comic strip assignment instructions

• How-To Guides

How to Create a Comic Strip in 6 Steps

Everyone loves a good comic, whether you’re a comic book geek or just the casual reader of a comic in your local newspaper – Comic Strips are great! While some comic strips just take a few minutes or less to read, don’t underestimate the difficulty of creating one! And because May 5 th is comic book day, we decided to give you some step-by-step instructions for creating your first ever comic strip. Follow these instructions and you’ll be creating awesome comic strips in no time! Here is how to create a comic strip in 6 simple steps.

What is a comic strip?

Step 1:  write your ideas for your comic, step 2: draw the three-frames, step 3: use basic shapes to draw, step 4: add in the speech and lettering, step 5: add detail to your cartoon, step 6:  go over your comic in pen, how to make a comic book, how to draw comic strip characters, comic strip ideas, comic strip examples, are you ready to create a comic strip.

A comic strip is a sequence of images with a small amount of text in each box. This text is normally inside balloons or written as captions. Comic strips (or comic books) are a form of story-telling, which uses drawings or cartoon characters to tell a story. Most comic strips are created for humour, while some can be serious.

Comic strips are most likely to be seen in newspapers or magazines. While entire comic books or graphic novels can be found at your local library or bookstore. Superman is one of the best-selling comic books of all time. You might know of other examples of comic strips or books that you’ve seen or read.

In the professional world, comic strips or comic books are created by cartoonists or professional graphic artists. But today we’ll show you how to create your own comic strip at home with no experience needed!

How to create a comic strip

As this is your first-ever comic strip we will focus on creating a three-frame comic. But when you become a master at creating short comic strips, you can make yours much longer and filled with way more characters.

A comic strip is no different from writing a short story . It still needs a beginning, middle and ending. Because this is a three-frame comic strip, break your story down into 3 parts. Write down your ideas for the characters, settings, expressions and even speech. Make sure each part has some action and that your ending is powerful with an awesome punchline.

On a new piece of plain paper, draw your three frames using a pencil and a  ruler. Make sure each frame is equal size. You can even put small light marks on the paper to mark out where the speech bubbles will go. As a bonus tip, you might want to make your frames twice as big as you want them to be, so you don’t run out of space.

Don’t want to draw your own comic strip frames? Check out this highly-rated blank comic book for kids on Amazon (Amazon Affiliate link):

This is a whole book filled with blank comic strip grids. All your kids need to do is draw in their comics and they’ll have a complete comic book in no time!

One of the hardest parts of creating a comic strip is drawing out your characters. We recommend you use basic shapes to draw out your characters. As this is your first comic strip you might even want to use stick figures to keeps things easy. Also, sketch in the speech bubbles and any starbursts for sound effects. Oh and don’t forget, please use a pencil at this stage, so you can erase any mistakes.

Now add in the lettering for your speech into your speech bubbles and don’t forget to double-check your spelling. Remember the size of your lettering could show whether a character is shouting or whispering. For example, lettering in full capitals shows that your character is shouting.

Now go back to your characters and add any extra details, such as facial expressions, movement lines, and shadowing on the floor. And also draw in the background for each frame.

Now, you can finally use a felt-tip pen to go over your pencil drawings and rub out any pencil lines. Your first-ever comic strip is now complete – well done! You can leave it as it is or even add some colour.

A comic book is like a super long comic strip that requires more than one page. The process of creating a comic book is almost similar to creating a comic strip. However, there are a couple of extra steps you need to take to make a comic book. 

If you’re looking for a readily made comic book or blank comic book templates, see this amazing blank comic book template for kids (Amazon Affiliate Link):

Here is a super quick step-by-step tutorial on how to make a comic book out of paper:

• Pile together at least 3 A4 pages. This will give you 12 pages for your comic book. Then fold all of them in half:

• Staple the folded papers together. This should give an A5 sized booklet. Then fold the area with staples in slightly like in the image below:

• Fold another A4 paper in half. This paper will be for your comic’s cover. We used an A4 piece of card to give our comic book a sturdy cover:

Then apply glue on the tiny folded over part of your booklet – On the side where you can see the staples. Next, stick the cover and booklet together to form your comic book.

• Sketch out your cover using a pencil. And now the fun part: Outline your pencil drawing with a pen and then colour it in like a colouring book:

• Plan on your comic on a separate paper. You should ideally plan out each frame. Think about what the characters will say, what the scene might look like and any other small details. For inspiration, take a look at this post on how to come up with good ideas . 

