One of the favorite things students enjoy that I teach in my drawing classes is drawing cartoons and comic books. Students are required to design two characters on a standard model sheets and then incorporate those characters into either a daily and Sunday comic strip or a comic book cover and interior page. The majority choose the comic book.
One of the things students have the most problems with is how to lay out a comic book page. I limit the students to six panel pages that must incorporate characters, environments, perspective, lettering, etc. At first I had the students draw their own page panels at size and after several failed attempts to get them used to how to proportion panels I settled for copied six panel pages at size.
They worked but it limited the students’ ability to ink and letter because of bleed-over of ink. What they needed were pages that had panels preprinted on heavier paper stock. I’ve discovered the solution.
About Comics has produced two ‘The Blank’ comic book sized pre-paneled books that solves not only my panel problem but the paper stock on which they are printed .
Sixty three pages of heavier paper stock are provided in two formats. One is a square-bound book measuring seven inches by ten inches with pages consisting of six pre-inked panels of equal size and the other book is of the same dimensions and stock but with light panel outlines that can be tailored for panels of different sizes.
Both books make for excellent design and idea sketchbooks for laying out stories in preparation for final comic book pages. Would be comic book artists can lay out entire books with enough pages for various composition ideas. After all, few artists get page layouts right the first time.
Later in the next school year when I introduce comic books I plan on purchasing several of the books for my advanced students. The Blank-what a great idea!