News&Features 5 lay and diverse s making a return HAVE A SAY IN WHAT HAPPENS TO YOu- ---BUT FA rm a vece- yg TARIAN- The many stages of creating diverse comics Instructors break down production process = By SAFOURA RIGI-LADIZ ach artist has their own preferred technique when creating comics. Still, whether it’s pen to paper or using digital tools, a lot of simi- larities can be found, according to a Langara comic teacher who also heads a non-profit comic society. Jonathon Dalton has made comics using the computer as well as sketching with pen and paper. Today, though digital comic draw- ing is thriving, he still prefers using traditional materials and finalizing everything on the computer. In the first stage, Dalton writes a script. Because comics are a visual medium, he wants to have the draw- ing part happen as soon as possible. “Tl draw small thumbnails with stick figures,” he said. “And then I write the words underneath, just to figure out what’s going to happen in the story.” The next step is a rough draft with the comics. “Tl take my script, and I'll lay it out to decide what happens on each page,” he said. “I rewrite the dialogue to make it work better. I like to decide on the layout of the page.” For colouring, Dalton uses Copic or Prismacolor markers. “I photocopy it onto thinner paper because markers work better. They don’t work as well on Bristol [board],” Dalton said. “This way, if I mess up the markers, I can always re-photocopy it too.” Dalton finalizes everything by scanning his completed piece and posting it as a webcomic or getting it ready for print. Josué Menjivar, another comic book artist and comics instructor at Langara, sketches his comics and uses his iPad. “Generally, [I] do pencil sketches and then I just finish them off with an ink brush, pen, and Pentel brush,” he said. “I will then scan it and then put it into Photoshop.” B.C. COMIC BOOK COURSES » Camosun College The college offers a Comics & Graphic Novels certificate program. » UBC Although no certification is cur- rently offered from the university, students can enrol in a Comics and Graphic Media course. » Langara College Langara offers a certificate pro- gram. Students can take courses full time or part time. SOURCE: COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY WEBSITES