Cartooning 1 | How to Make a Comic Book, Character Design, & Storytelling!
What's included
10 live meetings
10 in-class hoursHomework
1-2 hours per week. Students will be given time to begin their homework assignments in class, but will likely want to finish it after each class. Each week there will be a different step of the story making process for them to finish, teaching them the value of working on something that can't be finished in one sitting. Student work will be checked to make sure they are on track to finish their book by presentation time on the second-to-last week.Assessment
I give time at the end of each class for students to present their work as part of our weekly "art critique." This is for me to see where the students are at on their artistic journey, as well as get them comfortable with sharing their work with their peers and offer tips and tricks to each other. I never force students to share their work out of respect, but have found that with this gentle approach most students come around to it when they feel comfortable and after seeing how much fun the other students have doing it.Class Experience
US Grade 1 - 4
Beginner Level
Does your child love writing stories filled with creative characters? In this course students will discover how the pros design lovable characters and explore how they can create their own too! We cover character design, story structure, and MORE! Participants will even get the opportunity to pitch their comic books at the end! *Please see the course syllabus for further details. I've been an artist my entire life and have worked professionally in the animation industry for many years, so I am acutely aware of the struggles young artists go through on their journey to finding their unique, artistic voice. I teach with this understanding of how young creative minds think and work and have catered my class flow accordingly. When I teach, I don't show your children how to tell stories just like ME, but instead I'm gently guiding them to discover their own style and creative voice as individual artists. I also prioritize community building so that my students can grow together and learn from their peers while making lasting relationships and opportunities to share and collaborate on projects. All of these core values are taught using my "Star Student" characters I created to help inspire my students to grow in all areas of their lives as artists. Each character represents an art/life skill or education standard, and students are encouraged to collect as many as they can throughout each course. Some stars, like the "Co-Star", is awarded to the students who co-teach a drawing demonstration to the class, while the "Rockstar" is awarded to students who go above and beyond with their assignments. I can't wait to meet you in my stellar classroom soon!
Learning Goals
Students will be introduced to the process creating their own stories and how to share it with others. We start with a discussion of the different kinds of stories and why artists have told stories from the beginning of time, and then walk through each step to construct their own.
All of these lessons include a variety examples of pivotal artists throughout history and how we can learn from the past to pave the way as the next generation of artists!
Syllabus
10 Lessons
over 10 WeeksLesson 1:
Find Your Hero
Through art discussion and fun activities we'll discover who you protagonist is and what they look like!
60 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Story Skeletons
Let's write out a great structure to tell the adventures and story arc your character will go on throughout your book by breaking down a story into simple and easy to fill out steps!
60 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Model Sheets
Flesh out your character and find out what makes them tick! We'll draw them in a variety of poses and expressions to lock in their character designs.
60 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Book Dummies
Making a miniature version of your book is a great way to figure out the layout and get a glimpse of wha the final one will look like! We'll cover how to do this and more this week.
60 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Supply List
Loose paper, pencils, a ruler, drawing pens that won't bleed through paper (the fine-tip sharpie pens work great) ($10), a stapler, scissors, and colored pencils. I will also be supplying drawing worksheets for various lessons which can be printed out.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Teacher expertise and credentials
Bachelor's Degree in Music or Theatre or Arts from Montclair State University
I've been an artist my entire life, honing my skills through art school and into working in the animation industry on a variety of animated shows. I've also led art therapy workshops for young children, teens, and adults. I believe the arts are a very powerful and personal endeavor and am skilled at using it as a vehicle for not only professional growth, but personal growth as well.
Reviews
Live Group Course
$19
weekly or $190 for 10 classes1x per week, 10 weeks
60 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 7-12
4-11 learners per class