Comic Storyboard Template: Free 6-Panel Guide

Use a panel template before generating

A comic storyboard template helps creators plan the sequence before final art. This storyboard comic template is useful for writers, teachers, YouTube creators, and social media teams.

Comiora includes an AI storyboard generator that turns a story idea into editable panel direction. If you want to render the finished pages after planning, continue with the AI comic generator.

The template below is free to use. Copy it into a document, fill in one row per panel, and keep the first draft focused on visible actions rather than long paragraphs.

For a more detailed walkthrough, read how to use a comic storyboard template before filling in your first draft.

Simple 6-panel template

Use this structure for a short comic:

This template works because each panel has a job.

| Panel | Story beat | What to write |

| --- | --- | --- |

| 1 | Establish | Where are we, and who is present? |

| 2 | Goal | What does the main character want right now? |

| 3 | Obstacle | What interrupts or complicates the goal? |

| 4 | Attempt | What action does the character take? |

| 5 | Change | What new information, risk, or reaction changes the scene? |

| 6 | Resolution | What is decided, revealed, or left as a hook? |

What to write for each panel

For every panel, write:

Avoid panels that only explain thoughts. Comics need visible beats.

Example: a short story in six panels

Imagine a story about a child finding a lost kite in a city park:

1. The child spots a red kite caught in a tree.

2. She reaches for a fallen branch to pull it down.

3. The branch snaps, and the kite blows toward the pond.

4. A passing cyclist helps her follow it along the path.

5. They catch the string beside the pond before it reaches the water.

6. The child returns the kite to its owner and keeps the new friendship.

Each line can become a panel description. Add the character expression, setting detail, and caption only where they help the reader understand the beat.

Adapt the template by format

For comic pages, focus on reading flow. For webtoons, focus on vertical pacing. For comic video, focus on timing and motion.

Related workflows include the comic panel generator, story to comic workflow, webtoon generator, and comic video generator.

If your goal is a finished storybook rather than a single page, see how to make a cartoon book from a story.

Final review

Before generating pages, read the storyboard aloud. If the story makes sense as a sequence of actions, it is ready to render.

When the sequence is ready, Comiora lets you review the panels again before generating final pages. New accounts include 10 free credits, so you can test a short storyboard without adding a card.