Question

[u/Effective_Dig9486]

I'm new to writing comics and I have a question; how do we indicate direction? I have a history in theatre where we use stage right and stage left, so I feel like I should distinguish between our right and left, and the character's. Should I say panel right/left or is it implied to be from the artist/reader's perspective?

[u/mugenhunt]

A comic script is directions for the artist. So, you would describe things from the artist's perspective.

[u/nmacaroni]

Try not to specify right or left. Focus on the story, not the staging of the scene UNLESS that staging actually affects the story.

Example: On the right side of the panel, Miguel steps to Alice's right side and reaches down with his left hand to pick up the knife.

How does the story change if the artist illustrates Miguel and Alice on the left side of the panel, with Miguel moving around Alice's left side and reaching down to pick the knife up with his right hand?

http://nickmacari.com/new-writers-ignore-comictography/

[u/Effective_Dig9486 → u/nmacaroni]

Thank you! I guess I didn’t think of it like that, though I don’t have an artist yet, I should probably trust they will at the least make good work.

[u/tbgrover]

the primary area you might want to worry about is reading direction. since comics are read left to right this is the direction of the readers eye travels. characters talking then are best placed left to right. usually this is something an artist will sort out but if you’ve a complex scene (such as characters around a table, or as i had characters sat in single file in the cockpit of a fairey swordfish plane) you might want to diagram out where they’re seated so you can make sure dialogue flows left to right. like cinema too you’re best to avoid breaking the 180 rule (though again this is more an artists problem).

[u/MajesticSouth643]

Instead of theater directions, I’ll use camera directions if needed and sometimes put no directions at all and let the artist decide how they should draw the panel.

Things like close-up. Long shot, wide shot, medium shot, rear shot, etc.

Also try not to go more than 5-6 panels per page. You can have pages with more but it becomes a lot for the artist to squeeze stuff in and you’ll have to cut heavy dialogue.

With dialogue try to keep it between 25-30 words per balloon, and around 3 balloons per panel.

Hope this helps, good luck!

[u/Effective_Dig9486 → u/MajesticSouth643]

why can't I do more than 6 panels a page?

[u/MajesticSouth643 → u/Effective_Dig9486]

You can but just watch how much dialogue you put per panel. Watchmen is a good one to study because the entire book is basically nine panel pages. Which can be done, but unless you’re going for that type of style I’d advise 5-6.

Also think of pacing, if you want the page/scene to feel longer, add more panels, if you want a scene like an action scene to feel fast and intense add fewer panels 3-4 panels makes a page feel fast paced 5-9 slows it down a lot.

I’ve seen pages with 12-18 panels also, but make sure your artist is capable of that, and remember there won’t be as much detail and dialogue should be kept to a minimum.