Webtoon guide
How to Make a Webtoon: Size, Pacing and Publishing (2026)
By the Panelo team · Updated
Quick answer
Plan an episode of about 40 to 60 panels around one hook, draw on a canvas at least 800 px wide (1,600 px is comfortable), stack panels in one vertical column with space between them to control timing, colour and letter for phones, then export at 800 px wide in slices up to 1,280 px tall for WEBTOON CANVAS or Tapas.
What makes a webtoon different
A webtoon is a comic made for scrolling on a phone: one long column instead of pages. There are no page turns, so space is your timing. Most are in full colour and read top to bottom, wherever they come from. (Manhwa is the Korean word for comics; many manhwa are published as webtoons. See manga vs manhwa vs webtoon.)
1. Plan the series and the first three episodes
- Write a one-line premise and the genre. Romance, fantasy, drama and action do well on the big platforms.
- Plan three episodes before you post one: readers decide by episode 3 whether to subscribe.
- End every episode on a question, so the reader taps "next".
2. Set up the canvas
| What | Size |
|---|---|
| Working canvas | 1,600 px wide (2× the final), in sections about 10,000 px tall |
| Final width | 800 px |
| Upload images (WEBTOON CANVAS) | Up to 800 × 1,280 px each, JPG or PNG, under 2 MB |
| Episode upload | Up to 20 MB in total |
Full details, including thumbnails, are in the webtoon size guide.
3. Pace with space
The gap between panels is how long the reader waits. Use it on purpose:
| Gap | Effect | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Small (about 50-100 px) | Fast | Action, a quick exchange of lines |
| Medium (about 200-400 px) | Normal | Scene changes, a beat to think |
| Long (600 px or more) | Slow, tense | Before a reveal, after a shock, the last line of an episode |
Change the background colour of the gutter for mood: black for night or danger, a soft colour for a memory. These are starting points, not platform rules.
4. Draw panels for a small screen
- One idea per panel. A phone shows about one panel at a time.
- Use the full width for establishing shots, and close-ups for emotion. Faces are the reason people read.
- Borderless panels and panels that bleed into the gutter feel modern; keep important things away from the side edges.
- Keep characters on-model with a reference sheet; readers notice when a lead's hair changes.
5. Colour and letter for phones
Use a rounded, readable font at a size you can read on a phone at arm's length; test on a real phone before you publish. Sentence case is common in webtoons. Put balloons in the gaps where possible, so they never cover faces, and never let a slice cut through a balloon.
6. Slice and publish
- Export the episode at 800 px wide and cut it into slices up to 1,280 px tall, ideally in the gaps between panels. The webtoon slicer does this for free.
- WEBTOON CANVAS and Tapas are free to post on; you need a series thumbnail, an episode thumbnail and a summary.
- Post on a schedule (weekly is common) and keep a buffer of a few finished episodes.
Making a webtoon with AI
The Panelo webtoon maker turns an idea into an episode of up to 24 panels: it writes the script, keeps characters consistent with reference sheets, stacks the panels with space between beats, letters them in a rounded font, and downloads 800 × 1,280 slices cut between panels. A full 40 to 60 panel episode is two or three Panelo comics. Check each platform's current rules on AI-made content before you post.
Frequently asked questions
What size should a webtoon canvas be?
Draw at 1,600 px wide (twice the final size) and export at 800 px wide. Upload images on WEBTOON CANVAS can be up to 800 × 1,280 px each.
How many panels are in a webtoon episode?
Most episodes have about 40 to 60 panels. Action episodes often have more, quiet ones use more empty space.
Is it free to post a webtoon?
Yes. WEBTOON CANVAS and Tapas let anyone post for free. Both have ways to earn money once a series has readers; check each platform's current programme.
Can I make a webtoon on my phone?
Yes. Drawing apps on tablets and phones can make webtoons, and tools that make the art for you work in a phone browser. A tablet with a stylus is easier for drawing by hand.
Do webtoons have to be in colour?
No, but almost all popular webtoons are in full colour. Black-and-white webtoons exist and can stand out.
Sources
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