Teaching Comics to Teens – Drawing Words & Writing Pictures

A two-week comics course for teenagers, taught and written by Jessica Abel. Originally published as a blog series in 2012, compiled here as a single guide.

Week 1, Day 1: Using comics to tell your story

With this post, we inaugurate a fantastic new series by Derek Mainhart, a cartoonist and teacher of comics at the high school level. Derek is setting out to write up an entire year‘s curriculum for a comics class at the secondary level: middle school and high school. From what I’ve seen so far, it’s going to be entertaining, well-planned, and incredibly useful.

We plan to post this series approximately once a week. Follow us via rss, Facebook, or Twitter (buttons above to the right) to be informed when new posts go up. To search for all the posts by Derek, including all in this series, click here.

Jessica & Matt

Day 1

One of the great things about teaching a full year is you have the time to really get to know your students (well, usually it’s a good thing). So in the beginning, it’s helpful to keep in mind that the school year is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. The first week is a good time to ease students into their new environment (your class) as they shake the summer cobwebs off (those beautiful, sun-drenched cobwebs) Use this time to set the tone. Accustom them to the structure and rules, but always remember to keep it fun and engaging (you’re teaching cartooning!)

A note on format: I’ll be presenting these as Lesson Plans with additional commentary added. For the uninitiated, Lesson Plans are precisely that: structured plans to be used as guides for your lesson. These can, of course, be adapted to your particular teaching situation or to fit the requirements of your school. To wit, the Objective (this is sometimes referred to as the Aim). This is the first piece of information that students see upon entering the room. It can be presented in the form of a question or as a stated goal to be accomplished by the end of class. (There are actual philosophical differences on this.) In any case, it gives the students an entry point into the material about to be covered. So on the first day, students entering my classroom will se something like:

Welcome to Cartooning!
Objective: Using comics to tell your story

A useful way to actually start the lesson is a Do Now. This is a brief task to be performed by the students during the first few minutes of class. This serves a couple of purposes. It lets you take care of housekeeping (attendance, etc), but more importantly, it focuses the students on the lesson. As such, you should tailor the Do Now so that it feeds organically into your lesson—no busy work! The Do Now’s I use usually take the form of a drawing exercise or a question the students have to respond to in written or (more often) drawn form. Circulate as they’re doing it. If someone is doing something interesting, tell them! If someone is doing something that relates directly to what you’re about to teach, share it with the class. (I always ask permission first. Teenagers are bundles of nerves, especially at the beginning. I don’t want to inadvertently embarrass someone—If you embarrass someone, it should be on purpose!)

For the first day I keep it simple. I hand out index cards and ask something along the lines of :

Do Now: Why did you choose Cartooning?

Encourage them to elaborate as much as possible. Assure them that you will be reading each response. Students will only care if you do.

Activities (or Procedure, or the like):

Class discussion based on the Do Now

After a few minutes, I elicit student responses. I then answer the question myself: I didn’t choose cartooning – it chose me. I show them some of my personal work (the ONLY time I do this) and talk about my experiences and background. Again, if they see that you’re serious, they are more likely to be. If you don’t have a cartooning background, tell them why you’re so excited to teach it. What comics do you read? What cartoons do you watch? I answer questions as they arise (I usually get “Why did you become a teacher?”)

Teacher will introduce Class Expectations

Next I distribute a brief hand out that includes a general course description and my expectations of the students (including grading policies, etc – the boring, necessary stuff stuff). I then whet their appetites with some of the projects they’ll be doing over the course of the year – in my case, a fully-produced comic book, zoetrope strips, animation cels, etc (the fun, exciting stuff) The whole discussion / intro takes about 10-15 minutes max. I then have them complete a quick

Exercise – Draw a cartoon about the First Day of School.

I tell them these can be funny, realistic or fantastic (i.e., the first day of Robot School). They can be single or multiple panels. (Take the opportunity to introduce your first vocabulary word—panels! I usually ask them directly, “What are the boxes in which all the action takes place called?” See what they know)

Collect their work at the end of class.

Before they leave, tell them how excited you are to be working with them. Then check out their work. That’s the fun part.

Here’s an example from a student whom we’ll call Andy. Because that’s his name. Having some fun with my Do Now:

Derek Mainhart is an art teacher at Deer Park High School and at the Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts. He has taught widely at many institutions such as Molloy College, Boricua College and Hofstra, among others. He teaches cartooning workshops in the greater New York area. In addition, he was the first Vice President of the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (MoCCA) in Manhattan, and was instrumental in the formation of its annual MoCCA Art Festival. He has organized and participated in numerous gallery exhibits in and around NYC. His self-published works include The Iraqi Tinies and W. He is married to web-cartoonist and fellow art teacher Ali Solomon. They live with their daughter in Forest Hills (not far from the house where Peter Parker grew up.)

