Resources for Creators
Detail from Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud (1993).
On this page you'll find resources for those who are looking to create their own comics, graphic novels or narrative sequential art.
Pratt Comic Club
A place for all comic-loving Pratt students to meet, share their work, play drawing games, learn about self-publishing, and collaborate! Members curate and edit Static Fish, an anthology of student work which has been printing up to three times a year since the 1980s. All Pratt students are encouraged to submit!
Static Fish: Spring 2010Call Number: 741.5 S797 2010:springPublication Date: Spring 2010Spring 2010 anthology of work from Pratt's student comics club.
Static Fish: Fall 2012Call Number: 741.5 S797 2012:fallPublication Date: Fall 2012Fall 2012 anthology of work from Pratt's student comics club.
Web Resources
Big Red Hair
Website of comics professionals Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett. Features a wealth of resources for comics creators, including a writing guide, sample scripts, video tutorials, podcasts and information about the business of comics.
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
A non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the First Amendment rights of the comics art form and its community of retailers, creators, publishers, librarians, and readers. The CBLDF provides legal referrals, representation, advice, assistance, and education in furtherance of these goals.
Creating Comics
Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels
Presents instructions for aspiring cartoonists on the art form's key techniques, sharing concise and accessible guidelines on such principles as capturing the human condition through words and images in a minimalist style.
Foundations in Comic Book Art: Fundamental Tools and Techniques for Sequential Artists
A comprehensive guide to creating and developing comic book and graphic novel art, from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), one of the world's leaders in sequential arts instruction.
The Art of Comic Book Writing
A practical guide for beginner and advanced comic book writers that outlines the steps needed to successfully craft a story for sequential art.
Comics and Sequential Art
The author discusses his ideas and theories and provides instructions on the art of graphic storytelling.
Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative
In a work that will prove invaluable for comic artists and filmmakers, Eisner reveals how to construct a story and the basics of crafting a visual narrative.
Expressive Anatomy for Comics and Narrative
The final volume of Will Eisner’s celebrated instructional trilogy explores the critical principle of body grammar in comics storytelling.
Drawing Comics Lab
Covers all of the basic steps necessary to produce a comic, from the first doodle to the finished publication.
Mastering Comics: Drawing Words and Writing Pictures Continued
Presents instructions for mastering the creation of comic books and graphic novels, providing guidelines for the intermediate cartoonist on technique, story generation, narrative tools, and business and industry insights.
Resources for Writers
Alternative Scriptwriting: Beyond the Hollywood Formula
Learn the rules of scriptwriting, and then how to successfully break them! Unlike other screenwriting books, this unique guide pushes you to challenge yourself and break free of tired, formulaic writing--bending or breaking the rules of storytelling as we know them.
Handbook of Creative Writing
An inspirational resource for tutors, students and other creative writing professionals. Covers the 3 key areas of: theories of creativity; the craft of writing; and creative writing the business.
Writing for Animation, Comics, and Games
Explains the practical aspects of creating scripts for animation, comics, graphic novels, and computer games.
Resources for Artists
Draw Stronger: Self-Care For Cartoonists and Other Visual Artists
This little tome can be used to help reduce discomfort until you see a healthcare professional, or it can provide guidelines for managing mild drawing injuries that don’t require medical attention.
Creative Character Design: Second Edition
Create compelling, original characters using archetypes and design elements such as shadows and line with the tips and techniques found in this image-packed book.
Framed Perspective, Vol. 1
This work equips artists with the technical knowledge needed to produce successful visual storytelling: from understanding the basics of the space around us and how we perceive it, to like creating complex visual settings where our stories will take place.
The Art and Science of Drawing: Learn to Observe, Analyze, and Draw Any Subject
Taking the reader through the entire process, beginning with the most basic skills to more advanced such as volumetric drawing, shading, and figure sketching, this book contains numerous projects and guidance on what and how to practice.
Dynamic Human Anatomy: An Artist's Guide to Structure, Gesture, and the Figure in Motion
An essential visual guide for artists to the mastery and use of advanced human anatomy skills in the creation of figurative art.
Draw Manga Style
Shows you the key principles of drawing anime and manga—starting with the fundamentals, then illustrating how to create a wide variety of characters—by following easy step-by-step tutorials.
