Joined Aug 2026 Somewhere
Hello! I'm getting into making comics traditionally. Always happy chat comics and here your feedback!
Tools
Zig Mangaka Flexible fine, Deleter Paper, Uni Pin fine liners
I finally fully finished my first comic, Strawberry Tape after a whopping 3 years! (Oh my!) I figured it might be fun to reflect on the process of making it and everything I’ve learned about making comics in general.
A lil’ bit of Background & Context:
One night, I was idling on the sofa when the idea for Strawberry Tape suddenly popped into my head. I wrote the script fairly quickly without thinking too deeply about it and I drew the entire storyboard in one night. If I had to guess, I think the entire comic including the script/linework took about a month to make. I did the type and screentone uhhh years after the linework and all were completed in Spring of 2026.
Screentone & Shading:
Less is defo more when it comes to screentone. (Thanks Bakuman!) I originally started toning with three shades of gray but I narrowed it down to just 2; a light and medium tone. Too much screentone can look unfocused so I'm glad I took the time early on to do some research.
Artwork Mistakes:
There’s some really wonky perspective for some of the panels e.g. the wooden poles, MC’s bedroom which highlights some of my weaknesses as an artist in general. I should’ve used thinner linework for finer details or stuff that’s further away to show depth of field. If I remember correctly, I think I mostly used the same pen for the whole comic.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, I think the comic flows fairly well in terms of story and panelling. There are many things I feel like could've improved or expanded on writing-wise such as showing more like the MC’s mom actually throwing away the vinyl,or built up playing the tape a bit more, but for 11 pages I can’t really complain. There’s also some technical stuff I could improve on in general; like perspective, facial expressions, etc. I still have a long, long way to go in terms of learning and making comics, as well drawing in general, but I’m excited to make some new stories and share them with you!
A lil’ bit of Background & Context:
One night, I was idling on the sofa when the idea for Strawberry Tape suddenly popped into my head. I wrote the script fairly quickly without thinking too deeply about it and I drew the entire storyboard in one night. If I had to guess, I think the entire comic including the script/linework took about a month to make. I did the type and screentone uhhh years after the linework and all were completed in Spring of 2026.
Screentone & Shading:
Less is defo more when it comes to screentone. (Thanks Bakuman!) I originally started toning with three shades of gray but I narrowed it down to just 2; a light and medium tone. Too much screentone can look unfocused so I'm glad I took the time early on to do some research.
Artwork Mistakes:
There’s some really wonky perspective for some of the panels e.g. the wooden poles, MC’s bedroom which highlights some of my weaknesses as an artist in general. I should’ve used thinner linework for finer details or stuff that’s further away to show depth of field. If I remember correctly, I think I mostly used the same pen for the whole comic.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, I think the comic flows fairly well in terms of story and panelling. There are many things I feel like could've improved or expanded on writing-wise such as showing more like the MC’s mom actually throwing away the vinyl,or built up playing the tape a bit more, but for 11 pages I can’t really complain. There’s also some technical stuff I could improve on in general; like perspective, facial expressions, etc. I still have a long, long way to go in terms of learning and making comics, as well drawing in general, but I’m excited to make some new stories and share them with you!
