The makings of a comic...

To begin drawing even just a three frame strip is very hard. It begins through thinking of themes even before imagining it on paper.

To start a good idea is brainstorming what it could be, according to: what is happening in the local news; seasonal ideas; what holidays are nearby... but then there's thinking of the joke!

This is my foundation to every comic, which I build up through George and Brian's tiny faces. This is quite difficult in terms of finding the right emotional and humour balance, especially as The Burngreave Messenger has such a wide group of recipricants and readers.

After a search through books, the internet, or my brain, I can settle on a joke or one-liner. Then it's down to sketching the characters and any other objects needed to bring it to life, I tend to keep it to a maximum of four frames (another challenge).

After adding colour, text, and going over fine details, I send it to the messenger's 'HQ'. They scan it into the computer and transform it into a suitable format for print. There is something so amazing about seeing your work fully published and on paper.

Thanks for reading
Edgar Lowman