Week 1, Day 2: Creating an exquisite corpse

This is part of a series of posts by Derek Mainhart—an entire year‘s curriculum for a comics class at the secondary level: middle school and high school. Follow us via rss, Facebook, or Twitter (buttons above to the right) to be informed when new posts go up. To search for all the posts by Derek, including all in this series, click here.

So the first day of school was about starting to get to know your students (and vice versa). The second day will be about them getting to know each other. To this end, I like to have the class play a game called The Exquisite Corpse. Originally conceived by Andre Breton and the Surrealists, the game encourages group creativity through random chance (in my experience, kids love all things random).

So my Objective is simply:

Objective: Creating an Exquisite Corpse

Just the mystery of this weirdo objective may begin to intrigue them (“an exquisite corpse? What’s that?! Probably something with zombies…”).

To further prime them:

Do Now: Draw a hybrid creature

Though it may seem obvious, elicit some examples of hybrid creatures from the class. Make sure everyone understands what’s being asked of them. You will also start to see, based on their responses, which kids are into mythology, which are into Harry Potter and which have watched Napoleon Dynamite too many times (I always get “liger”).

You may also notice certain tendencies amongst some of your students:

The kid who is done in 30 seconds or less. To them I say, “Add more detail!”
The kid who spends minutes furiously drawing, erasing, and re-drawing that first eyeball, trying to get it just right. To them I say, “Stop sweating the details!”
The kid who sits there “thinking.” To them, “Well draw while you think! We’ve only got five minutes!”

Activities:

Class discussion based on the Do Now
Teacher will introduce the Exquisite Corpse game
Teacher will demo the steps

Here’s a link with excellent step-by-step instructions on how to play:

http://www.laits.utexas.edu/hebrew/personal/toolbox/acm/corpse/corpse.html

Teacher will display visual examples of what a completed Exquisite Corpse might look like

These can be from a previous class (always save good examples) or, if you’re a new teacher, make one yourself. (Note to new teachers: When trying a new lesson, ALWAYS try it yourself FIRST. This will help you anticipate any problems your students might encounter. It will also help you to map out the process step by step.)

Teacher will divide students into groups of four

If you have an uneven number of students, don’t worry about it. As long as they keep passing to the left, it’s fine. They can also pass to another table if they have to.

(An aside: My students are already divided into groups of four. I assign seating on the first day. This prevents students from automatically sitting with their best friends. It also prevents anyone from feeling left out.)

Teacher will tell students when to start (“Ready…Set…GO!”).
Teacher will time each segment (3-4 min. for each body part should be enough)
Teacher will announce when to pass to the left

This can be something fun—a sound effect, or playing music while they’re drawing and shutting it off when it’s time to switch

Teacher will also remind students which part of the body they should all be working on (“All right, everyone should be on the lower torso. Keep it clean, Jimmy!”)
Teacher will remind students not to peak at the previous segment. They’re only ruining the surprise for themselves!
At the end of the fourth segment, everyone unfolds the drawing to see what they and their classmates have wrought.

Walk around; take a look. There are always some surprises. Here are some examples:

(Looking at the third one, note how the head is not attached to the body. This is because the first person didn’t follow the rules and indicate to the next person where they should start. Still kinda works though.)

Brief Class Discussion—Where might this character live? Give it a name! What are the advantages of working collaboratively? Did you enjoy the random aspect of the game? Why or why not?

There are numerous advantages to this lesson. It encourages “outside-the-box” thinking. It gets students to begin thinking in terms of character and successful character design. And, most importantly, it promotes collaboration. As in most art classes (indeed, most classes in general) students will spend a great deal of their time working on their own personal projects. They should be encouraged to actively seek out feedback from their classmates. This “ice-breaker” on the second day is a step towards that goal.

Optional: Each student should take the drawing that they started and ink it.

I use this opportunity to begin discussing the role of inking in cartooning. Each student will have a drawing in front of them with four distinct styles. Can they use inking to create unity in the drawing? It’s not just outlining! They should add texture, pattern, shading etc. They are not allowed to erase what anyone else has done however. They have to work with it! (There will be a formal lesson on inking later in the semester.)

Optional: Have the class vote on their favorite drawing (the most exquisite of the corpses) and make it the class mascot (This usually goes over very well with middle-school students. High school students, use your judgment)

Week 1, Day 3: Learning basic cartooning techniques

The first drawing lesson! As you know, cartooning is primarily about storytelling. However, for some students a big motivation for taking the class is to learn how to draw. This expectation is understandable and even desirable from a teaching standpoint. But, as any artist knows, the best way to learn how to draw is simply to do it. Over and over again. Still, many students need some sort of entry point.

