Introduction to: Drawing Cartoons
Time: 18:00 - 21:00
Location: Keeley Street
Course Code: VK468
Duration: 6 sessions (over 6 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Center for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
On this introduction to drawing cartoons course, learn valuable and practical tips, tricks and starting points in developing cartoon characters and their stories. All exercises will be demonstrated and delivered by a professional cartoonist and you will be encouraged to share your cartoon characters and learn valuable techniques in bringing them to life on the page.
Character, narrative, text will all be discussion points and your ideas will be developed into a comic strip story. This course is ideal for you taking your first steps in to making a comic book and learning new approaches to illustration.
What will we cover?
• Introduction to cartooning, cartoon characters and comic books
• Character design and construction
• Cartoon faces, bodies and places, stylistic approaches and expressions
• Actions and cartoon effects including page layout, Framing and lettering
• Planning your comic strip and developing your characters
• Final touches, studying narrative and discussing next steps.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
• Talk about various approaches to comic strip art
• Draw characters in a variety of poses and in effective environments
• Demonstrate how to develop a story from a simple plan and identify different approaches to layout and framing
• Use word bubbles effectively to build narrative in your ideas and work
• Show confidence in presenting storyboard ideas and character development.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course will benefit beginners and those with experience in drawing comics and cartoons or storyboards at any level. You should be able to follow verbal and written instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information. You will be encouraged to take short written notes for your own use and take part in group discussions.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be taught using illustrated demonstrations, followed by practical exercises with group and individual assistance and feedback. The tutor will encourage you to develop your own styles – no set drawing style will be imposed.
Additional / extension tasks may be set for you to complete at home or outside of the course hours. Completion of additional tasks is encouraged to help you get the most out of the course. Where required your tutor will discuss these with you during each session.
This course is supported by Google Classroom as a Virtual Learning Environment. When you log on you will be able to access course material, presentations and handouts etc. and may be asked to complete learner progress records. You can find help via the student help centre on the Citylit website.
Please note it is important that you sign up and log in to your course Google classroom prior to the first session. Joining detail will be sent to you via email (check your junk/spam folder).
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Access to basic materials and resources are available as part of this course.
Need art supplies? Our partner London Graphic Centre has everything you need from pencil to printing services, at 15% off.
To get 15% LGC discount, students will need to show proof/ confirmation of enrolment of them being a student at City Lit. You can apply in-store or by simply emailing info@londongraphics.co.uk with a scan or photo of relevant confirmation. The student discount does not apply to products that are already discounted or on offer. More information can be found here- https://www.londongraphics.co.uk/student-discounts/.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
We offer a wide range of courses within illustration, children’s book illustration and animation. For more information and a full list of courses available, please visit our website.
Steve Marchant has taught comic art skills to students of all ages for the last 30 years at sites including City Lit, City University, Birkbeck, The Hayward Gallery, Tate Britain, The Arvon Foundation, The Black Cultural Archive, and is the full-time learning coordinator/senior tutor at The Cartoon Museum – where he is also its comic art consultant. He regularly teaches at schools and libraries across the UK and has taught in Hungary and Latvia for the British Council. Steve has produced numerous educational comics and cartoons for clients including the BBC’s ‘Bitesize’ website, the Learning Trust, Kingston Travel Awareness Unit, Lewisham Youth Service, the Who Cares? Trust, and Africaid, presenting topical information in a fun, accessible format. Other clients have included British Airways, Intel, Kogan Page, ITV, and South London Theatre. Steve is the author/illustrator of two books: The Cartoonist’s Workshop and The Computer Cartoon Kit. His personal work appears in the award-winning online comic Aces Weekly. https://stevemarchantblog.wordpress.com/2016/03/10/the-mighty-world-of-marchant/ www.acesweekly.com Facebook: Comic Creators Project at the Cartoon Museum
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.