# Media  > Creator Showcase >  What's your creative process?

## Shiokara

I thought it would be interesting if we all discussed our creative processes when writing, illustrating, lettering, or collaborating on comics.

As a writer, I like to approach creating a comic by having some source material to work with first. For example, in the first comic I'm trying to publish, I used a poem that I could easily visualize. For the next piece I'm planning, a collection of vignettes from my grandmother's life (who is now losing her memory), I plan to start with some recordings and short stories. From there, I gathered some research images and sat down with my illustrator to talk about the source material. We made notes with some ideas for rough sketches:

Annotated Poem Scan.jpg

Here, you can see our margin notes from that first meeting. Some images stuck, like the mechanic working on a tune-up; some were changed, the background schematic was switched out for a flow chart; and still others were shifted to other scenes in the comic.

From here, the illustrator took these ideas and created some larger-sized rough sketches we could use as concept art for the book.

Rough Sketch 3.jpg

After the artist created a series of these sketches. Our next step was to meet back up and discuss any changes to the concept image. For example, the above image of a fuel injector with shoes was altered for the final piece to have a mouth so that the injector could represent the esophagus. We also changed the text to read, "Calories are fuel." This did a better job of showing the comparison between an ingredient the engine needs for combustion and a resource humans need to survive.

Next, I needed to panel, so I took the series of individual images home. At first, I scanned each drawing and moved them around in a document, but as we finished more concept art, scanning every piece became cumbersome. So I took to arranging the pieces on the floor instead! Just like this:

Panel concept.jpg

I will continue discussing my process in the next post. There, I'll talk about writing the script and the second part of paneling.

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## Shiokara

This is continued from the previous post. Sorry, I just thought the last one was getting a bit long! 

After that, I created a script. I found that writing it like a movie script, using terms like close-up or establishing shot, were helpful. Here's a sample of the page I will share at the end.

Script Sample.jpg

Finally, the illustrator and I met one last time to discuss the script and come up with some rough sketches for each full page of the comic.

Rough Panel Sketch.jpg

Then, the artist went home with all these materials and created the final page. It was crazy to see my ideas finally coming to fruition. When she showed them to me, I felt like she had pulled them right from my imagination. Here was the finished piece:

1957_001.jpg

So now, let me ask you all. What is your creative process like? Is it similar, or do you do your own illustrations? Do you start with text first, or do you start with images? I'd be really interested to know!

- Ian

Creator and Writer of The Mechanic
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...a-graphic-poem

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## Shiokara

Hey all,

One of my goals when creating _The Mechanic_  was to be as transparent as possible. To this end, I did an interview with a blogger about the creative process in coming up with the mechanic, and our illustrator even discusses some of her own decision-making regarding the coloring in the comic. I didn't think it warranted its own post, but I will leave it here in case anyone is interested: https://bibliomantics.com/2018/09/01...oriana-takacs/

All the best,

Ian

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## Tyler.Burnworth

Hey Ian,

That's some great stuff you have there! Comics are such a visual medium, I think it's paramount (and awesome) that you started with the imagery and gave it such special attention, then worked a story into and around that imagery.

My writing process is very similar. For my new webcomic series Spark in the Dark, I started with the premise of a single image, which became the splash panel for the first episode: a dude floating alone in space with nowhere to go and nobody else around.

Screenshot_20180906-183212_WEBTOON.jpg

From there I built the story around this guy, who he was, what he wants and what is stopping him from getting it.

It's my first webcomic, so I'm always learning (especially since I'm playing editor, formatter and letterer on top of writing) but it's been a thrilling and rewarding experience.

It helps me that I love the work my line artist and colorist do.

Thanks for sharing your process, it's fun to be able to see how other artists do what they do!

-Tyler

Here's a link to the project if you're interested in checking it out: https://www.webtoons.com/en/challeng...itle_no=198829

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## Shiokara

Hey Tyler,

The way you create is certainly in good company! When J.R.R. Tolkien was creating _The Hobbit_ he started with the first sentence, which he wrote on the back of one of his student's test papers: "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." If you read the rest of the page, you can watch as he writes the story around that sentence, defining what type of hole the hobbit lives in and what type of living he does.

I'll definitely check out the link, by the way, your coloring is beautiful, and the page does a nice job of creating a sense of mystery. Who is this person? Why is there an explosion? Interesting work, and thank you for sharing!

- Ian

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