Comic Storyboard Template

Step 1

1. Format your template

With your comic book vision in mind, first consider how many panels you want on your storyboard page layout, and how big or small each of those panels needs to be to fit all your illustrations and word balloons within. By starting a new storyboard project in StudioBinder, you’ll automatically be prompted to set up your basic comic storyboard template layout.

But worry not true believer, this layout can always be reconfigured in the settings as shown below:

You can also customize the description fields under each of your panels depending on how much writing space you require. Then you can write out your panel description and dialogue into those fields.

If you have a finished AV script, you can easily reference this to create your storyboards more efficiently. 

When you’re finished setting up the layout, you can begin filling out the descriptions on your comic book storyboard template like this:

Step 2

2. Add images

Images in a storyboard comic template can be approached in a handful of different ways. If you’re a comic book artist, this is where you’ll really start finding your environment and character style. And since this isn’t the final version of the comic book, you can really let your imagination loose. Upload any of your physical and digital drawings by simply clicking the upload button.

But maybe you’re a writer and you have some rough stick figure drawings that you sketched out onto some notepad paper so your artist understands the basic shot setup and character positioning for a particular panel. In a situation like this, you can snap a picture of your sketch, edit it, and upload it all within StudioBinder.

Step 3

3. Add comic book bubbles 

Sometimes all you need is a ‘Bam!’, ‘Wham!’, 'Pow!', and ‘Zap!’ to spruce up the visuals and dynamics of a frame. Maybe your editor-in-chief looks over your comic strip storyboard and suggests you communicate the hero’s powerful punch a bit more in one of your sketches so the artist doesn’t get confused about how they need to capture the action in their drawing. With a situation like this, you don’t need to worry about sketching the image again.

By taking advantage of StudioBinder’s image editing software, you can add the exact bubble you need to make sure that superhero splash page delivers all the intended goosebumps. Adjust the shape and size of the arrow and even add text within it if necessary.

With the bubble placed exactly where it needs to be, you’ll just click save to add this more action oriented version of your image to your comic storyboard template.

Step 4

4. Share and get feedback

Being able to collaborate and get feedback from everyone you’re working with while building your comic storyboard template is essential. If you’re a writer working with an artist, or vice versa, it’s extremely helpful to keep in close communication so you both have a common understanding of every story beat. Not to mention that everyone from your editor-in-chief to your colorist will likely also want to be kept in the loop.

StudioBinder acts as a central hub where your entire comic team can view your storyboard comic and provide feedback. Send a view-only-link for quick peaks, or set your invitee’s permissions to either commenter or editor to enable collaborative features.

For any notes around what’s working, what’s not working, and what’s really popping off the page beautifully, enabling editor or commenter permissions allows you to communicate with your invited team in the comments tab.

Step 5

5. Create a storyboard PDF

Now that you’ve made sure every panel conveys your characters, worlds and word balloons with the type of style and composition you had in mind, you may want to download and even print your storyboard comic strip so the entire comic editorial team can work from it as well.

With StudioBinder, you can customize as many different versions of your storyboard comic template for as many different collaborators as you need. With no shortage of PDF customization options, your imagination is the only limit to how you’ll tailor your document. Maybe you want to choose the tabloid paper size to emphasize the comic look and feel, or maybe you want the background color of your PDF to contrast well with your poppy comic book art.

If security is a concern, you can also add a watermark and custom title to keep any nefarious villains from stealing and leaking your hard work.

Conclusion

Fin fang finished!

Whether you’re the next Stan Lee or a comic book lover with a curiosity for creating your own comic storyboard template, these steps provide a broad and universal enough approach for you to make your comic book dreams the best they can be. But if comic books represent only one of many visual storytelling mediums that you have a passion for, be sure to take a look at the many more free storyboard templates StudioBinder has to offer!