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Damien Barban

You want to draw? You want to draw comic books? To learn how to draw anatomy? To know what softwares to use for digital creation, or how to create a comic book from A to B?

We are going to learn a LOT of things. First, we are going to speak about the history of comic books, where this come from as it will allow you to know where you go.

Then we are going to see plenty of technics from the basics with the Anatomy, the frames, the creation of pages, the colors and the movements of the characters.

Read more

You want to draw? You want to draw comic books? To learn how to draw anatomy? To know what softwares to use for digital creation, or how to create a comic book from A to B?

We are going to learn a LOT of things. First, we are going to speak about the history of comic books, where this come from as it will allow you to know where you go.

Then we are going to see plenty of technics from the basics with the Anatomy, the frames, the creation of pages, the colors and the movements of the characters.

There will be a lot of examples given for every subjects discussed during this course. Assigments will also be provided to incite you to train yourself as the more important point to remind is that regular drill is the key of success and skill improvement. Doing exercices over, and over again will make you more able to draw rapidly and in quality.

We are also going to speak about digital creation, especially for colors, as currently all the studio of creation (Marvel, DC, Darkhorse...) are working with softwares and digital techniques. This course is also the opportunity to discuss about graphic tablet and softwares.

Get ready for this course and to become the comic book artist you ever wanted to be.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • They will know more about drawing comic books
  • They will learn a lot of advises to improve their drawing skills
  • They will get more data about comic books and how to draw them
  • They will learn digital technics to draw comic books
  • They will learn plenty of technics to draw anatomy, faces and other relevant drawing stuffs

Syllabus

the basics of the profile, part 3
Introduction
No need to spend to much time in the past, just gets the principal stuff
History in 3 minutes
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Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Explores digital creation techniques, which are now standard practice in major comic book studios like Marvel and DC, offering learners industry-relevant skills
Provides a comprehensive overview of comic book creation, from understanding its history to mastering digital coloring techniques, which is ideal for beginners
Includes exercises and assignments to encourage regular practice, which is essential for skill improvement and developing speed and quality in drawing
Covers anatomy, page layout, and character movement, which are fundamental skills for creating dynamic and engaging comic book art
Discusses graphic tablets and software, which may require additional investment beyond the course fees, and this may be a barrier for some students
Features inking examples from Warcraft and Thanos, which may add color to learners' understanding of how to create comic book pages

