Comics 1 Syllabus!

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.