Before starting your panel, make sure you have all the materials you need to bring your story to life!
1. Essential tools
Rulers and squares
They are indispensable to a mangaka! You will draw the boxes on your panels with them and the dynamic lines in your backgrounds.
- Metal or plastic?
- Transparent ones allow you to see your drawing while you're doing it.
- Metal ones are sturdier.
- What size?
- To draw dynamic lines, use a ruler that's less than 20 cm.
- Use one that is at least 30 cm long (50 cm if you usually work on A3 size paper) to trace around the screen.
- French curve
It allows you to draw curved lines. It's perfect for people who haven’t become freehand drawing experts yet! Start with a standard model; as you gain experience, you will want to get one with a more advanced design.
Templates
This kind of ruler works like a stencil: there's nothing like a template for easily drawing circles squares and triangles!
Erasers
For removing pencil sketches and creating effects by stumping ink.
- A plastic eraser allows you to erase pencil lines. Make sure it doesn't leave too many crumbs (particularly if you are planning to apply screens).
- An abrasive eraser is mostly used to stump ink and screens to create effects.
A kneaded eraser is useful for eliminating pencil from delicate areas because of its malleability, like modeling clay. Pinch it with your fingers to make it pointy and start hunting for details!
And there's also
Tape (to stick your sheets to your worktable), a compass, and paper towels.
2. Pro tools
Screens
Screens are surfaces printed with more or less elaborate motifs (stippling, meshes, ripples) that stick to your medium by simple pressure without moistening. They come in various densities and textures.
Utility knives
They are absolute musts if you are applying screens!
- Snap-off blade utility knives are very practical: When the blade gets a little worn, just break it off and it's as good as new.
- A craft knife (or exacto knife) is recommended for cutting out complex shapes.
Light table
Use it for tracing recurring motifs faster! This is a flat box with a translucent surface lit from within.
- Position the model to be traced on top of the drawing you are working on: reproduce your model by tracing the image under it!