There are countless books on cartooning that focus on drawing basics. What’s notable about these books is that, no matter what overly-specific subject they’re covering (How to Draw Norwegian Dragons, How to Draw Adolescent Cyborg Catholic School Girls), they almost all start with the same universal lessons regarding the head and figure. (Drawing Words and Writing Pictures is distinct in that it covers, but does not emphasize, this aspect of comics).

Basically, no matter how complex a subject is (whether it is a sofa, a car or the human body) it can be broken down into basic shapes. This is not something specific to cartooning, but true of art in general. As the semester goes on I’ll get into things like proportion, basic anatomy, etc. But, especially in the beginning, I keep it simple.

Objective: Learning basic cartooning techniques
Do Now: Draw the head of an animal

Now, as you’re circulating you’ll probably notice a wide range of talent and skill. Part of your job is to teach the lesson so that it engages everyone, from the kid who just rendered a DaVinci study of a lemur, to the kid whose drawing appears to be some sort of three-eyed rodent that he drew while holding the pencil in his teeth. This is partly accomplished by emphasizing the universality of the rules I’m about to share with them.

Activities:

Teacher introduces the concept of utilizing simple shapes to describe complex objects using visual examples (readily available from the internet or the aforementioned “How To” books)
Teacher explains that cartoonists will often utilize combinations of these shapes to create formulas that facilitate character design
Teacher will ask students to name a character that clearly uses simple shapes in its design (i.e. Spongebob)

At this point, I tell students that what I’m about to show them is one of these much-used formulas.

Teacher demos the Three-Circle formula

You start by drawing a circle:

Add two connecting circles underneath it (sort of like a Venn diagram):

Add a nose in the middle where the circle meet:

Add eyes over the “cheeks”:

Add details to make it specific:

Teacher will ask what other kind of characters can be drawn with this formula

By changing the details, you create a different character:

Even humans:

The thing to emphasize here is that once you know the underlying formula, it can be manipulated to create a wide variety of characters. It’s the formula that’s important.

Exercise: Students will use the formula to draw a character that’s different from the ones the teacher just demonstrated

As you’ve circulated the classroom, you may have noticed some students already using this formula in completing the Do Now. Acknowledge this and encourage them to push it further (“Show me what you can do”).

Alright, now that we’ve learned the basic formula, let’s push it a little further. We’ll do this by introducing the concepts of stretch and squash.

Teacher will demo a stretch, by starting with the three circle formula, but stretching it like this:

Before adding details, ask your students what kind of personality they think this character will have based solely on the shape of the head. Next add details. Stretch each feature. For example:

Teacher will demo a squash. Draw the three circles thus:

Again ask about a possible personality. Then add details, squashing each feature. For example:

Demo a face that uses both techniques. For example:

Emphasize that in each case, a lot is communicated through the initial design alone, before details are added.

Exercise: Students will create two characters utilizing stretch and squash. They may ink them, adding details, texture, etc, time permitting.

Again, this is simply the introductory drawing lesson that I use; something simple to whet their appetite, that any student can have some success with. You can teach them any drawing techniques you like (if you teach them at all. As Jessica and Matt aptly point out, you can create comics, strictly speaking, without drawing anything at all – see Drawing Words & Writing Pictures page 9).

Week 1, Day 4: Cartooning through the ages

Cartooning Through the Ages!

I am a firm believer in exploring the rich history of the cartooning medium; not only for its own illustrious sake, but as a fount of inspiration for my students’ work. (I also admit that I love teaching it. Windsor McCay, Siegel and Shuster, The Fleischer Bros., why wouldn’t you teach it?)

Objective: Exploring Narrative Art
Do Now: If you could have been born in any other period in history, which would it be and why?

Activities:

Class discussion based on the Do Now (this could prove useful for the Exercise later)
Teacher introduces the concept of narrative art and presents visual examples from Art History

As you can see, my first history lesson encompasses the larger concept of narrative art. The narrative impulse has been with humanity since the beginning, and I use art historical examples to illustrate the point. Since these works (masterpieces thought they are) are clearly evolutionary steps up to the world’s greatest art form (comics, natch), I frame these as proto-comics. There are, of course, a wealth of these images to choose from. Tailor it to your own interests (research is half the fun). Below are mine:

People were drawing stories well before they were writing them. Our example, Wounded Man and Disemboweled Bison from the famed cave paintings of Lascaux, presents a bit of a mystery. Is the man a shaman of some sort? The fact that he seems to have a beak, coupled with the staff below him, topped with a bird of some kind, would seem to support this. Note the exemplary detail on the bison: its fur bristles as it charges, even as it has been run through by a spear causing its intestines to spill out. The angle of the man suggests that he’s been gored by the bison. Is this then a depiction of a titanic battle between mighty warrior and ferocious beast? Or were these images produced completely independently of each other, perhaps centuries apart? Did some enterprising caveman see one of the figures and add the second to produce a narrative? Or is it a random juxtaposition that we are hard wired to read as a story? This lends itself to questions of editing, composition, mise-en-scene, persistence of vision and all sorts of interesting, comics related topics.

