- 1). Most panels are created by drawing lines that form boxes. These panels can be created by drawing lines across a page with a pen and a ruler or drawing the lines in a graphics program using various tools such as the line tool. You can draw the panels first and then draw the characters into the panels, or you can draw the characters first and then erase the parts of the characters that extend outside each panel.
- 2). Keep in mind what you want to include in each panel. The panels must be large if you want to include a lot of detail and make sure to save room if you want to include more dialogue. Keep panels smaller if you want to quickly convey information that can be understood visually.
- 3). Know that panels are always read from top to bottom and are read from left to right in western comics and right to left in manga.
- 4). Make sure that the panels do not form crosses. This means that four panels should never be stacked two on top of two. If the panels are stacked, the reader will not know whether or not to read up or to the left or right.
- 5). Determine how you want the panels to be. Some panels are made up of single lines, while other panels are made up of double lines with white, black, or grey shading in between. Different color shading can create different tones. There are also panels that lack lines all together and the panels merge together like a mural.
- 6). Draw the panels in different shapes in order to emphasize a certain style. Do not become too carried away with this, as the shapes might confuse the reader and waste space on the page.
- 7). Experiment with paneling. Draw panels within panels or have panels overlap. There are no real rules or restrictions when paneling. In fact, you do not even have to keep all of the characters within one panel. Panels are really only tools to help you divide different scenes, but they can be implemented however you wish.