STILL VS. MOVING: DRAWING FOR STORYTELLING IN BOTH COMICS AND ANIMATION

From the major comic book works dating back all the way to the 1930s and 1940s, from Marvel and DC Comics, to their animation works that were derived from the same comic books, we have seen how comics and animation have been intertwined to produce a lot of works in the entertainment space.

However, they have already been many other publishing companies coming up and have grown into the space and influenced by the same such as Image Comics and Darkhorse comics, as well as many indie publishing companies.

Given the two forms differ in the nature of their format, how does their storytelling work given their mediums? Especially since they both use drawing and writing of scripts?

In the world of visual storytelling, both comics and animation rely heavily on drawing, but how that drawing functions within each medium is strikingly different. While they share roots in sequential art, the way they deliver narrative, emotion, and pacing creates unique demands on the artist’s hand. In this post, we’ll explore the role of drawing in storytelling through the lens of comics and animation, what they share, where they diverge, and what we can learn by comparing the two.

Control of Time and Pacing

One of the most fundamental differences between comics and animation is who controls the flow of time. In comics, the reader decides how quickly or slowly to move through a sequence. You can linger on a powerful panel, or race through a fight scene. In animation, time is pre-determined by the animator. This is seen through every beat, pause, and transition is meticulously planned and timed.

Because of this, comic artists use drawing to imply motion and rhythm through panel layout, shape, and size. A long, horizontal panel might suggest a quiet moment, while a rapid sequence of small vertical panels could convey speed or urgency. Animation, meanwhile, uses drawing to create actual motion, through frame-by-frame movement, staging, and timing. A held pose in animation signals an emotional beat, whereas, in comics, it's the reader’s pause that gives a panel its weight.

The Illusion of Motion vs. the Suggestion of Motion

In comics, motion must be implied. A punch might be drawn mid-swing with blur lines, or a character might appear multiple times in a single panel to suggest movement across space. These are static drawings engineered to make your brain “feel” motion.

In animation, motion is literal, meaning, drawings shift, stretch, squash, and evolve over time. Here, the drawing’s role isn’t just to suggest a moment, but to transform that moment into movement. Each frame is a performance, a progression in space and time. Drawing becomes acting.

A great example of this difference is in how a running character is handled. In a comic, a single dynamic pose with motion lines might suffice. In animation, an entire run cycle must be drawn to show the character in fluid motion, from contact to passing pose and back again.

Staging, Composition, and Space

Comics have a spatial advantage, in that, they can show you multiple things at once within the same page. Panels can be small windows, full bleeds, or overlapping, which can therefore, play with layout to manipulate narrative rhythm and reader focus. Drawing for comics is a game of designing each frame as part of a larger tapestry, with attention to eye movement and page turns.

Animation, on the other hand, focuses on cinematic flow. Drawing is used to establish shots, camera angles, and transitions. An animator must consider continuity and motion arcs, ensuring that the viewer’s eye is guided smoothly from moment to moment. In animation, drawings are sequenced for timing and emotional rhythm, whereas in comics, drawings are arranged for visual rhythm.

Emotion and Expression

Both mediums rely on drawing for emotional impact, but how they convey that emotion differs in execution. In comics, an expression must be clear, stylized, and often exaggerated to register in a single frame. A furrowed brow or wide-eyed stare might be supported by symbolic elements, such as, sweat drops, background lines, or bold text.

Animation has the benefit of motion and subtlety. A character’s eyes can shift, their posture can change, their breath can show through timing and hold. Drawing here is not just about one moment, but a series of evolving moments. Emotional arcs can be built gradually through movement, and in contrast, it is something comics must compress into fewer key images.

Line, Style, and Clarity

Interestingly, both comics and animation rely on clarity of drawing, but for slightly different reasons. Comics need clarity for readability. With multiple panels competing for attention on a page, drawings must communicate quickly and efficiently. Animation needs clarity for consistency and reproducibility. Each drawing must be in harmony with the one before and after it, maintaining volume, shape, and line quality across time.

This is why comic artists often lean into bold, clean lines and iconic silhouettes, while animators design characters to be animatable, easy to redraw across many frames, with clear shapes and strong silhouettes. (You can check out our blog post on drawing for animation vs. illustration to explain this better)

Different Tools, Shared Purpose

Though the mechanics differ, the ultimate purpose is the same, to tell a compelling story through drawing. Comics use panels and page layout to guide the reader through moments in time. Animation uses drawings to breathe life into characters and worlds across moving images. Both mediums demand a deep understanding of gesture, expression, staging, and design.

The key difference is in how time is delivered, in either medium. Through suggestion and composition in comics, and through literal frame-by-frame evolution in animation.

Closing Thoughts

The role of drawing in storytelling is a powerful one, by not only, shaping what we see, but how we see it. Whether it’s a frozen moment on a comic page or a fluid action in an animated scene, the drawing is the invisible hand guiding our emotional journey.

Understanding the strengths and nuances of drawing across these two mediums helps us appreciate just how versatile and vital this foundational skill is to the art of visual storytelling.