Whether you’re a fan of Superman or Bakuman, you know that a series of well-designed images lets you tell stories with an entirely different feel than text alone. You can draw with anything that makes marks on paper, but if you want to become an illustrious mangaka or comic artist (or just level up your art of your favorite anime characters) it helps to have the right tools. Read this guide to learn how to choose comic and manga supplies and see our recommendations for each part of the comic-making process, or watch the video below to see them in action.
The real behavior of a pencil lead, brush, or nib gliding over paper creates livelier textures than a digital tool. The tactile feedback from traditional art supplies gives you a sense of connection and control that’s harder to get with a screen. Plus, don’t you already look at screens enough? Without an undo button nor infinite zoom, you can’t work details to death, so perhaps you’ll have a more efficient process. And for someone just starting out, real tools are still more affordable than a whole digital drawing tablet.
If you happen to have the technology, it’s easy to marry traditional and digital processes. You could draw a comic completely in pencil and digitally color those lines; you can digitally erase a color sketch from under ink; you can skip inking big areas of black and fill those in digitally; or overlay ink with digital screentones. Traditional and digital media are complementary, not dichotomous.
This guide primarily features tools to create a polished, precise manga or superhero comic, but we’ll reiterate that any mark making tool can make sequential art. Plenty of artists use unconventional media. For example, Lynda Barry creates moving works on lined notebook paper,1 Daisuke Igarashi creates energetic backgrounds in ballpoint pen,2 and Art Spiegelman drew the Pulitzer-winning Maus in fountain pen.3
While this guide recommends tools for a specific look, you can try what you want and get creative with the rest. Most importantly for a sustainable creative practice, make sure your workflow is filled with tools you can have fun working with.
If you plan to color your comic with watercolors, any ink that you use should be entirely waterproof. If you use alcohol-based markers, the ink must be Copic proof. Even if you don’t color your comic, be sure to choose ink that resists lifting when erased to prevent lines from losing their crisp detail.
Be sure to consider cleaning and maintenance in your convenience calculations. Brushes should be cleaned with water and, if necessary, soap. Rinse ink off of dip pen nibs and dry them completely to prevent rusting.
Fineliners make consistent lines of one thickness. This is good for drawing rigid, man made objects. If you use fineliners, keep several tip sizes on hand so that you can make a variety of line weights. If you’re the meticulous sort, you can also layer and build lines with fineliners4 for total control of your line variation.
Fading is fine for sketches and practice pieces that you don’t intend to keep, but you never know what you’ll wish you still had in a few years. Keep original art in good shape by choosing supplies that are labeled as lightfast, fade-resistant, or light-resistant to prevent damage from sunlight. Materials marked as acid-free or pH-neutral are designed to not react with paper over time. Supplies with an “archival” designation have all of these qualities.
If you fall in love with a non-lightfast medium, archive your original work with care digitally and physically. For the latter, we recommend storage in a dark, dry place with sheets of acid-free paper or glassine separating each work.
Comic paper is usually smooth to allow for the use of dip pens, other fine-tipped tools like fineliners, and markers. It should be strong enough to stand up to heavy erasing or very wet ink. It’s also best to choose paper that is the standard size for your type of comic. If you only plan to make comics for personal enjoyment, paper size is less important.
Generally speaking, you should work with paper that is larger than the finished project will be. Including a “bleed” of extra art around the edge of a page leaves room for you or your publisher to crop and position your art, or for imprecise page trimming at the printer. If your page is much larger than the final size, shrinking down your art often magically smooths out tiny imperfections, but make sure that the proportions of your larger page match those of your intended print size.
Sketchbooks are critical to the comic process, but have less stringent demands on paper smoothness and strength. Most importantly, you should feel free to “waste” pages in the sketchbook before you start on the comic paper.
Deleter Comic Paper comes in three sizes: B4, A4, and a special postcard size for sending art to friends and family. Both the B4 and A4 sizes are available with scale markings printed in non-photo blue ink. These make it easy to plan panels.
They also come in blank versions for those who don’t need guides. Choose the B4 size if you plan to publish professionally. The A4 size is appropriate for personal use, publication in fan magazines, and independent publishing.