Once the planning is done, sketch out your frames and cover over them in black pen. 

• Draw in your frames using a pencil. Remember to include speech bubbles, special effects and facial expressions on your characters. Once happy outline the drawing with a black pen and colour it in using your favourite colours:

Carry on doing the same with the other pages in your comic book until complete. 

Hooray! Your comic book is now complete. Now that you have done your first comic – Don’t stop now! Create your own comic book collection and amaze your friends with your bedazzling story-telling skills! You could even be the next Stan Lee!

Making a comic book is a great school project which can be applied to any lesson, whether it’s art, science or English. Comic books are a great way to encourage creativity in kids and build on their story-telling skills. You can even ask students to create comic books to test their understanding of a complex subject or topic. 

One of the hardest parts of creating a comic strip is drawing out the characters. As a beginner to the world of creating comic books, try not to worry too much about your drawing skills. For now, even a simple stick figure will do – In fact, there are many famous comics on the internet drawn entirely using stick figures!

If you want more than just stick figures, you can try out the simple steps below on how to draw your own comic strip characters. For this method, you’ll start off using a light pencil to sketch your character and then you’ll add in the colour:

• Start with a simple circle.
• Draw two circles for the eye and a mouth. And don’t forget a tiny curved dot for the nose!
• Sketch any rough hairstyle. Add in the eyebrows over the hair.
• Draw a triangular-looking rectangle for the body.
• Roughing sketch in the legs and tiny shoes.
• Add in your character’s arms.
• Draw in the smaller details. Don’t forget to add the tiny hands.
• Go over your sketch with a black pen.
• Colour in your character
• Your comic strip character is complete!

Here is a little cheat sheet of all the steps involved in drawing your own comic strip character:

By following these simple instructions, you’ll be drawing cool comic strip characters in no time! If you need more help drawing characters for your comic strips, then we recommend this book on how to draw cartoon character for kids (Amazon Affiliate Link):

Now you know how to create your own comic strip the next step is to start creating more! Here are some fun comic strip ideas to try out:

•   School Day: Create a comic about your best/worst day at school.
• Travel Comic: Create a travel comic about a recent trip or holiday you went on.
• Friendship: Write a comic about your best friend or a friend and give it to them as a gift .
• Fairy Tales: Recreate your favourite fairytale as a comic strip.
• Superhero: Design your own superhero and write a comic strip about their adventures. You can check out these superhero writing prompts for inspiration.
• Family: Write a comic strip about a family member and give it to them as a present.
• Music: Write a comic strip based on your favourite song, singer or band.
• The Future: Create a comic strip based on how you will be like in 10 years time.
• Anti-bullying: Write a comic about bullying to help anyone who is being bullied .
• Endangered Species: Raise awareness of an endangered species through creating a comic strip.

These comic strip ideas are great for school and at home. Why not challenge yourself and create a comic strip for all 10 of the comic strip ideas above! For more inspiration take a look at our post on coming up with story ideas .

We all need a little inspiration now and then. To inspire your comic strip creation, here are some simple and fun comic stripe examples:

Why not continue the comic strips in these examples or create your own using these characters?

Creating comic strips is so much fun. And it’s easy too! Just make sure to sketch out your ideas before creating your comic strip and make sure you keep your characters simple (as you may have to draw them many times in different positions.) Now sharpen your pencil and get creating!

What do you think of our step-by-step instructions on how to create a comic strip? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. In the meantime, why not take a look at our monster flip book activity or learn how to write your first-ever Haiku ?

Marty the wizard is the master of Imagine Forest. When he's not reading a ton of books or writing some of his own tales, he loves to be surrounded by the magical creatures that live in Imagine Forest. While living in his tree house he has devoted his time to helping children around the world with their writing skills and creativity.

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Teachers Guide to The Use of Comic Strips in Class

By Med Kharbach, PhD | Last Update: May 16, 2024

Comic strips and cartoons are two effective instructional tools to use in class with students from different grades. They are effective because they engage students in meaningful learning experiences where they get to practice key skills such as writing, reading, speaking and communicating.

By definition,  a comic strip is “an open-ended dramatic narrative about a recurring set of characters told in a series of drawings, often including dialogue in balloons and a narrative text, published serially in newspapers” (Inge, p. 631 cited in Snyder, 1997). In today’s post, we are sharing with you a some very good resources to help you make the best of comic strips in your teaching.

