Reworking Panels (Patreon)

Let's talk the nitty gritty of my comic layout process! ◝(⁰▿⁰)◜

I've already shared examples of whole pages I've sketched out and then ditched, because I decided on a better approach or the pacing needed fixing, etc. Trashing an entire page is rare, though -  reworking individual panels is more common! I try to get rough panel layouts done well in advance of actually drawing/inking them so they can "rest". When I come back to the page later on, I can usually see what needs fixing, something as subtle as tweaking a facial expression or redrawing a weird looking hand. But sometimes it's as drastic as changing a camera angle if it tells a better story!

The above example is one of those - at first go, I put the camera behind Ethan as he's taking off his shirt. But that left me with only Al's face (which ends up being a focal point that I didn't really want) and no practical place to put his hands, which wasn't great since I want to show he's constantly touching Ethan throughout this scene. Switching the camera to the front and dropping the focus gets me the implied action of removing the shirt, Al's hands resting on Ethan's thighs, and aaaaaayyyy look at that, we also get some bonus crotch shots emphasizing where this train is headed, haha. To me, the second attempt relays more info than the first, and in comics I'm always looking for ways to squeeze more subtle story elements into every panel! 

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