Is How To RENDER Comics worth it if you’re shopping in Writing & Publishing?
Your line art is clean. Your character design is solid. But the moment you try to add shading, the page goes flat, lifeless, and two-dimensional. This is the most common bottleneck for aspiring comic artists: you know what to draw, but you don’t know how to make it look like it exists in 3D space. How To RENDER Comics is a $50 video course that fixes this specific gap. It doesn’t just show you pretty final pages; it breaks down the mechanics of lighting, pencil texture, ink flow, and color theory from the ground up, taught by a panel of working professionals who explain the “why” behind every stroke.
Quick answer
| Best for | Comic artists who have strong line work but struggle with making their pages look three-dimensional and finished. |
| Skip if | You are a total beginner who still needs to learn basic figure drawing, or you only want a PDF guide without video instruction. |
| Price | $50 |
| Format | Multi-instructor video course covering lighting, pencil, ink, markers, and color. |
| One-line take | A comprehensive masterclass that teaches the logic of rendering, not just the technique. |
What you’re actually buying
Most art courses focus on one medium or one style. This course takes a different approach by treating rendering as a universal problem that can be solved with different tools. At $50, you are getting a complete pipeline: from the theoretical understanding of light sources to the practical execution in pencil, ink, and markers. (How To RENDER Comics)
The course is structured to build your confidence layer by layer. It starts with Ed Foychuk, who handles the foundational units on lighting. This is crucial because rendering isn’t just about adding dark spots; it’s about understanding where the light is coming from and why it creates shadows. Without this “where and why,” your shading will always look arbitrary. Once you understand the light, Mike Van Orden takes over to show you how to translate that knowledge into pencil techniques. He explains how to use the graphite to create form and texture, turning flat lines into volumetric shapes.
The middle of the course dives into the tools that define comic art. Chris Graves walks through his personal rendering process, showing how pencil can bring a character to life with subtle depth. Then, Walden Wong steps in as the master inker. Whether you work digitally or traditionally, his lessons on approaching rendering with ink are essential for creating high-contrast, professional-looking pages. Tim Goernert follows up with tons of specific approaches to inking various subjects, explaining his reasoning for each pen stroke so you can adapt his logic to your own style. (How To RENDER Comics)
Finally, the course expands into color and alternative media. Deth Phimmasone covers the ins and outs of rendering with markers, including supply suggestions and techniques to bring drawings to life. By the end, you aren’t just copying a style; you are understanding the full spectrum of rendering—from the initial light source to the final colored page. This comprehensive rendering toolkit is designed to make you far more confident in your ability to finish a comic page that looks professional.
Why it’s on our radar
This course stands out because it addresses the “flatness” problem that plagues most intermediate artists. Many tutorials teach you how to use a brush, but few teach you why a shadow falls that way. The inclusion of Ed Foychuk’s lighting units before the technical rendering lessons is a smart pedagogical choice. It ensures that when you pick up a pen or a marker, you aren’t guessing; you are applying a logical system. (How To RENDER Comics)
The variety of instructors is also a major plus. You get a perspective from a lighting theorist, a pencil specialist, a master inker, and a marker expert. This breadth means you can apply the principles to whatever medium you prefer, whether that’s traditional ink or digital coloring. For a $50 price point, getting this level of multi-artist instruction is rare. It’s not just a single teacher’s opinion; it’s a collective toolkit for bringing your comics to life.
What actually matters
Before you buy, consider your current skill level. If you are still struggling with basic anatomy or line weight, this course might feel like it’s skipping steps. It assumes you can draw a character and is focused entirely on the rendering phase. If you are at that intermediate stage where your drawings look “okay” but never “finished,” this is the perfect next step. (How To RENDER Comics)
Check the format of the delivery. This is a video course, which means you need to watch and practice along. It’s not a static PDF you can skim. The value is in the step-by-step demonstrations and the explanations of the instructor’s thought process. If you prefer reading over watching, you might not get the full benefit. However, if you learn by seeing the process, the video lessons on inking and shading will be incredibly valuable.
Also, consider your medium. The course covers pencil, ink, and markers. If you exclusively work in digital color with no interest in traditional ink or markers, you will still get value from the lighting and pencil sections, but you might not need the specific marker lessons. The core value is in the lighting and form-building, which applies to all mediums. (How To RENDER Comics)
Mid-check
If you’re ready to move past flat, 2D-looking pages and learn the professional secrets of comic rendering, this is a solid investment. (How To RENDER Comics)
FAQ
Is this course suitable for absolute beginners? It is best for artists who already have a handle on line work and character design. The course focuses on rendering (lighting, shading, inking), so if you are still learning basic drawing fundamentals, you might want to start with a figure drawing course first. However, the lighting units are beginner-friendly in terms of theory. (How To RENDER Comics)
Do I need expensive supplies to follow along? Not necessarily. The course covers pencil, ink, and markers. You can follow along with basic tools. Deth Phimmasone does provide suggestions for marker supplies, but the core principles of rendering apply to whatever medium you already have. The rendering techniques are about understanding light and form, not just buying specific pens.
Is the content digital or traditional? The course covers both. Walden Wong’s inking lessons explicitly state that the techniques hold true whether you work digitally or traditionally. This makes the course versatile for artists who switch between mediums or are transitioning from traditional to digital. (How To RENDER Comics)
Bottom line
If your comic pages feel flat and you’re tired of guessing how to shade, How To RENDER Comics is a no-brainer. For $50, you get a structured, multi-instructor course that teaches the logic behind rendering, not just the mechanics. It’s the difference between drawing a character and making them feel like they exist in the world.