In this lesson I'm going to show you how to crop the shots for your comic book sequences - so that you can make them even more immersive! I'll share with you my favorite tricks for framing your scenes, as well as when to use them for maximum impact. Most comic artists just starting out don't even realize this mechanism for visual storytelling exists - but you're about to discover what a powerful addition it can be to your toolbox of techniques.

What you'll discover in this lesson is that the choices you make for your page layouts comes down to one thing - telling your story. Throughout the demonstration I'll show you a number of panel layout styles, how to determine the best for the story you want to create - then walk you through the decision making process for actually laying out a page that hooks the reader in and holds their attention.

There's nothing worse than when you're reading a comic, and there's action and explosions erupting all over the place - buildings are crashing down, the sky is falling - chaos is unfolding!... But the characters are stone cold. It's as if... they're not quite registering what's going on around them. They look like total NPC's! - completely checked out of your story. This is known as breaking sequential congruence... characters don't quite react appropriately to the goings-on

In this lesson, the art of sequencing your story into panels. You'll learn what to show in them, how to present it, and the best way to capture the emotional tone of every moment.

In this lesson, we dive into drawing characters at different distances, with a laser focus on the art of simplification. This isn't about just "drawing smaller" or leaving things out. It's a specific skill... where you know exactly what to leave out and what to keep in to maintain the essence of your character. Mastering this skill allows you to create those epic, expansive scenes without losing their identity.

Learn how to pace your comic panels like a pro. In this lesson, Clayton Barton shows you how to turn a script into a compelling comic page with dynamic panel layouts, clear storytelling, and powerful visual beats.

Learn how to draw consistent comic book characters across panels. In this lesson, I’ll take you through the full process of designing a character from scratch. From there, we’ll move into the real test - replicating that character across three different shots, just like you would in an actual comic. Each panel shows the character in a different pose and from a new angle, but the core design, silhouette, and proportions stay locked in.

Discover techniques to craft expressive faces that reveal your character’s personality, motivations, and hidden struggles.

In this lesson I'll show you a set of nifty tools you can use to give your comic book pages that elusive 'WOW' factor so many others lack.

In Part 2 of the Slow-Paced Sequences class we'll continue the discussion on what makes for a riveting, yet steadily paced sequence.

In this lesson, we'll focus on the art of deceleration—making moments expand and breathe on the page.