This video is part 1 of a comics curriculum for self-taught artists. Topics explained include the international comics industry, types of comics including webtoons, non-fiction biographies, superhero, Sunday Funnies.
Also discussed is the visual language of comics including panels, speech bubbles, spreads, and pages, as well as techniques like the “180 degree rule,” point of view, tangents, the “foot rule,” and more.
Discussion led by Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artist Cat Huang.
Video Walkthrough
- The comics world is gigantic!
- If you want to make comics, it’s very important to read a LOT of comics that are diverse.
- Cave paintings can be considered comics: they are images that tell a story.
- People often assume comics are just superhero stories.
- Watch our videos on must read manga: part 1 & part 2.
- 3 Big Comic Industries Today
- France/Belgium (BD)
- America (comics)
- Japan (manga)
- Types of Comics
- Instructional
- Super Hero
- Sunday Funnies
- Nonfiction Biographies
- Web Comics
- Editorial
- Animated Gif Comics
- Memes
- Comics Vocabulary
- Panels: all shapes and sizes
- You don’t always need a panel
- Pages
- Spreads: when an image goes across 2 pages.
- Speech Bubbles can change shape based on the expression.
- How do You Read Comics?
- Left to right, top to bottom
- Tezuka manipulates the order of drawing to fit the narrative.
- Panels are not read the same way throughout the world.
- Writing skills are very important to have to be a comics artist.
- Taking a writing class can be useful to hone your skills for your comics.
- To improve your writing skills, read a comic several times, analyze the writing each time.,
- Comics Techniques
- 180° Rule
- Point of View
- Foot Rule
- Direction
- Tangents
Comics mentioned
- Asteroid Polyp, David Mazzucchelli
- My Favorite Thing is Monsters, Emil Ferris
- Habibi, Craig Thompson
- American Born Chinese, Gene Luen Yang
- Moomin, Tove Jansson
- Bone, Jeff Smith
- Ghost World, Dan Clowes
- Captain Underpants, Dav Pilkey
Web Comics
- Tower of God, S.I.U.
- Chosen, Natalie Linn
- Kingfisher, Rowan MacColl
- Hyperbole and a Half, Allie Brosh
- Guide to Spotting Tangents, Chris Schweizer
Animated Gif Comics
- Roaxaca Zone, Antoine Maillard
- Out Of Skin, Emily Carroll
- webcomic name, Alex Norris
Bandes Dessinées
- Arzach, Moebius
- Aya of Yop City, Marguerite Abouet & Clément Oubrerie
- The Adventures of Tintin, Hergé
- Le Chat du Rabbin, Joann Sfar
- Inca, Alejandro Jodorowsky & Jean Giraud
Artists Mentioned
Sunday Funnies
- Peanuts, Charles M. Schulz
- Pogo, Walt Kelly
- Brenda Starr, Reporter, Dale Messick
- Cathy, Cathy Guisewite
- Calvin & Hobbes, Bill Watterson
Non-fiction Comics
- Maus, Art Spiegelman
- Can’t We Talk about Something More Pleasant? Roz Chast
- Smile, Raina Telgemeier
- Blankets, Craig Thompson
- Gender Queer, Maia Kobabe
- Fun Home Alison Bechdel
- Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi
- Hey Kiddo, Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Superhero Comics
- Watchmen Alan Moore
- All-Star Superman, Grant Morrison
- Wonder Woman, Charles Moulton
- Miles Morales Spider-Man Vol. 1, Saladin Ahmed & Javier Garron
Comics Resources
- The complete Comics for Self-taught Artists Curriculum document links to every video that expands on the topics touched here.
- Comics Tutorials
- Comics Premium Track
- Comics Track
- Comic Book List
- Manga Book List
- Comics Resources
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