J.M. Hunter aka The Indy Hunter Comic and Art talk

Original Art Dimensions for Current American Comic Books

Most of my comics are drawn to the American old-school 2:3 ratio for 6”x9” published art size. 10”x15” is the post-1967 standard for original art; I’ve been drawing the pre-1967 “double up” scale of 12”x18”. 6”x9” art always looked odd printed on the standard 6 5/8”x10 1/8” page. The margins were inconsistent widths, leaving room for branding and advertising that no one uses anymore.

American comics have larger art these days, measuring from the trim size in. The most common margin between the trim and safe area is about 1/4” (creating a “safe art area” of approximately 6 1/8”x9 5/8”). Applying that same margin outside the trim gives us a bleed area of 7 1/8”x10 5/8”. I used these figures to calculate original art sizes for both 11”x16” (to fit in tabloid scanners) and my preferred 12” x 18” (close to “double up” as possible on my 15"x20" bristol sheets):

Printed Mainstream American Comic Book

Safe Area: 6.125 x 9.625 inches Trim Area: 6.625 x 10.125 inches Full Bleed: 7.125 x 10.625 inches

Double Up Bleed: 12 1/2x18 1/2 inches Trim: 11 1/2x17 1/2 inches Safe Area: 10 1/25x16 1/2 inches