Creating a Comic Book SP 2022
LALW-415-01
- Monday evenings • Remote instruction
- Massachusetts College of Art and Design • Liberal Arts Department
- January 24 - May 9, 2022
Session 1: Orientation & First Assignment
January 24
- Class Activities
- Demos: Tools (pens, brushes, Ames Lettering Guide), straight lines, thumbnails, pencilling 10×15" art area on 14×17" paper (video)
- Studio: Tool practice, life drawing, start thumbnails for Slice of Life
- Lecture: History (Windsor McCay, George Herriman, Hal Foster), Technology Triangle, essential elements (title, credits, page numbers)
- Due Next Session
- Email instructor (within 48 hours)
- One page ink practice
- One page inked straight lines (pen and brush)
- Two blank bristol pages with 10×15" art area penciled for Slice of Life
Session 2: Story Development
January 31
- Class Activities
- Demos: Advanced lettering (tiles, sound effects, blurbs, word balloons), page bordering with ruling pen
- Studio: Lettering practice, first story conferences for Slice of Life
- Lecture: Storytelling (staging, camera angles, page design), thumbnailing, creative processes, history (Walt Kelly, Roy Crane, Will Eisner)
- Due Next Session
- 2-4 pages lettering practice
- 1-2 pages straight lines with ink
- Continue developing Slice of Life
Session 3: Story Development
February 7
- Class Activities
- Demos: Ink techniques (brush and pen), video tutorials
- Studio: Second story conferences for Slice of Life
- Lecture: Importance of solid-black inking, history (R. Crumb, Jason, Jaime Hernandez)
- Due Next Session
- 2-4 pages lettering practice
- 1-2 pages straight lines with ink
- Finish thumbnails, create 10×15" pages, finish penciling 3 pages for Slice of Life
- Resources
- Hand lettering: Lettering Comics by Hand, Ames Guide tutorial, video demo, word balloons, ink basics
- Lettering history: Thought Balloons Roundtable, Comicraft Glossary
Session 4: Art Development
February 14
- Class Activities
- Studio: Syllabus change explanation, continue work on Slice of Life and practice sheets
- Due Session 5 (Two Weeks)
- 2-4 pages lettering practice A
- 2-4 pages lettering practice B
- 1-2 pages straight lines with ink
- Finish original art for Slice of Life
No Class February 21 (President's Day)
Session 5: Quick Comic Introduction
February 28
- Class Activities
- Demos: Digital production (scanning, Photoshop cleanup, 60% reduction template)
- Studio: Wrap up Slice of Life, start Quick Comic
- Due Next Session
- Start researching Artist Presentation
- Scan and format Slice of Life
- Continue Quick Comic
Recommended Reading
Alex Toth Critiques Steve Rude, Comic Art Reduction Act of 1967
No Class March 7 (Spring Break)
Session 6: Quick Comic Development
March 14
- Class Activities
- Studio: Artist presentations, continue Quick Comic
- Due Next Session
- Continue Quick Comic
Resources
Process examples: Chris Samnee page process, Chris SprouseSession 7: Quick Comic Finale
March 21
- Class Activities
- Studio: Artist presentations, finish Quick Comic original art
- Due Next Session
- Finish Quick Comic original art
- Create Coda original art using modern dimensions (10.5"×16")
Session 8: Coda Introduction
March 28
- Class Activities
- Studio: Artist presentations, one-on-one pitch meetings, plot and thumbnail, revisions if time allows
- Due Next Session
- Continue Coda
Session 9: Coda Story Development
April 4
- Class Activities
- Studio: Artist presentations, continue Coda story development
- Due Next Session
- Continue Coda story and art
Session 10: Coda Art Development
April 11
- Class Activities
- Studio: Artist presentations, develop Coda thumbnail layouts
- Due Session 11 (Two Weeks)
- Continue Coda thumbnail layouts
No Class April 18 (Patriots Day)
Session 11: Coda Art Development
April 25
- Class Activities
- Studio: Artist presentations, continue Coda art development
- Due Next Session
- Continue Coda progress
Session 12: Coda Art Development
May 2
- Class Activities
- Studio: Artist presentations, continue Coda progress
- Due Next Session (FINAL)
- Finish, scan, and format Coda
- Any remaining assignments
Session 13: Finale & Wrapup
May 9
- Class Activities
- Studio: Final artist presentations, wrap-up discussions
- No homework
- Course complete!