Low-budget Stuido Tips for Comic Artists

Ok, so you're ready to jump into the fray of comic, webcomics in particular, and you don't want to just scribble away on that newsprint pad on your lap, but at the same time you're not ready to spring for a fancy drafting table or a $2000 digital tablet. You're on a budget, for now, at least, and that's okay. One of the things usually overlooked by comics creators is the need to have a budget, period. For a lot of us our budget consists mostly of 'I don't have the cash for this or that right now,' and we never develop the fiscal discipline that is conducive to good business practice further down the road. For the new or just-not-profitable-yet comic creator, a practical approach to cost-control is essential, and it boils down to 3 things:
1. Use what you've got
2. Be practical 3.
3. Be creative in your cost control.

Use what you've got!

When I first started my webcomic, I lived in a tiny apartment and my studio space consisted of a corner just a few feet from the kitchen. I didn't have the cash for a desk or drawing board, but I did have enough to buy a titling laptop tray on wheels. It was just big enough to work on, with a small side tray to put my pens/inks etc on. I also had my old easel, a big rubbermaid container, and a collapsible camp chair. I placed the container against the wall to my left, put my easel atop it, and clipped my lamp to the easel. Now I had somewhere to stash my supplies when not in use, a place to sit (I added a pillow for comfort), and a working surface. In front of the container was a dresser, where I kept my scanner. A humble start, but I managed to squeeze out 45 pages in 2 months. The material point here: before you blow a neat pile of cash on equipment, see what you have on hand that could be converted to immediate use.

When I first started my webcomic, I lived in a tiny apartment and my studio space consisted of a corner just a few feet from the kitchen. I didn't have the cash for a desk or drawing board, but I did have enough to buy a titling laptop tray on wheels. It was just big enough to work on, with a small side tray to put my pens/inks etc on. I also had my old easel, a big rubbermaid container, and a collapsible camp chair. I placed the container against the wall to my left, put my easel atop it, and clipped my lamp to the easel. Now I had somewhere to stash my supplies when not in use, a place to sit (I added a pillow for comfort), and a working surface. In front of the container was a dresser, where I kept my scanner. A humble start, but I managed to squeeze out 45 pages in 2 months. The material point here: before you blow a neat pile of cash on equipment, see what you have on hand that could be converted to immediate use.

My set-up wasn't fancy, but it kept all my supplies within an easy arm's reach. Whenever I needed to stop for the day, putting everything away took less than 1 minute to do. One thing that will make you more productive is making sure you don't have t spend a lot of time setting up and cleaning up. Another practical tip: clean up after yourself as you go along, and after a while it becomes part of your working rhythm. If lighting costs are an issue, set your workspace up near a window that faces south during the day for consistent sunlight (or east/west if you do your work in the morning or toward evening), and make as much use of daylight as you can.

Be Practical
You don't have to draw everyone on 400 lb 3 ply bristol board with pencils that cost 10 bucks each. In fact, some of the best drawing pencils I've ever used cost very little. Your no-name, dollar store variety of #2 pencils will run you a dollar a dozen, and they can at least serve for roughs and layouts. In my case, I went with Mirado Black Warriors, which I've found to be my favorite, and only cost bout $5-6 a dozen. I get them by the box from Staples, so a pencil that will last me a month costs me maybe 40 cents. As far as paper, I don't believe in skimping when it comes to the paper my comic is drawn on, but even then the Deleter paper I use is about $8 per pack of 40 sheets. Depending on your style, use whatever is comfortable for you and will show your work to best advantage. For rough work and just general sketching, I use children's newsprint pads that i get for $1 for 9x12 w/60 sheets, or $5 for a 12x18 with 200 sheets. So my yearly paper cost runs to about maybe $50-60, and I draw quite a bit. if I succumbed to the weekly flyers from the art supply store, my cost would be about 4-5 times that, or more.

Be Creative in your Cost-control
Like the old saying goes, waste not, want not. Pencils getting short and stubby? Use one of the nice, inexpensive pencil holders you can get at any art supply store, and voila, you can now use your pencil till it completely wears out. Pricing lightboxes but broke? A roll of painter's tape from the dollar store and a window will suit your needs until your wallet fattens up. Another cost-reduction strategy I've used, thought not deliberately at first, is using the back of old scripts as extra sketching paper. The doodle of the rabbit throwing a punch became a page in issue 3 of my comic.

This is just a starting point, I'm sure once you start looking around and evaluating your own setup, you'll come up with more ideas.

A Basic Studio set-up
1 Zarty laptop desk/tray. Usually about $35-50. The wheels make it SO convenient.
1 30 gallon plastic container with lid: $5 (I have several that I've been using for years now).
1 small clamp light - $5 or less if you hit the thrift stores.
1 old coffee mug - for holding pencils, etc. I refer something heavy so it's not easily tipped over.
1 chair, preferably with wheels. These can be had for cheap at garage sales, if you don't already have one.
1 scanner - $40 new, or $5-10 via craigslist/kijiji etc.
-newsprint pads for everyday sketching, layouts, and roughs.

Total cost for startup studio: $30-200, depending on what you've already got and where you get stuff.