Using different shades of one color can give the appearance of lightness and darkness.
Comic book covers can be eye catching with the detail work and color. The amount of work put into a comic book cover can take minutes or it can longer depending on the artist and their vision for the drawing. Varying the line thickness using inking pens can give the appearance of thickness and depth and give the 2-dimensional drawing a 3-dimensional feel. Using light and dark shades can also add the appearance of light or darkness to the drawing.
Instructions
1. Lay the paper on a flat surface. Measure the paper using the ruler and mark the paper width at 6-5/8 inches. Mark the paper height at 10-1/4 inches. This will be the comic book cover size.
2. Sketch the cover for the comic book using a light lead pencil such as 4H or 2H. The higher an H lead pencil is, the lighter the lead will draw on paper. The higher a B lead pencil is, the darker the lead will draw on paper.
3. Draw the main image for the comic book cover first. This drawing will set the standard for the rest of the cover. Make the main image the focus of the cover by drawing it larger and later on outlining it darker than the rest of the cover.
4. Sketch the background for the cover using a light lead pencil. Sketch rough lines and go over the main image, if necessary.
5. Use a darker lead pencil to outline the final drawing.
6. Use a middle grade ink pen such as a 1 point or 2 point to outline the main character for the first outlines. Use the same ink pen to outline the background image outlines. Erase any extra pencil marks with the gum eraser.
7. Darken the outlines of the main drawing and background drawings with the ink pens. Vary the line thickness of the outlines according to depth. The thicker an outline is, the closer the image is to the viewer. This will give a 3-dimensional to the 2-dimensional drawing.
8. Use a .005 to .01 point ink pen to outline finer lines such as eyes, mouth, or any small details. Let the drawing dry completely before touching it.
