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Course 137 · Create course 17

Tell a Story in Six Comic Panels

Create an original short comic with clear actions, readable lettering and a simple color system.

Before you start

Use free desktop Krita and a mouse or trackpad. Simple stick figures are welcome; no tablet, purchased brush or paid font is needed. Installation and optional video time are additional.

See everything you’ll need

Practice materials and a worked example · Free download. Download the starter pack

What you’ll leave with

A complete six-panel comic page with editable artwork, a readable PNG and a panel-by-panel text companion.

Start course Start without an account. Sign in to save lesson progress across devices.

Your project

Start with the practice files. Build your project one lesson at a time.

Practice files are free without an account. Sign in to save your project record in My Proof: a description, checklist, and optional work link. Keep the original files in your own app or notebook; saving a project record does not upload them.

  1. Get your materialsDownload practice filesStart with the supplied materials, follow the lessons, and compare your work with the annotated example.
  2. Make your projectView the project checklist Work in your own notebook, document, or software. Use the supplied practice examples when you prefer.
  3. Keep a private recordSave a project record Sign in to save a description and checklist, then return to update them.
Optional course overview

Watch an introduction.

This overview from David Revoy - Webcomic Creator introduces ideas you’ll practice in the lessons.

Watch directly on YouTube
David Revoy - Webcomic CreatorShading tutorial for comics using Krita - by David RevoyYouTube
Course handbook

Know the route before you begin.

Here’s what you’ll need and what you’ll make. You can return to this guide during any lesson.

Who this is for

Learners ages 14+ who want practical creative and technical skills.

Prepare before lesson one
  • Use free desktop Krita and a mouse or trackpad. Simple stick figures are welcome; no tablet, purchased brush or paid font is needed. Installation and optional video time are additional.
  • Know how to save files and use basic shapes.
Your final project

Finish with proof you can use.

A complete six-panel comic page with editable artwork, a readable PNG and a panel-by-panel text companion.

Save a project record in My Proof
See project checklist and review criteria

Keep your working files in your own notebook or software. Save a private description, checklist, and work link in My Proof.

What to include

  • Six panels with a coherent original beginning, discovery and ending.
  • A clear two-column reading path and visible gutters.
  • Consistent characters and objects with readable lettering.
  • A limited palette checked for meaning without color alone.
  • Layered KRA, PNG, text companion and one documented revision.

Review and revise

Use these criteria to check your work and choose what to improve.

  • Each panel contributes an understandable action.
  • Reading order and lettering work at the intended viewing size.
  • Clues remain consistent across panels.
  • Source, image and text companion agree.
Three ideas to help you along the way
Three useful ideas

The rules behind the steps.

01

Show a change

Give each panel one clear visual beat.

02

Make room to read

Plan lettering and gutters before detailed drawing.

03

Preserve the story

Check both the image and its text companion.

What do these words mean?
Key words

Key terms worth knowing.

Panel
A bounded image showing one part of a comic sequence.
Gutter
The space between panels.
Close-up
A view emphasizing a small subject or detail.
Line art
The outlines defining figures and objects.
Layer
An independently editable part of the image.
Your route

6 lessons.
One useful project.

Work in order the first time. Each lesson makes something the next lesson can use.

  1. 1
    Up next

    Write six visual beats

    Turn a short idea into actions that pictures can carry.

  2. 2
    41 min

    Lay out the page

    Create a consistent six-panel reading path.

  3. 3
    51 min

    Draw readable actions

    Replace the rough with clear line art while keeping objects consistent.

  4. 4
    41 min

    Letter the story

    Place short readable messages without blocking the action.

  5. 5
    41 min

    Add a limited palette

    Use a few colors to guide attention while preserving dark outlines.

  6. 6
    36 min

    Export a readable comic

    Deliver the page with a text description and editable source.

Use the tools

Tools to help you practice.

See all tools
ZIP · practice files

Tell a Story in Six Comic Panels practice files

Start with the supplied materials, follow the lessons, and compare your work with the annotated example.

Text worksheet

Your course project worksheet

A downloadable text worksheet with each lesson’s working output, space for your answers, and the shared final-project checklist. Save your own copy.

Source transparency

Sources and further study.

Explore the references behind the lessons and take your learning further. Source notes explain access and reuse.

Krita manual: Basic concepts
Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12

Read original manual explanations of canvas, raster/vector, drawing tools, layer order, selections and native saving.

Access: Public reading without a paid account; reviewed September 12, 2026.

Reuse: Link only. Lessons and practice assets are original; free access does not grant permission to copy the provider's material.

Krita manual: Layers and masks
Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12

Read layer management, drawing order, layer naming and separate color/line art.

Access: Public reading without a paid account; reviewed September 12, 2026.

Reuse: Link only. Lessons and practice assets are original; free access does not grant permission to copy the provider's material.

Krita manual: Text tool
Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12

Read version 5.3 on-canvas text creation, editing, wrapping and Text Properties. Older-version dialog route is identified separately.

Access: Public reading without a paid account; reviewed September 12, 2026.

Reuse: Link only. Lessons and practice assets are original; free access does not grant permission to copy the provider's material.

David Revoy: Shading workflow for comics
Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12

Read original creator description and chapter sequence for layer-based comic shading; no claim of watching the full tutorial.

Access: Public reading without a paid account; reviewed September 12, 2026.

Reuse: Creator labels this tutorial CC BY4.0. Link only; all course characters, script and artwork are original.

Ready when you are

Start with the first useful move.

You’ll always know what to do, what to make, and where to go next.

Start lesson one