THE ART OF COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS ONLINE
If you love to read stories, and enjoy looking at art, what could be better than putting them together into a comic? Luckily for us, visual storytelling is bigger than ever! Comics, comic books, graphic novels, and manga books line the shelves of every bookstore in town. Have you ever wondered what it takes to make a story of your own and create your own comic book? In this course we will teach students the basics of what makes a great comic, from framing to paneling to design, starting with the cardinal rule of comics: don’t tell, show.
Ages: 10 – 14
Dates: July 20 – 24
Times: 9:30 am – 4:30 pm (M-F)
Tuition: $390 (Beginning the Friday prior to the start of the program, a $10 late registration fee will apply)
Location: Zoom (Details provided in Welcome Letter)
Daily Schedule
9:30 am – 10:30 am
Online Daily Instruction, Inspiration, and Lecture
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Individual Work Time and Instructor Check-ins
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Lunch
1:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Individual Work Time and Instructor Check-ins
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Online Regroup and Class Discussion
Requirements:
- Computer and/or tablet with internet access and audio/video capabilities
- Paper and pencil
- Digital camera or camera phone
- Suggested Supplies: ink pens (micron, rollerball, copic, sharpie), colored pencils, drawing paper (Hot Press Bristol board)
Recommended, but not required:
- If students prefer to design digitally, access to the Adobe Creative Cloud and a drawing tablet with stylus is highly recommended.
PROGRAM FACULTY
Instructor: Zachary Rhoades
Comic Artist
Read more about Mr. Rhoades
Zachary Rhoades has been working in media since 2003, and taught undergraduate courses in animation, storyboarding, greenscreen, and production at Art Institute of D.C. and George Mason University. In addition to his professional experience, Mr. Rhoades is an avid fan of all things nerd and geek, including cartoons, comics, and video games. Mr. Rhoades has created and contributed to multiple independent comics and books and is a regular contributor to “The Saturday Morning Cartoonists” podcast. Mr. Rhoades earned his bachelor’s degree in computer graphics and animation from George Mason University, and he is currently working on the independent publishing of his illustrated novel series “GENE515.”
Director: Justin Sutters
Mason School of Art Professor
Read about Dr. Sutters
Dr. Sutters was a K-12 art educator in an urban school district for seven years and also taught for two years in São Paulo, Brazil. He completed his undergraduate and master’s degree from Kutztown University in Pennsylvania, attained his doctorate degree from the Ohio State University receiving national recognition for his dissertation. Since he has been an Assistant Professor and currently is the Director of the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program in Art Education at George Mason University. He has presented his research at the state, national and international levels and is published in numerous peer-reviewed journals. He currently is the Chair of the Professional Learning through Research (PLR) working group of the National Art Education Association’s Research Commission, the NAEA Higher Education Representative for the Southeastern Division, on the review board of Art Education and Visual Arts Research (VAR) and has been a contributing member of the Data Visualization Working Group. His research focuses on pre-service practices, teacher licensure, national demography data, comparative studies/Brazilian studies, and theories pertaining to space and place.
- Be sure to check our FAQs and policies and procedures regarding registration, withdrawals, refunds, curriculum, technology and more for summer programs.
- All students will receive a Welcome Letter via email at least 1 week before the program starts with all necessary details including camp schedule, supply list, web links, etc.
- For additional information, please contact the Academy at academy@gmu.edu.
