Creating Comics!

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Creative Process

I begin with very rough thumbnail sketches and written notes,

where I determine how much information I can squeeze into each

page. I transfer my written notes to an InDesign file, where I can

precisely plan the spacing of the captions and dialogue, as well

as the size of the panels. No pictures are drawn yet; the file con-

sists only of the final text and panel borders.

For the lettering, I sometimes design my own font (working with

someone who knows Fontographer), or find an appropriate com-

mercial comic book font (such as those available from Comicraft).

If all else fails, I’ll use Helvetica to lay out the type, and work out

the spacing in InDesign, and then trace the font by hand in a style

more appropriate for the strip. The sound effects and title lettering

are generally done by hand. I print out the InDesign file and begin

to sketch in the figures in the boxes at about printed size. At the

same time, I search through volumes of cartoon reference mate-

rial (books, clippings, JPEGs, etc.) for specific poses, characters,

and compositions to emulate. When parodying a particular car-

toonist or comic’s genre, I look for reference for as many details

as possible. Where necessary, I’ll also gather photo reference for

costumes, furniture, and other related elements.

I slowly revise the drawings by hand, and then scan them. In

Photoshop, I rescale figures and composite background elements.

Then I import the text and boxes from InDesign and put all the

pieces together. I might also do additional drafts of the drawings

to replicate the style I’m after.

When finally satisfied with the layouts, I’ll print out the pages

again, at about 150 percent of the printed size. Then I’ll trace them

in pencil onto Bristol board. Any hand-drawn sound effects and

lettering are added here.

Finally, I ink the boards with pens, brushes, and Rapidographs.

The inking hopefully adds a certain consistency and organic

quality to the piece. My goal is for the reader not to see all the

research and revisions, that the drawing looks “natural.”

The final art is then scanned and colored in Photoshop.

This was the cover for a special comics issue of LA Weekly. I

was asked by art director Bill Smith to parody the cover of Action

Comics #1, Superman’s first appearance, and include as many

famous characters as possible.

Sometimes magazines can be a little squeamish about publish-

ing parodies, but legal affairs had no problem with this strip. With

apologies to Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Reginald Rose, and the

U.S. Judicial System.

Title: 12 Super-Angry Men

Client: Legal Affairs magazine, 2002

Media: Ink on paper, Photoshop

Title: Comics Action! cover

Client: LA Weekly, 2002

Media: Ink on paper, Photoshop

© 2002, R. Sikoryak

R.

Sikoryak’s cartoon parodies and illustrations

have appeared in Nickelodeon Magazine,

the New Yorker, Fortune, Little Lit, and many

other publications; on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart;

and in the independent feature film The Bentfootes. He

has adapted the classics for comic anthologies such as

Drawn & Quarterly, Raw, and Hotwire. Drawn & Quarterly

published a collection of his stories in 2009.

Sikoryak is the coauthor, with Michael Smith, of The Se-

duction of Mike, published by Fantagraphics, a comic book

funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. He was

awarded Artists Fellowships from the New York Foundation

for the Arts and the American Antiquarian Society for his

comics’ adaptations. He teaches in the illustration depart-

ment at Parsons School of Design.

Since 1997 Sikoryak has presented his cartoon slideshow

series, Carousel, around the United States and Canada.

He lives in New York City with his wife, Kriota Willberg.

R. Sikoryak

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R. Sikoryak

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Title: The Sunday Snow Globe

Drawn for the holiday issue of Nickelodeon.

Client: Nickelodeon Magazine, 2001

Media: Ink on paper, Photoshop

© 2001 R. Sikoryak

Title: The Fab Four

Client: Pulse! Magazine, 2001

Media: Ink on paper, Photoshop

© 2001 R. Sikoryak

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