+Ryan Estrada's Broken Telephone Kickstarter is one of the most interesting and inventive ideas for  a graphic novel I've ever seen, and there's not much time left to get in on it.

A band of cartoonists getting together to make an album. So great.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ryanestrada/broken-telephone-the-whole-story-2014/posts/691365

#comics   #digitalcomics   #kickstarter  

src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/P3MgpKHUn7NDyLFW6NygX7iXMh6R0JRS316I_HOU9gGLIW_KMYPp-8-rgXdz9tvMoMAANj85u9Bxy6B_rxdCmp9D1h7rTD4WEqlgA_4OJXP97HfbJs4=w120-h120"
height="120"
width="120"
alt="attached image" />

Join our On-Air Hangout today with guests +Dave Roman and +Raina Telgemeier for a discussion on some of the best comics to give to loved ones, whether or not they already love comics.

#hangoutsonair   #comics   #graphicnovels   #holidayshopping   #holidays2013  

The final CAG of 2013! I'll be joined by @113771773108158880173 (http://yaytime.com) and @100503655594896246229 (http://goraina.com) for a list of our favorite comics and graphic novels of 2013 and which ones would make a great gift for that loved one who doesn't consider themselves a comics reader.

You can join the discussion live at http://comicsaregreat.tv and participate via the Q&A during the show. Share your picks for the best comics to give as gifts this year!

#comics   #graphicnovels   #comicbooks   #holidaygifts  

Comics For The Holidays! – CAG 91

*What comics would you recommend for a non-comics reader this holiday season?*

The final CAG of 2013! I’ll be joined by +Dave Roman (http://yaytime.com) and +Raina Telgemeier (http://goraina.com) for a list of our favorite comics and graphic novels of 2013 and which ones would make a great gift for that loved one who doesn’t consider themselves a comics reader.

You can join the discussion live at http://comicsaregreat.tv and participate via the Q&A during the show. Share your picks for the best comics to give as gifts this year!

#comics   #graphicnovels   #comicbooks   #holidaygifts  

Special audio-only episode of +Comics Are Great! with guest Ben Hatke (Zita the Spacegirl)just dropped!

http://comicsaregreat.com/cag92

In this special audio-only episode of Comics Are Great! I'm joined by cartoonist Ben Hatke (http://benhatke.com) for a discussion on writing the Really, Really Good Guys (and Gals). Together we discuss the appeal of a character who has an inner sense of what is right, the perils of writing ultra-powerful characters, and what the role of restraint (both from within and without) plays in making a character’s choices compelling.

Listen to the show here: http://comicsaregreat.com/cag92

#comics   #comicbooks   #graphicnovels   #writing   #art  

The final CAG of 2013! I'll be joined by @113771773108158880173 (http://yaytime.com) and @100503655594896246229 (http://goraina.com) for a list of our favorite comics and graphic novels of 2013 and which ones would make a great gift for that loved one who doesn't consider themselves a comics reader.

You can join the discussion live at http://comicsaregreat.tv and participate via the Q&A during the show. Share your picks for the best comics to give as gifts this year!

#comics   #graphicnovels   #comicbooks   #holidaygifts  

Comics For The Holidays! – CAG 91

*What comics would you recommend for a non-comics reader this holiday season?*

The final CAG of 2013! I’ll be joined by +Dave Roman (http://yaytime.com) and +Raina Telgemeier (http://goraina.com) for a list of our favorite comics and graphic novels of 2013 and which ones would make a great gift for that loved one who doesn’t consider themselves a comics reader.

You can join the discussion live at http://comicsaregreat.tv and participate via the Q&A during the show. Share your picks for the best comics to give as gifts this year!

#comics   #graphicnovels   #comicbooks   #holidaygifts  

In the latest +Lean Into Art Cast (http://goo.gl/5YP5Cd) +Rob Stenzinger and I spent some time talking about the crossover between poetry and comics, which led to some fun talk on rhythm in visual storytelling.

We spend a lot of time playing with visual rhythm in my comics classes, and a few years back I captured some video of one of those sessions.

#poetry   #comics   #storytelling   #writing  

The new Robo Force comic is currently updating on the Toyfinity website (http://goo.gl/Hhd6Rw), and I was lucky enough to get to work as the artist on the story.

Thought I'd share the process elements of one of the recent pages. Here are the thumbnails (graphite on typing paper), pencils (blue pencil and graphite on bristol), inks (Manga Studio EX4), and colors (Photoshop CS5) with lettering (Adobe Illustrator CS5). See how one of these pages comes together!

