PROJECT: Comic Jam
MCAD TEACHING ARTIST: Marina Harkness
SCHOOL/TEACHER: Southwest Highschool/Cecily Spano, Perpich Arts Highschool/Pat Benincasa
AGE/GRADE: 11-12 Grade (Advanced Art)
VISUAL ARTS CONTENT / STANDARDS Grades 9-12 1. Artistic
Foundations
1. Demonstrate knowledge of the
foundations of the arts area. / Analyze how the elements of visual art including color, line, shape, value, form, texture and space; and principles such as repetition, pattern, emphasis, contrast and balance are combined to communicate meaning in the creation of, presentation of, or response to visual artworks.
OVERVIEW OF PROJECT
This is a collaborative thematic comic project where students work in small groups of two to four students from a single word or idea prompt. Each students receives a comic template and has five minutes to create a panel. Every five minutes the students hand their sheet to the next person in the group and create the sequential panel on the sheet they receive, considering the completed panels, images and story. The round robin continues until all the panels are completed. The comics are then collected and critiqued for compositional, technical and narrative choices.
“BIG IDEAS”/ ESSENTIAL QUESTION(S)
How does information in a sequence create narrative and tone?
What can happen during a lack of control/surrender of control?
What makes a visual narrative compelling and interesting?
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
Short presentation on comic storytelling and composition providing different styles of comics by genre and region, information on readability and clarity of the narrative, through contemporary comic sources.
SOURCES
Understanding Comics by Scott McCLoud
ASSESSMENT
Quick discussion/critique following the activity:
What went wrong?
What went right?
What happened?
What were your expectations and how did they change?
MATERIALS
Comic Templates
Pencils
Markers both black sharpies and colors
LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TIMING
1. Comic overview presentation (20 Minutes)
2. Introduction to the assignment, tips, advice on how to make it successful. How to work best within limitations (time, materials, group experience) (10 minutes)
3. Activity time (30 minutes)
4. Critique/Discussion/Debrief (15 Minutes)
Click on the image below to view comics from Southwest Highschool students.
Comics from Perpich Highschool students.
