The Yellow Sign comic (WIP)

Over the past several days, I have posted updates on my ‘The Yellow Sign’ comic (here and here). Here is a further explanation of my methods. For the rough layout stage, I am using a wacom tablet and Clip Studio Paint. Eventually I plan to print them out large scale and ink them.

Stage 1: I layout the page according to my outline, just trying to get a basic idea of what happens where on the page, what happens on this page as opposed to the previous or next one, etc. The text is placed so I can kind of work the illustrations around it although my plan is to complete the artwork and then add the ‘final’ text. In previous comics, I have hand-lettered the text digitally after the artwork is complete and that is what I think I will do here.

This is the start of the story. Richard, the artist, is in his studio and Tessie is modeling for him. He goes to the window and sees a figure in the churchyard nearby that disturbs him.

Stage 2: After doing the whole book in that very loose style, I go back and rework the pages… revising panels that I am not satisfied with. On this page, I revised the panels extensively — I decided I wanted a series of more interesting angles that would show more of the environment that the characters are in. Other pages will (hopefully) require less revision. This isn’t done — it’s still early stages. After I finish this part, I can finally print out and ink the pages.