Project 7 - Pacing

Project 7 - Pacing

In music, a crescendo is a symbol that tells the musician to transition smoothly from quiet to loud over a specified amount of time. A decrescendo tells the musician to do the opposite. When these two are right next to each other it’s sometimes called a “swell.”

We already know you’re swell, but can you make your comics swell over the course of some panels?

Start “quiet” and “small” and build up your comic’s intensity over the course of one to three pages. Reach a big crescendo and then restore the quiet with the decrescendo. Try to incorporate the idea of the “building” crescendo into as many elements of your comic as possible - the characters, their actions, the environments they occupy, and ultimately, the pacing. Do the sizes or shapes of your panels also change to reflect the swell? It’s up to you!

Pacing Comic is due 2/20 to be critiqued on 2/22.

Project 7 – Pacing Critique Questions

Name of the critter:

Name of the critiqued:

Does the work avoid using words?

Is the art clear? Can you easily discern foreground from background? Is the mark making descriptive? Is any of the imagery confusing?

Does the sequence look finished?

What is the subject of this sequence?

Can you follow the action or actions?  What is the complete action or story arc?

Is there ever confusion about the panel reading order?

Does the story have a clear crescendo and decrescendo? Is it fast or slow? Is it TOO fast or TOO slow? Are the crescendo and decrescendo reflected in the art? Are they reflected in the panel compositions? Are they reflected in the page layout?

How is the “acting” in the strip?  Are character’s facial expressions and body language clear?

Is the strip interesting?  Would you want to read more?  Elaborate.

Project 6 - Four Panels, Four Scenes

Project 6 - Four Panels, Four Scenes

Read Chapters 2 and 3 of Understanding Comics. Pay particular attention to pages 70-72 of Chapter 3 for definitions of the different types of panel transitions. The definition for “scene-to-scene” transitions is in there.

Create a narrative sequence in just 4 panels with a different scene in each panel. The scenes can be different locations or different times within the same location. Each scene should also contain a character performing an action. Basically, they should be doing something. The actions, thoughts and emotions of your characters should be communicating clearly without using any words. Think about the different types of panel-to-panel transitions covered in chapter 3 and pay close attention to the type or types you choose for your sequence.

Four Panels, Four Scenes is due 2/13 for critique on 2/15.

Comics Delivery:

Comics should be placed in the Critique Folder by 8:30 am on 2/13. The Critique Folder is inside the IL220A folder within the IL220 folder on the dali server.

4 Panels, 4 Scenes Critique

Name of the critter:

Name of the critiqued:

Does the work avoid using words?

Is the art clear? Can you easily discern foreground from background? Is the mark making descriptive? Is any of the imagery confusing?

Does the sequence look finished?

What is the subject of this sequence?

Can you describe the four different scenes? How do they help tell the story?

Can you follow the action or actions?  What is the complete action or story arc?

Is there ever confusion about the panel reading order?

Does the layout of the panels add to the communication of the story or detract from it? Is the page well organized? 

How is the “acting” in the strip?  Are character’s facial expressions and body language clear?

Is the strip interesting?  Would you want to read more?  Elaborate.

Project 5 – Instructional Comic (Teach Us Something)

Project 5 – Instructional Comic (Teach Us Something)

Read through the handout from Uri Schulevitz’s Writing with Pictures. The notion of the “completed action” is very important for conveying coherent narrative information.

Collect some instructional picture sequences as reference for your own instructional sequence. Find at least three examples, even if they are only two or three panels long. Examples might include airplane safety cards, instruction manuals, cook books and assembly diagrams. Do some strike you as more successful than others? If so, what qualities separate the good from the bad? In which ways are they similar? Which ones use words as well as images, and which rely on images alone? What can you learn from these examples to use in your own instructional comic?

Now, teach us how to do something! You may use as many panels and pages as you need, but do not use words (with the exception of a title for the comic or units of measurements necessary for your instructions).  The actions may be simple or complex, but they should be easily understood and followed by someone who has never performed this action before. The completed sequence is due at the beginning of class on 2/6 and will be critiqued on 2/8.

You may work digitally or traditionally, but a digital copy of the image must be emailed to the instructor by 8:30am. Traditionally created work should be scanned at no less than 200 dpi. Name this image “IL220_Lastname_Firstname_Project 5.jpg” or “5a.jpg, 5b.jpg, etc.” (Or PDF)

*Comic pages may be created at any size and any dimensions, but must be presented on an 8.5x11 document. Most comics are created at a size of about 10” x 15” on 11”x17” paper or a similarly sized digital document, and printed at about 6.625” x 10.225”. You may work at a larger size, at actual print size, or at a smaller size (as long as the art looks good), but it must be presented on an 8.5x11 document. (It makes it easier for us to print them for hanging or collect them into a PDF for assessment) Please see me if you have any questions about this.

Project 4 – Instructional Comic (Tying Your Shoe)

Project 4 – Instructional Comic (Tying Your Shoe)

Using only images in sequence, teach us how to tie our shoes. There are multiple methods so choose whichever one you use. The key is to make sure we know how to tie our shoes that way simply by following your visual directions. NO WORDS ARE ALLOWED. You may use arrows, icons, color coding or any other visual cues to make the actions clear. You may also use as many panels and pages as necessary, but try and keep it as simple as possible.

This project begins as an in-class assignment and may be finished for homework. It is due at the beginning of class on 2/6 and will be critiqued in class.

You may work digitally or traditionally, but a digital copy of the image must be emailed to the instructor by 8:30am. Traditionally created work should be scanned at no less than 200 dpi. Name this image “IL220_Lastname_Firstname_Project 4.jpg” or “4a.jpg, 4b.jpg, etc.” (Or PDF)

*Comic pages may be created at any size and any dimensions, but must be presented on an 8.5x11 document. Most comics are created at a size of about 10” x 15” on 11”x17” paper or a similarly sized digital document, and printed at about 6.625” x 10.225”. You may work at a larger size, at actual print size, or at a smaller size (as long as the art looks good), but it must be presented on an 8.5x11 document. (It makes it easier for us to print them for hanging or collect them into a PDF for assessment) Please see me if you have any questions about this.