Make Your Own Comic Strip
Create a four panel comic strip by planning characters, drawing scenes, adding dialogue bubbles, and coloring. Explore storytelling, sequencing, and visual expression.
Step-by-step guide to Make Your Own Comic Strip
How To Make Your Own Comic Book
Step 1
Gather all the materials listed so they are ready on your workspace.
Step 2
Use your ruler and pencil to draw four equal panels on your paper in a row or a two-by-two grid.
Step 3
On a scrap sheet draw two or three simple character sketches to explore how they look.
Step 4
Write one short word next to each sketch that describes that character’s personality or role.
Step 5
Write one-sentence story outline that shows a beginning a middle and an end for your comic.
Step 6
Make tiny thumbnail sketches of each panel on scrap paper to plan what will happen in each box.
Step 7
Draw pencil sketches of your final scenes inside each of the four panels using your thumbnails as a guide.
Step 8
Draw speech and thought bubble shapes in each panel where characters will talk or think.
Step 9
Write short clear dialogue or captions inside the bubbles for each panel.
Step 10
Trace your final artwork and bubbles with the black marker to make your lines bold.
Step 11
Wait for the marker to dry completely before touching the paper.
Step 12
Gently erase the pencil lines so only your inked art and words remain.
Step 13
Color your comic using your coloring materials to bring it to life.
Step 14
Add small finishing details like sound words tiny props or background marks to improve the story.
Step 15
Share your finished comic strip on DIY.org so everyone can see your story.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use instead of a ruler or black marker if we don't have them?
If you don't have a ruler use the straight edge of a hardcover book to draw your four panels, and if you don't have a black marker trace your final artwork and bubbles with a fine-tip permanent pen or dark gel pen instead.
My ink smudged or the pencil lines won't erase cleanly—how can I fix that?
To prevent smudges and messy erasing, always test your black marker on scrap paper, wait for the marker to dry completely before touching the paper, and gently erase pencil lines with a soft eraser so only your inked art and words remain.
How can I change the activity for younger or older kids?
For younger kids, pre-draw the panels and have them use chunky coloring materials and stickers to fill simple thumbnail sketches, while older kids can expand the one-sentence story outline into more panels, add detailed pencil sketches, and trace with finer pens.
How can we extend or personalize the comic after finishing the four panels?
To extend the project, turn your four finished panels into a booklet or scan the inked comic to add digital color, expand the one-sentence story into more panels, and personalize it with extra finishing details like sound words and character sketches before sharing on DIY.org.
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Facts about comics and visual storytelling
🧵 Four-panel comics are called "yonkoma" in Japan and usually follow a neat setup, development, twist, and payoff pattern.
💬 Speech balloons come in different shapes—cloud-like for thoughts, spiky for shouting, and dotted for whispers—to show how words are spoken.
🎬 Storyboards and comic panels both map visual storytelling: they help creators plan pacing, camera angles, and action before final art.
🗞️ The first newspaper comic strips appeared in the late 1800s, turning cartoons into serialized stories people followed daily.
🖌️ The phrase "sequential art" (popularized by Will Eisner) highlights that comics tell stories by arranging images in sequence.
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