IL220 A Visual Storytelling Syllabus

Instructor: Shane McDermott              smcdermott@mca.edu       

Office: Gibson Hall # 156                        Hours: M 4-5:30/ T 5-6:30

IL220 A Visual Storytelling (COMICS 1) M/W 9-11:30am

Course Objectives

This course explores the formal language of storytelling with multiple images, including storyboards and comics.  This course is writing and drawing intensive.

Course Outcomes

The successful student will achieve the following course outcomes:

• Students will strengthen their formal understanding of Comics Theory and vocabulary.
• Students will explore various storytelling methods through specialized collaborative exercises

• Students will develop an individual approach to storytelling through specialized assignments.

Program Outcomes

The successful student will achieve the following course outcomes:

• Students will learn to create engaging stories.
• Students will demonstrate capability with media and techniques.

• Students will produce narratives in various formats, including short-form, long-form, and serialized.

• Students will demonstrate knowledge of the formal aspects of comics as a medium.

• Students will be able to competently craft representational images.

• Students will produce evidence of an understanding of the methods of comics production.

Grading/Professionalism

Comics Projects (in and out of class) - 50%

This course involves both in-class and out-of-class assignments. Out-of-class comics will be graded on creativity and originality (is the story original and compelling), Clarity of Content (Can the reader follow the story), Clarity of Imagery (How thoughtfully the characters and environments are drawn), and lastly, technique (the professional design and presentation of the comic).

• Incomplete work is graded based on the amount of work that is completed on the due date. Incomplete work is eligible for an A if turned in by the next week. Half a letter grade is deducted for each week the project remains unfinished. 

• Late work is work that is not turned in at all on the due date. Half a letter grade is deducted for each week the project remains unfinished. The completed work is eligible for no higher than a B.
  
  
• Every student is expected to participate in critique and to offer objective feedback (both positive and negative reactions) for a balanced and constructive critique. Each student receives a participation grade for every critique.

Execution and Presentation of Comics

Comics may be created digitally and/or traditionally, but all comics must be presented digitally. Completed comics must be placed in the designated critique folder within our IL220B Class folder by 9am on the day they are due. They should be scanned at no less than 200 dpi/ppi and should be in jpg format. Each student will have their own folder within the class folder, and will be responsible for placing completed projects there by the due date as well. These images should be named “IL220A_Lastname_Firstname_Project1.jpg” Projects containing multiple pages should be alphanumeric (Project1a.jpg, Project1b.jpg, etc.) Subsequent projects will be numbered “Project2, Project 3, etc.”

Participation - 25%

There are several in-class Comics Projects, and participation is required.  These assignments are not designed to produce beautiful, completed comics, but rather for the student to engage in editing and collaborations that reinforce different story building methods.

Additionally, each student receives a letter grade for the thoroughness of their critiques of their classmate’s work. These grades will be averaged into the Participation grade.

Cartoonist Research Project - 25% (averaged from research, paper, and presentation)

See the attached assignment!

Attendance

Absences

• There is no penalty for 2 absences in a M/W class.
• The final average is lowered one half-letter grade upon each subsequent absence until the sixth.
• The sixth absence results in automatic failure of the class.
• Absences during critique irreversibly lower the project grade by one full letter unless it is turned in before 9am on the morning of critique.

Tardies

• Arriving late to class or leaving early can be marked as a tardy.
• Three tardies equal one absence.
• Being tardy for critique irreversibly lowers the project grade by one full letter.
• When possible and as soon as possible, notify your instructor of impending tardies or absences.   

Classroom Etiquette

Cell phones:

Make sure that your cell phones are turned off during class.  You may set your phone to vibrate if you have an ongoing emergency (meaning birth, death, or catastrophic illness).  DO NOT answer your phone in class.  It’s rude.  In the event of an emergency call you may exit class and then answer or return the call. 

Music:

Headphones are permitted, but ONLY during in-class work when I am not instructing and ONLY if low enough that you can still hear me if I address you.  Do not play music through the speakers.

Media:

I don’t care if you occasionally check your email or watch someone’s bulldog skateboard on YouTube, but it MUST NOT interfere with your work and it should never be through the speakers.

Contact

The best way to contact me is at smcdermott@mca.edu. Please give your email a clear, descriptive subject line. In turn, be sure to check your MCA email account regularly because I will contact you if there are any last minute changes to an assignment.

Class materials

1.)    Good quality paper for penciling and inking

2.)    Pencils, pens, brushes, sharpies

3.)    A pack of index cards and/or post-it notes

4.)    Pushpins

5.)    18 inch metal ruler with cork backing (suggested)

6.)    A triangle

7.)    Ames lettering guide (suggested)

8.)    USB storage or external hard drive if working digitally

Required Texts

  Understanding Comics Scott McCLoud

Recommended Texts

  Framed Ink: Drawing and Composition for Visual Storytellers  Marcos Mateu-Mestre

  Drawing Words and Writing Pictures  Jessica Abel and Matt Madden
  Graphic Storytelling  Will Eisner

  Sequential Art  Will Eisner

  On Directing Film  David Mamet
  Picture This: How Pictures Work  Molly Bang

Class Blog

The syllabus, schedule, and first assignments are posted to the class blog at www.mcavisualstorytelling.blogspot.com. Future assignments will be posted as they are distributed as well as delivery via MCA email.  NEVER TELL ME YOU DIDN’T HAVE THE ASSIGNMENT! I will notify you via email in the event of changing circumstances or class cancellations.

Health and Safety

All students must comply with health and safety regulations. Of particular relevance to this class will be disposal of art materials. The classroom is provided with a sink, but only water should be poured down the sink’s drain.  All other materials should be collected for appropriate processing.  You will be required to have an MSDS (material safety data sheet) with any and all materials you bring to class.  MSDS sheets can be found online at DickBlick.com.  Keep the sheets with your materials when you bring them to class.  Some materials require latex gloves, goggles, or even masks.  When using such materials you will be required to take the necessary safety measures in class.  If you have turned in MSDS for materials used in a previous semester then you need only update existing supplies and record any new materials you use in class this semester.

Presentations will be given on 4/10 and 4/12. Assigned days will be made randomly and may not be changed without permission.