Character Design for Comic Artists

Is your comic-making genius obsessed with Dogman, Pokemon, and other popular cartoon characters? In this class, we will break the mold, designing and drawing original, unique characters and monsters using the students choice of medium-- pencil and paper, markers, or digital apps.

Get $10 off my class with promo code BFAMALBC4U10 until Jun 1, 2024. Enter the coupon code at checkout.

Every class will begin with an introduction and review comic and cartooning-style drawing process: drafting, sketching, editing, inking and coloring. Students will learn about a new drawing style, technique, or character development strategy in each class. Students will have the opportunity to share their work with other students live during the lesson with feedback and discussion, and/or share an image of their finished work in the classroom forum.

My goal is to create a fun, creative learning environment where students can comfortably learn and share their ideas with others who also love cartoons, comics, anime, and manga. Students will bring their imagination to life, invent unique characters and stories, and have the opportunity to share their art with other students. This class is great place for beginner to intermediate -level artists, aspiring illustrators, authors, comic artists, and game developers to create characters, illustrate their backstory, and develop a style.

Topic Schedule
Week of 1/1: Bodies in Motion: Body Language, Movement, and Action Lines
Week of 1/8: One panel comics: Using a "Mad-lib"-style Random Story Generator
Week of 1/15: Using Shapes: the Circle and Pear-shaped Body
Week of 1/22: Designing a Monster
Week of 1/29: Human/humanoid faces in proportion: Exaggerating for effect
Week of 2/5: Using Shapes: the Pear-shaped Body
Week of 2/12: Anime style faces
Week of 2/19: The Setting: Easy Perspective Techniques
Week of  2/26: Using Shapes: the Rectangle-shaped Body
Week of 12/12:  American style cartoon faces
Week of 12/19: One Panel Comics: Humor, Exaggeration, & Surprise
Week of 12/26:  Context clues, Cartoon symbols, and Costumes
Week of 3/5: Anime style human/humanoid bodies in action
Week of 3/12: Caricatures: Drawing based on a REAL Person and their Personality
Week of 3/19: Figure Drawing for Comic Artists
Week of 3/26: Using Shapes: the Triangle and Rectangle-shaped Body 
Week of 4/2: American style human/humanoid cartoon bodies in action

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Drawing materials to bring to ALL classes:
Drawing pencils preferred 
Large eraser (pink, white or fun shapes) and/or Art Gum Eraser (preferred)
White printer paper or drawing paper
Colored Pencils, Markers, or Crayons
A current photo of the student or other person on caricature day