Ask yourself: How does the writer create a unique personality and voice for each character? Why are they interesting? How is their storyline developed over the course of the comic? Pay attention to the art style. In serious comics, the art may be detailed and realistic, but in lighthearted comics, it may be cartoonish and unrealistic.
If you’re looking for a simple format, consider the talking animal route and emulate comics like Garfield. Usually, these comics only have a few panels and end with a joke. If you want to do something more serious, a web comic, like Questionable Content, may better serve you inspiration-wise. Consider looking graphic novels. While different than comics, there is some overlap.
Light sketching can help you figure out your drawing style and get a sense of how your character may appear. Make the main character visually interesting and appealing, but keep in mind that you’ll be drawing them a lot. If you are new to drawing, choose a design that’s simple. Strive to Drawing can help you get a sense of a character’s personality as well. What kind clothes your character wears, for example, can reflect personality.
Think about your genre. If you’re doing a gag-a-day comic, your character can be simple, like Garfield. He’s lazy and sarcastic and does not have too many traits beyond this. If you’re working with a more complex genre, you’ll need a deeper character. Consider their positive and negative traits, as well as their hopes and dreams. If you’re writing a genre-based comic, like fantasy, consider archetypes, which are stock characters that tend appear repeatedly in fiction. For example, an archetypal mentor would be wise, patient, and calm.
If you’re tech-savvy, consider using electronic tools. Tools like adobe photoshop, for example, can really help streamline the process if you’re comfortable drawing on a screen. If you’d prefer to do it the old fashion way, think about the type of paper you’ll use, as well as the type of pen and pencil.
Start out with some basic shapes, then fill it in with muscle and details, like scars. Don’t worry too much about shading just yet. Focus on the character’s face. Is it heart-shaped, oval-shaped, rounder? Does it have any distinguishing physical characteristics, like big eyes or a cleft chin?
Use your eraser here. If you dislike how the character’s legs look, erase and redraw them. You can add or subtract elements of your character as well. For example, you may have originally intended your character to be bald, but that doesn’t feel right. Try adding some hair. Draw as many versions as you need until you find something you like. This can take awhile, so have patience. Don’t settle on a design that you dislike. Keep ease of drawing in mind as you go. Even if you really like a particular element of your character, don’t keep anything that would be difficult to draw repeatedly.
Figure out how many expressions you want to create. A simple comic may only need basic expressions, like happy, sad, and mad. A more complex comic should have more complicated expressions, like irritated, hollow, and confused. Draw your character expressing each of your chosen emotions. Adjust each drawing as you go.
Draw slowly here and provide slightly more detail than you did in earlier steps. You want this drawing to be something you come back to as you draw your comic. Remember to keep ease of drawing in mind. If you find some element of your character is difficult to draw, you may want to cut this element out in your final draft. Have a friend look at the final drawing and give you honest feedback. If they give any constructive feedback, you can retool your character accordingly.
Names are easier for animal characters because you can use a silly pet name. For a serious comic with realistic characters, however, you’ll need to choose more carefully. Keep the implication of names in mind. For example, the name “Christian” carries religious context, so avoid using it unless you want that in your comic. There are no hard or fast rules for names, but it can help to know the time period your comic takes place in. For example, if your comic takes place in the 1800’s, modern names like Harper and Jayden may seem out of place.
For a simpler comic, your character may not need a complex personality. They could just have a few quirks and traits. For a more complicated comic, however, you’ll have to get more in-depth. For example, they may react differently to different types of people.
A character in a complex story does not need to have a complex backstory. You can simply lay out the basics, like their birthplace, childhood, and major events. Focus on how the character’s past affects his current personality and choices. As you write backstory, try to consider how your character’s unique experiences will affect his life.
In a simple comic, your character may want simple things. Garfield, for example, wants to sleep and eat. In a more complex comic, your character may want to find a sense of purpose. Focus on needs as well. There are many universal needs, like food, shelter, love, and compassion. Your character may have unique needs as well, A character that was abandoned in childhood may have a heightened need for security as an adult.
