Computers and other machines have become very critical tools for our day-to-day use, and it’s the same while working on comics as well. So here are some necessary requirements while working:

Computer
Computers play a very important role in fine-tuning the art made from pen, pencil or brush, and sending the final product to whomever necessary. It is also used on making the artwork from scratch if the artist chooses that process.

Scanner
Pencilers and inkers use scanners to digitize their work and doing further edit on the computer. Its necessary to get out the best quality digitally and sender it to other necessary people would also be very easy.

Printer
Checking out your artwork at the print size helps you see whether or not the overall work looks good. Thus a printer is a useful tool to have.



Digital Drawing Tablet
The tablet, which accompanies a digital pen, is a very handy tool to directly draw your work in the computer software. This alternative is used to draw everything from scratch or even for coloring purposes and final editing of your illustrations. The most popularly used brand in the market is the Wacom, and there are variety of tablet sizes to choose from, which best suits the artist’s work.



Internet
A good Internet connection is very much necessary for artists involved with comic illustrations and graphic novels, as exchange of files and information is continuously required among multiple people such as artists, editors, clients etc.

Internet is also a great source of any reference needed for an illustration project. Many artists archive more and more collection of references through the web whenever they can.

Lettering Fonts
Instead of lettering and making sound effects by hand, there are various kinds of comic book fonts available in the Internet, which can be put to good use digitally, along with other effects can also be easily created in it.

Below are some websites who provide free as well as paid fonts for comic purposes. Their libraries have a wide range of fonts, catering to any style that may be required.


(Fig.3) Webpage excerpt from Font website – www.dafont.com.



(Fig.4) Webpage excerpt from Font website – http://www.blambot.com/.



(Fig.5) Webpage excerpt from Font website – http://www.fontsquirrel.com/.


Software
Computer software is one of the key important medium for artists, and just installing them in the PC is not enough but learning its useful tools should also be given ample time. Thus using its full functionality needs to be learnt for best use. Some of widely common used software programs in the field of Comics and illustrations are:



• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Illustrator/ InDesign
• Manga Studio