James 5:12

Comic translation of James 5:12

How to Create a Bible Comic Part VII: Lettering

Here is the final stage of the Comic translation of Luke 2:41-52. The letters have been added to the color artwork using Adobe In Design.

How to Create a Bible Comic Part VIb.:Coloring

How to Create a Bible Comic Part VIa: Coloring

How to Create a Bible Comic Part V: Inking

Inking is the step when you make the drawing ready for publication. In traditional printing media, black and white ink reproduces easier and clearer. The inks on these pages were drawn directly on the penciled pages. It is also possible to scan them in and digitally ink the pages.

How to Create a Bible Comic Part IV: Penciling

The next step in creating the comic is to refine the details of the drawing. This is often called penciling, because you use a pencil- or other non permanenant way of drawing that allows you to make changes. Using the Layout as a rough guide, it is now time to fill in the details of characters and settings. This is a place to work out the perspective of the drawing.

How to Create a Bible Comic Part III- Layout

Now that the story is established, it is time to lay out the page and begin telling the story visually. Before going into the drawing in detail, it is very helpful to start with small, loose sketches, often called thumbnail sketches. Thumbnails sketches are used to compose the images (composition), to work out the movement from panel to panel (sequence), the camera angle, the perspective, basic facial expressions and gestures. You can also use the thumbnail to show lights and darks (tone), colors, and where word balloons will be. Planning at this stage, when it is fast and loose, saves a lot of time and trouble down the road.

These are my thumbnail sketches for Luke 2:41-52 (Jesus as a boy, at the temple). The sketches helped me to visualize the story, and how things would flow. Because it is small, it helps me to simplify images, and clarify parts of the story.

References: James Gurney's book "Imaginative Realism" has a good section on thumbnail sketches. (The whole book is a treasure trove of insight into illustration of every kind. I highly recommend it!)

Comic translation of James 5:7-11

Easter meditation 2010

This is my artistic reflection on the Easter story. It is based on Luke 24:1-12.

I wish you a holy and blessed Easter season!