Seven Silent Deadly Sins Comic Critique

Name of critter:

Name of critiqued:

Does the sequence look finished?

What is the subject of the sequence? 

What is the complete action or story arc?

Is the art clear?  Can you tell what is going on at each stage?  Be specific, citing both positive and negative examples.

Can you follow each action?  Can you tell what is being shown?

Is the art compelling?  Be specific.

Does the work avoid using words?

Are all seven sins (wrath, lust, sloth, gluttony, pride, avarice, envy) represented?  Can you tell which sins are which?

Describe the pacing. Does it change? If so, does the change reinforce the narrative or hurt it?

Is the story effectively told with the existing number of panels? Are there superfluous panels or does the story need more – if so, where and why?

Is there ever confusion about the reading order of the panels?

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

How is the “acting” in the strip?  Are the characters’ facial expressions and body language clear? Do they emote well?

Is the strip interesting?  Would you want to read more?  If so, why?  IF not, what is missing?

Seven Silent Deadly Sins

Create a comic between one and four pages in which the seven “deadly” sins are committed. No one actually has to die, however – I know how much you kids like murder. And they’re “silent” because this is the last assignment in which you’re not allowed to use words. The sins can be committed by one character or by multiple characters, and may be committed in any order you choose. Icons, symbols, pictographs, and even wordless word balloons may be used to illustrate the sins. You are not, however, allowed to label the sins.

Really evaluate your thumbnail sketches and concepts before you begin. Are some of the sins quickly and clearly communicated or can some sins be easily confused for others? Can this be done efficiently and effectively in just one page or do you need the full four pages?

The sins are:

Wrath
Lust
Sloth
Gluttony

Pride

Avarice (basically greed)

Envy

Seven Silent Deadly Sins is due Monday, September 29.

Hurry Up and Wait Critique

Hurry Up and Wait

Name of the critter:

Name of the critiqued:

Does the sequence look finished?  How is the craft? 

Is the art clear?  Can you tell what is being depicted?  Be specific, citing both positive and negative examples.

What is the subject of this sequence?  What is the complete action or story arc? 

How is the pacing?  Are there two different paces being shown?  Which character experiences slower time, and which experiences a faster time?

Can you follow the action?  Can you tell what is being shown in each panel and over the course of the comic?  Is there ever confusion as to what order in which to read the panels?

Is the page (or pages) well-organized?

How is the “acting” in the strip?  Are characters’ facial expressions and body language clear?  Do the expressions emote correctly?

Is the strip interesting?  Would you want to read more strips like this?  Why or why not?  If not, what is missing?

Hurry Up and Wait

Create a sequence in which at least two characters are involved in the same course of action. Each should have a different subjective experience of that course of action: for one, time should move very quickly, but for the other, time should slow to a crawl. For an example, see the "gunfighter" sequence on the first page of the Will Eisner handout, "Timing." Consider the various techniques from both the Eisner handout and Scott McCloud's 4th chapter of Understanding Comics, and use them to push the pacing of your sequence as far as possible. The fast should be very fast, and the slow should be really, really slow.

Hurry Up and Wait is due 9/22 to be critiqued on 9/24.

Pacing! Crescendo and Decrescendo!

In music, a crescendo is a symbol that tells the musician to transition smoothly from quiet to loud over a certain 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 your comics are swell… 

Now can you make your art 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 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 9/15 to be critiqued on 9/17.

4 Panels, 4 Scenes Expanded

You’ve created a narrative sequence in just 4 panels with a different scene in each panel. Now, it’s time to examine your sequence and determine how to best serve that sequence with an expanded edit. What scenes are needed to complete the actions of the story arc? Are new panels needed at the beginning, middle or end of the story? Think about the different types of panel-to-panel transitions. Scene-to-scene, aspect-to-aspect, and so on. What types of transitions do you already find in the comic? What types of transitions can be inserted or removed to help the story?

Using all four of your original panels, add as many new panels as you feel necessary to anywhere in the comic that you feel best serves the story. These new panels can be at the beginning, middle, end or all throughout the comic.

4 Panels, 4 Scenes Expanded is due 9/8 to be switched for critique on 9/10.