In any case, the clear depiction of certain anatomical features at least suggests that our subject was popular with the cave-ladies.

Our next example is The Last Judgment of Hu-Nefer from ancient Egypt. It tells of Hu-Nefer’s trial for entrance into the afterlife. Note the clear, easy-to-follow visual structure. The most interesting scene is probably lower left center. H-Nef’s soul is being weighed against a feather. If his soul is pure, and hence lighter, he passes to the next stage. If it is heavier though, he gets fed to Ammit, Devourer of the Sinful (sound like a Kirby villain) part lion, part crocodile, part hippopotamus (apparently the ancient Egyptians played Exquisite Corpse too).

Our next stop is ancient Greece and Athena Battling Alkyoneos from the Altar of Zeus: a titanic, twisting melee between Goddesses and Giants (or as I like to call it: what Ray Harryhausen’s dreams looked like). Sculptures like this would later influence Michelangelo who would later later influence the heroic proportions of every superhero ever put to paper.

Let us proceed to medieval England, specifically its founding, the Battle of Hastings as thoroughly depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry. At 230 ft., this extensive historical document (produced mostly by anonymous women) contains some 50 scenes of kings and knights, journeys and omens, pillage and plunder, with the kind of exacting detail that would make Peter Jackson proud.

On to the Renaissance, and Masaccio’s masterpiece, The Tribute Money. Here we have an interesting use of continuous narrative, as three sequential scenes are presented within one setting (an approach that has its uses in comics as well). The action actually starts in the middle as the composition leads you to Jesus’ head. He’s just been confronted by a tax collector (who appears twice). Jesus gestures to the sea (a move echoed by Peter, who appears three times) directing the viewer’s eye to the second scene: Peter finding coins in the mouth of a fish. We then proceed from far left to far right where the tax man is paid off. This careful leading of the eye is essential for anyone trying to work sequentially.

A similar effect is found in Michelangelo’s The Creation of the Sun, the Moon and the Plants. Btw, compare with Athena Battling Alkyoneos – toldja! God, soaring, all-powerful, Jewish; if there’s a better description of Superman, I’d like to hear it.

Which brings us to what can properly be called proto-comics; the pioneering work of Rodolphe Topffer (1799-1846). This “Father of Sequential Art” was the first artist to consistently utilize panels and text in a storytelling mode that approximates modern comics. And the storytelling is wonderful. Our page, from The Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck (originally Historie de M. Vieux Bois) begins with a mordant Gorey-esque milieu before descending into madcap slapstick worthy of Tex Avery.

Teacher presents visual examples from Cartooning History that deal with various historical eras.

Next, I switch it up by showing examples of actual comics and how they’ve used different historical eras for inspiration. Again, there’s an embarrassment of riches to choose from. Some examples:

Want prehistoric mayhem? Try Tor by the legendary Joe Kubert

Ancient Greece? We have two varieties: Ultra-Violent via 300 by Frank Miller…

…and Intensively-Researched via Age of Bronze, Eric Shanower’s modern re-telling of the Trojan War

Vikings your thing? We’ve got them in funny (Asterix by Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo) and tragic (Northlanders written by Brian Wood)

Prefer your Middle Ages more chivalrous? Prince Valiant, by the venerable Hal Foster, might be your cup of tea.

Fancy a bit of Victorian pastiche? Sample The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by the inimitable Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill. (If you’ve seen the movie, well, don’t let that stop you.)

If your idea of fun is the dissolution of society during the Weimar Republic, then Berlin by Jason Lutes is for you!

Not lighthearted enough? Swing into the 60’s with Bunny, published by Harvey Comics. “She’s Hip! She’s Mod! She’s the Queen of the In-Crowd!” A sober, authentic representation of a turbulent decade, to be sure. (Backup feature: “Sooper Hippie”!)

70’s comics are a terrific resource for your daily dose of nostalgic kitsch, as demonstrated with far-out flair by Spectacular Spider-Man issue 24, entitled “Spider-Man Night Fever”! (written by Bill Mantlo and drawn by Frank Springer). Wonderful.

For something more authentic, try the landmark Love and Rockets by Los Bros Hernandez, partially set in the punk scene of the early 1980’s.

Or for the Bizarro version, here’s Veronica #193.

It may seem like a lot of information but the above presentation should take no more than 15 min. (Rehearse it and time yourself first)

Exercise: Students will create a thumbnail sketch set in a specific historical era.