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Reviews summary

Broad introduction to comic creation

According to students, this course provides a broad overview of comic book creation, covering everything from anatomy basics and inking to digital coloring techniques. Many learners appreciate the instructor's passion and encouragement, finding it a helpful starting point or review for fundamental skills. However, a significant number of reviewers note issues with the course structure and the clarity of instruction, often citing a language barrier and sometimes poor video quality. Some feel certain topics, like anatomy, are covered too superficially, while others value the introduction to various aspects of the workflow, including software demonstrations.
Encourages drilling and practice.
"He stresses the importance of practice which is key in drawing."
"Liked the assignments that encourage you to draw along."
"The encouragement to do exercises is very helpful."
Instructor is enthusiastic.
"The instructor is clearly passionate about drawing and comic books."
"His enthusiasm is contagious and makes you want to draw."
"You can feel his love for the subject matter."
Good for learning basic drawing.
"It's a good starting point for beginners to learn some basic drawing concepts."
"Helpful for getting the very basic ideas down before moving onto more advanced study."
"If you are an absolute beginner, it can give you a glimpse into different areas."
Covers many comic creation areas.
"The course covers a lot of ground, from anatomy and inking to coloring, which is great for an overview."
"I appreciate that he touches upon different aspects like drawing anatomy, inking, and digital coloring."
"It gives you a taste of everything involved in comic book creation."
"Good introduction to anatomy, poses, inking, and coloring techniques."
Production quality is uneven.
"The video and audio quality isn't always the best."
"Sometimes the camera angle is bad or the sound is muffled."
"Production feels amateurish in parts, distracting from the content."
Topics not covered deeply.
"Anatomy sections feel very superficial and don't go into enough detail."
"Covers many topics but none in significant depth. Feels rushed."
"It's more of a quick showcase than a deep dive into techniques."
"I was expecting more detailed instruction on things like proportions and muscles."
Content jumps between topics.
"The way it's structured doesn't make sense. Topics are all over the place and jump back and forth."
"It's very disorganized, jumps around a lot and hard to follow a logical progression."
"The course is a little confusing and jumpy. It feels less like lessons and more like random demonstrations."
"I felt like the information was disorganized and random, not building skills step-by-step."
Language issues affect clarity.
"His accent and way of explaining makes it really difficult to understand what he is saying at times."
"The English spoken is really hard to understand and the videos are not clear. The drawing is not well explained."
"The instructor's English is very difficult to understand, making it hard to follow the lessons. Some techniques are poorly explained."
"I found it very hard to follow because of the accent and the way he explains things."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Comic book Creation with these activities:
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
Provide a theoretical foundation for understanding the comic book medium before diving into practical drawing techniques.
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'Understanding Comics'.
  • Read the book, paying attention to key concepts.
  • Take notes on the different elements of comic book language.
Practice Basic Anatomy Drawing
Reinforce foundational anatomy skills to improve character drawing accuracy and believability.
Browse courses on Figure Drawing
Show steps
  • Gather reference images of human anatomy.
  • Practice sketching basic anatomical structures.
  • Focus on proportions and muscle placement.
Design a Character Turnaround
Apply anatomy and drawing skills learned in the course to create a detailed character design.
Show steps
  • Choose a character concept.
  • Sketch the character from multiple angles.
  • Refine the design and add details.
  • Present the character turnaround.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Panel Layout Exercises
Improve understanding of visual storytelling by experimenting with different panel arrangements.
Show steps
  • Select a short script or story beat.
  • Create multiple panel layouts for the same script.
  • Analyze the impact of each layout on pacing and clarity.
Create a Short Comic Book Page
Synthesize all learned skills to produce a complete comic book page, from sketching to inking and coloring.
Show steps
  • Write a short script or adapt an existing one.
  • Create thumbnails and panel layouts.
  • Pencil, ink, and color the page.
  • Add lettering and speech balloons.
Figure Drawing: For All It's Worth
Deepen understanding of figure drawing techniques to improve character design and anatomy skills.
View Melania on Amazon
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'Figure Drawing: For All It's Worth'.
  • Study the sections on proportion and construction.
  • Practice the Loomis method for drawing figures.
Develop a Comic Book Pitch
Apply all learned skills to create a comprehensive comic book pitch, including character designs, story synopsis, and sample pages.
Show steps
  • Develop a unique comic book concept.
  • Create character designs and world-building elements.
  • Write a story synopsis and outline.
  • Create sample pages to showcase the art style and storytelling.
  • Compile all materials into a professional pitch package.

