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Making the PDF…
About the comic strip template
Every comic starts with empty boxes. This tool draws them for you, so you can spend your time on the story and the art. Make rows of comic strips for a short joke, or a full comic book page with a big splash panel for the dramatic moment.
Print one page or fifty. The PDF is made in your browser and nothing is uploaded.
Features
- Comic strip rows — 3 or 4 panels in a row, and 1 to 6 rows on a page
- 11 comic book layouts — from 3 to 9 panels, including a big splash and a full-page splash with insets
- Gutter width — narrow, normal or wide space between panels
- Border thickness — thin, normal, thick or heavy
- Blank speech bubbles — add them to each panel, or leave them out and draw your own
- Four styles — straight, rounded, hand-drawn lines, or a pop shadow
- Line colours — including non-photo blue for artists who ink over their layout
- A4 or US Letter — portrait or landscape, up to 50 pages in one PDF
How to use it
- Choose Comic strip rows or Comic book page as the format
- For strips, pick the Panels per row and Rows per page. For a book page, pick a Page layout
- Set the Gutter and Border thickness
- Tick Add blank speech bubbles if you want them
- Add a Title line if your comic needs a name
- Press Print or Download PDF
Comic words you should know
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Panel | One box with one moment of the story |
| Gutter | The empty space between two panels |
| Splash | A very large panel, often a whole page |
| Inset | A small panel placed on top of a larger one |
| Speech bubble | The balloon that holds what a person says |
| Tail | The point of the bubble, aimed at the speaker |
Which layout tells your story best?
The size of a panel tells the reader how long to stay there. A big panel feels important. Many small panels feel quick, or they can show time passing slowly, one small step at a time.
- Big splash + 2 panels — open a chapter with a huge picture, then move on
- Full-page splash + 3 insets — one giant scene, with small panels for close-ups or reactions
- Three wide rows — wide views of places, journeys and chases
- Classic four and Classic six — calm and easy to read, and very good for beginners
- Three beats + big finish — a build-up, then a large payoff at the bottom of the page
- Wide opener — show where we are in one wide panel, then follow the people in it
- Tall side panel — good for tall things: a tower, a falling person, a person standing alone
- Action steps — mixed widths, to keep the eye moving in a fight or a chase
- Eight beats and Nine-panel grid — a lot of story on one page, or a tense conversation
How to write a three-panel joke
A newspaper strip often has a simple shape, and three panels are enough for it.
- Panel 1: the setup. Show who is there and what is normal
- Panel 2: the turn. Something changes, or someone says something odd
- Panel 3: the punchline. End with the surprise, and keep the words short
Write the words first, then draw. People read from the top left to the bottom right, so the person who speaks first should stand on the left.
Tips for neat comics
- Pencil first. Draw lightly, ink the lines you like, and rub out the rest once the ink is dry
- Keep words short. A bubble with more than about 25 words starts to hide your picture
- Use the gutter. The reader's mind fills the gap between two panels, so you do not have to draw every step
Frequently asked questions
What is the best comic layout for beginners?
Start with Classic six, or strip rows with 3 panels. Equal panels let you learn pacing and storytelling. Move to splash pages once you have a big moment to show.
How wide should the gutter be?
Normal (4 mm) suits most pages. Choose a wide gutter for a clean, open look, especially with thick borders. Narrow gutters fit more art on the page and feel more crowded and urgent.
What is non-photo blue?
It is a very pale blue that many artists use for their first drawing, because a scan in black and white can often remove it. Print the panels in this colour, ink over the top, and scan the page if you want only your ink to show.
Can I use it for manga?
Yes. The panels work for any style. Manga is usually read from right to left, so number your panels in that order. For a tall, narrow page, use portrait mode with Tall side panel or Action steps.
Can students use these in class?
Yes. Everything is free to print and copy. Comic strips are a popular way to retell a story, explain a science idea, or practise a language. Try the Classic four layout with speech bubbles for younger students.
Good to know
- The same layout is used on every page of the PDF. Download another PDF for a second layout
- Your settings are saved in this browser for your next visit
Related tools
- Storyboard Template — plan a film or video in frames
- Meme Generator — add captions to a picture
- Printable Graph Paper — squares for drawing practice
- Printable Dot Grid Paper — light guides for sketches