Most comic artists draw their artwork in pencil before going over it again with ink or sending it to specialized inkers. You can use either standard graphite or non-photo blue pencils for this step. Some artists work with both and use the blue pencil for underdrawing. Non-photo blue, also called non-repro blue, is a light blue color that is not picked up by copy machines and is easy to remove with editing software. If you use graphite pencils, choose dark grades that leave clearly visible marks without excessive pressure but won’t smudge too much. This makes them easier to erase later. Leads in the HB-4B range work well.
Comic and manga artists can choose between many different inking tools to deliver a variety of effects. Brushes and dip pens offer expressive line variation, while fineliners are ideal for straight lines and details.
If you want to try more exotic inks, consider the Kuretake No. 13 Fountain Brush Pen. Its ink is not waterproof, but it has a similarly expressive bristle tip and is compatible with the Platinum Fountain Pen Converter. For an overview of all our bristle brush pens, peruse our guide.
If you want the classic experience of drawing with India ink, we recommend Speedball Super Black India Ink. It dries to a velvety matte finish and is completely waterproof.
You can see how Speedball White Pigmented Acrylic Calligraphy Ink performed in our guide to The Best White Drawing Inks. If you prefer a tool that’s easier to take on the go, look for a white ink pen, though they should be reserved for highlights when a drawing is nearly finished.
Copic Multiliners come in two versions: Standard and SP. Copic Multiliner SP Pens have a more durable aluminum construction and are refillable. They cost more up front but are the more economical choice over time. Standard Multiliners come in several colors and are disposable. They are a good way to try Multiliner ink before committing to the SP Pens.
After you’ve inked your comic, it’s time to add the finishing touches. Whether you’re making a full color comic or black and white manga, these coloring and toning tools will take your art to the next level.
Copic Markers come in three varieties, all of which are double sided. The smaller Copic Ciao Markers are a good way to test out new colors and learn how to use alcohol markers. They have a brush tip on one end and a medium broad chisel tip on the other.
Copic Sketch and Classic Markers are larger so they don’t need to be refilled as often, and have anti-roll body designs. Like the Copic Ciao, Copic Sketch Markers have both a brush tip and medium broad chisel tip. Each Copic Classic Marker comes with a broad chisel tip and fine bullet tip. To learn more about Copics, read our comprehensive guide.
Make sure to use Copics with compatible paper—in a sketchbook, they’ll likely bleed through the page.
To use a screen tone, lay the sheet over your drawing. Cut around the area you want to tone with the Deleter Tone Knife or other very sharp blade, leaving some space. Peel the adhesive backing off the cut out shape and position it over the image. Press down on the screen tone to secure it to the paper.
A hard tool like the Deleter Tone Hera Spatula helps to do this smoothly. Finally, trim away any excess screen tone for a clean finish.
In addition to pencils, pens, markers, and brushes, there are a host of supporting tools to help you draw consistent lines, accurately render shapes, and keep your work sharp. We’ve gathered a sampling of useful supplies below.
Our writers draw on their personal expertise, consult our in-house subject matter experts, and do extensive research to make our guides as accurate and comprehensive as possible. We then test every finding that makes it through the research stage. Only the techniques and tools whose performance we personally confirm make it into our guides as recommendations.
Comic artists and mangaka can draw with almost anything, but some tools give superior results. Are you a comic or manga artist? Let us know what supplies you use in the comments below!