Ways to Use Comic Strips in Class

Integrating comic strips into classroom instruction opens a creative avenue for both teachers and students, blending entertainment with education in a unique way that can capture the attention and imagination of learners across various grade levels. Drawing from the rich potential of comic strips to enhance learning, here are ten inventive ways to utilize them in your classroom, inspired by both the resources at the bottom of this list and my own experience as an educator:

• Character Analysis and Development : Encourage students to create comic strips focusing on a character’s development over time. This can be a character from a book they’re reading in class, allowing students to explore and express the character’s motivations, conflicts, and growth visually and textually. This activity taps into students’ analytical and creative skills, making them delve deeper into the text.
• Historical Comic Strips : Task students with creating comic strips that depict historical events or figures. This can make history more engaging and relatable, as students have to research facts and then present them in a narrative that’s both accurate and compelling. It’s a fantastic way to promote understanding of timelines, historical contexts, and the human element within historical studies.
• Science Concepts through Comics : Use comic strips to explain complex science concepts, such as the water cycle, photosynthesis, or the theory of relativity. Students can work in groups to create their comics, which helps in reinforcing their understanding by translating abstract concepts into visual narratives that are easier to grasp and remember.
• Math Story Problems : Create or have students create comic strips that present math problems in real-life contexts. This approach can make math more tangible and less intimidating, encouraging students to solve problems in a narrative format that might include superheroes, time travel, or everyday scenarios.
• Language Learning with Dialogues : For language learning, comic strips can be a playful medium to practice dialogue writing, using new vocabulary, and understanding grammatical structures within the context of conversations. Students can create comics in the target language, focusing on scenarios like ordering food in a restaurant, asking for directions, or expressing opinions.
• Exploring Social Issues : Encourage students to create comics that highlight social issues they’re passionate about, such as environmental conservation, equality, or mental health awareness. This can foster empathy, critical thinking, and awareness, as students research their chosen topic and communicate their message through a compelling story.
• Creative Book Reports : Instead of traditional book reports, students can create comic strips summarizing a book they’ve read, highlighting key plot points, character arcs, and themes. This can be a more engaging way for students to share what they’ve learned and can spark interesting discussions among classmates.
• Understanding Emotions and Empathy : Use comic strips as a tool for social-emotional learning by having students create stories that explore different emotions, conflict resolution, or perspectives. This can help students develop empathy and emotional intelligence, important skills in both personal development and academic success.
• Introducing New Topics : Kick off a new unit or topic with a comic strip that introduces the main concepts in an engaging and simplified manner. This can pique students’ interest and provide a visual and narrative context that frames the upcoming lessons, making the material more accessible and intriguing.
• Peer Teaching : Assign students the task of creating educational comic strips to teach a concept to their peers. This not only reinforces the creator’s understanding but also provides varied perspectives on the topic for the class. Peer-reviewed comic strips can then be shared and discussed, fostering a collaborative learning environment.

Comic Strip Makers

The following are some of our favourite tools you can use with your students to create beautiful comic strips and cartoons. We have only included  tools that are student-friendly and that are easy and simple to use. These tools provide a wide variety of pre-designed materials such as characters, backgrounds, images, objects, text balloons, dynamic panels…etc. Students select the materials to illustrate their comics, write their content in the provided dialogue boxes and then share their finished product with others.

1- Make Beliefs Comix

A user-friendly platform for crafting comic strips, featuring a wide selection of characters, speech bubbles, props, and backgrounds. It supports creativity with options to print, save, or email the finished comics, making it versatile for classroom and personal use.

2- Comic Creator

This tool empowers students to design their own comics with an array of backgrounds, characters, and props. It’s enhanced by a planning sheet offering detailed guidance, ideal for beginners or those looking to refine their storytelling skills.

Offers a selection of pre-designed characters and scenes, simplifying the comic creation process. It’s geared towards quick storytelling, requiring users to log in to save their work, making it suitable for short, impromptu classroom assignments.

4- Witty Comics

5- storyboardthat.

Goes beyond traditional comic strips by allowing the creation of detailed storyboards. It boasts a broader range of features, including a variety of scenes, characters, and the ability to upload personal images, catering to more complex storytelling and planning needs.

Final thoughts

The range of applications for comic strips in the classroom is vast, from enhancing literary analysis to demystifying historical events and simplifying scientific concepts. Tools like Make Beliefs Comix, Comic Creator, Pixton, Witty Comics, and StoryboardThat enable students to bring their learning to life. Besides making the creation process accessible, these tools encourage students to dive deeper into their subjects with enthusiasm and curiosity.

