Comic Guide - Fireworks 8/CS3

Fireworks is a paid program, so don't ask in this thread how to get it.

Fireworks is an easy program to use.

Creating a Panel.

First you create a new file, I normally use 175x175 (Which Peridot and Raider also uses)
Go to File > New, or input Ctrl + N on your keyboard.



Once you have your canvas, import a background to your stage.
Go to File > Import, or input Ctrl + R on your keyboard.

When you have chosen the image you want to import, it'll turn your mouse to an L-shaped icon, just click anywhere and it'll add the image to the stage. Then drag the background to the position you want.

If the background goes beyond your canvas you can just click canvas size and press enter.



Layering

When using skills in your panel it is best to put them on top of the character.
Its just the same when your animating in fireworks.
If you want more information about layering I'd advise you to look at Gregio's animation guide.
Firework's CS3 Animation Guide



Saving
Once you have created your first panel I hugely advise you to save it as a fireworks PNG.
That way if you want to do back and edit it your able too as it won't be flattened.
But also save it as a Flattened PNG, so you can put it in your comic.

Putting it all together.
Once you have created all your panels open up a new file. Make the canvas pretty big so you have space to move your panels around.
Import the Flattened PNG's to the canvas. When alligning the panels I normally make then 1 pixel apart from each other. Once you have done that just press fit to canvas and save your comic.




Speech Bubbles
In fireworks there are speech and thinking bubbles that you could use without making it yourself.
If you don't have assets on the right hand side of fireworks, got to Window> Auto shapes.



Borders
If you want to create a border around your panels:

• First select the rectangle tool:
  
  
• Then create a rectangle any size.
  
  
• Set the size of the rectangle to your panel size:
  
  
• If the fill is on take it off and put stroke on:
  
  
• Fit the rectangle over your pane and your done.
  

Fonts
Fonts that I recommend for speech bubbles are:
Comic sans MS-Preferred
Visitor TT1 BRK

Manga Temple
If they are readable then I don't mind.
For sound effects I recommend:

Badaboom BB

That's all there is to it.
I didn't add some images as I thought they weren't needed. If you want me to post some feel free to ask.
Also if you have questions feel free to ask.

Kinda short for a guide
You should probably move it to tutorials or something :o

There isnt much to add to a comic guide.
It's pretty easy, Your just adding pictures to the canvas and saving them.

You could actually just look at Gregios guide to be honest its more or less them same except you dont need frames.

Nice tut! But its kinda short. But hey! i dont know what else you could say xd

Miki wrote:Bunny, how about if you need to make an outline for the box besides using the line tool.

Ok ill add that too

nice comic bunny thatnks ima learn form it , btw i like the example comic

Nice Guide Bunny,I know it'll help other beginner comic makers get better.

Nice one dude. :3
You'll be helping a lot of people.

When is the 2nd tutorial done? :3

The tut requested by Miki?
If so I'll do it later

This is just the way I do it people might have other methods.
And they can always delete the panels when they are happy with the actual comic which is what I do.

ummm is there gonna be more tutorial like advance shit or sumthing? no? ok then i can leave with that. You sure bunny? you positive? ok then.

Ask me what you want to learn and I'll do my best to make a tutorial for it

There's a really easy method you can use involving bannedstory. I'm suprised Im the only one who uses it.

I used to print screen bannedstory and put it into GIMP, if that is what you do.

I WANNA TOUCH :3
@Miki
Can't you make a border around it using the rectangle tool? (the one that draws a rectangle)

Chibi Xin wrote:I used to print screen bannedstory and put it into GIMP, if that is what you do.

Thats exactly what I do. Except with PDN

how do u get the bubbel on cs3?

Whats the easiest way to outline a panel?

or crystal just click and drag which is what i do :D its pretty easy

Added some new things if your interested.