It can be in gag or strip form.

If students are stuck, remind them of their answer for the Do Now.

Why did they choose that particular era?

If class time in insufficient, it can be completed for homework.

The main point here is to widen students’ horizons to the type of material that can be explored, while beginning to foster an appreciation of the work that came before.

Here’s an example (thanks again Andy!):

Self-Assessment

The first week is usually a short one, so that wraps up Week 1.

As a teacher you should have accomplished the following objectives:

Set the tone for the class
Clearly communicated your expectations to the students
Engendered class discussion and possible group work
Sparked further interest in the subject matter
Saved the world

If you have done these, you can consider the first week a success. If not (if you’ll excuse the pun) it’s back to the drawing board.

Enjoy your weekend. It’s on to Week 2!

Week 2, Day 1: Gag me with a 'toon

Our first art project: Gag cartoons!

In DWWP, Jessica Abel and Matt Madden begin with this basic unit of comic art—the single panel cartoon. This approach only makes sense, and I utilize it as well. Comic art, as we will see, offers the artist an enormous amount of choices. Starting students off with this bite-size format is a good way to get them thinking about some of these choices in a manageable way. It also affords the teacher the opportunity to begin introducing the basic elements of the comic art form.

Objective: Experimenting with Gag Cartoons
Do Now: Draw a one-panel cartoon of what you did over the weekend.

As always, circulate around the room and see what your students are doing. They likely won’t be drawing gag cartoons per se, which is fine. You didn’t ask them to. If you see something noteworthy, don’t be afraid to say so.

Activities:

Teacher will distribute visual reference.

In my case, as I make my rounds, I leave some old copies of the The New Yorker on each table. Students will naturally start flipping through them.

Class discussion based on the Do Now and visual reference.
Teacher will introduce gag cartoons.

After briefly discussing some of their work from the Do Now, I ask my students if any of them are familiar with The New Yorker (yes, yes, I know—asking teens if they are familiar with a literary magazine—print no less!—is like asking them if they’re fans of Jack Benny. But sometimes they’ll surprise you.) After briefly discussing its cultural import, I mention that it is the premiere venue for gag cartoons. Indeed most people’s conception of gag cartoons is probably informed by the type of work that appears in The New Yorker. I then elicit a definition of what a gag cartoon is from the class. (As most teachers know, knowledge that students construct themselves is generally more important to them than that which is spoon-fed.)

Next I present some different approaches to gag cartoons. (Note: for visual presentations I often use a Smartboard, a high-tech, interactive iteration of the classic chalkboard. If one isn’t available, a Powerpoint presentation or some other method is fine. As we’ll see, I differentiate my mode of presentation—handouts, drawing demo w/ a marker on a large pad, digital—based on what works best for a given lesson.)

Again, there are thousands upon thousands of examples to choose from. Here are some I use:

A play on words from noted gag cartoonist Mike Lynch:

In addition to being a first rate cartoonist, Mike is a veritable font of knowledge on the history of his profession. (Be sure to check out the blog on his website: http://www.mikelynchcartoons.com/ )

Next, a juxtaposition in tone from master of the macabre Charles Addams:

Addams is of course the seminal creator of the Addams Family as well as an inspiration to Tim Burton, Gahan Wilson and all those who dwell in the space where Dark meets Funny.

Next, the legendary Gary Larson, an artist who has gag cartoons down to a science (literally – his work has appeared in natural history museums and scientific journals).

In his musings on the relationship between man, nature and the cosmos in general, his work tends to linger in the mind, and at times approaches the profundity of Art with a capital “A”. Not bad for a one-panel bit of funny.

Finally, returning to the gutter of “low-art” we have Doug Bratton’s gleefully twisted “Pop Culture Shock Therapy”, the type of postmodern mash up of beloved kitsch that’s so popular with the kids nowadays.

Check out his website. (But be forewarned: it’s not all kid-friendly.) http://www.popculturecomics.com/index.php

Exercise:

Students will play The New Yorker Caption Contest

For those unfamiliar, every week The New Yorker provides its readers with a drawing and challenges them to write a caption for it. Here’s the link:

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/caption

I always give them two examples to work with in order to avoid the “I’m stuck” excuse. I tell them to come up with captions for both examples (figuring at least one will be decent). This also gets them into the habit of not settling for their first idea (an important aspect of any creative endeavor). I give them about 5 minutes to complete the task. As they’re working, I circulate around the room looking for particularly effective responses and cajoling the reluctant and recalcitrant. I also inform them that they will be hanging up their work momentarily to increase their motivation.

Here are some images I’ve used in the past:

And here are examples of student responses (typed for legibility):

(I’d love to actually submit some of this stuff to The New Yorker, but alas, you must be 18 in order to play.)