As we’ve seen, the power of comic strips extends beyond mere academic achievement; it touches on the development of social awareness, emotional intelligence, and language skills, making it a multifaceted tool in the educator’s arsenal. Whether you’re introducing a new topic, tackling social issues, or encouraging peer teaching, the versatility of comic strips can transform the educational experience.

• Snyder, E. (1997). Teaching the sociology of sport: Using a comic strip in the classroom.  Teaching Sociology , 25(3), 239-243.
• Comic Strips Creation Tools  (Google Sites)
• Using Comics in the English Language Classroom  (James Whiting, Plymouth State University)
• Using Cartoons and Comic Strips  (British Council)
• Comics in the Classroom as an Introduction to Narrative Structure  (ReadWriteThink)

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Meet Med Kharbach, PhD

Dr. Med Kharbach is an influential voice in the global educational technology landscape, with an extensive background in educational studies and a decade-long experience as a K-12 teacher. Holding a Ph.D. from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Canada, he brings a unique perspective to the educational world by integrating his profound academic knowledge with his hands-on teaching experience. Dr. Kharbach's academic pursuits encompass curriculum studies, discourse analysis, language learning/teaching, language and identity, emerging literacies, educational technology, and research methodologies. His work has been presented at numerous national and international conferences and published in various esteemed academic journals.

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Flickr user Gonzalo Díaz Fornaro, Creative Commons

• Visual Arts
• Drawing & Painting

Creating Comic Strips How can you weave together words and pictures in a comic strip to create a nonfiction story?

In this 3-5 lesson, students will examine comic strips as a form of fiction and nonfiction communication. Students will create original comic strips to convey mathematical concepts.

Get Printable Version   Copy to Google Drive

Lesson Content

• Preparation
• Instruction

Learning Objectives

Students will: 

• Analyze the evolution of comic strips using the familiar Peanuts comic strips and other comic strips.
• Explore comic strips from the perspective of a story (setting, characters, plot).
• Evaluate comic strips by looking at words, pictures, and how they work together.
• Create an original comic strip to convey mathematical information.
• Share original comic strips with younger students as a reference tool.

Standards Alignment

National Core Arts Standards National Core Arts Standards

VA:Cr1.2.3a Apply knowledge of available resources, tools, and technologies to investigate personal ideas through the art-making process.

VA:Cr1.2.4a Collaboratively set goals and create artwork that is meaningful and has purpose to the makers.

VA:Cr1.2.5a Identify and demonstrate diverse methods of artistic investigation to choose an approach for beginning a work of art.

Common Core State Standards Common Core State Standards

ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

MATH.CONTENT.3.MD.A.2 Measure and estimate liquid volumes and masses of objects using standard units of grams (g), kilograms (kg), and liters (l).1 Add, subtract, multiply, or divide to solve one-step word problems involving masses or volumes that are given in the same units, e.g., by using drawings (such as a beaker with a measurement scale) to represent the problem.

MATH.CONTENT.4.MD.A.1 Know relative sizes of measurement units within one system of units including km, m, cm; kg, g; lb, oz.; l, ml; hr, min, sec. Within a single system of measurement, express measurements in a larger unit in terms of a smaller unit. Record measurement equivalents in a two-column table.

MATH.CONTENT.5.MD.A.1 Convert among different-sized standard measurement units within a given measurement system (e.g., convert 5 cm to 0.05 m), and use these conversions in solving multi-step, real world problems.

Recommended Student Materials

Editable Documents : Before sharing these resources with students, you must first save them to your Google account by opening them, and selecting “Make a copy” from the File menu. Check out Sharing Tips or Instructional Benefits when implementing Google Docs and Google Slides with students.

• Comic Strip Template  
• Snoopy in Space
• Peanuts Motion Comics: Independence Day
• Early Peanuts Comics Strips
• Make Beliefs Comix
• Digital Storyboard Maker

Additional Materials

• Pencils, fine-tip markers or pens

Teacher Background  

Teachers should review the lesson and standards. Math standards are suggested but not limited to the ones listed. Visit CCSS Math Standards for more information. Review the book, Comic Strips: Create Your Own Comic Strips from Start to Finish by Art Roche. Select a video from the  Peanuts Collection or Snoopy Collection (example:  Peanuts Independence Day ). Exploring the following resources is also helpful prior to teaching the lesson: Early Peanuts Comics Strips (1950-1968), age-appropriate comic strips , an example Math Comic Strip , the history   of comic strips, and parts of a story.

