Panel Design and Visual Storytelling for Comics
A course by Charles Glaubitz Gonzalez, Artist
Learn to develop your ideas in a sketchbook by creating a series of sequential drawings with pencil and ink that tell a story without words
“Stories help us to interpret reality and by framing our interests into comic vignettes, we can create compelling and revealing tales.”
Charles Glaubitz is a renowned storyteller and illustrator, whose work has been featured in publications like has been featured in Juxtapoz and Print Magazine. In 2012, his comic work was recognized by American Best Comics.
In this online course, Charles explains in detail the dynamics of storytelling, comics, binding visuals, and publishing. Learn how to bring all your ideas together to create your own universe, a story that could become gold.
What will you learn in this online course?
17 lessons & 19 downloads
What's included in this course?
Begins with the inspirational story of Charles Glaubitz and learn how his passion made him create a mark in the comic world. He gives a detailed intro about his career and how his influences made him explore his real love for visual storytelling through comics.
Get familiar with the dynamics of visual storytelling, panel design, and composition, which are the main ingredients of comics. Charles helps you understand the visual journey of ideas and ways to choose the moment for storytelling. Learn about the elements of a page, and the shape of a panel.
Explore compositional tools and learn about creating depth and the basics of storytelling. Delve into techniques to work on the page, from thumbnails, page layout, and creating finalized pencil sketches.
Transform your pencil sketches into an ink illustration. Charles takes you through the process of inking each of your panels step by step.
With your panels ready to go, discover how to create a comic book. Learn about the effective ways of printing comics, self-publish, and how to share your work.
- 96% positive reviews (28)
- 1,974 students
- 17 lessons (2h 45m)
- 19 additional resources (4 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, Spanish
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish · Romanian · Indonesian
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Create a visually engaging comic by exploring narrative drawing and ink techniques.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone who has a fondness for comics would like to improve their narrative skills.
Requirements and materials
Basic drawing skills are recommended.
To take this course, you need a pencil, an eraser, pens, brush, rulers, and bristol paper.
Reviews
Charles Glaubitz Gonzalez
A course by Charles Glaubitz Gonzalez
Charles Glaubitz has always been a fan of comics. When he was a child, he recalls reading the Mexican translation of the comic "Sagrado Corazón", which awoke his life-long passion for the craft. In 2013, he created his first comic zine "The Crystal Sigil", which became the first of many.
His work has been recognized by American Illustration, Communication Arts, How Magazine, Print Magazine. Charles’s artwork has been featured in Juxtapoz Magazine, Juxtapoz Illustration 2 Book, The Upset Gestalen, Pictoplasma. His comic work has been acclaimed by American Best Comics 2012. His artwork has also been exhibited at San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art, Oceanside Museum of Contemporary Art, Museo Carrillo Gil México City, Museo de Arte Zapopan.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Visual Storytelling, Panel Design, and Composition
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The Visual Journey of Ideas
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Choosing the Moment
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Page Layout, Elements of a Page, and Shapes of a Panel
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Compositional Tools to Make Dynamic Panels
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Ways of Creating Depth
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U3
Working on the Page: Thumbnails, Breakdowns, and Finished Pencils
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Thumbnails
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Page Layout
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Composition Design
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Breakdowns
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Finished Pencils
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U4
The Inking Process
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Starting to Ink
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Middle Inks
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Finishing Inks
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U5
How to Get Your Comics Out There
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Making More Comics and Printing Them
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Self-Publishing and Sharing Your Work
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FP
Final project
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Panel Design and Visual Storytelling for Comics
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
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Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
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Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
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Watch professionally produced courses
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FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for learners with intermediate drawing or storytelling experience, aiming to deepen their skills in comic creation and visual storytelling techniques.
You’ll need basic drawing supplies such as pencils, pens, Bristol board, erasers, and optionally, digital drawing tools. The course covers both traditional and digital workflows for creating comics.
You’ll learn to develop comic book characters, create dynamic panels, use metaphors, incorporate mythology, master paneling and page layout, and apply advanced inking, composition, and visual storytelling techniques.
Yes, the course explores how to use tarot symbolism and mythology for character creation, storytelling depth, and infusing narratives with metaphorical and archetypal meaning.
Absolutely. The course covers techniques like chiaroscuro, overlapping layers, perspective drawing, and strategic inking to create depth, movement, and visual interest in black and white comics.
You’ll practice thumbnail sketching, grid layout (like nine-panel grids), panel size variation, and compositional rules such as the rule of thirds to design clear, dynamic comic pages.
Some prior experience with drawing or storytelling is helpful, as the course is aimed at intermediate learners wanting to advance their skills in comic creation and narrative development.
good course!
Una mirada muy interesante al comic desde una perpectiva aunque tecnica, principalmente narrativa. Buenísimo
Very artistic and inspiring. Simple, yet brilliant. A great artist
A wonderful course!! and I loved the rich information presented with so much love.
Asides from the 180 degree camera line, this course goes into comic page design in detail. I'm going to check out Davis Lisboa's storyboarding after this.