comic strip assignment pdf

Other Free Design Resources

100+ free comic strip templates for your visual stories, by sandra boicheva.

3 years ago

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Comic strips are sequences of drawings in interrelated panels that tell a story. A comic strip page usually features a couple of panels with images, narrated with text in balloons of captions. In this article, I have gathered 100 free comic strip templates from 16 different sources from around the web. 

These free resources will help designers, artists, teachers, and students craft their amazing visual stories faster. 

Comic by Victoria Zayakina

“I believe comic books and superheroes affect our culture so much because they serve to remind us of this powerful and deeply ingrained fact: we matter.” ― Sebastien Richard, Lead Like a Superhero

10 Free Comic Strips for Creative Assignments

Tracee Orman made these 10 free templates for creative assignments, especially for students. 

• Files: PDF, 10 ready-to-print comic strips
• License: For Personal Use

200+ Free Comic Strip Templates

Cartoons.co exclusively offers a diverse collection of over 200 unique comic strip templates, showcasing various styles and panel arrangements, all available for free.

• Files: PDF, 200 ready-to-print comic strips
• License: For Personal and Commercial Use without Attribution

8 Comic Strips to Tell Stories

This is a collection of 8 PDF templates for comic books by Mark Warner.

• License: For Personal and Commercial Use with Attribution

Free Big Three-Panel Top Action Comic Page Template

This template is ideal for a big opening action scene as the angled top boxes allow you to display your artwork and make it look more dynamic.

• Files: PDF, 1 ready-to-print comic strip

Free Double Size Opening and Ending Template

This free comic panel by  PrintablePaper has a double-sized opening and ending, so your comic page can have a big start as well as a big finish. 

5 Free Printable Comic Strip Pages

Here we have a set of 5 blank comic book pages with a different number of panels, depending on your story. The PDFs are printable and great for teachers and homeschoolers to help foster creative writing.

• Files: PDF, 5 ready-to-print comic strips

5 Free Comic Strip Printables with English and Spanish Headers

You can click on any of the images below and “save as” or you can copy and paste onto a Word document.

24 Free Blank Comic Strip Worksheets

Most of these are comic book strips, but they’ve also included two pages of speech bubbles and geometric shapes.

• Files: PDF, 24 ready-to-print comic strips

6 Free Printable Blank Comic Book Pages

These comic book templates are a perfect introduction to the graphic arts and the art of comic books. Requires subscription for downloading.

• Files: PDF, 6 ready-to-print comic strips

10 Free Printable Comic Strip Templates

This printable comic strips set has 10 templates in A4 and US Letter sizes, including layouts with and without speech bubbles. 

8 Free Dynamic Comic Book Page Templates

This collection by PrintablePaper offers 8 different dynamic blank comic book pages with a variety of panel numbers and arrangements.

Free Arch Top Comic Template

A dynamic blank comic book page with an arch opening and 8 panels.

Free Printable Comic Strip Maker

This template offers the elements to combine as you wish and create your own pages.

21 Free Comic Strip Writing Templates

Another free resource for teachers for a twist on your traditional writing in the classroom. 

• Files: PDF, 21 ready-to-print comic strips

These were the 16 sources that offer blank comic book pages for your projects. Especially valuable for teachers, the templates are free and ready to print.

Nevada-Comic Gràfica Radiant by Mayte Alvarado

Comic page by George Bletsis

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Comic Strips Templates

• May 4, 2023
• Comic , Free Templates , Printable

Comic strips templates. Welcome to the world of comic strip creation! Whether you’re an experienced artist or a beginner, the possibilities are endless when it comes to creating your own comics. A good comic strip requires a combination of creativity, storytelling, and attention to detail. But don’t worry, with the right tools and resources, anyone can create a compelling and engaging comic. That’s why I’m here to provide you with some comic strip templates in PDF format that are ready to print and use for educational purposes. These templates will help you get started on your comic-making journey and give you a foundation to build upon. So, let’s get started!

I recommend reading: 21 Free Online Comic Strip Makers | Comic Panels | How to Make a Comic Book on the Computer | Create Digital Art | Free Flash Card Template for Word

Templates for Comic Strips

Templates for Comic Strips 1

This panel template contains 6 boxes with alternating size in each row. In general, the layout goes in two columns and three rows. The column width in each row is at alternating size. For example, in the first row, it begins with a column of about 40% width, and the right column that is the second column is at about 60% width. This width composition is then alternated in the following row, that is the second row. The last row goes back to the first composition. This allows students to figure out what kind of event they should input to each column with different width. Sometimes the smaller one can be the focus, and the wider one can be for long view.

Templates for Comic Strips 2

This second comic strip template panel is arranged in the same width. meanwhile, the composition between the row and column remains the same as the previous one, that is two columns and three rows. The width of each column is the same between the left and the right, that is 50%. I think, this type of comic strip panel is suitable for beginner whose focus is on filling the panel with images and conversation or dialog bulb. The goal is just that the students feel comfortable in participating in the comic making project. As long as the students can put their ideas into the panel, it is considered achieved. Students who are beginner at this process will feel that this task is easy and thus hopefully can motivate them to do the complex ones. Using this similar size panel, they will not find it hard to think about what focus or what specific event should be put in the smaller panel or the bigger panel.

Templates for Comic Strips 3

This comic strip template layout is completely different from the previous ones. This one starts with a bigger size and is in the intersection of the two panels in the right. It feels like a photo collage and is in the masonry style.

Templates for Comic Strips 4

This layout is also of unique composition. It begins with big square that is inline with two smaller grids at the same size but a half of the bigger one. The bottom part is at the same column with but with smaller height. The opening big square can be used to inform a hook, or an event that is shocking.

Templates for Comic Strips 5

This layout is similar to item number 2. The boxes are at the same size. There are six boxes in two columns and three rows. They are all in square shapes with the same size. This type of comic strip template is also perfect for beginners who do not have to think about which panel size should be used for which event.

I remember when I was a kid, trying to create my own comic. Initially I was struggling to follow model comic from famous comic books. However, I found it so hard to follow. Some of the panel are overlapped, some others are in triangle, and other unusual forms. Then, I tried to create my own panel, and I came up with panels with the same size. At that time, it gave me ease in drawing as all I have to do is drawing within the panel. I did not need to think hard replicating the professional and advanced unusual shape of comic panel layout.

Templates for Comic Strips 6

This one is actually similar to comic strip template number 1, the first in this page. The difference is that it is in portrait while the earlier is in landscape. This is for those who have already practiced drawing comic characters into comic panels for a while. They have already had experience that is enough to go more advanced. This type of panel does require experience because the size of each box is different from one another. One is small and one other is bigger. The student, when using this template, has to adjust specific event that would match the size of the panel. For example, the smaller box can be used to position a man walking, while the right side that is bigger, is to portray when the man is walking, thus require the student to also draw the surrounding.

Templates for Comic Strips 7

The comic strip template that features one big panel in the first and third rows, and two equal-sized panels in the second row, is a classic layout that has been used in comics for decades. This type of panel layout is ideal for comics that require a mix of large, dramatic visuals and smaller, more focused scenes.

In the first row, the big panel can be used to showcase a wide-angle shot or a detailed close-up of the scene. This panel is perfect for introducing the setting, characters, or establishing the mood of the story. In the second row, the two equal-sized panels can be used to show two different perspectives of the same scene or to depict a sequence of actions. This layout is particularly effective for showing cause and effect, or for building tension and suspense. In the third row, the big panel can be used to create a sense of closure or to show the aftermath of the events that took place in the previous panels.

To ensure a clear reading order, it is suggested that the speech bubble or dialogue should be positioned close to the characters or objects they are referring to. In the first row, the speech bubble can be placed in the top or bottom corner of the panel, while in the second row, they can be positioned above or below each panel. In the third row, the speech bubble can be placed in the center of the panel or at the bottom, depending on the layout of the image.

This type of comic strip panel layout is suitable for a variety of events, including action scenes, suspenseful moments, and scenes that require a lot of detail. It is particularly effective for comics that want to establish a sense of place or create a cinematic feel. Overall, this classic layout is a great starting point for anyone who wants to create an engaging and visually appealing comic.

Templates for Comic Strips 8

The comic strip template with a layout featuring two boxes in the first row, a two-column layout in the second row, and a mix of squares and rectangles in each column, is a unique and versatile design that can accommodate a range of storytelling styles.

In the first row, the two boxes can be used to show different perspectives of the same scene or to juxtapose two separate events. The 30% box can be used to show a close-up detail or a smaller moment in the story, while the 70% box can be used to showcase a larger scene or a key event.

In the second row, the two columns provide ample space to create a sequence of actions or to depict multiple characters interacting with each other. The first column can be used to show two big squares, which can be used to depict key moments in the story or to focus on the emotions of the characters. The second column can be used to show three rows of rectangles, which can be used to create a sense of movement or to show a series of related events.

It is advised that speech bubbles or dialogue be positioned close to the characters or things they are referring to in order to guarantee clear communication. In the first row, for example, the speech bubble can be placed above or below each box. The speech bubbles in the second row can be positioned in the middle or near the characters or things they are referring to.

This sort of comic strip panel layout is appropriate for storylines with a lot of information or several plotlines. It’s especially useful in comics if you want to establish a feeling of development or highlight the link between different characters or events.

Comic Strip Template

Comic Strip Template 10 Pages

More collection of comic strip template. There are 10 pages in this archive.

Comic Strip Templates Free

Comic Strip Templates Free 4 Pages

More collection of the templates. there are 4 pages. Two of them are with speech bubbles.

Do you know what comic strip is?

Comic strips are collections of cartoon images contained in a box that can be used to create a story.

The satire style used in newspapers and the heroic storyline used in comic books are just a few examples of the many distinct comic strip styles.

They frequently use boxes to depict new events or actions, which is a popular creative pattern. Cartoon and comic strip characters are almost usually vivid and interesting. The majority of the time, kids speak in what we refer to as “speech bubbles.”

It’s simple to communicate artistic ideas and foster creativity by creating your own comic strip using our templates. They’re a terrific method to provide kids a place to combine their writing and drawing skills.

Why not have your kid or the class try to create their own cartoon strip? It’s a terrific method to encourage creativity and help kids develop their imagination to use a template like the one offered.

My Personal Thoughts

Creating a comic strip can be a fun and engaging way to express your creativity and storytelling skills. Thanks to modern technology, there are now many tools and resources available to help you bring your comic strip ideas to life. One such resource is a comic strip generator, which allows you to quickly and easily create your own comics using pre-designed templates and tools. Whether you’re a seasoned comic creator or just starting out, a comic strip generator can be a valuable tool to have in your arsenal.

When designing a comic strip layout, it’s important to consider the overall structure and flow of the story you’re trying to tell. A well-designed layout can help to guide the reader through the narrative, emphasizing important moments and keeping them engaged from panel to panel. One way to achieve a strong layout is to use printable comic strip templates, which provide a pre-designed framework for your comic and can save you time and effort in the planning process. Blank comic strip panels can also be useful for customizing your layout and making it your own.

A comic strip storyboard is an essential tool for planning and organizing your comic before you begin drawing. This storyboard acts as a visual map of your story, outlining the plot, characters, and overall structure of the comic. Using a comic strip maker or other digital tool can make the storyboard process easier and more efficient. Cartoon panel templates and speech bubble templates can also be useful in creating a cohesive and visually appealing storyboard.

A strong comic strip design is key to making your comic stand out and grab the reader’s attention. Consider the overall aesthetic of your comic, including the style, color scheme, and typography. Using a graphic novel template or comic strip storyboard template can help to establish a consistent design throughout the comic, while comic strip frames and sequential art templates can be used to create dynamic and engaging visuals.

Whether you’re creating a manga-inspired comic or a classic American-style strip, a comic strip drawing template can be a useful starting point for bringing your ideas to life. Printable cartoon panels and comic strip outlines can also be helpful in creating a polished and professional-looking final product. When designing your comic strip pattern, keep in mind the pacing and flow of the story, and use a comic strip storyboard layout to help visualize how the final comic will look and feel. With the right tools and resources, anyone can create a compelling and engaging comic strip.

Important elements of Comic

Comics, also known as graphic narratives, are a form of storytelling that uses sequential art to convey a narrative. The elements of comics can vary depending on the style and format of the comic, but some common elements include:

• Panels: The individual frames or boxes that contain the artwork and text.
• Gutters: The spaces between panels where the reader’s imagination fills in the action that happens between them.
• Speech balloons: The bubbles that contain dialogue spoken by characters.
• Thought balloons: The bubbles that contain a character’s thoughts.
• Sound effects: The onomatopoeic words that represent sounds in the comic, such as “pow,” “bam,” or “zap.”
• Captions: Text boxes that provide additional information, narration, or commentary on the story.
• Characters: The people or creatures that populate the story and interact with each other.
• Setting: The time and place in which the story takes place.
• Plot: The sequence of events that make up the story.
• Themes: The underlying ideas or messages conveyed by the story, which may include social commentary, satire, or personal reflection.

Overall, comics are a highly visual and imaginative medium that combines words and pictures to create a unique form of storytelling.

What is the purpose of this blank comic strip template?

This blank comic strip template is an excellent resource that can be used for a variety of purposes. Comic strip templates are helpful tools that may be utilized while creating comic strips. Comics may be used for a variety of objectives, including amusement and information delivery in an entertaining fashion.

Allow children to create their own comic strips using these templates to encourage student creativity and fine motor skills. They include square spaces for students to draw their own comics, as well as text boxes below each space for students to explain what is going on.

Show them how to insert speech bubbles into each of the boxes in these strips to create an intriguing discussion. Allow them to color their comic strip for added detail. This can help to broaden and enhance advanced vocabulary grammar and story-telling abilities.

How can I put this blank comic strip template to use at home?

For almost a century, children have enjoyed comic strips or cartoon comics. They’re a great method to improve your reading abilities while also enjoying a great narrative with colorful images. They often have a pretty consistent format, with a sequence of images depicting characters and their dialogue in “speech bubbles.”

Some of the most popular and successful movies have been adapted from popular comic strips. Marvel Avengers, Spiderman, Batman, Superman, and the X-Men all began as comic books.

Children will enjoy using this blank comic strip template at home to create their own stories. Why not ask your child to sketch anything related to an event or experience, such as a vacation or a day out?

This is an excellent opportunity for your youngster to communicate their feelings and views regarding their experiences. Suggest that the children keep their comics secure so that they can refer to them later.

Some youngsters may like collecting comics and cartoons, and certain vintage comics are now worth a lot of money, so it may be a fantastic investment!

How to Create Your Own Comic Strip Dialogue

You can use paper, pencils, crayons, and markers, computer word processing programs, or an app.

Allow the person you’re helping to choose the materials they want to use.

Some people like to keep their comic strip dialogues in a notepad or on their smartphone or tablet, so they may refer to them as required and quickly recall essential themes.

With this entertaining comic strip template, you may assist your children say “Happy Father’s Day.” Children will use this project to make their fathers and/or father figures the heroes of their comic books. Inspire imagination in your ELA teaching by using this narrative and sequencing template.

Encourage your students to be as creative as they can, and hang their final comics on the classroom wall. With these printable magazine article templates, you can turn your pupils into junior journalists! Children will compose an article regarding a topic of their choice using our teacher-created sheets.

They can select a real-world theme, such as climate change or activities, or they might write a fictitious narrative. Ideal for K-5 ELA classes. These vivid cut-outs are an excellent way to liven up your classroom.

Students can benefit from

Comic strips are a useful educational tool for students of various grades to utilize in class. They frequently convey messages or offer a quick summary of events or tales. Comics contain all of the tale components – character, place, issue, and solution – in a few frames via a combination of pictures, captions, and dialogue, thus being ideal for use in class while working on these aspects. They are also an excellent approach to encourage reluctant authors to start a tale with the beginning, middle, and conclusion in mind. Utilize these Comic Strip Templates to assist your students create their own comic-style narrative material. The comic might be around them or about any additional characters they create.

What teachers say

Users have left positive comments thanking the provider of free comic strip templates for helping them with various assignments and projects. They express gratitude for the ease of downloading the templates and their usefulness in different scenarios, such as book studies, graphic novel units, and home learning. Some users specifically appreciate the ability to print the templates in larger sizes.

Users seem to be very appreciative of the fact that the comic strip templates are free and readily available, and they mention that they are helpful in facilitating creative expression and learning in the classroom. Some users specifically mention that the templates are useful for students who are reluctant writers or who struggle with traditional writing assignments. Overall, the comments express a sense of gratitude for the resource and highlight the positive impact it has had on the users’ teaching and learning experiences.

The templates are easy to use and provide layout designs that students can use to organize their ideas. users show that the templates are suitable for different grade levels and can be used for various subjects such as literature, history, and computer classes. I recommend using PowerPoint to create the comic strips instead of Word. Some users had issues downloading the templates, but then I suggest using a different browser or making sure pop-ups are not blocked. I allow the templates to be used in virtual classrooms or posted on a private Facebook page for parents. However, they are not for commercial reuse.

Aliv Faizal M

I am a teacher who loves to use technology. I like to design templates in Google Docs, Google Slides, Powerpoint, Word, CorelDraw, etc.

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The Center for Cartoon Studies

Teaching comics.

This page both archives teaching content from National Association of Comics Art Educators, along with dozens of additional teaching comics resources for all ages developed by The Center for Cartoon Studies community.  In recent years the comics medium has flourished, generating much interest from the literary, art, and educational communities. This site will continue to expand with more content as it is developed. Recommended grades, along with Common Core subjects are noted on several resources.

For more information or suggestions, contact [email protected]

Teaching Resources

• Individual Exercises • Complete Lesson Plans • Study Guides and Handouts • Complete Syllabi • Books and Magazines

• Individual Exercises

This section contains a list of short exercises. This material has been contributed by various cartoonists and educators. All items are available in printer-friendly adobe .PDF format.

• The Wrong Planet: Timing, Closure and Editing contributed by Paul Hluchan • Design Vs. Drawing contributed by James Sturm • It’s Easy as Changing the Film contributed by Patrick Welch • Editing contributed by James Sturm • Show Time Passing contributed anonymously • Basic Storytelling… Lights, Camera, Action! contributed by Patrick Welch • Intro to Lettering contributed anonymously • Intro to Inking contributed anonymously • Describing the Complex World contributed by Patrick Welch • Silent Gag Cartoon Exercise contributed anonymously • Poetry and Comics contributed by James Sturm • Comic Strip: Character/Place/Situation contributed anonymously • The Irony of Humor contributed anonymously • Autobiography Do’s and Don’ts contributed anonymously • Think Before You Ink contributed by James Sturm • Scenes as Building Blocks contributed by Tom Hart • 20 Questions for Characters contributed anonymously • Intro to Caricature contributed anonymously • Character Exploration Initial Writing Exercises contributed by Tom Hart • Form and Chaos contributed anonymously • A Definition of Comics contributed by James Sturm • Closure Exercise contributed anonymously [ closure_handout ] • Expressive Lettering and Balloons contributed anonymously [ lettering_template ] • Iconographic Language in Comics contributed anonymously • Cartoon Characters Doodled from Memory contributed by Ivan Brunetti • Practicing Text-Image Relationships contributed by Christian Hill

Back to the top ↑

Complete Lesson Plans

This section contains a list of lesson plans. This material has been contributed by various cartoonists and educators. All items are available in printer-friendly adobe .PDF format.  Each lesson plan has, listed after its title, a grade range for which the exercise is most appropriate. Many lesson plans, though, can be modified to suit older or younger classes as needed.

• Little Orphane Annie: Leapin’ Through the Depression contributed by Joanna Boyd Richards [ sample Annie strips .pdf 2.4MB]
• Teaching Literary Devices with Comics contributed by Nancy Frey and Doug Fisher [ sample narrative .pdf 2MB]
• The Serious Business of Graphic Novels contributed by A. David Lewis [ slideshow .ppt 8.5MB]
• Creating and Self-Publishing Your Minicomics contributed by Mac McCool
• Study Guides and Handouts

This section contains study guides which are geared toward English/literature classes as well as a studio environment. Also available here are handouts useful for class discussion. Several of the study guides contain reading questions designed to facilitate the teaching of prominent comics works.  All items are available in printer-friendly adobe .PDF format.

Study Guides: • The Complete Peanuts Volume I by Charles M. Schulz contributed by Art Baxter • Buddy in Seattle by Peter Bagge contributed by Ben Towle • Above and Below by James Sturm contributed anonymously • Locas: The Maggie and Hopey Stories by Jaime Hernandez contributed by Art Baxter • Jimbo in Purgatory by Gary Panter contributed by Joel Priddy • You Can’t Get There From Here by Jason contributed by Christian Hill • Flies on the Ceiling by Los Bros Hernandez contributed by Rocco Versaci • My Troubles with Women by Robert Crumb contributed by Rocco Versaci • Ghost World by Dan Clowes contributed by Rocco Versaci • Daddy’s Girl by Debbie Drechsler contributed by Rocco Versaci • Sandman: Fables and Reflections by Neil Gaiman contributed by Rocco Versaci • Palestine by Joe Sacco contributed by Rocco Versaci • Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon contributed by Rocco Versaci • Maus by Art Spiegleman contributed anonymously

Handouts: • The Creation of a Page contributed by Tom Hart • Three-Act Story Structure contributed anonymously • Women in Comics: An Introductory Guide contributed by Trina Robbins • Critique Talking Points contributed anonymously • Usagi Yojimbo: Step by Step contributed by Stan Sakai • Mix and Match Rows: Comics Handouts for Younger Students contributed by Ben Towle • Comics Terminology contributed anonymously • How To Read Nancy contributed by Mark Newgarden and Paul Karasik

• Complete Syllabi

In this section you will find a number of complete course syllabi, most if which are intended for teaching at the undergraduate level. The syllabi are divided into sections for studio classes and non-studio classes and have been contributed by instructors from institutions such as Yale, The Savannah College of Art and Design, The University of Florida, and The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as others.

• Comics As Literature contributed by Rocco Versaci
• Comics and Animation contributed anonymously
• Comics in American Culture contributed by Professor Touponce
• Media in Cultural Context: Comics, Cartoons and Graphic Storytelling contributed anonymously
• Survey of Sequential Art contributed anonymously
• Writing About Comics contributed anonymously
• Writing Scripts for Comics contributed by Mark Kneece
• Introduction to Comics Art: Gateway to Visual Storytelling contributed anonymously
• Reading Comics as Literature contributed by Isaac Cates
• Studies in Literature and Culture: The Graphic Novel contributed anonymously
• Comics Studio Class contributed anonymously
• Explore Chicago: The Art of Chris Ware contributed anonymously
• An Aesthetic History of Comics contributed by Dan Nadel
• History of Comic-Book Art contributed by Andrei Molotiu
• Image, Text, and Story: An Exploration of Graphic Novels contributed by Rachel Williams
• Books and Magazines

The reference material here consists of books and magazines which may be useful to educators teaching classes in comics or cartooning. Most of the items listed are instructional in nature, but a few are critical or analytical texts relating to the cartooing artform; Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics is probably the most well known of these. Several items listed are currently out of print, but reasonably priced copies can usually be located via bookfinder.com .

The Arbor House Book of Cartooning by Mort Greenberg ISBN 0-87795-399-6 New Yorker cartoonist Greenberg shares his knowledge in this comprehensive volume. There seem to be thousands of these “how-to cartoon” books. This (along with Polly Keener’s book) is one of the better ones.

The Art of Comic Book Inkin g by Gary Martin ASIN: 1569712581 Pretty good introduction to inking tools and concepts. Especially good at identifying methods of implying shade and weight on a human figure. A number of variations on the same pencils by differing comic book inking pros offer a good look at many ways a page can be successfully inked.

The Art of Dramatic Writing by Lajos Egri ISBN: 0-671-21332-6 A seminal 20th century book on playwriting, and the introduction to the “dramatic statement” inherent in any play. The book is very instructive in looking at the elements of your story and examining which are contributing to the greater theme, and which are not. Like David Mamet’s book, it has little room for other opinions of how drama is constructed but certainly presents its own thesis clearly and completely.

Cartooning by Polly Keener ISBN: 0131179128 Although geared towards gag cartooning and comic strips, this book offers a great deal of information from generating ideas to tools and techniques. Covers a lot of the same ground as The Arbor House Book .

Comics and Sequential Art by Will Eisner ISBN: 0961472812 Taken from Amazon.com reader reviews: “Written years before Scott McCloud’s “Understanding Comics,” Will Eisner expounds upon how comics are a visual, reading experience using both words and pictures. He instructs the reader in how words and pictures can be used together to tell a story. The author must lead the reader with visual clues to each sequential image. Mood, emotion, even time can be expressed visually in a comic. Camera angles, panel borders, typefaces, all play a part in the effectiveness of a story.”

Comix 2000 by L’ Association Editors Essential cross section (2000 pages) of silent comics from across the globe. Countless examples of innovative silent storytelling.

The DC Comics Guide to Pencilling Comics by Klaus Janson ISBN: 0-8230-1028-7 Klaus Janson’s book is a distillation of all his techniques and theories. A great book divided into 3 parts: drawing, storytelling and pencilling. Drawing focuses mostly on human anatomy. In Storytelling, he discusses the art of panel juxtaposition, including a nuanced look at juxtaposing unrelated images. He also offers an extensive and detailed look at panel arrangement, including composition both on the page and within the panel. The pencilling section offers a look at Janson’s process on an entire short story, from script to finishes. Overall intelligent, humble, and masterful.

Drawing Comics Lab: 52 Exercises on Characters, Panels, Storytelling, Publishing & Professional Practices (Lab Series) ISBN: 9781592538126 This easy-to-follow book is designed for the beginning or aspiring cartoonist; both children and adults will find the techniques to be engaging and highly accessible.Featured artists include:- James Stu

DRAW! Magazine Quarterly , published by: TwoMorrows Publishing PO Box 2129 Upper Darby, PA 19082 This weighty magazine features numerous useful columns each issue. Past columns have included an extensive look at inking by Klaus Janson, a look at character design by Genndy Tartakovsky (creator of Cartoon Network’s Samauri Jack ), an article on observation and set design by Batman set designer Paul Rivoche, and figure drawing by Brett Blevins.

Graphic Storytelling by Will Eisner ISBN: 0961472820 From the publisher: “A companion to Comics & Sequential Art , this book takes the principles examined in that title and applies them to the process of graphic storytelling. Eisner shows comic artists, filmmakers and graphic designers how to craft stories in a visual medium. They’ll also learn why mastering the basics of storytelling is far more important than the hollow flash and dazzle seen in lesser work. Readers will learn everything from the fine points of graphic storytelling to the big picture of the comics medium, including how to: * Use art that enhances your story, rather than obscuring it * Wield images like narrative tools * Write and illustrate effective dialogue * Develop ideas that can be turned into dynamic stories. These lessons and more are illustrated with storytelling samples from Eisner himself along with other comic book favorites, including Art Spiegelman, Robert Crumb, Milton Caniff and Al Capp. “

The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell ISBN: 0691017840 Seminal and definitive look at world mythology and the “shared stories” therein. From African mythology, to Norse, to American Indian, the elements of myths are often similar. Campbell outlines these and as such, furthers Jung’s mapping of humanity’s unconscious hopes, desires and fears.

On Directing Film by David Mamet ISBN: 0140127224 There is no better description (told in essay form and also transcribed dialogues with his students) of how to proceed from an idea to a no-nonsense visual, dramatic rendition of that idea. The book is a perfect expression of its goal to outline the thinking steps involved in planning out a scene or series of scenes. For Mamet, all the expression lies in the script and in the SHOT LIST. Even his use of actors (as people who just get up, hit their marks and say their lines and shut up) is extreme. Nonetheless, he is completely self-assured of his points of view, and in learning his method of outlining a scene before beginning the filming or drawing, I can’t imagine a better explanation.

Perspective for Comic Book Artists by David Chelsea ISBN 0-8230-0567-4 Both an introduction and comprehensive course in perspective tailored specifically for Comic Book artists (and told in comics form.) People who don’t know perspective will finally learn what they’ve been doing right. Even those that think they know perspective will probably walk away with their heads spinning and full of new insights. Exhaustive and somewhat confusing if you don’t want to do the math.

Smithsonian Collection of Newspaper Comics by Bill Blackbeard ISBN 0-87474-172-6 Essential introduction to the comic strips of the early 20th century.

Story by Robert McKee ISBN 0-06-039168-5 One of the world’s premiere screenwriting teachers dissects and defines the elements of a story. Sort of the Understanding Comics for screenwriters.

Syllabus by Lynda Barry ISBN 1-77046-161-2 Barry teaches a method of writing that focuses on the relationship between the hand, the brain, and spontaneous images, both written and visual. It has been embraced by people across North America—prison inmates, postal workers, university students, high-school teachers, and hairdressers—for opening pathways to creativity.

Wishes, Lies, and Dreams: Teaching Children to Write Poetry by Kenneth Koch ISBN 0-05-080530-7 A classic in its field, this book is a vivid account of a poet’s experience teaching Manhattan schoolchildren to write verse. The book provides great ideas for creating assignments that excite students and get the creative juices flowing.

The Writer’s Journey: Dramatic Structure for Storytellers by Christopher Volger ISBN: 0941188701 Overview of Joseph Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey” ideas and their use in Hollywood storytelling. Though simplistic, it is surprisingly useful if used correctly, meaning not as formulae, but as dramatic tools. Outlines a series of 12 steps in many stories — exemplified by Wizard of Oz but also evident in Titanic and surprisingly, even Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. All in all a good job of cracking open the traditional story structure and peeking inside.

Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg ISBN 0-87773-375-9 Lots of exercises to get writers going. Exercises, like the Kenneth Koch book, can be easily translated for a comic artist.

The Writing Life by Annie Dillard ISBN 0-06-016156-6 A great writer writing about the creative process. Dillard offers bits of technical information but more importantly she lays out a realistic perspective on the trials and challenges of making art and the dedication needed to persevere.

Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud ISBN: 006097625X Comprehensive examination of the mechanics of the art form; from mapping of iconographic imagery to an new nomenclature for transitions between comic panels (and a mapping of those as well.) Great overview and introduction to the intellectual tools involved in creating comics.

Your Career in Comics by Lee Nordling ISBN 0-8362-0748-3 If you want to make it as a comic strip artist, then this is the book for you. Nording looks at cartooning from three perspectives: the cartoonist’s, the newspaper editor’s, and the syndicate editor’s. He interviews dozens of professionals providing both a broad-based view of the art form and the nitty gritty of fashioning a solid comic strip.

• Promoting a Comics Curriculum

One of the primary the goals of NACAE was to assist educational institutions and individual educators interested in establishing a comics art curriculum.  The materials below are collected from various sources and outline some of the advantages of implementing sequential art/comics art classes and curricula.

• A Case For Comics contributed by James Sturm
• Seika University’s Department of Comic Art contributed by Matt Thorn
• How Comic Books Can Change the Way Our Students See Literature: One Teacher’s Perspective contributed by Rocco Versaci
• Comics in the Classroom contributed by James Sturm
• Interview with Michael Bitz of The Comic Book Project contributed by Christian Hill

Using These Materials

Q: How am I allowed to use the material on this page?

A: Unless otherwise noted, materials on this page are free to use, reproduce, and distribute as long as they are being used for non-commercial educational purposes. Please follow these guidelines when using these materials:

• You may not use any materials contained on this site for commercial purposes
• You must attribute the work as described below
• If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under a license identical to this one.
• To properly attribute content copied, distributed or displayed from this site, include the following information: Copyright © [name of originating author] via NACAE

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Mfa and certificate program, make a gift to ccs, online and in-person workshops, join ccs enews, cartoon club, the schulz library, free one-week cartooning workout, a free one-week cartooning workout.

A free self-directed eCourse to improve your cartooning skills. Online, Start Anytime !

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BIPOC Cartoonist Fund Accepting Donations

CCS wants your old comics! These comics and many more were donated to support CCS's BIPOC Cartoonist Fund. If you're interested in making a comic book or cash donation  drop us a line . 

FREE COMICS

Cartooning in an anxious age.

Cartooning In An Anxious Age (pdf) is a free comic by Cara Bean on the act of drawing, which focuses your attention and intimately connects you with the generative act of creation. It’s an inspiring read.

Let's Talk About It: A Graphic Guide to Mental Health

Created for middle and high school students, Let’s Talk About It: A Graphic Guide To Mental Health is a lively and educational comic book that destigmatizes the conversation around mental health.

A 32-page comic on how our government works

Using the power of comics to teach teens about the way our government works This Is What Democracy Looks Like, A Graphic Guide To Governance is a 32-page comic book created by The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS). This short comic guide helps to bring democracy back to the hands of the people by explaining what democracy actually means and how the whole thing works. This guide will be a great jumping-off point to learn about our government.

• Lesson Plans

The Applied Cartooning Manifesto

Download a free copy of The World is Made of Cheese, The Applied Cartooning Manifesto.

© The Center for Cartoon Studies PO BOX 125, White River Junction, Vermont 05001 [email protected] 802.295.3319

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15 ready-to-use comic strip templates for your next lesson.

• June 1, 2022

If you’ve stopped by the blog before, you know that I love sharing ideas that promote creativity in the classroom. Whether I’m working with students in a classroom setting , or leading a webinar for teachers , creative products are in full swing. In hopes of helping “make EdTech easier,” I created comic strip templates for you.

Today, I have 15 ready-to-use comic strip templates for your next lesson. These are super simple and ready for you to use “as is” or customize for your students. I’ve also included tips for creating your own comic strips using templates you can find in three popular tools. And if you’re new to using comics and not sure if it’s for you, check out my blog post, “ 5 Reasons to Try a Comic Strips Activity .”

Click to download — 15 ready-to-use comic strips templates for your next lesson.

How to use these comic strip templates 

After you download the comic strip templates, you have a few options for how to use them with your students. Of course, you’ll want to have a vision for the activity that meets the needs of your students; this could include asking students to:

• Create an alternate ending for a book
• Share an important moment from their life
• Spotlight a moment in history

Then, you’ll decide if this is an online or offline project or if you’ll provide options for students to choose from. For an offline project, you’ll download the comic strips then print them out. Your students could also combine this with a tool like Seesaw by snapping a picture of their comic strip illustration and recording their voice as they talk about what they made.

For an online project, you’ll download the comic strip templates and share the PDF pages you want students to use as a file. You might share this in Google Classroom and let students use a PDF annotation tool to draw or add text. Alternatively, you might export the pages you want to use as a JPG and have students add the image to another favorite tool that lets them draw or add pictures to their page. It’s totally up to you.

3 Tools for Making Comics

You can click here to download the 15 ready-to-use comic strip templates I made for you or try a tool from the list below. 

Making Comics in Book Creator

Book Creator has a comic option that will pop up when you go to create a new book. You’ll find this option as the first step to follow after clicking the “new book” button. If your students choose this option in Book Creator, they’ll be able to add cells to the background of their page and add talk bubbles, too. Learn more about comics in Book Creator on this page .

Finding Comic Strip Templates in Canva

Canva for Education is free for K-12 students and teachers. If you want to find comic strip templates, sign in to Canva and go straight to the search bar. Then type in “comics,” and you’ll see a bunch of templates you can use right away. You can create comic templates to print out and share with students. Or your students can log in and search through these templates, too.

Comic Templates in Adobe Creative Cloud Express

Adobe Spark is now Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education . It’s completely free for K-12 schools and districts, too. Not only does Creative Cloud Express have all of the great things you might remember from Spark, but it also has lots of extras . For example, you and your students can search for templates at the top of the screen. You’ll find plenty of inspiration from the templates in Creative Cloud Express.

Ready to get started? Check out these 15 free comic strips templates I’ve created for you. Or explore one of the three tools I mentioned above to set up students for success with their next comic strip project. 

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Monica Burns

Dr. Monica Burns is a former classroom teacher, Author, Speaker, and Curriculum & EdTech Consultant. Visit her site ClassTechTips.com for more ideas on how to become a tech-savvy teacher.

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Start every week with a plan and stay organized this school year!

• You'll get a standard daily planner template, weekday, and weekend templates
• A monthly at-a-glance calendar and a monthly goal setting sheet
• A few extra pages for notes, contacts and passwords

Free summer Checklist

5 Things to Do Now to Make Tech Easier in the New School Year

• Try these five tips now and save time when you head back to school this fall.
• This quick list gives you FIVE action items to make your technology integration easier this school year.
• Save time this school year with a special EdTech checklist

Spring Cleaning with an EdTech twist!

• Special eBook with 10 Quick Tips to Organize Your Google Drive
• If you're not using Google Drive, these strategies are customizable for Dropbox, Office365 and more!
• Get a fresh start this spring with these actionable tips for cleaning up your online organizational systems

Are you an EdTech company interested in getting featured on Class Tech Tips? Email [email protected]

Free planning pages, free summer checklist, spring cleaning guide, free - 10 quick tips to organize your google drive.

Comic Strip Template Pages for Creative Assignments

• Easel Activity

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Description.

Comic Strip Template Pages for Creative Assignments (Includes DIGITAL Version!)

Use these comic strip page templates for creative assignments for your students. They can be used to assign comic/cartoon strips about the unit you are studying, a biography of an author or historical figure, or a creative book report. This download includes 30 total templates .

Can be used with interactive notebooks, as well!

NEWLY UPDATED to include a Google Slides version! Just click on the link in the PDF to make a copy to your Google Drive.

PLEASE NOTE: THESE ARE *NOT* FOR COMMERCIAL USE. If you wish to use these templates in a product, you may purchase them in this bundle, which gives you a license to use them--along with hundreds of additional templates and clip art--in any product forever:

Interactive Notebook Templates and Shapes Bundle {Commercial Use Allowed}

Created by Tracee Orman

Mrs. Orman's Classroom

You might like these products:

Creative Activities for ANY Novel/Book or Informational Reading

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Teacher Binder: Grade Book, Lesson Plan Forms, Sub Plans, Calendar, and More

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Create Your Own Comic Strip: A Printable Template

Your kids can combine creativity and writing by filling in these blank comic strips with their own unique stories and illustrations..

Shop Comics & Graphic Novels

Book Report Alternative: Comic Strips and Cartoon Squares

• Resources & Preparation
• Instructional Plan
• Related Resources

Students examine graphic novels and comic books and discuss  the important components of the genre, such as captions, dialogue, and images. They then use an online tool to create a six-panel comic highlighting six key scenes in a book they have read. By creating comic strips or cartoon squares featuring characters in books, students are encouraged to think analytically about the characters, events, and themes they've explored in ways that expand their critical thinking by focusing on crystallizing the significant points of the book in a few short scenes.

Featured Resources

Comic Creator : This online tool allows students to easily create and print comic strips.

Comic Strip Planning Sheet : Use this worksheet for students to plan their comic strips before using the online tool.

From Theory to Practice

This activity invites the student to think symbolically. The students choose key scenes for their characters and books, find landscapes and props that fit the scenes, and compose related dialogue. These student representations of the books, with their multifaceted texts using symbols, images, texts, and metaphor, succeed in the classroom because they provide a snapshot of the students' comprehension of the ideas in the texts. As Vokoun describes, the alternative to a traditional book report "allows students to create something unique and show their understanding of what they read."

Further Reading

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
• 11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
• 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Materials and Technology

Graphic novels and comic book versions of well-known books for inspiration and comparison (optional)

• Comic Strip Planning Sheet
• Comic Strip Rubric

Preparation

• Before this lesson, students will read a book independently, in literature circles, or as a whole class.
• Ask students to bring copies of the book that will be the focus of their comic strips to class for reference.
• Make copies or overheads of the planning sheet and the rubric.
• Practice the steps for using the Comic Creator with your computers.
• Visit the Website of Scott McCloud , author of Understanding Comics and Reinventing Comics , for background on the genre, inspirations, and sample comics. Additional information can also be found at  Integrative Art: American Comic Strips from Pennsylvania State University.

Student Objectives

Students will

• identify appropriate landscapes, characters, and props that relate to the events and characters in the books they've read.
• interact with classmates to give and receive feedback.
• explore how audience, purpose, and medium shape their writing.
• Share the example graphic novels and comic books with students and explain the assignment, pointing out each of the parts that are included.
• What are the important characteristics of a caption? What do the words in the captions tell you about the scene depicted?
• What kind of landscape makes sense for the scene?
• What props can you associate with the scene?
• How kind of dialogue bubble makes sense for the interaction?
• What connects one scene to the next in the comic strip?
• Once you're satisfied that students understand the assignment, demonstrate the Comic Creator student interactive and discuss its relationship to the Comic Strip Planning Sheet . Be sure to cycle through the options for characters and dialogue bubbles to show students the range of options available.
• Have students begin work with the Comic Strip Planning Sheet to plan their book reports. Students can work individually or in groups on this project.
• Encourage students to interact with one another, to share and receive feedback on their plans for comic strips. Since these comics will be shared in the class as well as in the library, hearing the feedback and comments of other students helps writers refine their work for their audience.
• Students can continue working on the project for homework if desired.
• Remind students of the goals and elements included in this project. Answer any questions students have.
• For the comic title, name the scene (or scenes) that will be depicted.
• For the comic subtitle, name the book where the scene is found.
• Include your name or the names of the members of your group as the authors of this comic strip.
• Choose the six-frame comic strip. (Alternately, have students choose the one-frame cartoon square and focus their work on an important scene in the book).
• In each of the six frames of the comic strip show a significant event from the book.
• Under each picture or cartoon, write a caption that provides additional detail on the scene.
• Print at least three copies of your finished comic strip.
• While students work, again encourage them to interact with one another, to share and receive feedback on their plans for comic strips.
• After the comic strips are printed out, students can decorate them with markers or other classroom supplies.
• As students finish, ask them to turn in two copies of the comic strip (one for you and one for the librarian-the third copy is for the students to keep).

Student Assessment / Reflections

For more formal assessment, use the Comic Strip Rubric which is tied to the elements included in the planning sheet. On the other hand, nothing is as useful as the feedback that they'll receive by sharing their comic strips with their peers. Informal feedback from students who read the comics and search out the related book are excellent feedback for students.

• Lesson Plans
• Professional Library
• Student Interactives
• Calendar Activities

In this article, Versaci details the many merits of using comics and graphic novels in the classroom, suggests how they can be integrated into historical and social issues units, and recommends several titles.

The Comic Creator invites students to compose their own comic strips for a variety of contexts (prewriting, pre- and postreading activities, response to literature, and so on).

Students create a short, humorous story with at least one action character, and then use online tools to make a flipbook.

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