Student Prerequisites  

Students should be familiar with grade-level math and parts of a story (setting, characters, plot).

Accessibility Notes

Adapt math materials as needed and allow extra time for task completion.

• Show a Peanuts comic strip video, such as Snoopy in Space or Peanuts Motion Comics: Independence Da y . 
• Prompt a class discussion with the following questions: Is this fiction or nonfiction? (It is creative nonfiction, using fictional characters to share factual information.) Who is familiar with the Peanuts characters? What other Peanuts shows have you seen? What story elements do you recognize? What is the goal of the production? What art technique is used to produce this video?

Build  

• Explore the evolution of Early Peanuts Comics (1950-1968). Ask students: What similarities and differences do you notice about the comic strips? How many frames are used in each strip? What role does color play in creating these comic strips? Who created these comic strips? (Introduce the creator, Charles Schultz, to the class.)
• Discuss the history of comic strips. Share that comic strips have been used as a communications tool for over 100 years and the first successful daily comic strip was Mutt and Jeff , which started in 1907. Comic strips are used to tell a story. They have three main parts of a story: s etting,  characters, and plot . Comic strips use words and pictures equally. Comic strips use a series of frames to show story movement.
• Explore age-appropriate comic strips . Have students work either independently, in groups, or as a class to explore other comic strips. Examine each comic strip for parts of a story, the use of words and pictures, and the number of frames used.
• Discuss the use of comic strips to convey factual information. Ask students: What factual information was shared in the comic strips or video we watched? What other factual information can be shared using a comic strip? Why would a comic strip creator want to share nonfiction information in this format?
• Create original comic strips using the Comic Strip Template or digital comic strips with sites like Make Beliefs Comix , Pixton , or Digital Storyboard Maker . Have each student create a 4-frame comic strip to convey a math concept. Model a math concept, then assign a math concept (learned or reinforced in the student’s previous grade) to each student. Using the three parts of a story, have each student create a comic strip to share the math concept. Have the student first work in pencil (drawing lightly). Review each comic strip draft for accuracy. Once approved, ask the student to “ink” the strip using a permanent fine tip marker. Erase any remaining pencil marks. Each student should title (top line) and sign (bottom line) the strip.
• Create a “Math by Comic Strip” book. Compile all comic strips into a single book. (You may want to create two books: one to share and one to keep as a classroom.)

Reflect  

• Share the “Math by Comic Strip” book with students in the previous grade. Have each student present their comic strip to another student or the class. 
• Assess students’ knowledge with one of the following writing or discussion prompts: What were students able to learn about math from reading your comic strip? How did your words and pictures work together to create a math story? What story elements were present in your comic strip? Who would the audience for your book be?
• Compare and contrast a classic novel and a classic graphic, such as Tales from the Brothers Grimm and Treasure Island , or a nonfiction graphic novels, such as Greek and Roman Mythology .

Original Writer

Carol Parenzan

JoDee Scissors

October 29, 2021

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In this 6-8 lesson, students will examine political cartoons and discuss freedom of speech. They will gather and organize information about a current or past issue that makes a political or social statement and analyze the different sides. Students will plan, design, and illustrate a political cartoon that presents a position on a political or social issue.

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In this 3-5 lesson, students will clap rhythm sequences and compose an eight-measure composition. Students will explore rhythm concepts, including the names and symbols associated with music notation. They will also compare rhythmic sequences to math concepts.

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In this 3-5 lesson, students will infer the moral of a story and compare two mediums of Aesop’s fable, “The Crow and the Pitcher.” Each student will design their own puppet to act out the fable using pebbles and water in containers. Students will make predictions about Crow’s strategy then make comparisons with their findings.

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How to Make a Comic Strip: Comprehensive Guide with Templates

Creating a comic strip is an exciting way to express your creativity, tell engaging stories, and connect with readers. Whether you’re inspired by classics like “Peanuts” or modern hits like “Calvin and Hobbes,” making your own comic strip can be a rewarding experience. In this guide we will look at how to make a comic strip along with handy templates to help you get started.

What is a Comic Strip?

