Comics are a part of our lives. My husband’s comic book and graphic novel collection takes up the entire man cave in our house. Our daughter’s bedtime reading is an old Calvin & Hobbes collection. And I still haven’t quite made my mother understand the importance of the master’s level course I took in communicating non-fiction through the graphic novel format. When it came to deciding what my daughter and I would make for my husband, it was a no-brainer! A great Valentine for the comic book lover turns a photo into a comic image. Finish by framing it up in a custom comic frame.
For the frame, you need:
1 flat picture frame (ours came from the dollar store)
1 comic book
Scissors
Clear-drying glue
Clear spray shellac (I used Modge Podge)
For the photo, you need:
A favorite photo
Computer and printer
Markers
Crayons
Scissors
Construction paper
Clear Tape
THE FRAME
Making the frame is easy. Remove the backing and glass, leaving just the open frame. Cut strips of the comic book long enough to wrap around to the back of the frame. My strips were 2 inches wide and 3 inches long, cut so they would be readable when glued around the frame. My 5×7-inch frame required about 25 strips. When you wrap the strip around the frame, make sure it completely covers the frame in the back. Add a strip of glue and press in place. Continue overlapping and gluing strips around the entire frame, making sure all glued seams are in the back. Since the corners are tough to cover neatly, cut four images from the comic book and glue one in each corner. Allow glue to dry, then shellac according to product instructions.
THE PICTURE
I’m not a talented artist and I’m not the most patient when it comes to computer generated graphics. You may have a computer program that allows you to convert a photo into a comic image. If you do, use it! After toying with it for a while, I finally decided to turn my photograph into a very light black and white image. So, all the colors became shades of gray. I lightened the grays as much as possible without losing details of the image, then printed it out.
Outline the printed image with a black marker. Color features like hair, eyes, and lips with markers. Use a skin-toned crayon to color flesh. Cut away the background from the image. Cut a heart-shaped word bubble and write your message on it.
THE ASSEMBLY
Lay the frame face down. Add the glass to it. Place the cut-away, colored photo on the glass. Cut a piece of construction paper the size of the frame. Roll a piece of tape to secure your speech bubble in place on the construction paper, then place it in the frame. Attach the back and your gift is ready for your comic valentine!