When planning a comic, what do you start with?

[Deerlordy]

Many artists have different methods of starting to put their ideas into play when it comes to comics. I have heard character designing is the first thing you should do, and I've heard that writing a script an important thing to do first.
I was just curious of what I be process was for other artists, and what usually works the best for them.
I personally start character design (after I get the main idea of my project first), but what do you start out with?

[joannekwan]

I just go with the flow and whatever happens first happens first.
Most of my comics start with a character so I'll do a few sketches, maybe a nice illustration of them, and think of their personality. At the same time I think about what makes them special and what kind of situation they'd get into that would lead to a good story. Once I have the premise, I'll start thinking of the plot and usually at that point I'll think of scenarios with dialogue which I'll start writing down into the beginnings of a script.

[moradjis]

Well, first of all, I thought about the main idea of my comic, it's a comedy? Is it dramatic? , then I think about the situation the story the comic is, then I sketch my characters over and over until I am happy with them, that`s how I think when I draw, I'm very new, I'm working on the idea of another comic a very deep story and another ambience, by the mean time I have right now only one comic - Framed Comics - that is about my life and some funny and weird stuff that happens to me so I have a little notebook with me all the time to write ideas that come to me to time to time so then I added in the comic.

But that's my way of seen things.

[shazzbaa]

I don't think there's a Correct Thing To Start With; there's not really a "right" answer. Sometimes I've been doodling these characters and tweaking their designs for a long time before I have any idea what their story should even be. Sometimes I'm jotting down details for the world and how the setting works and what the major players should be like before I've drawn anyone. Sometimes the first thing I have in my mind is the rough arc of the plot before I fully understand how to carry it out or who the characters are more specifically.

For my current comic, the impetus was the setting, but the characters were the first things I focused on... but at that point it was still just an idea I was playing with for fun. Sitting down to really develop the plot was the point where I started taking it seriously as a comic I wanted to make.

I have heard character designing is the first thing you should do, and I've heard that writing a script an important thing to do first.

When people say "it's important to do this first," they might not mean that in the sense of "this should be the first thing you do" -- they might just mean "you should do this BEFORE you start your comic." In that sense, yeah, having some kind of outline of your story and solidified character designs are important to have first, before you try to draw finished pages. But that doesn't mean there's a specific one you should start with. It doesn't matter where you start!

[jamieprimack]

For me, I started as a writer and later moved into becoming a comics illustrator, so I always start with a script before I do anything. There's a method that's worked really well for me that's called the "snowflake method," where you start with a really vague story idea and then keep expanding on it until you have the complete picture. For example, you start with a single-sentence description of the story, then a paragraph, then five paragraphs outlining the major events of the story, etc. You can use the method for each individual character in the story, too. This is the website that explains it step-by-step: The Snowflake Method

[randomladyaj]

Well since this is my first comic, what I did was start writing out what I wanted the story to be about. I lightly plotted out from beginning middle to end so I know the direction I want to head in if I ever get lost. (I am a semi plotter/pantser). Then I started developing the characters more. I made facial expressions and a few poses for each of them. I know their colors etcs. After that, I started making my comic. When I get ideas I try to write them down, if they're not on track with the story I put them away in my idea vault.

So I start with plotting it out, then how the characters will be and act, and then onto my comic, mercenary bound

[punkarsenic]

i think it usually sparks with a story idea in its barest form. then i start developing characters which helps me develop my worldbuilding, they go alongside eachother. imo, definitely do character designs before you start scripting - not necessarily the visual side, but you need to know your characters. idk if i really know a character til i can draw them.

i usually wait a year before scripting while im formulating the story, and then might write it in prose or bulletpoints before even considering making it a comic. i need to know where im going and how im getting there.

then comes style tests and practices, concept art, all that shit. aaaaaand eventually the script and chapter one

[thomasfallaeriksen]

Usually an idea.
They usually appear when they are the least expected and when I really don't have the time or opportunity to write or draw. So I usually end up just thinking about them for a while. Then I either write a detailed outline or draw small thumbnails of it. When writing this down I just try to get everything I have out. If a part of it is really detailed I'll write every single little detail. And if a part of it is just a general idea i write that. And if something is plain missing I just ignore it for the time being. To start with it can look like an incomprehensible mess, but at least it is a place to start.
And sometimes I just start thumbnailing right away.

[AnnaLandin]

It varies!

Grassblades started as a "I want to do a story about a grumpy guy travelling with a little girl, because that's fun!" and then kinda... grew into a sprawling epic. Character-designs, plot-ideas, outlines, scripts, etc., kinda came together slowly, in bits and pieces, over a period of several years.

With Stranger Things, I came up with the plot first, and then designed characters to fit it.

Some of my ideas grow from characters I've doodled in my sketchbook and enjoyed. Others start as brief central ideas - like 'a winter fairytale set in a desert', or 'a world where the lights have gone out' or something - and then grow from there.

You should have character-designs and a script/outline down before you start drawing the actual finished pages, but there are no rules for where you start planning.