A comic strip is a sequence of drawings that work together to tell a story, often accompanied by text such as dialogue or narration. Each strip consists of a series of panels, with each panel representing a single scene or moment in the story. These stories are usually brief, fitting into just a few panels, and are designed to be both entertaining and visually engaging.

Comic strips are known for their ability to capture readers' attention quickly. The visual format makes them accessible and appealing, while the brevity of each story makes them easy to read in a short amount of time. This format is particularly effective for humor, as the setup and punchline can be delivered swiftly and effectively within the limited space of a few panels. However, comic strips can also explore a wide range of genres, including drama, adventure, fantasy, and social commentary, making them a versatile medium for storytelling.

• Ready to use
• Fully customizable template
• Get Started in seconds

Basic Elements of a Comic Strip

• Panels : Comic strips are divided into individual panels, each representing a different scene or moment in the story. Panels are typically arranged in a horizontal sequence.
• Characters : The characters in a comic strip are the main focus. They can be human, animal, or even fantastical creatures, each with their own unique personality and design.
• Dialogue and narration : Text is used to convey the characters' dialogue through speech bubbles and the story’s context or additional details through narration boxes.
• Humor and themes : Many comic strips are humorous, using jokes and visual gags to entertain readers. However, they can also explore a wide range of themes, from adventure and drama to social commentary and satire.
• Art style : The art style of comic strips can vary widely, from simple and cartoony to detailed and realistic. The style often reflects the tone and content of the strip.

Brief History of Comic Strips

The origin of comic strips dates back to the early 19th century when European artists used sequential art to narrate stories. Pioneers like Rodolphe Töpffer are credited with creating some of the first comic strips. In the early 20th century, comic strips gained massive popularity with classics like ‘The Katzenjammer Kids’ and ‘Little Nemo’. Over decades, comic strips have evolved, influencing not only popular culture but also becoming educational tools and marketing media.

How to Make a Comic Strip

​ ​Creating a comic strip is a fun and creative process that involves combining storytelling with visual art. Here’s how to make a comic strip from scratch.

Step 1: Plan your comic strip

Brainstorm ideas.

Start by thinking about the story you want to tell. What’s the theme or message? Is it humorous, adventurous, dramatic, or something else? Jot down your ideas and think about how they can fit into a short, sequential format.

Create characters

Develop characters that will appear in your comic strip. Give them distinct personalities, appearances, and backstories. Strong, relatable characters are crucial for engaging your audience.

Outline the plot

Sketch a rough outline of your story. Determine the beginning, middle, and end. Think about how the events will unfold across the panels. Keep the story simple and focused due to the limited space.

Learn more about plot diagrams with our guide Plot Diagrams: What They Are and How to Use Them for Storytelling .

Step 2: Write the script

Dialogue and narration.

Write the dialogue for your characters and any narration that will help tell the story. Keep the text concise and to the point. Remember, the visuals will also convey a lot of information.

Pacing and timing

Ensure your story flows well from one panel to the next. Pacing is crucial in delivering jokes, dramatic moments, or action sequences effectively.

Step 3: Draw your comic strip

Choose your tools.

Decide whether to draw by hand or use digital tools. Traditional drawing materials include pencils, pens, and paper, while you can use a comic strip maker like Createlt to create it digitally. Creately offers various tools for drawing online. Choose from their templates and customize them to fit your story.

Sketch the panels

Start with rough sketches of each panel. Plan the layout, keeping in mind the composition and how each panel will transition to the next.

Creately tip: You can use Creately’s panel layout templates to get started quickly.

Draw the comic strip characters and scenes

Draw your characters and backgrounds in more detail. Focus on consistency in character design and expressions to maintain a cohesive look throughout the strip.

Creately tip: Use Creately’s freehand drawing feature to draw your characters. Or you can import and embed your drawings or use built-in Google image search to browse and add design elements.

Step 4: Ink and color

Go over your pencil sketches with ink to make the lines clean and bold. Inking adds depth and clarity to your drawings.

Add color to your comic strip. Choose a color palette that suits the mood of your story. You can color by hand using markers or colored pencils, or use digital coloring tools.

Creately tip: Creately offers preset color themes for various styles. Select colors and fill your panels to bring your comic to life.

​​5. Add text and speech bubbles

Design speech bubbles.

Draw speech bubbles for your dialogue and caption boxes for narration. Make sure they are placed where they don’t cover important parts of the drawings.

Creately tip: Use Creately’s speech bubble shapes and text tools to add dialogue and narration.

