Drafting and Feedback

Year 9 HEAP • Graphic Novel • Drafting

A finished comic page is built in layers. Each layer solves a different problem: the thumbnail tests the layout, the pencil tests the drawing, the ink tests the contrast and the lettering tests the reading path. Feedback should happen before the final layer, not after.

The layers of a page

Layer	What it tests	Common problem
Thumbnail	Layout, panel size, reading path, page turn.	Too many panels or an unclear path.
Pencil	Composition, character proportion, gesture.	Figures floating in space; no ground line.
Ink	Contrast, line weight, focus.	Everything the same weight; no focal point.
Colour	Mood, focus, scene identity.	No contrast; colours fight for attention.
Lettering	Readability, speaker order, emphasis.	Balloons cover faces; text too small.
Final check	Consistency, accessibility, print quality.	Text lost at the trim edge; low contrast.

Pencils

Block in the whole page before adding detail.
Check the figure's scale against the background.
Use a ground line or shadow to anchor figures.
Keep the focal point clear; simplify the rest.
Leave room for speech balloons and captions.
Check that the page reads at thumbnail size.

Ink and contrast

Ink choice	Effect
Thick outlines	Bold, graphic, readable at a distance.
Thin outlines	Delicate, detailed, intimate.
Solid black areas	Drama, weight, shadow.
Hatching	Texture, age, volume.
Spot blacks	Direct the eye to a specific object or figure.
White space	Pause, isolation, brightness.

Lettering

Write legibly, or use a consistent digital font.
Place balloons before drawing the final details behind them.
Keep the reading order clear: left to right, top to bottom.
Use tails to show the speaker, but avoid crossing tails.
Keep text away from the page edges and the gutter.
Use emphasis sparingly; if every word is bold, nothing is.

Readability check

Check	Pass?
I can follow the page without someone explaining it.
I know who is speaking in every balloon.
The main image is clear at a glance.
The text is readable at the intended size.
The page works in greyscale.
Nothing important is lost at the trim edge.
The page turn makes me want to continue.

Feedback protocol

Step	Time	What happens
Read silently	2 minutes	No comments while reading.
Retell the page	1 minute	The reader explains what they think happened, without prompts.
Name one strength	1 minute	Specific, with the exact panel or choice.
Ask one question	2 minutes	A genuine question about meaning or clarity.
Offer one change	1 minute	One change that would make the biggest difference.
Respond	1 minute	The maker says what they will keep, change or cut, and why.

Before and after

Draft	Problem	Revision
Nine equal panels on every page.	No emphasis; the reader cannot tell what matters.	Use smaller panels for routine beats and one large panel for the turn.
Every panel has a caption explaining the action.	The images are not doing enough work.	Cut the captions and redraw the action so it is visible.
Speech balloons cover the characters' faces.	The reader cannot see expression.	Move the balloons to the upper corners and redraw the faces.
The page is fully coloured but has no focal point.	Everything competes for attention.	Mute the background and use one accent colour on the key object.

Revision log

Feedback	Decision	Why	Change made

Common errors

Detailing too early. Rendering a face before the layout works.
Ink without contrast. Every line the same weight, so the page looks flat.
Lettering last. Balloons crammed into spaces that were not planned for them.
Feedback as applause. Asking only whether someone liked it.
Changing everything at once. Then not knowing which change helped.

Read the teacher notes for pacing, differentiation and sensitive content, and the sources and provenance page for the packet's copyright position.