As mentioned before, I’m laying out my autofictographic narrative digitally using a software package called Manga Studio (or Clip Ex) 5. It has heaps of great functionality, including perspective rulers, speed line tools, panel border templates and this- quick filters for manipulating found images.

In the beginning of my story I want to show myself looking through a series of images. These images comprise my portfolio submission for study, completed over ten years ago. So, being all efficient (you could also call it cheating) I’ve photographed my hand holding these pages. Each of these photos makes up a panel (below). Close-up of one of the pages, a comic I submitted which is linked to a major theme of the story. Can you guess what it is?

From there it is simple enough to use a filter over each of the images to reduce them to line weights. These pages in Manga Studio are only going to be the “pencils”- once all the story is in place and digital edits are finalised I’ll print them all out and go over them with copics and inks. This is super helpful for backgrounds or assets that I need help with, the challenge being to make sure I reproduce them in my own style. Gotta keep those lines wonky!