Monday, 10 October 2016

KADENZE comics course 'Thumbnails'



The fifth and final week of the comic art course focussed on the use of thumbnails, the preparatory getting-ideas-on-paper. One of the initial steps to building a story within a six-part process. Outline, Thumbnails, Script, Rough Layouts, Editing and Inking and FInal Art. This process isn't set in stone but is a clear start to creating a comic art process of your own. 

The course went into details on each step, encouraging us to ask ourselves questions about the characters, the plot and the journey through the comic to the end. We were shown comic strips by postgraduate students each following the same script yet resulting in very different strips. 


Our final assignment was to create a 6-page comic which had to have:

  • a child in a park
  • a balloon that comes to life



We were instructed to download practice sheets and begin creating thumbnails. When I had made the single sheet comics the story evolved simply and quickly on the page. Six sheets is something more complicated and I realised I'd need to use the thumbnail process in order to get to the end.


At first I used each printed rectangle as representing a panel on a page before re-reading the instructions and realising that each rectangle represented an entire page. So I re-did the thumbnails and it worked better, giving me the room to design page layout as well as putting down everything I'd learnt during the 5 week course. 

If you're interested in trying comic art I highly recommend the Kadenze course - it covers the basics and has left me itching to do more. Link HERE. If you choose to complete the course free of charge you won't get feedback from the tutor/s or other students and you won't have a Certificate of Accomplishment. Whichever way you complete it you will have a very enjoyable five weeks and new skills to play with.

I think it may take me a while to post a completed inked and coloured comic. I have a beginning and an idea of the end but tying them together to create a fluid storyline will take a little longer. Watch this space...




Copyright © 2016 by Roisin O'Hagan/bloowabbit
All rights reserved. The artworks/illustrations or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the artist except for specific permission granted with a free downloadable.

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