How to take your comics to the next level, for cheap & for free
by Hari Conner
Hello. My name’s Hari Conner, I make graphic novels, and sometimes do comics editing, talks, and judge comics awards. I often come across people who want to know more about technical side of making comics, and aren’t sure where to start. Sometimes comics courses - even online - can be difficult or expensive for marginalised creators. So these are some of my favourite cheap & free resources to inspire and motivate creators at any level, and give a great insight into what makes comics tick, and what makes them so exciting.
Learn more about comics for £20
Graphic Novel Builder - Edward Ross (£13)
Highly recommended for young people interested in making their own comics, or beginners looking for a really approachable guide to making comics, & the UK comics scene. Easy-to-read and designed to be accessible to kids, the book also gets pretty indepth on inspiration, character design & motivation, planning and plotting a book, and even short intros to finding an audience and self publishing options.
https://www.edwardross.co.uk/graphicnovelbuilder
Understanding comics - Scott McCloud (£19)
This is the classic ‘textbook’ about comics - but accessibly told as a comic itself - that everyone recommends as kind of an essential for helping think about the nuts & bolts of how comics work, and frankly I agree. It’s from the 90s and so much of it is still relevant, and certain parts I still think about regularly while making comics now. Taught me more about the technical form of comics than anything that wasn’t ‘just try making them’.
https://www.scottmccloud.com/2-print/1-uc/index.html
Making Comics - Lynda Barry (£20)
If you’re a more experimental cartoonist or want practical art TASKS more than theory, this book is full of creative exercises from an experienced (and famous) professor who teaches comics not via academic lectures, but through making and doodling and creativity. Very flexible & practical!
https://drawnandquarterly.com/books/making-comics
Learn more about comics for free
Comics Devices Library
Cartoonist Reimena Yee has put together a library of comics-specific storytelling devices, and come up with names to describe them. Click through, and loads of these pages have incredibly good and varied examples, really shows how many different things you can do with comics!
(current/ongoing! Reimena is Malaysian & based in Australia, but these comics devices and her general advice really span the globe.)
https://comicsdevices.com/about
Lee Knox Ostertag’s excellent 'graphic novel class' posts about his process.
There’s loads here - how to get inspired, plan your story, figure out your art style, and stay organised and motivated.
Although he works on graphic novels with publishers, there’s also a whole post about selfpublishing in both print & digital, and much of the creative process can be applied to shorter comics - or creative projects of any kind!
(USA, 2021, so small bits of print, post and con advice are US-specific - but not too much.)
https://ostertag.substack.com/s/graphic-novel-class/archive
Make it Then Tell Everybody
This (UK, but guests from all over) podcast has lots of thoughtful and chill discussions with comic artists. It gives a real sense of how many ways there are to make comics, make it part of your career, or just have making creative work be an important part of your life.
In a world where it can feel like there’s impossible gruelling pressure to make a big quantity of work and make it really popular, this is a great listen for getting back to the heart of enjoying the process itself and why creators love making things - as well as being full of their thoughtful insights on the form.
https://makeitthentelleverybody.com
Your Comics Will Love You Back! - Alec Longstreth
If you love an old-school DIY approach, try these intense notes from lectures about selfpublishing from 2008 (and a US artist, so some of eg. the postal advice is US-specific).
Like any of these resources, I’d strongly suggest you take or leave whatever parts speak to you - personally I’d never suggest making yourself draw every day or for 8 hours in one day, which IMO is a real path to burnout and permanent wrist injuries! REST UP!!!
But there’s lots of DIY enthusiasm, cool stuff about traditional inking tools, and lots of ideas you might want to try adapting or taking inspiration from in the 2020s, if you like the approach.
https://www.alec-longstreth.com/comics/comics_love
This article was written by Hari Conner, who gave permission for it to be posted here. Visit their website to learn more about their work.
