Instructor: Shane McDermott smcdermott@mca.edu
Office: Gibson Hall # 156 Hours: MWF 3:35 – 4:35
IL220 Illustrated
Story 1: Cartoons & Sequential Art (COMICS
1) MW 9am-11:35
Course Objectives
This course explores the
formal language of storytelling with multiple images, including comics, cartoon
strips, and children’s picture books. This
course is writing and drawing intensive.
Course OutcomesThe
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 OutcomesThe
successful student will achieve the following course outcomes:
•
Students will learn to create engaging stories.
•
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 demonstrate capability with media and techniques.
•
Students will produce evidence of an understanding of the methods of comics
production.
P2 Outcomes
The successful student will
achieve the following course outcomes:
•
Students will demonstrate the ability to document their work.
•
Students will demonstrate the ability to exhibit their work beyond the
classroom.
• Students
will demonstrate the ability to research to stay current in their field.
•
Students will demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively.
Grading/Professionalism
Comics Projects (out of class) Including Participation
(50%)
This course involves both
in-class and out-of-class assignments. Out-of-class comics will be graded on creativity (is the story original and
compelling), visual storytelling
(clarity of content), draftsmanship
(are the characters and environments thoughtfully and effectively rendered),
and lastly, technique (the
professional design and presentation of the comic).
- Incomplete work is work that is not completed according to project
specifications and not completed for critique. Incomplete work is lowered by 15 points,
but can be raised 10 points upon completion.
- Late work is any work not presented at all at the scheduled time
for review or critique. Late work
receives zero points, but can be turned in before the next class with an
irreversible 10 point penalty. The
project is lowered an additional 10 points for each week it is late. It is the student’s responsibility to
present late work. The instructor
will not ask for it.
- Projects are deducted 10 points when they do not adhere to
assignment guidelines. This is
eligible for, but not guaranteed a 10 point increase upon rework.
- Additional points may be deducted for imagery that is unclear,
compositional oversights, misspellings, or an unprofessional presentation.
- Every student is expected to participate in critique and to offer
objective feedback ( both positive and negative reactions) for a balanced
and constructive critique.
Execution and Presentation of Comics
See separate handout for
specific instructions on print and digital output.
Comics Projects (in class -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 collaborative
efforts that reinforce different story building methods.
Cartoonist Research Project (25%)
See the attached assignment!
Attendance
Absences
- There is no penalty for 3 or 4 absences in a MW class.
- The fifth absence reduces the final grade by 10 points (this can
be a tardy-absence)
- The sixth absence results in automatic failure of the class.
- Absences during critique irreversibly lower the project grade 5
points 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 10
points
- 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 because I’m old and easily
confused. 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.)
A
sketchbook! (it can contain work for
other classes, but in a separate section)
2.)
Good quality
paper for penciling and inking
3.)
Pencils, pens,
brushes, sharpies
4.)
A pack of index cards and post-it notes
5.)
Pushpins
6.)
18 inch metal
ruler (cork back)
7.)
Ames lettering
guide (suggested)
Materials Binder
Maintain a notebook or binder
in which you will keep any handouts presented in class (including this
syllabus), in-class exercises, and visual research from each project. Bring this binder to each critique and plan
on maintaining it through subsequent classes.
Required Texts
Understanding
Comics Scott McCLoud
Recommended Texts
Writing with
Pictures Uri Shulevitz
Graphic
Storytelling Will Eisner
Sequential Art Will Eisner
On Directing Film David
Mamet
Framed
Ink: Drawing and Composition for Visual Storytellers Marcos Mateu-Mestre
Picture
This: How Pictures Work Molly Bang
Class Blog
The syllabus, schedule, and first
assignments are posted to the class blog at www.mcaillsto1.blogspot.com. Future assignments will be posted as
they are distributed. NEVER TELL ME YOU DIDN’T HAVE THE
ASSIGNMENT! I will also post
instructions here in the event of a class cancellation.
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.
Cartoonist Research Project
Image Research: Research each of the listed artists. Collect at least five of their images in your
sketchbook and record who they were, when they worked and what sort of work
they did.
David Beauchard
Lynda Barry
Alison Bechdel
Milton Caniff
Daniel Clowes
Roy Crane
Robert Crumb
Nell Brinkley
Jessica Abel
Diane DiMassa
Julie Doucet
Edwinna Dumm
Becky Cloonan
Sherry Flenniken
Will Eisner
Lionel Feininger
Chester Gould
Roberta Gregory
Herge
Gilbert Hernandez
Jaime Hernandez
David Mazzucceli
George Herriman
Ben Katchor
Walt Kelly
Lucy Knisley
Jack Kirby
Aline Kominsky
Harvey Kurtzman
June Mills
Kate Beaton
Winsor McKay
Moebius (Jean Giraud)
Jackie Ormes
Diane Nomn
Gary Panter
Wendy and Richard Pini
Hugo Pratt
Trina Robbins
Marjane Satrapi
Dale Messick
Hilda Terry
Maurice Sendak
Charles M Shulz
E.C. Segar
Art Spiegelman
Osamu Tezuka
Rudolphe Topffer
Chris Ware
Jim Woodring
Image Research due: 10/1
Research Paper: Choose the artist who interests you
most. Research this artist for your
presentation. At least four sources must
be cited in your bibliography. Use at
least two non-internet sources. If your
chosen cartoonist is still alive, it is highly recommended that you contact
them for an interview. Write a 2000 word
paper about the artist: who they were,
who their influences were, what their training was like, when they worked, what
sort of work they did and what sort of techniques they used. Examine at least one of their works in terms
of the formal language of sequential art: what sort of panel-to-panel
transitions does this artist favor?
Word-to-picture relationships?
Page layouts? Must have a cover
sheet!
The paper must be delivered
to me by 9am on 10/15 in print and also delivered digitally at
smcdermott@mca.edu.
Presentation: Prepare a 10 minute PowerPoint presentation
based on your paper. It should include
at least twenty images of your artist’s work, and at least five of an artist
who influenced them. You may wish to
also include images that set the time and place in which your artist lived and
worked.
Presentations given on11/17
and 11/19.