Students will hang up their work.

After time is up, I have students tape their work up on a wall (have multiple roles of tape or this will take forever).

Students will read each other’s responses.

I usually allow a couple of minutes for this.

They will choose two of their favorites to discuss.

They choose two in order to avoid the “my choice already got picked” excuse during the discussion. They’re also not allowed to choose their own.

Students will engage in a class critique of the exercise. Students will discuss their favorites and analyze why they are successful. Were there any trends in terms of the responses? What were some of the different approaches?

A lot of pertinent points will be raised in the discussion: unexpected juxtaposition, shifts in tone from one response to another, clever plays on words, etc. As you wrap up, instruct students to keep these in mind as they begin their first project tomorrow—their very own gag cartoon!

Week 2, Day 2: "The Horror!"

Yesterday we introduced gag cartoons, displayed visual examples and got students’ minds working. Now comes the hardest part:

Objective: Come up with at least two separate ideas for your Gag Cartoon.
Activities:
Class will review the definition of a gag cartoon and key points from yesterday’s Class Discussion
Students will draw at least two separate thumbnail sketches for their Gag Cartoon.

Early in Mastering Comics, Jessica Abel and Matt Madden discuss ‘the Horror of the Blank Page’ (Chapter 2). Every artist who has ever put pen to paper has felt it, and likely some of your students will be feeling it now. To be sure, some students will be bursting with so many ideas that their biggest struggle will be just getting them all down. That’s great. Let them run. But inevitably there will be those students with faces as blank as the page before them.

As a teacher, there are any number of strategies you can employ to encourage them. You could give them the handout you made of yesterday’s visual presentation (you made those, didn’t you?). You could point them to a particular tome of gag cartoons from your classroom library (you’re building one, aren’t you?). You could even let your 21^st century media sponges surf the internet for inspiration (just keep an eye on them). But perhaps the best advice you could give is the suggestion Abel and Madden give at the start of MC : “Just Start Drawing” (Chapter 1).

Again, I have them generate at least two thumbnail sketches so they’re not settling for their first idea. (Teenagers can be an unmotivated, lazy lot.) Walk around the class, gauging progress. When a student is ready, begin individual discussions.

Teacher will individually discuss ideas with students. Together they will choose which sketch will be the basis for the student’s eventual finished project.

As a Cartooning teacher, one of the many hats you’ll be wearing, all year long, is that of Editor. As you review the two sketches (at least!) of your student, there will probably be one idea that is clearly better. More than likely, they will already have made this determination for themselves. However, if they have not, part of your job is to try and nudge the student in that direction. The trick is to try to have them arrive at that conclusion themselves. Ask leading questions:

Which sketch functions the way a gag cartoon should?
Is one idea more original than the other?
Which is simply funnier?

In the end, however, it’s the student’s choice. If they prefer the “lesser” idea, so be it.

Student will revise their chosen sketch based on individual discussion.

Once they’ve made their decision, their next step is to improve it. Help the student zero in on what makes the gag work and then suggest ways to emphasize it. Again, ask questions to help them arrive at the answers themselves. Some questions you might ask:

What EXACTLY is the joke here?
How is it being conveyed?
How can we make it clearer?
Does the caption help to make the point? Or does it need to be more concise?
What part of the drawing should we emphasize? Are there distracting details?

(These last two questions will be reinforced in a drawing lesson in the very near future.)

Here’s an example of a thumbnail sketch after revision (courtesy of Matt Keegan):

The idea is clear, the text (this time included within the panel as opposed to a caption underneath) is concise and the background has just enough detail to give the viewer a sense of setting without being distracting.

Remember, you’re doing this with each student. The whole process, from choosing which idea to develop to suggesting possible revisions, should take 2-3 minutes tops. (Just remember to take the occasional lap around the room to make sure everyone’s on task.) Depending on the size of your class, you may not be able to discuss each student’s work in one class period. Don’t worry about it. You’ll have more time as they’re working tomorrow, especially after you’ve thrown a wrench into the works – Anti-Gag Cartoons!

Week 2, Day 3: How Not To Be Funny

So after spending yesterday helping my students struggle with their nascent, shaky ideas, revising, reworking and shaping them according to the fundamentals that make gag cartoons work, what do I do? Introduce Anti-Gag Cartoons of course! Keep ‘em off balance, that’s what I say!

Objective: Sketching ideas for an Anti-Gag Cartoon
Do Now: How can a joke be ruined?

Activities:

Class discussion based on the Do Now.

Elicit responses concerning what ruins a joke. Ask leading questions like, “Does anyone have a friend that can’t tell a joke?” Some responses might include, “They tell it wrong, they give away the punchline, there is no punchline, they have to explain it.” As we’ll see, Anti-Gag cartoons work along similar lines.

