Need advice on learning to draw.

[John]

I would appreciate it if someone could provide some help with my plan toward the comic:
• What all should I be learning?
• How much should I learn before trying to work in a digital medium instead of paper?
• Also, what kinda of tablet should I get if needed?

Hello Wandersail and welcome.

1. Storytelling techniques. Don't get me wrong. I'm all for good illustrative craftsmanship. A good drawing can make a comic better, but bad storytelling can break it.

There's a lot to look out for with regards to storytelling besides the actual illustration itself. Page design/Construction of your panels. Balloon placement. Pacing.

There are a lot of books about the subject people recommend. "Understanding Comics" by Scott McCloud is what most people point to if you want a crash course.

2. Absolutely nothing. Different mediums require different, but sometimes overlapping, motor skills. Drawing on a piece of paper, you rely on your wrist, arm, and probably shoulder when making lines. Drawing on a wall however, you rely on your entire body movement. Drawing on a tablet, you rely on your wrist most of the time.

And drawing on a tablet is less tactile than drawing with pen and paper. It's weird getting the hang of the hand eye coordination at first, but if you do it long enough, it'll become second nature.

Just dive in!

3. Wacom products seem sturdy enough! I've had my Wacom Bamboo for almost a decade, and I'm still using it to this day. I am not sure about the models from Intuos 4 and up. But the models that came out together with Intuos 3 are built like a rock.

I hope my suggestions point you to the right direction! You could post some of your works in the Sketchbook thread, I can help out if you want!