Write the dialogue and narration within the bubbles and boxes. Use clear, legible fonts for handwriting. The text should be easy to read and not overcrowded.

Creately tip: Creately provides a variety of fonts and text placement options to ensure readability.

Step 6: Final touches

Review and edit.

Look over your comic strip for any mistakes or areas that need improvement. Make any necessary adjustments to the drawings, text, or layout.

Finalize your comic strip

Add any final details and make sure that everything looks polished. Check for consistency in the artwork and readability of the text.

Step 7: Share your comic strip

Prepare for sharing.

Format your comic strip for sharing online or in print. Ensure it’s in a suitable resolution and file format for your chosen platform.

Creately tip: Creately offers multiple export options in various formats and resolutions for easy sharing.

Publish or Share

Share your comic strip on social media, your own website, or print it to distribute. Engage with your audience and get feedback to improve your future work.

Creately tip: You can easily use a Creately embed link to embed your comic strip in any site or intranet. You can also share a workspace link with view or edit access and share the comic strip with anyone. Capture feedback easily via contextual comments.

Developing a Comic Strip Storyline

Creating an engaging comic strip starts with a compelling storyline. From brainstorming comic character ideas to plotting and storyboarding, every step is crucial. Let’s explore each aspect in detail to make your comic strip creation process smoother.

Comic character ideas

Your characters are the heart and soul of your comic strip. Begin by brainstorming unique and relatable comic strip characters. Consider their backstory, personality traits, and physical features. Ask yourself questions such as:

• What motivates your characters?
• How do they interact with others?
• What are their strengths and weaknesses?

Plot development techniques

A strong plot is essential for keeping your audience hooked. Your plot should typically have a clear beginning, conflict, climax, and resolution. Here are some plot development techniques:

• Start by laying down the premise. What is the central theme or message you want to convey?
• Introduce the conflict early. It could be an internal struggle in one of the characters or an external challenge they must face.
• Build up to the climax. This is the most exciting part of your story.
• Conclude with a resolution. Ensure that the storyline ties up neatly but leaves room for future developments if needed.

Storyboarding your comic strip

Once you have your plot, visualizing it through a storyboard is the next step. Storyboarding involves sketching out each scene or panel of your comic strip in a sequential manner. This helps in planning the layout, pacing, and overall flow of the story. Tools like Creately can significantly aid this process with their intuitive storyboarding templates and storyboarding tools .

• Start with rough sketches to outline the major scenes.
• Detail out each panel by adding dialogues, backgrounds, and character actions.
• Ensure a consistent theme and tone throughout the storyboard.

Best Practices for Comic Strip Panel Layout

Panel size and shape.

Remember that when you create a comic strip, choosing the right panel size and shape is very important. Larger panels can be used to show important moments, while smaller panels can be used for quick actions or dialogue. It’s important to find a balance and use a mix of panel sizes to create a good pace and guide the reader through the story.

Whitespace and gutters

The empty spaces around and between panels in your comic strip, known as gutters, are important for making your comic easy to read. They prevent your comic from looking crowded and help your artwork and dialogue stand out. Gutters also help separate different parts of the story and make it clear when the scene changes.

Arrangement of visual elements

Remember to carefully arrange the visual elements in your panels as it can significantly affect how your story is perceived. Make sure that your backgrounds, character positions, and dialogue bubbles are laid out in a way that enhances the storytelling. Place your main characters and action points strategically to keep readers engaged. Creately’s freehand drawing tools and built-in shape and icon libraries can greatly help achieve a polished and visually appealing design.

Wrapping up

Creating a comic strip is a blend of creativity, storytelling, and artistic skills. From brainstorming ideas and developing unique characters to outlining the plot and finalizing the visual layout, each step is essential in bringing your story to life. Using tools like templates and online comic strip makers such as Creately can streamline the process, allowing you to focus on the creative aspects.

Whether you’re a novice or an experienced artist, the joy of crafting a comic strip lies in the endless possibilities and the ability to share your unique vision with an audience. Remember to keep your characters relatable, your plot engaging, and your visuals compelling. Most importantly, have fun with the process and let your imagination shine.

Amanda Athuraliya is the communication specialist/content writer at Creately, online diagramming and collaboration tool. She is an avid reader, a budding writer and a passionate researcher who loves to write about all kinds of topics.