Teacher will introduce Anti-Gag cartoons using visual examples.

In DWWP, Abel and Madden discuss various types of image/text juxtapositions within the single panel format (traditional gag cartoons are just one approach). One of the more intriguing examples is from comics innovator David Mazzucchelli (Chapter 2, p. 18). Due to the mysterious nature of the drawing and the lack of a punchline, they refer to it as an “anti-cartoon”. For the purposes of this unit, I refer to such comics as “anti-gag cartoons” and turn to the master of such obfuscating doodles, Mark Newgarden.

Newgarden is an innovator whose pioneering work was featured in Art Spiegelman’s legendary anthology RAW in the 1980’s. You can check out his current work at his website.

However, the best way to introduce him to your students might be by invoking his best-known creation: “Have you guys heard of the Garbage Pail Kids?” (Amongst those who have, his work will attain immediate cache.)

The Anti-Gag examples below are all taken from the excellent collection of his work We All Die Alone (Fantgraphics). Sounds like a barrel of laughs right? Speaking of which:

Teacher will lead discussion in which class will analyze various examples

(Analyzing humor? Now there’s a way to kill it!)

Mark Newgarden

What’s funny about this cartoon? (The noses, the drawing) What’s not funny? (The depressing caption) Why is it not funny?

In this example, Newgarden plays with common gag clichés; the hobo on the corner, the drunk at the bar, the desert island. How does he subvert the humor here? (Among other things, the captions state the obvious.)

Who are the two men in the background? How is the joke ruined? (by needless additions brought about by committee thinking. Or as they’re called in the entertainment industry, “notes”)

What’s ‘wrong’ here? (If brevity is the soul of wit, then this extended, cutting monologue is the soul of pathos.)

And here he channels his inner Magritte.

Are some of these cartoons funny in a way? Humor usually deals with the unexpected. These certainly qualify on that count. And humor is, of course, subjective. These are ironic, a tad morbid, and, by forcing us to look beyond the surface, perhaps even profound. Whether or not one finds them funny, they certainly provoke a reaction.

Exercise: Students will attempt an anti-gag cartoon.

Make sure to circulate the room, gleefully exhorting them to not be funny!

Here’s a student example. Ironically deconstructing cliche? Well done! (thanks Andy!)

Tomorrow: Back to the Drawing Board!

Week 2, Day 4: Basic Character Design

At this point your students’ minds should be buzzing with ideas. Now that they’re approaching the final version of their Gag Cartoon, it’s time for some more drawing lessons. Nothing terribly complex, but these simple concepts can make all the difference in the work of a neophyte cartoonist, both in visual appeal and readability.

Objective: Basic character design
Do Now: Try to draw a simple cartoon character

As always, circulate the room during the Do Now. Gauge the various skill levels of your students and use this as a guide in terms of how far to push this lesson (or indeed if you should skip it altogether and proceed to the next one—though in my experience, even slightly more advanced students like to see these simple approaches codified.)

Activities:

Brief discussion based on the Do Now
Teacher will demo, step-by-step, simple character design. Students will follow along.

Emphasize the utility of what you’re about to show them. At the same time remind them that this is only one approach. After today, they are free to use it or ignore it.

As with most representational drawing, we start with simple shapes, in this case an oval:

Followed by a trapezoid:

Then some half-circles:

And then these, um, things:

At this point, ask, “Who is this?” You will likely get the name of one of The Powerpuff Girls. Emphasize that is, in fact, all of them, because they all use the same formula. It just depends on what details you add.

(oh like Bubbles isn’t your favorite…)

I begin with this because it’s easy and gives everyone a chance at success. Next, a slightly more complicated character. Start with a circle:

Underneath that we’ll add a neck:

Then, again, a trapezoid. Add a half-circle on either side for sleeves:

Next the arms. Now’s a good time to introduce the concepts of cylinders into the demo. When discussing the rendering of appendages (arms, legs, prehensile cybernetic tails, etc.) it is useful to think of them in terms of cylinders. It may not be readily apparent in this particular drawing, but it will be helpful later on. May as well get your students accustomed to it now.

Some fingers. (Don’t get too caught up in hands right now. Keep it simple. Students tend to find them incredibly frustrating.)

A rectangle, then two more cylinders:

Finally two half-ovals.

Who might this be? Some might say Charlie Brown:

The more attentive student may say it could be any of the Peanuts characters, depending on the details:

You may suggest that this basic formula extends beyond Peanuts. For example:

Now let’s add a wrinkle. What happens if we squash (term from the previous drawing lesson) this figure?

What if we stretch (also from previous lesson) the formula?

What if we do a little of both?

Without adding any details, which of these figures is younger? How can you tell? What makes the other one look older? What details could you add to emphasize this?

