SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Please be sure to read EVERYTHING on this page before submitting your comic to INK.

  • Download the INK comic page template so you can set up your pages 100% correctly.

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

    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.

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

    Color modes and resolution:

    CMYK or GREYSCALE 300 dpi

    BITMAP 1200 dpi

  • We do not accept any fan art.

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

  • We will not accept comics over 6 pages long.

    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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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. Feel free to send us stuff to read at any stage of the process; whether it’s plot, script, layouts, pencils, inks, or color.

    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.

    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. Please be sure to add it to your comic. (you can also have it say end, fin, or anything in that vein!)

    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 your Adobe CC membership. We also love hand-lettering. If lettering in all caps, please use crossbar (serif) I only for personal I, including contractions like I’m, I’d and I’ll. Do not use crossbar I for any other uses of I. Do not use crossbar I when the first word of a sentence begins with I.

    Pacing

    Does your story really have to be six 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. This is probably not an efficient use of space.