Post on 19-Aug-2015
Exploring
learning through comics
Session 406 #DevLearn
Not Just For superheroes!Bianca
Woods
@eGeeking
When was the last time
YOU read a comic?
My History with Comics…
1st lesson of comics
They can (in the right hands)
tell emotionally powerful stories
…finding manga…
Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/2_dogs/40982772/
2nd lesson of comics
They don’t just have to be about
superheroes
and guess what?!
3rd lesson of comics
You can actually learn things
from them!
A wide variety of genres
Maus
The Oatmeal
xkcd
A wide variety of genres Dinosaur Comics
4th lesson of comics
This medium is much
more flexible than you might think
Changing perceptions
Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lord_mariser/4957954704/
Worst… slide… EVER!
Changing perceptions
5th lesson of comics
Mainstream culture is growing
more and more accepting of comics
So what does this all mean to
YOU?
Today we’ll talk about…
What are
others already doing?
#DevLearn
Examples!
Simplifying existing content
Simplifying existing content
Step-by-step
tutorials
Comics as textbooks
Comics as textbooks
Non-fiction narratives
Are you asking the right questions?In each of the interviews below, determine which is the correct, legal question. When you’re done, scroll to the bottom to learn the solution.
Illustrating ScenariosWilliam Chinda@WillChinda
Illustrating ScenariosAndrew Jacobs@AndrewJacobsLD
What you
need to know about
makingcomics!
#DevLearn
Tips & Tricks!
People have preconceived notions about comics
PLanning
Read comics & Learn
Planning
The Long TailMore Realistic
The Manga Guide to…Manga
XKCDStick figures
Align comic style
with the audience
Planning
Single PanelOne moment
StripShort story/scene
Many panelsLonger story
Decide on your comic format
PLanning
• She’s a highly experienced project manager.
• She’s incredibly uncomfortable with asking for help, even if she needs it.
• She generally is calm and composed, even under stress.
• She has fantastic attention to detail.• She’s quite open to sharing details about
her work, but doesn’t open up about her personal life often.
• She’s been less enthusiastic about her job lately, but hasn’t talked to anyone about why this is.
• She’s a lifelong learner, and often takes classes and goes to seminars in her spare time.
Make character ProfilesPlanning
Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/essgee/2790590481/
Start with a script
Writing
Tell
Show
Show, don’t tell
Writing
vs
Don’t get too
attached to ideas
Writing
Be clear & ConciseWriting
First this happened…then this… and, oh yeah… I forgot that this guy was involved…then another thing happened… oh wait, this happened too (it’s important)… and then….
Plan your layout
with thumbnails
Drawing
Use clear panel orderDrawing
1 2
3
4
5 6
Use the language of
comic effects
Drawing
Check for clarity
Drawing
Characters can’t look
alike
Drawing
No comic Sans!
Drawing
Comic
Sans
Drawing
Respect
“Whitespace”
Vary your camera angles
Drawing
What you can
use to actually create a
comic
#DevLearn
Tools!
Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/85853333@N00/2617510420/
Hire an artist!
Nate was excited about the promotion, but knew it would be a challenge to get this group to start seeing themselves as a team.
I wish I knew why this group doesn’t trust each other? What happened before I got here?
Nate spent the next few weeks talking with the team and trying to get to the bottom of the problem.
Use photographs!
Comic Book!
ComicLife
Use a comics app!
Bitstrips
Use websites to help!
PaperDraw your own! Jot Pro
It starts with the customer thinking…
I think I need to…
Oh no! I have to…
Then they evaluate their options based on the following piece of information
Use Software!
Manga Studiosuper cheap!
PhotoshopYou might already have it!
Non-default fonts!
This typeface is called
komikaYou can get new
fonts from
Additional resources
http://biancawoods.weebly.com/dl-2013.html
http://e-geeking.blogspot.ca
@eGeeking