Exercise: Students will use the techniques learned today to create two unique characters.

Here are some student examples (Thanks Ashley, Joel and Paul!):

There will be a couple more drawing lessons before the students begin the final version of their Gag Cartoon. But tomorrow’s Friday, and that means: More Cartooning History!

Read Derek’s comic book reviews at: http://imagesandnerds.wordpress.com/

Week 2, Day 5: Yellow Fever

It’s Friday! You know what that means: Cartoon History! As I said earlier, I think it’s an important, oft-neglected subject. It’s also a nice way to end the week, and provides a nice rhythm to the semester. And yes, history is fun.

Objective: Exploring the history of Cartooning

Do Now: Who do you think the FIRST famous cartoon character was? When do you think it was created?

Activities:

Brief discussion based on the Do Now

It’s always interesting to experience students’ gauge on history. A not infrequent answer is something along the lines of “Mickey Mouse in the 1960’s”.

Teacher will introduce The Yellow Kid and Richard F. Outcault using hand-out accompanied by visual examples.

The Information Age is a wonderful thing. There are any number of terrific resources with which to gather material. Some of my favorites are listed below under Resources. (Old-fashioned as I am, many of them are books. Giant, musty books.)

I start with The Yellow Kid simply because most Cartooning Histories use him as a convenient starting point, coming as he does near the dawn of the 20^th century. This approach has merit, though it is certainly debatable (as we’ll see below). Your presentation method is up to you. As I’ve said before, I use Smartboard. Some major points you may want to address in your discussion:

Outcault’s career took off when he was hired by Joseph Pulitzer to work on the New York World. Teacher will elicit responses to gauge students’ prior knowledge. Who was Joseph Pulitzer? Where have you heard the name “Pulitzer” before?

Outcault’s feature, titled Hogan’s Alley, took place in a crowded, urban slum. How does this reflect to the early twentieth century in America?

The Yellow Kid’s name was Mickey Dugan. What is a stereotype? (Note some of the different portrayals of ethnicity.) Are images like this offensive? Why were they acceptable back then? Are there stereotypes today?

Readers recognized Mickey because he always wore the same yellow nightshirt. What other cartoon characters always dress the same way? Sets a precedent.

What are the words on his shirt? His dialogue. Why are they there? This is before the invention of the word balloon.
What else is odd about his dialogue? Outcault used the street slang of his era.
Hogan’s Alley reflected its era, from the everyday (football game)-

to major events like the Spanish-American War.

Speaking of which, what helped to fuel U.S. involvement in the war? What is “yellow journalism”? The term was coined due to the immense popularity of The Yellow Kid. His presence drove up sales as readers would buy the New York World to see what he was up to.
Outcault was eventually hired away by William Randolph Hearst. Who was he? Outcault began producing Hogan’s Alley for Hearst’s New York Journal. Pulitzer meanwhile hired another artist, George Luks, to continue drawing the feature for the New York World. There were no copyright laws regarding comics at the time.
The Yellow Kid was so popular that he became the first comics character to be heavily merchandised, from toys:

to sheet music (this was before radio):

to advertising:

Is Hogan’s Alley truly a comic strip? No word balloons, no panels, not sequential. It’s closer to our current project, Gag Cartoons, but it’s not quite that either. Then why are we studying it? The Yellow Kid is the first character created by a cartoonist to appear regularly in a newspaper, become widely recognized by the public, and cross over into popular culture.

Exercise: The Yellow Kid achieved fame around the turn of the twentieth century. Students will create a Yellow Kid for the early twenty-first century. Here are some examples:

Here he is, flummoxed by modernity… Here, all ‘gangsta’ as the kids say… And here, with lobster claws for some reason.

Thanks Shannon, Nic and Reily!

Resources:

The Comics, Brian Walker. Abrams ComicArts

America’s Great Comic-Strip Artists, Richard Marschall. Stewart, Tabori & Chang

100 Years of Newspaper Comics, Maurice Horn. Gramercy

Masters of American Comics, John Carlin, Paul Karasikand Brian Walker. Hammer, Moca, Yale

There was also Don Markstein’s excellent Toonopedia website, but I haven’t been able to access it since Mr. Markstein sadly passed last year. If anyone has any information on this, it would be greatly appreciated.

Self-Assessment:

So this week you:

Introduced the concept of Gag Cartoons
Helped students generate ideas through warm-up exercises
Guided their ideas through individual discussion
Expanded the possibilities of the subject with the concept of the Anti-gag cartoon
Given students visual tools through the Drawing Lesson
Provided related historical context

Next week we’ll develop this project in earnest. ‘Til then, Happy Friday!

Read Derek’s comic book reviews at: http://imagesandnerds.wordpress.com/