Intro to Comics
Learn to plan and draw your own comics!
Teacher Artwork by Kelly Tindall
Intro to Comics
Making comics may be one of the most complex art forms that an artist can tackle on their own, but it doesn't have to be intimidating! In this course, you will learn all about the narrative elements of comics including writing dialogue, devloping characters and story structure as well as the technical skills involved in making them such as inking, drawing easy-to-follow sequential art, and using colour and shading to enhance mood.
Whether you are a beginner, or have dabbled in making your own strips, this course welcomes all artists who want to create comics, regardless of genre or style. By the end of the class, you will be equipped with the key knowledge and skills needed to bring your own stories and characters to life and have your readers wanting more!
- Course Type Online Illustration Classes
- Duration 10 weeks
-
Skill Level
Level 1 Level 1
Strong fundamentals in traditional drawing, painting and sculpting are the foundations to create amazing artwork.
This level is about solidifying the fundamentals, getting a refresher on the most important art principles, and learning tricks to create realistic drawing and paintings.
- Language English
You can now combine 3, 4 or 5 classes to avail a 5, 10 or 15% discount on your purchase!
Schedule
Note: This class will be offered online only
Term: Winter 2025
Class Timings: Thursdays from 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM, Eastern Savings Time (EST or UTC-5h)
Date of first class: January 9th
Duration: 10 weeks
Please note that our classes times are listed as EST (GMT-5) but that starting on Sunday, March 9th, 2025, all class times will go into EDT (GMT-4)
If you are unable to attend the class during the times listed above, you will still have access to video recordings of the class lectures and will still receive personalized feedback from your instructor.
*Please note that this class' duration is subject to change (to either 1.5 hours or 2 hours) depending on the number of enrolled students.
These shorter class formats are conducted with more of a personalized mentorship style, allowing students to have more time devoted to their assignments' critiques and the ability to ask more questions in class, while still maintaining all of the theory and planned curriculum for the regular class length.
Prerequisites
Skill requirements
This class is appropriate for beginners as well as novices with limited experience making comics and cartoons already; there are no prerequisites.
Language and age requirements
You should have at least intermediate level English to take this class. Please be advised that there could be artistic nudity in our classes. Students should be 14 years old to enroll.
Minimum Artistic Skills Required
Your current skill level should roughly be on par with the artwork featured here before taking this class. If you are still unsure, please send an email to [email protected]; we will be happy to assess your artwork!
Required Materials
Material List:
- Erasers: (Any)
- Sketching Pencils: (Any)
- Sketchbooks: (Any)
OR
- Photoshop (or similar art programs such as Procreate or Affinity Photo)
The teacher for this course allows students to use digital tools to complete assignments if they wish. Please note that no digital or technical assistance will be provided in class.
Tech Requirements for Attending Syn Studio Online Classes
Minimum Requirements
- A strong uninterrupted broadband wired or wireless (3G or 4G/LTE) connection with a minimum 600kbps bandwidth (up/down).
- A Laptop/Desktop computer equipped with a single core processor (at least 1 GHZ processing speed) or a smartphone/tablet with equivalent processing capabilities
- Good speakers/earphones to listen to the classes
- Browser - IE7+, Safari 5+, Firefox, Chrome
- Operating System - Windows XP, Mac OS 10.6, Linux distro based on 3.0 kernel, Android 5.0, iOS 10
Syn Studio Recommendations
- A strong uninterrupted broadband wired or wireless (3G or 4G/LTE) connection with a minimum 1.5Mbps bandwidth (up/down). You can also connect to the internet directly using your ethernet cable to improve your experience.
- Laptop/Desktop computer equipped with a dual core processor with at least 2 GHZ processing speed and a 4 GB RAM
- High Quality speakers/earphones to listen to the classes
- Browser & Operating System - We recommend using the latest version of the browser and operating system for an optimal online classroom experience.
Course Outline
*Please note that the following outline is subject to change slightly at the teacher's discretion.
Week 1
Learn the basic elements, mechanics and terminology of comics; what defines the medium of sequential art, what makes for a good character design, an introduction to page design, and your tools!
Week 2
Understand the basics of how to build a story: an introduction to scripting conventions for comics, page layout & thumbnailing.
Week 3
Learn essential techniques for planning and penciling your comics pages. Receive an introduction to inking tools as well as different styles of finishing your art.
Week 4
Learn how to scan your pages, make "blue lines" for inking and how to hand-letter your comics while ensuring your text is readable. Acquire methods for balloon placement, working with the eye-line, advanced inking and more.
Week 5
Learn the power of using digital tools for lettering, colouring, and processing your art. You don’t have to be able to use a computer to make comics, but like most things, it helps a lot and can greatly empower your creativity.
Week 6
Comic Jam! An introduction to improv comics, collaborating and the comics community. You can make comics on your own, but it helps to team up for big projects, and community will be your greatest resource.
Week 7
Learn the business: an overview of the current state of the Art in self-publishing, social networking and building a brand. Continue working on your comic while receiving one-on-one feedback from the instructor.
Week 8
Receive an introduction to digital colouring and understanding of the role of colour in storytelling.
Weeks 9 and 10
Learn to apply the finishing touches and complete your comic with the professional guidance of the instructor.
Testimonials
Registration
You can now combine 3, 4 or 5 classes to avail a 5, 10 or 15% discount on your purchase!
You will soon receive an email receipt for your purchase.
Please bring a photo ID for the first day of class.
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Questions and Assistance
Feel free to send us an email at [email protected] or give us a call at 514-998-7625
Please consult our FAQ; most of the commonly asked questions are answered in detail there. If you cannot find the answer to your question, please feel free to fill out the form below, or, send an email to [email protected]