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Book Report Alternative: Comic Strips and Cartoon Squares

• Resources & Preparation
• Instructional Plan
• Related Resources

Students examine graphic novels and comic books and discuss  the important components of the genre, such as captions, dialogue, and images. They then use an online tool to create a six-panel comic highlighting six key scenes in a book they have read. By creating comic strips or cartoon squares featuring characters in books, students are encouraged to think analytically about the characters, events, and themes they've explored in ways that expand their critical thinking by focusing on crystallizing the significant points of the book in a few short scenes.

Featured Resources

Comic Creator : This online tool allows students to easily create and print comic strips.

Comic Strip Planning Sheet : Use this worksheet for students to plan their comic strips before using the online tool.

From Theory to Practice

This activity invites the student to think symbolically. The students choose key scenes for their characters and books, find landscapes and props that fit the scenes, and compose related dialogue. These student representations of the books, with their multifaceted texts using symbols, images, texts, and metaphor, succeed in the classroom because they provide a snapshot of the students' comprehension of the ideas in the texts. As Vokoun describes, the alternative to a traditional book report "allows students to create something unique and show their understanding of what they read."

Further Reading

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
• 11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
• 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Materials and Technology

Graphic novels and comic book versions of well-known books for inspiration and comparison (optional)

• Comic Strip Planning Sheet
• Comic Strip Rubric

Preparation

• Before this lesson, students will read a book independently, in literature circles, or as a whole class.
• Ask students to bring copies of the book that will be the focus of their comic strips to class for reference.
• Make copies or overheads of the planning sheet and the rubric.
• Practice the steps for using the Comic Creator with your computers.
• Visit the Website of Scott McCloud , author of Understanding Comics and Reinventing Comics , for background on the genre, inspirations, and sample comics. Additional information can also be found at  Integrative Art: American Comic Strips from Pennsylvania State University.

Student Objectives

Students will

• identify appropriate landscapes, characters, and props that relate to the events and characters in the books they've read.
• interact with classmates to give and receive feedback.
• explore how audience, purpose, and medium shape their writing.
• Share the example graphic novels and comic books with students and explain the assignment, pointing out each of the parts that are included.
• What are the important characteristics of a caption? What do the words in the captions tell you about the scene depicted?
• What kind of landscape makes sense for the scene?
• What props can you associate with the scene?
• How kind of dialogue bubble makes sense for the interaction?
• What connects one scene to the next in the comic strip?
• Once you're satisfied that students understand the assignment, demonstrate the Comic Creator student interactive and discuss its relationship to the Comic Strip Planning Sheet . Be sure to cycle through the options for characters and dialogue bubbles to show students the range of options available.
• Have students begin work with the Comic Strip Planning Sheet to plan their book reports. Students can work individually or in groups on this project.
• Encourage students to interact with one another, to share and receive feedback on their plans for comic strips. Since these comics will be shared in the class as well as in the library, hearing the feedback and comments of other students helps writers refine their work for their audience.
• Students can continue working on the project for homework if desired.
• Remind students of the goals and elements included in this project. Answer any questions students have.
• For the comic title, name the scene (or scenes) that will be depicted.
• For the comic subtitle, name the book where the scene is found.
• Include your name or the names of the members of your group as the authors of this comic strip.
• Choose the six-frame comic strip. (Alternately, have students choose the one-frame cartoon square and focus their work on an important scene in the book).
• In each of the six frames of the comic strip show a significant event from the book.
• Under each picture or cartoon, write a caption that provides additional detail on the scene.
• Print at least three copies of your finished comic strip.
• While students work, again encourage them to interact with one another, to share and receive feedback on their plans for comic strips.
• After the comic strips are printed out, students can decorate them with markers or other classroom supplies.
• As students finish, ask them to turn in two copies of the comic strip (one for you and one for the librarian-the third copy is for the students to keep).

Student Assessment / Reflections

For more formal assessment, use the Comic Strip Rubric which is tied to the elements included in the planning sheet. On the other hand, nothing is as useful as the feedback that they'll receive by sharing their comic strips with their peers. Informal feedback from students who read the comics and search out the related book are excellent feedback for students.

• Lesson Plans
• Professional Library
• Student Interactives
• Calendar Activities

In this article, Versaci details the many merits of using comics and graphic novels in the classroom, suggests how they can be integrated into historical and social issues units, and recommends several titles.

The Comic Creator invites students to compose their own comic strips for a variety of contexts (prewriting, pre- and postreading activities, response to literature, and so on).

Students create a short, humorous story with at least one action character, and then use online tools to make a flipbook.

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