[beccaw15]

It can start with a couple of things.

For me Solaris started with a vague idea and a couple of characters and I decided to work from that. I think it also helps to be quite fluid and willing to change when going through the development stage, which for me was when I was writing the script. As a fun fact I actually started writing Solaris as a Sci-fi epic and after the first draft felt the story suited a fantasy universe more!

[neonmeres]

Once I have an idea about the story I want to tell I start by writing a brief sentence which resume the key event or theme i want to explore in my comic.

For a long story I spend a lot of time researching. I write tons of details about my characters, world and story's structure. Once these elements feels solid to me I start drawing designs of the characters and environments of the comic. This can take me more than a year.

Since at the moment I’m publishing short stories I don’t spend too much time planning as I would for a long story. I just write a sentence which resume what i want to tell in my short comic and start drawing sketches of the pages. I go with the flow and figure the rest the details as I draw it. This saves me a lot of time and gets the work done.

[J.Z.Castillo]

For me it always start with a character design, If I fall in love with them I create another character that lives in their same world, and if I like that other one I start to develop a story around them and growing their world a bit larger. Then I really get into the mechanics of how things would work so I go out and get books and start doing research and taking notes. If at this point I am not bored to death I know it's a good story I wanna follow through with and move on to the actual writing process. If I feel the story is annoying I will recycle the characters into another of my stories haha

[Shanny8]

I create the premise of the story and characters first. It doesnt do me any if I go into character design first; suppose I change the core of the story- it may also change the function/design of that character. After I've decided what I want to do for the story, then I start creating/designing characters...while doing that, I come up with more ideas on how I want to plan out the story- where to start, pivotal moments in the story, setting up said pivotal moments, and how/when to wrap up the story.

I usually give myself time to come back and re-evaluate the material...if it's something that I still want to, then I move on to the actual writing/scripting process.

[spadesart]

I always design a character or two first (william and cog in the case of Spire) and the world and plot just kind of naturally flow out around them.

[digitalvalium1]

I start with a theme. Something I want to address, then build the story arc around that. Once I have an idea of genre, I'll being to create basic ideas of characters who fit the story and theme that I want. From there it just blossoms within questions.

[MisterGrey3000]

It honestly varies for me.
Sometimes I start with crafting a whole page of concept art (gathering references, creating thumbnails, designing characters, producing props, etc.), and other times I start by opening up my iphone notes and jotting down a few jumbled ideas for about 20 minutes.
I usually like to keep it simple so the project is as malleable as possible before I begin the production phase.
I don't want to do anything rash, and make it a pain in the butt to fix or change anything.

[isabelleArne]

Here is how I go :

First, I have ideas floating around, I have notebooks with ideas.

• When I decide to transform this idea into something I just write casually where I want to go, no pressure ( this step can take years ), I write the parts that inspire me the most in details, even do some concepts art of the strongest images in my head, sketches of the characters maybe.
• I try to structure my story :
  • I find a beginning
  • An end
  • A purpose
  • A theme
  • Find my characters psychology and how they would react in this or that situation and adapt the story.
• I let it pose.
• I read everything I wrote carefully, and I start planning my story, I write all the key points that needs to happen in the story without much details.
• I details the characters personality and don't forget to add what will be their change/growth
• I write the story in details, using my key points.
• I cut my story in episodes/chapters.

All in all I am rather organised, this method allows me to know exactly where I go but also leaves room for improvisation and freedom as some key point are to be developed. And I don't forget anything. I also have a few side notes, ideas that will or won't be in the story, alternate endings ... I like to have some freedom until the episode is drawn.
Oh and by the way, the genre of the story, is it fantasy, romantic or anything doesn't really matter to me, they are all to the service of the story and when my story will me written I will see what genre takes the most place. But I don't really decide it first.

[DMBrigman]

It really depends upon the story.

For Obscurato it started with they type of story I wanted to tell, a fantasy adventure then a basic plot. Then I thought about characters that might inhabit my world. Then I started plotting it out, realized the characters weren't interesting then modified them. Then once I had them I plotted again, refined the characters, wrote the scripts. Then started sketching them, then started refining things, started drawing the first chapter, then second chapter, got to know my characters better, then refined chapters 3,4, and 5, and modified the overarching plot. Very circular!

[Pleaki]

Character development first for me. Always. Even before I create their physical appearance. Knowing my character's personalities helps me design them more effectively anyway. But world building and character development also go hand in hand for me. You can understand your characters better when you understand the world/environment that they come from.

After that, the story comes into view on its own. I'll usually jot down everything that comes to mind and then sort out those thoughts with a more proper outline. Outlines are great because they help make sure you don't forget something important in your story and help you arrange the order of events to have the most natural flow.

But yeah, because characters drive a story, I think understanding your characters is one of the most important things to establish early on so that's how I do it.

[GreenSpleen]

Lol for me, it's simply the predicament. I have a Slice of Life, so what starts a new comic (page) is the problem I end up in…..Awkward encounters, terrible weather in my state, school, etc.