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Comics Spring 2013

Tracy White Email: tracy@traced.com Office hours: By appointment only

Comics are more than a narrative form they are a communication medium. Using words and images to tell a story is a skill that is applicable to almost everything we do. In this class you will learn the language of traditional print comics so you can hone your storytelling ability, clarity of thought and ability to innovate in the medium. We will breakdown the sequential narrative process into the techniques necessary to develop a compelling tale and look at how the audience and the format help to shape the final presentation of our ideas.

Students work on several small projects to build up their skills that will culminate in the creation of a feature comic written/drawn/programmed by each student that can be based on a previous assignment. This class does not teach specific programs or programming rather this class provides an opportunity for students to thoughtfully and creatively apply their knowledge toward each assignment.

You do not need to be a trained artist to take this class you do need to be willing to take chances with your work.

01.29.13 Class One: Graphic storytelling Part One: Communicating, Simplification.

• Lecture/Discussion: communication/simplification
• In class writing/comic exercise
• Speaker: Lucy Kniesly
• Assignment: iconography

Reading: Scott McCloud Understanding Comics chapter 2 Assignment: Simplification

02.05.13 Class Two: Graphic storytelling Part Two: words and images

• In-Class presentations/critiques
• Lecture/Discussion: combining words and images
• Assignment: Word + Image Attach:HW_week_02_2013.doc

Reading

• Scott McCloud Understanding Comics chap 6

02.12.13 Class Three: Graphic storytelling Part Three, Frames, Borders and Transitions

• In-Class presentations/critiques
• Lecture/Discussion: frames, borders, transitions

Break

• Guest speaker: Nancy Mercado, Executive Editor, Roaring Brook Press

Assignment: Story to Comic

Reading:

• Scott McCloud Understanding Comics Chapter 3
• David Mamet, On Directing Film handout

Very Helpful for thinking about composition optional reading: Camera Angles from The Five C’s of Cinematography Durwin S. Talon, excerpt from Panel Discussions

02.19.13 Class four: Typography

• Lecture/Discussion: typography/dialogue

Break

• In-Class presentation: Story to Comic
• Assignment:

Reading: handout

02.26.13 Class Five: Digital Canvas

• In-Class presentation: Typography exercise
• Lecture/Discussion: XYZ, the infinite canvas

Break

• Speaker: Mike Cavallaro, Cartoonist, to discuss color and its effect on stories

Assignment: • Script for your final comic

Reading: Handout

03.05.13 Class Six: Work Shop

• In-Class: Opportunity to discuss or question final projects with the class

Break

• Work on final projects. If necessary, please reserve a computer on the floor ahead of time.

Assignment: Final projects

03.12.13 Class Seven: Final Comic Presentations

CLASS WEB SITES

Kate Tibbetts http://itp.nyu.edu/~kt922/myblog/category/comics/

David Rios http://itp.nyu.edu/~dar436/blog/?cat=42

Carl Jamilkowski http://www.carlj.us/tagged/Comics

Scott Garner http://sjgitp.tumblr.com

GJ Lee http://leegj.com/itp/?cat=14

Same Brenner http://samjbrenner.com/notes/category/itp/comics/

Simran Kholsa http://pocketfulofchalkdust.tumblr.com/

Heather Velez http://velezheather.com

Atlas http://atlascomic.weebly.com

Erin Finnegan http://stu.itp.nyu.edu/~eef206/blog/

Students present their work and works in progress throughout the semester. Three unexcused absences will be an automatic F. All students are expected to write, code and draw their own comics.