How to make a yonkoma

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To make a yonkoma, first you should write down what it is about. Make a small summary about every panel.

When you've done that, you should make the panels for the sketch
There are a lot of people who draw them themselves, but I hate it and I always print it. I print my templates from Manga Studio. I'm not allowed to publish those exact templates so I found something that looks alike.
langesha.deviantart.com/art/4k… this link is from another deviantart user. Use it wisely.

First you print or draw it on an ordinary piece of paper. just the rough sketches and the text

Then, if you finished that, print or draw another template on a quality piece of paper and fully draw it.


okay, that was the tutorial you can get from any mangaka. Now yonkoma:

The first panel (ki) always has the setting. You introduce something there, whether it's a location or an idea from one of the characters or just a character meeting another one. Always make sure in this panel to let the reader know where the characters are.

the second panel (sho) is the extention of the first panel. Here you see a little development. The other character talks back to the first one or they see something happening after meeting in the first panel. It's a lot of times just an explanation and I officially think this is the most boring panel. Nevertheless, it's unmissable.

The third panel (ten) is actually the main event. The other character says something stupid or a hat blew away or anything like that.

The fourth panel (ketsu) is the conclusion. Here you give the reaction of the by stander(s) or the (anti)climax. The emotions are most important in this panel.



You've probably noticed a lot of yonkoma's, like lucky star, have a bigger plot than just that one yonkoma. When you read them in sequence, it might even feel like you're reading a story. This is differend form western gags like Garfield, Happyness and Cyanide or Sigmund.

Next time: the fifth panel
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