#comics   #roboforce   #robots   #illustration  

Robo Force pg 5 Process

src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-G4hFigBgP0Y/UqDStoNzhkI/AAAAAAAAn4g/YpeBWKh-HPo/w379-h379-p/05_01ROBOFORCE.jpg"
type="image/jpeg"
height="379"
width="379"
alt="The finished colors in Adobe Photoshop CS 5."
style="float: left; border: 0;margin: 0 -1px -1px 0;" />

src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ozqRdUXwHYM/UqDSv27qsyI/AAAAAAAAn4o/p1La2qu2iBw/w126-h126-p/05_01ROBOFORCE_INKS.jpg"
type="image/jpeg"
height="126"
width="126"
alt="The Inks in Manga Studio EX4."
style="float: left; border: 0;" />

src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-RRsAuYLU1pY/UqDSyG77ugI/AAAAAAAAn4w/SkLpuqPnsg0/w126-h126-p/05_01ROBOFORCE_PENCILS.jpg"
type="image/jpeg"
height="126"
width="126"
alt="The Pencils. Blue pencil and graphite on bristol."
style="float: left; border: 0;" />

src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Hh1-ZVBfQKE/UqDSzcQcVSI/AAAAAAAAn44/hfERaXdJBS0/w126-h126-p/05_01ROBOFORCE_THUMBNAILS.jpg"
type="image/jpeg"
height="126"
width="126"
alt="The Thumbnails. Graphite on typing paper."
style="float: left; border: 0;" />

(4 images)

Every month or so on the +Lean Into Art Cast, +Rob Stenzinger and I issue mini art challenges (Quests) designed to fire up your creative engines. Some of these are tested in my comics classrooms, while others wind up getting integrated into my comics classrooms.

The latest Quest, issued by Rob, is called This Character is Lying (http://goo.gl/tyv4Yz). It's a deceptively simple quest that layers in exercises in editing, character acting, and visual pacing. I had a lot of fun with this one. (Click the album to view notes on my decision process.) 

There's still time to participate in the Quest (again, it's here: http://goo.gl/tyv4Yz), and share your results. We'll discuss the entries on the Lean Into Art Cast streaming via On-Air Hangout Thursday night at 9pm ET.

#writing   #drawing   #storytelling   #comics  

LIA Quest 10

src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-p_gPjDafEJ8/Up-doRVfAuI/AAAAAAAAn2k/VVB3fXfO8TA/w337-h337-p/Card%2B2.png"
type="image/jpeg"
height="337"
width="337"
alt="Don't know if this is a cheat, but I sort of fragmented the "DAP AP AP!" balloon into three sub-balloons. This was my favorite part of Quest 10. Thinking about how to use space and size to communicate the pacing of the dialog. Big gap between balloons 2 and 3 to suggest a gesture, like cradling the other's chin, or moving in close for the "revelatory" line about the character's true feelings."
style="float: left; border: 0;margin: 0 -1px -1px 0;" />

src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-w1VzsS0NWNQ/Up-dl5lmbnI/AAAAAAAAn2c/CgisA9tPyRo/w168-h168-p/Card%2B1.png"
type="image/jpeg"
height="168"
width="168"
alt="This one took the longest. I eventually went for a sleazy, condescending tone. I'm thinking that, if the character were sincere, they wouldn't use such casual (and almost dismissive) language to express deep feelings."
style="float: left; border: 0;" />

src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_U4XDVPwMjA/Up-dqXPgOCI/AAAAAAAAn2s/rWAwOddDy24/w168-h168-p/Card%2B3.png"
type="image/jpeg"
height="168"
width="168"
alt="Two versions of the face, each serviceable, in my opinion. Depends on the context. Is this moment about revealing the character's true motives to the reader? Then I think v1 works for that. No ambiguity there. But if we're trying to set up some misdirection or tension, a more sincere expression (v2) coupled with the sleazy dialog might help to defy readers' expectations."
style="float: left; border: 0;" />

(3 images)

Throughout the 8 weeks we will play with various formats such as mini-comics, serialized comics, and graphic novels. You'll get to try your hand at using many of the materials used by comics professionals. And every week will conclude with a game designed to boost your creativity!

Registration is required, and you have to sign up by January 1, 2014: https://apm.activecommunities.com/annarborartcenter/Activity_Search/graphic-novel-academy-ages-9-12/33

Class dates and times:
Tuesdays: 01/07/14 – 02/25/14
4:30-6:00pm

This course is for kids ages 9-12.

Winter Graphic Novel Academy (ages 9-12)

An 8-week course in writing visually! Learn how to use 4 common tools in cartooning (shape, size, line, and color) to create characters readers will believe in, worlds they will love to explore, and stories they will never forget.

Throughout the 8 weeks we will play with various formats such as mini-comics, serialized comics, and graphic novels. You’ll get to try your hand at using many of the materials used by comics professionals. And every week will conclude with a game designed to boost your creativity!

*Registration is required, and you have to sign up by January 1, 2014:* https://apm.activecommunities.com/annarborartcenter/Activity_Search/graphic-novel-academy-ages-9-12/33

Class dates and times:
Tuesdays: 01/07/14 – 02/25/14
4:30-6:00pm

This course is for kids ages 9-12.