Cartoonify your life

What can we use instead of a ruler, black marker, or specific colouring materials if we don't have them?

Use the straight edge of a book or folded paper to draw the two vertical lines, trace outlines with a black ballpoint or fine permanent pen if you don't have a black marker, and substitute crayons, felt-tip pens, or watercolour pencils for the colouring materials.

What should we do if the panels, outlines, or colours don't look right or the marker smudges?

If panels aren't equal, fold the paper into thirds before drawing the two vertical lines; test the black marker on scrap paper first and let the ink dry completely as instructed before gently erasing remaining pencil marks to avoid smudging or bleeding.

How can I change the activity for different ages or skill levels?

For younger children, have an adult pre-draw the three panels and let them make very simple cartoons with big shapes and crayons, while older kids can add more panels, detailed backgrounds, speech-bubble dialogue, and hand-lettered captions before signing and sharing on DIY.org.

How can we make the comic more creative or personal after finishing the basic steps?

Enhance your comic by collaging scrap-paper backgrounds behind props, adding shading with coloured pencils over the traced black marker outlines, inventing distinctive speech-bubble styles, writing a clever title at the top, adding your signature, and then sharing the finished creation on DIY.org.