9498 - Experimental Comics
Course Description
The possibilities of sequential storytelling are near-limitless, yet many artists find it difficult to shake their assumptions about how comics are “supposed to” be made. This course will introduce students to the fundamentals of comic storytelling, and invite them to turn those fundamentals upside down. Assignments explore formal concepts such as temporal subjectivity, word/image relationships, visual composition, rhythm, and the comic as a physical object. Works by artists such as George Herriman, Margot Ferrick, Yvan Alagbé, Yuichi Yokoyama, and Ernie Bushmiller will demonstrate the incredible range of storytelling possibilities. Students will not only become stronger readers of comics, but they will also develop the basis to bring their own original ideas to the comic form.
Learner Outcomes
Following completion of this course, you should be able to:
- Identify the formal elements of comics
- Understand how those elements influence the reader experience
- Utilize those elements to express your own voice through comics
Notes
For RISD Students:
RISD Continuing Education (CE) credit is treated as transfer credit by RISD’s undergraduate degree programs. If approved, satisfactory completion of this Illustration course with a ‘C’ or better can count as 3 transfer credits toward non-major studio elective (NMSE) requirements. Complete the Transfer Credit Prior Approval for Major/Non-Major Credit form in etrieve before completing the online course registration.
Students from institutions other than RISD:
Students seeking academic credits are urged to contact their home institution to arrange prior approval before registering. Policies on transfer credit vary by institution and by program, and it is at the discretion of your home institution to determine what credits it will accept and how they might meet individual academic requirements. For additional information about RISD Summer Intensives and Transfer Credit Policies, visit our webpage.