Teen Summer: DIY Comic Book Making

Class Description

You love comics, and graphic novels, and you like to doodle, but perhaps you’ve never finished a multi-page comic story? Or, you are a veteran comics creator and want to draw a new one! Now’s your chance to create a mini-comic during one week this summer. First, we’ll explore the different kinds of stories people have told using the comics medium. Then you’ll brainstorm, develop and write a solid chunk of your fiction or non-fiction story, or poems that will be source material for a mini-comic, a zine—or hand-photocopied booklet—featuring comics. Next, you’ll workshop and revise your writing with one or two fellow creators. Then, we’ll organize the text and create thumbnail drawings—or rough sketches—that transform your written words into a combination of words and pictures. By Wednesday, we’ll visually research and start drawing finished comic pages. On Thursday, we will finalize as many pages of our story as we can using ink, so overnight the comics can be reproduced to fit onto folded pieces of 8.5 by 11-inch sheets of paper. On Friday, we’ll staple up our mini-comics, add extra features to the photocopied work, and create digital versions of our comic art, which can be shared in a webcomic or through social media.

Students will leave with a finished mini-comic or web comic and a deeper understanding of the process of creating a thoughtful comic, from idea to publication. For writers of all experience levels, age 13 - 18 ONLY.

Accommodations:

Snacks, pens, notebooks, and a limited number of loaner laptops will be provided.

Additional meal stipends and MBTA passes can be requested using this food and transportation request form.

Registration Instructions:

• Register for the class by clicking the red "ADD TO CART" button and following the checkout instructions through our website. If you do not have an account, you will be able to make one easily. When making the account, please use your preferred name.
• If you are registering on behalf of a student, add their email in the “For a Friend or Child?” field on the right-hand side of the screen at check out. This will send them a direct link and reminder to create their own profile with GrubStreet.
• If the student is under 18, parents/guardians must complete this permission form online. You only need to fill this form out one time, not for every class. Please complete it with the student's preferred name. If you cannot remember whether you have already filled it out, please email [email protected] and we will check for you! If you do not complete this form, your registrations could be voided and the cancellation policy will apply.
• If the student is 18, simply let us know by emailing [email protected].

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If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at [email protected]. We’re excited to write with you this summer!