Paper |
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Name | Sizes/Types | Water/Copic Proof | Features | Add to Cart |
Deleter Comic Paper | A4, B4, A6 | N/A | Ideal for pen and ink. With and without scale markings. | Add Items to Cart |
Strathmore 400 Series Recycled Sketch Pad | 9" × 12" | N/A | Large pages. Twin ring binding good for sketching on the go. | Add to Cart |
Penciling Tools |
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Name | Sizes/Types | Water/Copic Proof | Features | Add to Cart |
Kokuyo Campus Student Eraser - For 2B Lead | N/A | N/A | Erases soft graphite and colored pencils well. | Add to Cart |
Pilot Color Eno Neox Erasable Lead | 0.7 mm | Yes/No | Non-photo blue mechanical pencil lead (Soft Blue). Easy to draw and ink over. | Add Items to Cart |
Pilot Neox Graphite Lead | 0.3 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.9 mm | Yes/No | Smooth, dark lead that erases well. | Add Items to Cart |
Prismacolor Kneaded Rubber Erasers | Medium, Large, Extra Large | N/A | Moldable for precise and gentle erasing. | Add Items to Cart |
Staedtler Mars Erasing Shield | N/A | N/A | Protects drawings for careful erasing. | Add to Cart |
Uni Arterase Color Pencils | N/A | Yes/No | Non-photo blue wooden pencil (Aqua). Easy to draw and ink over. | Add Items to Cart |
Uni Mitsubishi Hi-Uni Pencils | N/A | Yes/No | Smooth, dark pencils that erase well. | Add Items to Cart |
Inking Tools |
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Name | Sizes/Types | Water/Copic Proof | Features | Add to Cart |
Copic Multiliner SP Pens | 0.03 mm, 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.25 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.35 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.7 mm | Yes/Yes | Firm needle-point tips. Good for templates. Refillable. | Add Items to Cart |
Copic Multiliner Standard Pens | 0.03 mm, 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.8 mm, 1.0 mm | Yes/Yes | Firm needle-point tips. Good for templates. Affordable. | Add Items to Cart |
Deleter Black 4 Manga Ink | 30 ml | Yes/Yes | Very dark, resists lifting. | Add to Cart |
Pentel Pocket Brush Pens | Medium | Yes/Yes | Expressive synthetic bristle tip. Refillable. | Add Items to Cart |
Speedball Calligraphy Ink | 0.4 oz | Yes/Yes | Easy to write and draw over. | Add Items to Cart |
Tachikawa Model 40 Comic Pen Nib Holder | N/A | N/A | Compatible with both regular and round nibs. Comfortable rubber grip and protective cap. | Add to Cart |
Tachikawa Comic Pen Nib - Maru (Mapping) Model | N/A | N/A | Firm, fine tip. Good for details. | Add to Cart |
Winsor & Newton Series 7 Kolinsky Brushes | Round 000, Round 00, Round 0, Round 1, Round 2 | N/A | High-quality kolinsky hair brushes. Excellent spring, point retention, and fluid capacity. | Add Items to Cart |
Zebra Disposable Brush Pens | Extra Fine, Fine, Medium | Yes/Yes | Firm felt brush tip. Easy to control. | Add Items to Cart |
Zebra G Nib | Chrome, Titanium | N/A | Sharp, flexible tip. Good for showing movement. | Add Items to Cart |
Coloring & Toning Tools |
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Name | Sizes/Types | Water/Copic Proof | Features | Add to Cart |
Copic Markers | Ciao, Sketch, Classic | Yes | Intense, easily blended color. | Add Items to Cart |
Deleter Screen Tones | 182 mm x 253 mm | N/A | Give gray tones and patterns an even, professional look. | Add Items to Cart |
Accessories |
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Name | Sizes/Types | Water/Copic Proof | Features | Add to Cart |
Deleter Feather Sweeper | Small | N/A | Gently brushes away eraser dust without smudging. | Add to Cart |
Deleter French Curves | Small, Medium, Large | N/A | Templates for both sharp and soft curves. | Add to Cart |
IC Comic Pers Navi Perspective Templates | N/A | N/A | Helps you draw one-point, two-point, and three-point perspective with a lightbox. | Add to Cart |
Midori Multi Rulers | 30 cm | N/A | Compact, clear ruler that doubles as a protractor. Also available in aluminum. | Add Items to Cart |
SmudgeGuard Gloves | XS, S, M, L, XL | N/A | One- and two-finger gloves protect against smudges. | Add Items to Cart |
Raymay Pen Pass Mechanical Pencil Type Compasses | 0.5 mm | N/A | Compass uses 0.5 mm leads. | Add Items to Cart |
Staedtler Ames Lettering Guide | N/A | N/A | Helps you draw precise guidelines and slope lines. Adjustable. | Add to Cart |
Staedtler Mars Flexible Curve Ruler | 30 cm | N/A | Bendable ruler. | Add to Cart |