Career center

Learners who complete Comic book Creation will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Comic Book Artist
A comic book artist brings stories to life through sequential art. This course directly aligns with the skills needed to succeed as a comic book artist. It provides a foundation in drawing anatomy, creating frames, designing pages, and understanding color theory. The course's emphasis on digital techniques, including software usage and graphic tablets, is especially relevant, as modern comic creation heavily relies on these tools. One who wishes to become a comic book artist should take the course because it provides a holistic approach to the entire comic creation process. It also includes practical assignments to hone one's skills.
Graphic Novelist
A graphic novelist creates and writes long-form comic book stories. A graphic novelist may find this course directly relevant, as it covers all aspects of comic book creation, from anatomy and character design to inking and coloring. It also emphasizes digital techniques used by major studios. By understanding the history of comic books and practicing the techniques taught in the course, one who wants to become a graphic novelist builds a strong foundation for their own storytelling.
Character Designer
A character designer develops the visual appearance of characters for various media, like animation, video games, and comic books. One who wishes to become a character designer may find this course exceptionally beneficial, as it covers essential aspects of character creation, such as anatomy, facial expressions, and poses. The course also addresses creating characters in motion, which is crucial for animation and game design. The digital coloring and inking techniques taught also enable a character designer to create polished and professional character designs. Taking this course helps one gain fundamental and necessary experience.
Sequential Artist
A sequential artist tells stories through a series of images arranged in a specific order. This course directly aligns with the needs of a sequential artist, as it focuses on the creation of comic books, which are a prime example of sequential art. The course covers essential skills like anatomy, page layout, and character movement. It also introduces digital techniques for creating professional-looking comic pages. It also provides specific examples of common scenarios. Doing the assignments helps a sequential artist to gain hands-on practice and refine their storytelling skills.
Comic Book Colorist
A comic book colorist adds color to black and white comic book art. This course allows learners to become comic book colorists. It is particularly useful because it covers color theory, digital coloring techniques using software like Photoshop, and creating different atmospheres with color. The course provides specific examples of coloring various elements like eyes and arms. This allows a learner to immediately apply the concepts. One who wants to become a comic book colorist should take this course to dive into the intricacies of digital comic coloring.
Illustrator
An illustrator creates images for various media, including books, magazines, and websites. This course may be highly valuable for aspiring illustrators, particularly those interested in sequential art or character design. The course's modules on anatomy, poses, and character movement directly translate to creating compelling illustrations. The digital creation techniques taught in the course, like coloring with Photoshop, are also essential skills for a modern illustrator. Because the course trains learners in anatomy, faces, and drawing in general, future illustrators might find this a very helpful course.
Inker
An inker refines pencil drawings in comic books by adding ink lines. Inking refines the linework, adds depth, and makes the artwork ready for coloring. This course may be very helpful to an inker as it covers inking techniques, including inking from pictures and inking full comic book pages. The course's assignments about inking unfinished sketches also provide valuable practice. The course dives into the specifics of inking explosions, so those interested in creating action-oriented comics may find this to be a very helpful course.
Storyboard Artist
A storyboard artist visualizes a film or animation scene by creating a sequence of drawings. This course helps those who want to become storyboard artists, particularly regarding frame composition and character posing. The course syllabus covers sketching, inking, and digital coloring techniques, which are all critical for creating effective storyboards. The course's focus on anatomy and movement allows a storyboard artist to accurately depict characters in action. The detailed illustration examples and assignments in the course are also great practice for the fast-paced environment of storyboarding.
Concept Artist
A concept artist creates visual representations of ideas for film, video games, and other media. This course allows learners to become concept artists. It helps with the skills required, such as anatomy, character design, and digital painting. It directly trains learners in drawing faces, figures, and illustrations, which are key to concept art. The course's emphasis on digital creation, especially coloring techniques in Photoshop, gives those looking to become concept artists a strong foundation. Completing the course and doing its assignments will help lead to success in the career role.
Animation Artist
An animation artist creates the visual elements of animated films, television shows, or video games. This course may be useful for one who wishes to become an animation artist, especially regarding character design and movement. The modules on anatomy, poses, and character actions directly translate to animation. The digital coloring and inking techniques covered in the course also allow an animation artist to create polished character designs and scenes. For example, drawing a man running will lead to the creation of natural animation.
Video Game Artist
A video game artist creates visual assets for video games, including characters, environments, and props. This course may be valuable for one who wants to become a video game artist, as it covers character design, anatomy, and digital painting techniques. The course's emphasis on digital creation, particularly coloring in Photoshop, is highly relevant to the video game industry. Learning to create a variety of faces and poses also enables a video game artist to design unique and engaging characters.
Freelance Illustrator
A freelance illustrator works independently, creating illustrations for various clients and projects. This course may be helpful for a freelance illustrator, as it provides a wide range of skills applicable to illustration, including anatomy, character design, and digital coloring. The course emphasizes practical exercises and assignments, which are essential for building a strong portfolio. Learning how to create an eye or learning how to draw hands, may particularly appeal to a freelance illustrator.
Art teacher
An art teacher instructs students in various art forms and techniques. This course may be valuable for an art teacher. It offers a comprehensive overview of comic book creation and drawing fundamentals. The course's structured syllabus, covering topics from basic anatomy to digital coloring, allows an art teacher to effectively teach these subjects to their students. The course also provides numerous examples and exercises that can be adapted for classroom use. The history of comic books the course covers can also add a layer of enrichment.
Book Illustrator
A book illustrator creates images that accompany and enhance the text of a book. This course may be useful to a book illustrator, particularly if they are interested in illustrating graphic novels or comic books. The course covers essential skills such as character design, anatomy, and creating sequential images. The digital coloring techniques taught in the course can be applied to create vibrant and engaging book illustrations. Learning how to create a face may be an asset to a book illustrator.
Art Director
An art director oversees the visual style and images for various projects, ensuring they align with the overall brand and message. The course may be useful for an art director, especially if their work relates to comic books, illustration, or character design. The course provides a foundation in the visual elements of comic creation. The lessons on color theory and digital inking may be applicable. The course's emphasis on creating characters in motion might prove helpful to an art director.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Comic book Creation.
Seminal work on the theory and history of comics. It explores the language of comics, including panel transitions, visual storytelling, and the relationship between words and images. It's essential for understanding the medium and crafting effective comic book narratives. This book is more valuable as additional reading than it is as a current reference.

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