Here’s one for my brothers, sisters and undecideds of the pencil, brush and pen. I’ve been thinking recently about my tendency to over-plan and overthink when approaching my comic art. I insert too many details, try to overthink complex scenes and sometimes find myself staring for ages at a blank bit of paper. Why does this happen? And, more importantly, why?
After a bit of research, I threw together an article because writing something out often helps me better understand the subject matter.
I hope this helps. And if you found some helpful information here, please share!
Don’t Plan. Do: Breaking the Barriers of Over-Planning for Comic Book Artists
As comic-book artists, the ability to create captivating, dynamic illustration is the cornerstone of our craft. However, there is a delicate balance between planning and spontaneity that can significantly impact the quality and creativity of your artwork.
Over-planning can lead to rigid and predictable artwork. When every detail’s meticulously planned, what room is there for unexpected inspiration or artistic breakthrough?
Embracing spontaneity allows creativity to flow free of restrictions. And that can lead to more unique and innovative illustration.
Excessive planning leads to inauthenticity. Adhering too strictly to initial sketches or preconceived ideas erodes the spontaneity necessary to reflect genuine emotions and expressions that make characters relatable and memorable. Allowing room for improvisation adds a layer of authenticity that resonates with readers.
Let’s not forget, over-planning can be time-consuming and demotivating. Constantly obsessing over every minute detail can hinder progress and drain enthusiasm. By embracing a more spontaneous approach, we can tap into the joy of creating and maintaining a steady flow of inspiration throughout the artistic process.
What are the benefits?
The Power of Spontaneity
Unleashing Creative Energy: Embracing spontaneity as a comic book artist allows you to tap into the raw energy of the moment. By freeing yourself from the constraints of a rigid plan, you open the doors to new ideas, unexpected compositions, and bold artistic choices. This energizes your work and infuses it with dynamism and excitement.
Exploring New Perspectives: Spontaneity enables you to explore new perspectives and experiment with different artistic techniques. By trusting your instincts and deviating from the initial plan, you may stumble upon unique angles, compositions, or storytelling techniques that elevate your illustrations to new heights.
Creating Engaging and Dynamic Artwork: The organic nature of spontaneous creation often results in artwork that feels alive. By incorporating unplanned elements, you’ll infuse your illustrations with dynamism, spontaneity, movement and emotion that captivates readers and draws them deeper into the world you created.
Balancing Planning and Spontaneity
Embrace a Loose Framework: Instead of rigidly planning every aspect of your artwork, create a loose framework that guides your creative process. Define critical elements, such as character design, composition, and story beats, while allowing room for improvisation and experimentation.
Trust Your Instincts: Develop confidence in your artistic instincts and your creative intuition. Allow yourself to make spontaneous decisions during the creation process, whether experimenting with a new shading technique or altering a character’s expression on the spot. These intuitive choices often lead to surprising and captivating results.
Iterate and Refine: Embrace the iterative nature of comic book art. Use the initial planning stage as a foundation, but allow your illustrations to evolve organically as you work on them. Continuously refine and improve your artwork based on feedback and your creative impulses, ensuring that your final product is a harmonious blend of planned and spontaneous elements.
Over-planning can be a significant barrier to creative expression. Understanding the drawbacks of excessive planning and embracing the freedom of spontaneity, you can unleash your full artistic potential and create illustrations that resonate with readers on a profound level.
Balancing planning with spontaneity allows you to infuse your artwork with authenticity, energy and dynamic storytelling.
So, break free from the shackles of over-planning and let your imagination soar, creating captivating worlds and characters that leave an indelible mark
.
Need some exercises to help you cut through over-planning paralysis? Here you go.
Freehand Drawing: Drawing without any pre-planning or guidelines can be a great exercise to stimulate spontaneity. Start with a blank page. Let your hand move freely, allowing the drawing to develop organically. This can help you build your unique style and become more comfortable with improvisation. And don’t worry about mistakes or finesse. Just keep loose and see what emerges.
I’ve been trying this recently in my sketchbook (which is the place to go hog wild and get dirty experimental). And it’s paid off. If you saw my last post, you’ll have seen the experimental short comic I put together that was all free and loose sketching, part of a larger effort to use that space to lean into the resistance, let it go and trust the process.
The first two panels of this untitled six-panel script. “You believe in the simulation then, do you, Cliff?” Yes, reader. I do.
Storyboarding from Random Words: Create a list of random words or phrases, then try to create a short comic or storyboard based around them. This exercise forces you to think quickly and creatively, weaving disparate elements into a coherent narrative.
Rapid Sketching: Set a timer for a short time (say 15 or 30 seconds or a minute) and try to sketch something before the time runs out. This helps focus you on capturing the essence of your subject without getting bogged down in details. It’s a good exercise for learning to trust your instincts and make quick decisions.
Collaborative Drawing: Working with another artist can be a great way to break out of your comfort zone and stimulate spontaneity. You could take turns adding to a drawing or each work on a separate piece and then swap to finish each other’s work. This can push you to adapt to unexpected changes and new ideas.
As an example, I asked Adam Falp to blueline something for me to ink while we were tabling at Heroes Con last year. We have such widely divergent styles, I knew this would stretch me as an artist, and it did, but I’m in love with the result. Here are the pencils next to my finished inks.
Adam’s sketch, left, and my inks, right. Adam has a loose cartoony style that’s completely alien to my hyper-detailed, overly rendered work.
Automatic Drawing: This is a technique some artists employ to express the subconscious. It involves letting your hand move freely on the page without conscious thought. Like freehand drawing, this can help you tap into a more spontaneous and intuitive creative mode.
Remember, the aim of these exercises is not to produce perfect art but to encourage spontaneity.
Don’t worry if the results aren’t what you expected — enjoy the process.
FAQs
Is planning important at all? While planning provides a necessary framework, excessive planning can stifle creativity and authenticity. It’s essential to strike a balance between planning and spontaneity.
How can spontaneity improve the emotional impact of my illustrations? Spontaneity allows you to capture raw emotions and unexpected details, adding depth and authenticity to your characters and storytelling.
Can I apply spontaneity to all aspects of my comic book artwork? Spontaneity can be applied to various elements, such as composition, character expressions, and storytelling techniques. However, careful planning may be required for certain intricate or complex scenes.
How can I overcome the fear of deviating from my initial plan? Embrace experimentation and trust your artistic instincts. Remember, creativity often flourishes when you step outside your comfort zone.
What famous comic book artists are known for their spontaneous approach? Artists like Jack Kirby and Moebius were renowned for their improvisational style, which contributed to their work’s dynamic and iconic nature. My personal belief is they didn’t have enough time to not be spontaneous, as over-planning would have taken up valuable drawing time.
Fantastic article. Really crystallized a few things. If I can bang on about myself a bit, the comic I've recently nearly completed (cover and stuff to do) came out of spontaneity. A drawing I did when suffering from insomnia, led to story ideas, which changed and evolved. I started planning with one idea, hit a wall and just decided to start! The rest came from there, and developed further than I thought it would! Your article has now confirmed an approach I can use, plan, but not too much, allow for change and improvisation. Nice one.