
I’ve taken two of the Joe Kubert correspondence courses, the one on penciling and the other on Superheroes. While they were good and I did learn somethings, they didn’t go into enough detail for me. The one page assignment at the end of each section just wasn’t enough, at least for me. As an artist I wanted to know more about writing, especially from an artist point of view.
I think writing is different if you’re also the artist, and I haven’t seen much info on writing for the artist. So I’d like more info from that point of view if possible
I know your a busy man, but what’s really needed is a very comprehensive comics course, many people can’t afford to attend the actual schools that may teach sequential art, so a really good and in depth course would be a Godsend. I think cartoonist all over would jump on it!
I am participating in your 7 day course.
Once again, thank you so very much for doing this!
Excellent!!! Just what Ive been looking for to help with my Comic projects. Keep up the good work. 🙂
This is a fantastic resource! Thank you so much for all the wonderful information and massive help. I always believe you can tell the truly talented people from the ones who still have a way to go by their level of sharing; there’s room for us all with all our ideas and creative angles. I’d like to help contribute to this site, and if I could submit anything you may find helpful, how would I submit possible additions for free use for anyone here? Any information and feedback would be much appreciated, and thank you again for this site.
Hi Ilya, thanks for the kind words – and for your kind offer! You can reach me through the contact page: https://comicsforbeginners.com/contact/ Look forward to hearing from you!
Best,
Palle
Hey, I like your 7 days course, but I have one thing I miss. I wanna see you drawing! I want to know how you draw, could you do that more? I hope!
Hey Paul, If you scroll through the blog you’ll find a bunch of bonus vids that have drawing in them. And of course the premium vids. For me personally it doesn’t teach me much to look at a person drawing (and that is the point of this site) but I’ll definitely take your suggestion into account. Thanks!
Along with photoshop, You should suggest some free image editors.
pain.net
http://www.getpaint.net
GIMP (graphic image manipulation program)
https://www.gimp.org/downloads/
Opps
paint.net (the link is correct)
Dear Mr. Schmidt,
What marker did you use for the panels in Stiletto?
Sincerely,
Ian
I think I used a Penol 777 marker. I tend to go for fatter borders than most comics. Anything waterproof that doesn’t bleed to much will do the trick. If you haven’t already, check out the resources section for more recommendations.
So, I was looking for some templates and found this page. I tried to set up an account, and BOOM! I’m already a member. I can’t freakin’ believe I haven’t been hangin’ out in here more often. I got you on my favorites bar now, though. No more slippin’ the mind. 😉
You’ve got great stuff on here, and I appreciate your work. Thank you.
Ha! Welcome back, Tony. Glad u didn’t pay twice!
Highly recommended for beginners, everything is here! This sets the foundation and is easily understood with tons of resources. I have experience, but this helps fine tune my skills to become a better artist and it fills in the gaps with all the information you need to move forward. Thanks again