What is Artwork Development in Comics?

Part IV in the Intro to Developmental Comic Editors Series

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash

Once the script is ready for the artist, the artwork development begins! The first thing to know is that even if you are paying an artist to work for you, they don’t work for you. What I mean by this is that the comics process is collaborative. Writers need to give artists room to do their thing and vice versa. It can be a delicate dance, but the best work comes from teamwork, not silos.

So what next for the editor? At this point, the editor, writer, and artist work together to set expectations for the art. In some cases you’ll have a penciller, inker, and colorist instead of just one artist. If this is the case, you’ll have to work hard to balance everyone and make sure the process runs smoothly. Regardless of how many people are on the art team, the editor must discuss layout and tone as a first step. The key is to make sure the script and writer’s intent is reflected even in the initial thumbnails. Checking for storytelling issues and clarity in the beginning of the process is also a must. A comic shouldn’t pass through a penciller and inker and get to a colorist with mistakes. It creates more work for everyone, and there’s almost no turning back. (Color development is a separate topic and not a service I offer.)

For my own vampire comic, my artist is doing everything: penciling, inking, and coloring. She works digitally and sends me files from every part of the process and asks for my feedback. I’m my own editor, and luckily my artist is incredible. I haven’t asked her to change a thing. A dream come true!

Whether you have a team or just one person, always remember to collaborate and have fun! It’s comics after all!

Read other posts in this series: