The web is a wonderful thing, brimming with resources and tutorials for people wanting to dabble in comic art. But, sometimes, too much choice can be confusing, so we've picked five top resources to help you really get to grips with it.
01. OFF LIFE (opens in new tab)
OFF LIFE (opens in new tab) is the UK's only street press comic magazine. Each issue collates comic stories from today’s best indie talent, compiling them in a bi-monthly magazine and then leaving them around bars, coffee houses, shops and galleries for you to pick-up - free of charge. They also host #QuickDraw on Twitter (opens in new tab), where any budding comic artist or illustrator can get involved!
02. Bleeding Cool (opens in new tab)
BleedingCool (opens in new tab) is the new blogsite written by Rich Johnston, Brendon Connelly and friends for Avatar Press (opens in new tab). As well as news, rumours and gossip, there will be reviews, previews, features, interviews, videos, columns and a place for comic book readers and artists to call their own. This is a real community-led website.
03. Comics Alliance (opens in new tab)
ComicsAlliance (opens in new tab) is where comic books and pop culture collide, superheroes battle through movies and video games, and graphic novels steal the headlines. You'll also be able to receive news on Marvel, DC, movies, downloads and digital comic art. A great source of new and exclusive inspiration.
04. Imagine FX (opens in new tab)
Our sister site, ImagineFX (opens in new tab) had a little make-over a few months ago and boy, don't they look great? You might not think this is a particularly comic-art focused site but you may be pleasantly surprised. Just type in 'comic' in the search bar and get all of your comic art inspiration all in one place.
05. Comic Book Artwork (opens in new tab)
We're big fans of Tumblr (opens in new tab) here at Creative Bloq. The array of blogs found on the site can often offer some of the most surprising and inspirational creative content from across the internet. Comic Book Artwork (opens in new tab) collects some of the best images and illustrations from across all comics to bring you one of the best comic art resources.
06. Comic art fans (opens in new tab)
If it's inspiring comic art you're after then, with over 450,000 pieces of orginal comic art in its gallery, Comic Art Fans (opens in new tab) is a fantastic place to start! It's not surprising that the each page of this site is very busy, considering the amount of work they have to fit in. But the gallery section is nicely organised in alphabetic order so you can easily search for different artists. Or, if you'd prefer, click at random and see which inspiring images pop up!
07. Creative Comic Art (opens in new tab)
For those of you who are looking to get started in the world of comic art, then you should definitely check out Creative Comic Art (opens in new tab). This helpful website is full of tips, tricks and training for beginners to the medium. Features include a brilliant step-by-step section on various different disciplines, including comic lettering and pencil sketches. And as it doesn't have a dedicated gallery section, the site also points you in the direction of other comic art resources that do.
08. Comic Art Community (opens in new tab)
Comic Art Community (opens in new tab) contains thousands of original works from professional comic artists. So, if you're looking for sketches to inspire you, look no further. The site is organised by artist, in alphabetical order, so if you have a few favourites, you easily find them here. There is also an informative news section.
09. Deviant Art (opens in new tab)
As always, online creative community site Deviant Art (opens in new tab) is a brilliant resource for any kind of artwork, including comic art. If you just want look at page upon page of beautifully crafted images, then this is the site to visit. You can also give your opinion on the artwork here, as well as read others' tips and feedback.
10. Comic Book Resources (opens in new tab)
Comic Book Resources (opens in new tab) is dedicated to the coverage of comic book related news and discussions. While it's not actually aimed at directly at artists and designers, the site is literally full of gorgeous comic-inspired images to inspire you. If you want to know what is going on in the comic book world, this is the site to visit.
You'll find more training resources here:
- Top Photoshop resources (opens in new tab)
- Top digital art resources (opens in new tab)
