How to Write and Draw Comics and Graphic Novels From Start to Finish | Art Class

💰Save $10 off your first class with code TOGETHERSAVE10💰

📣 Calling all aspiring comic book artists! 📣

In this ongoing class, you will learn a new skill or concept each week that will help you complete your comic book idea.

You can jump in any week! Stick around for the whole series and you'll know how to make a comic from start to finish.

Students of this class will gain a stronger sense of how a comic book cartoonist goes about crafting a comic story and what basic fundamentals are needed in order to begin creating a compelling comic story.

Below is the tentative schedule, subject to change. (Classes are often adjusted to best support the needs and interests of enrolled learners, so please message to confirm):

Week 1: Crafting a story part 1: - understanding the parts of a story using a story pyramid

Week 2: Crafting a story part 2: - Drawing uneven planes and how to draw/write for the exterior establishing shot into a comic strip ***Includes learning one-point perspective to create an interesting landscape

Week 3: World building part 1: Drawing Trees and landscapes - Learn how to draw trees within a landscape that are also in perspective

Week 4: World Building part 2: Drawing uneven planes and how to draw/write for the exterior establishing shot into a comic strip ***Includes learning one-point perspective to create an interesting landscape

Week 5: Crafting a story part 3: Storyboarding a story - understanding the range of panel compositions that can be used in order to tell a story

Week 6: Starting your comic part 1: With a two-point interior drawing and drawing the figure; Learn two point perspective to construct a dramatic angled living room space as the setting to start a comic strip/book

Week 7: Creating comics part 1: Changing the panel shape - Design and draw a three panel comic that changes the panel shape by way of simplified figure construction (The pyramid)

Week 8: Creating comics part 2: Understanding how to draw believable characters with using contrapposto (weight distribution) in a cowboy shot perspective (one-point)

Week 9: Starting your comic part 2: Drawing ICE as an element in your story - what kind of drama can become of a character or object frozen in ice?... ***Learn one and two-point perspective while drawing the characteristics of the element of ICE to start a comic story

Week 10: Starting your comic part 3: Drawing Hands - for aspect shots in comics - Learn the shaping involved in order to draw a convincing three dimensional hand in an aspect shot of a comic strip.

Week 11: Inking comics part 1: Understanding the use of thick and thin lines while considering light source and depth of field

Week 12: Inking comics part 2: Understanding the use of shadows and texture for contrast and depth

Week 13: Creating Comics part 3: Birds eye View - Drawing a birds eye view of a city in two-point perspective as the opening exposition shot of your comic 

Week 14: Scanning your traditionally drawn comic - How to scan and color correct/clean up your traditional line art drawing to a digital one

Week 15: Coloring for comics part 1: Understanding hot and cold color values for contrast and continuity of the comics page

Week 16: Coloring for comics part 2: How hard color shadows on a character can convey a light source

Week 17: Lettering for comics part 1: How comic word balloons are arranged and used to show direction / where not to place a word balloon

Week 18: Lettering for comics part 2: How text is properly placed within a given word balloon

General Outline of Each class:
-Warmups, introductions, and objectives of the lesson
-Present the lesson by drawing together
-Present references or examples along the way
-Encourage students to explore the possibilities
-Student share as they want throughout the lesson and receive personalized feedback

Supplies Needed:
Pencil, paper, rulers, eraser, (optional: Photoshop, Procreate, or other digital drawing app)

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: 

MIKE JASORKA, PROFESSIONAL CARTOONIST AND COMIC ARTIST: Mike Jasorka grew up in a small rural town in New Jersey and graduated in 2007 from Rowan University with a studio art degree in illustration before making a move to his dream city of Los Angeles. There, he spent his time juggling his joy for self-publishing and creating his own comic books, providing storyboards for the advertising/film/music industry and teaching sequential art (comics) at Venice Arts - a non-profit multi-media arts organization. At Venice Arts, Mike has taught over 500 youth how to write and draw comics by applying the methods and foundations he uses in creating his own comics as well as the opportunities he has had professionally. Mike's teaching philosophy revolves around approaching creativity with a patience to grow - as every project brings new growth through challenge and requires great patience in order to passionately complete them. Most of Mike's time today is spent creating his next comic works, hanging out with his fiancée and friends, writing songs on the guitar and playing drums when he can.