Submission Information

Download the INK comic page template so you can set up your pages exactly correctly.

Files must be at PRINT SIZE, plus bleed: (6 inches by 9 inches plus 1/8 inch bleed on all sides).

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This means that when you create your photoshop file or other canvas, set it to 6.25 inches by 9.25 inches at 300 DPI.

MARGINS are ½ inch on all sides.

Generally we like stories to be 6 pages or fewer. The art of brevity is a good skill to learn. Your story will probably be more exciting and fast-paced if you cut and compress it into fewer pages.

No fan art please.

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New, fresh and original comics is our first choice. But awesome work you did for a class assignment is fine too.

INK isn't just about beautiful art. The content of your story has to be interesting too. We are overwhelmingly preferential to complete, self-contained stories. We want your story to have an actual ending, and not just stop abruptly. Once in a while we will publish an excerpt from a larger story, but it really has to work as a stand-alone piece.

Prepare your files as described above. Then fill out the form at: 

https://forms.gle/3fTfzCsQvpne7LLx7

You can upload your images right inside the form. Questions? Problems? write to:

ink@sva.edu

Save all files as .TIF with LZW compression and FLATTENED LAYERS.

Color modes and resolution:

CMYK or GREYSCALE 300 dpi

BITMAP 1200 dpi

We like color best. But we sometimes like black and white too. If you submit black and white pages, they should look like they are intended to be black and white.

We’re editors. We like to edit. Editing is easier earlier in the process. So we’d love to get a look at the work as early as possible. So feel free to send us stuff to read at any stage of the process, whether it’s plot, script, layouts, pencils, inks, or color.

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Send work in progress to: ink@sva.edu

Silent vs. Dialogue

Sometimes silent comics are brilliantly clear, but not always. If your story is silent, it is possible that it is not as clear to the reader as you hope it is. Giving your characters dialogue will provide you an additional tool to bring clarity to your story.

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The End

Does your story have a The End caption in the final panel? Even if you think that it is obvious that the story is over, it probably needs a The End caption anyway.

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Lettering

Is your lettering big enough to read clearly? Or is it too big? Print out a test page and compare it to a published comic for comparison. Lettering must be all the same size, with exceptions for changes in loudness in character voice. Please do not letter with Comic Sans or Tekton, those are undesirable fonts for comics. We recommend using one of the Blambot or ComiCraft fonts included with an Adobe CC membership.

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Pacing

Does your story really have to be five pages long? Or could you possibly tell it in fewer pages? Given the large number of submissions we receive, stories with fewer pages are more likely to be accepted. Try to pace it like a short story, not like a graphic novel.

Splash pages

Splash pages are exciting. But a full-page panel shows just one moment in your short story. Probably this is not an efficient use of space.