Blog
Articles, essays, and tutorials on the craft of traditional comic book art. Topics cover comics history, drawing technique, professional tools, and the working methods of artists who shaped the medium.
History
Alex Toth vs. Steve Rude
Steve Rude pencilled a Jonny Quest story in 1986. Rude faxed the work-in-progress to Alex Toth for advice. Toth responded with a hand-written critique.
Technique
Original art dimensions
Scale original art to the printed page of classic and modern mainstream comics.
Perspective in comics
Hitting deadlines sometimes means understanding the fundamentals well enough to bend them for dramatic effect.
Light box method
Avoid messy revisions on expensive paper by drawing preliminary roughs on newsprint first.
Ames lettering guide
Even in the digital age — perhaps especially in spite of it — the Ames Guide remains a standard tool for lettering professional comic books.
Hand lettering
Using calligraphy pens, ink, and paper to letter comics — striking a balance between personal expression and professional clarity.
Local resources
Boston-area businesses that support our beloved art form
Art Supplies
- MassArt Store
- massart.edu/art-supply-bookstore
- Art supplies, new and used textbooks, course material
- Artist & Craftsman
- artistcraftsman.com
- Employee-owned company founded in 1985, with over 20 locations nationwide
- Dick Blick
- dickblick.com
- America's largest art supply store (RIP Utrecht's)
Comic Book Stores
- Bedrock Comics
- bedrock-comics.com
- 371 Worcester Road
- Framingham MA 01701
- 508-872-2317
- The Comic Stop
- thecomicstop.com
- 134 Main Street
- Watertown, MA 02472
- 617-926-3430
- Comicazi
- comicazi.com
- 407 Highland Avenue
- Somerville, MA 02144
- 617-666-2664
- Hub Comics
- hubcomics.com
- 19 Bow Street
- Somerville MA 02143
- 617-718-0987
- Million Year Picnic
- themillionyearpicnic.com
- 99 Mount Auburn Street
- Cambridge, MA 02138
- 617-492-6763
- New England Comics
- newenglandcomics.com
- Multiple locations: Allston, Brookline, Cambridge
- The Outer Limits
- eouterlimits.com
- 437 Moody Street
- Waltham MA 02453
- 781-891-0444
- Paper Asylum
- paper-asylum.com
- 260 Cabot Street
- Beverly MA 01915
- 978-998-4692
- Silver Moon
- silvermooncomics.com
- 1 East India Square Mall
- Salem MA 01970
- 978-594-8641