Place your panels on the page in a logical order that flows across the page from left to right. Choose the number of panels you believe are necessary based on the information and action you intend to place on the page. The standard number of panels on a page is nine: three panels across and three panels down.
Direct the reader's eye across the page from left to right, then down the page to the left again and follow the same left to right movement as in the panels above. This type of flow is based on the Western style of reading.
Arrange your panels in a skewed manner to give the page a sense of movement and enhance the feeling of dramatic action.
Establish a primary focal point on the page. Multiple focal points on the page will create confusion and make it difficult to follow the story that you are trying to tell.
Place the focal point at the center, left of center, or to the right of center of your panels if you are using horizontally shaped panels.
Use vertical panels on work where the focal point will be centered or above or below the center of your panel. Do not have competing focal points in panels that are next to each other. This will confuse the reader's eye and disrupt the natural sequence of events.
Sketch the images lightly in your panel with a pencil. Use blue lead in your pencil because it is easier to erase.
Place the images in your panel strategically in order to create a visible line of sight. The direction that a character faces, his gestures and his eye positioning can give the reader cues about what the sequence of events are and where the eye should go next.