Okie dokie, I’ll do my best to give some general ideas
Ok so comics are meant to work a lot differently then like a movie or tv show. While those are meant to work where you are able to record and show basically everything, comics are limited. This means that when making a scene in a comic, you can’t show every little bit- you have to simplify it. It even meant to be more of a summary then even some of your classic storyboards for films.
The two examples below show two different ways to show a scene of a thief getting caught:
The second version is able to get the same idea across in less time. You see, you don’t have to show every angle of the situation, and sometimes you are able to combine them together. Like with how the first two panels in the first one (the people seeing the thief and the thief seeing them) is combined in the second example.
It’s not to say that you have to condense things at all time, extending a scene and really exaggerating it all can help make the scene more dramatic or ‘slow down’ the time.
With example A each panel is showing the same moment of time but from different viewpoints and angles. Plus the blood makes it all look like it’s gradually falling.
In example B, Henry’s slowly running towards Hyde in and slowly getting closer. This helps make ‘time slow down’ as the scene gets tense, making the audience want to know what big thing will happen next. It also makes Henry seem so insignificant next to Hyde because if just Hyde was shown here, it could look like he’s just talking at a normal speed but when Henry’s there, he’s the one that makes it all slow down.
And then with example C, it’s much like example A where it shows the same general information just at different angles, but unlike this one, it is meant more to show how big of a deal this scene is. One could easily combine the three panels and still be able to show the same information, but when it’s spaced out like this, it helps show the emotion and sense of loss occurring. It’s like, if it was summarized into one it feels more like “oh man, he’s dead” vs. when it’s spaced out it can feel more like: “oh….oh no what? what???????? WHY???” (if that makes any sense).
Panel, elements and character arrangements:
One thing that can really make each page look interesting is to be able to not only show your story, but present it in a composition that matches it. Take these two panel arrangements below as an example:
Though both can succeed to tell the story, the second is visually more interesting to look at. This is because the first one is just parallel and perpendicular angles (for both the panels and the camera angles inside). Meanwhile, the second has its panels and camera angles tilted. (As well as varying in being zoomed in and zoomed out in the scene).
This is not to say that being parallel or “static” in page design is always bad. I think that scenes that are more informative or text heavy work well with more of example one’s format because it helps contrast when things get chaotic in example 2. Example 2 is especially helpful in action-filled scenes or dramatic scenes since the composition is off-centered and unbalanced. Even combining elements of both can work, like if a scene is pretty standard and then someone says something really important. The important detail can use example 2’s sort of composition while the rest can stay static in comparison on the same page.
Here’s a few examples of varying ideas on panels/camera angles/composition that can work well:
First off, since written english is more left to right and horizontal then other languages, text bubbles are better to have as wider to match. Sure, it is possible to use manga-shaped tall text bubbles for english text, but that usually means you also have to break words so it can fit down onto the next line and that can be annoying.
For the most part, the flow of a page is meant to go left to right and up to down, so basically from the top left corner to the bottom right. Text can work to help guide the reader from point A to B for that.
Certainly a page/comic can be successful without text, but when text is present, it also works as a path to guide the reader in the right order so the placement of panels can be important. With the last example especially, when a text bubble touches two different panels, it gives the assumption that the reader is meant to follow that bubble to the next one. So make sure that your text is in it’s own space if you don’t want to send the reader in the wrong direction on the page! With that in mind, it’s also important to decide where each text bubble is so that it is visible, readable, and not blocking what’s going on in the panel. It can still overlap elements in the panel, sometimes that helps tie the space together, just make sure it does not over power it if it’s not meant to. (Also, readable text should be no less then 10pt. That is considered the standard for a lot of text so no smaller then that.)
Here’s a few more examples of different text bubbles:
Extended text can be especially important to in not overpowering the reader with information. Like with what is shown, the text should also be simplified to make it easier to ready. Like the dialogue “Ok, now let’s go out and eat!” can be shortened to “Ok, let’s eat!” Extended text works well to space out text if you still need to keep a lot. and tying bubbles together like in the extended conversation example can make it easier to tell who is saying what or so that one does not think one person is saying all of that.
There will likely be times in a comic that the scene changes from one place to another, and to avoid confusion and make it easy for the reader to understand that the scene changed, these are the arrangements I use:
The first one is to have a space between the two panels where the scenes change.
The second is using a few simple lines to show the change. I feel like this kinda makes it look like the previous scene is being ‘erased’
The third is a simple gradient, like as if the last scene is fading to black before the next one comes (this can also work where the gradient is physically on either the previous panel or next panel too).
The fourth is like an extension of the first one but with a panel showing a vary clear view of the new setting. Like, many times having a quick depiction of a new building or area shown will successful depict that it’s a new scene.
Sometimes you don’t need the physical background to be shown in every panel, it’s not like a movie where the camera will always show the setting in every frame. Effects can work well to replace the background and help add emotions to it (as well as be able to guide the reader through the panel or show what the main thing to focus on is).
Here a few I like to use, but this is something that can be fun to experiment with to come up with new ideas!
EIther way, I know this is a bit long, but I hope it’s able to help some ;u;
Let me know if you need anymore help too!
