GettingGraphicwiththePastGraphicHistoriesandtheUsesofComicsin
Education
Canada’sHistoryWebinarMay17,2016
KaraSievewright &RobinFolvikGraphicHistoryCollective
Ethan Heitner, artist
Weareagroupofactivists,artists,writers,andresearcherspassionateaboutcomics,history,andsocialchange.
WhoistheGraphicHistoryCollective?
SamBradd,MEdGraphicRecorder,
Illustrator JuliaSmith,PhDAuthor,Researcher
SeanCarleton,PhDAuthor,Researcher,
Illustrator RobinFolvikResearcher,Writer
Collective Members
KaraSievewright,MFAIllustrator,Designer,
andWriter
Collaborators
Weworkwithhistorians,artists,unions,activists,artist-rungalleries,progressivepresses,museums,academics,andwritersonprojects,comics,events,andbooks.
GraphicHistoryCollective’sBooks
MayDay:AGraphicHistoryofProtest (BetweentheLines,2012)DrawntoChange:GraphicHistoriesofWorking-ClassStruggle (BetweentheLines,2016)
ComicsfromDrawntoChange:GraphicHistoriesofWorking-ClassStruggle
“Workingon theWater,FightingontheLand: Indigenous Labour onBurrard Inlet”byTaniaWillardandtheGHC
“AnEntirelyDifferentKindofLabourUnion:TheService,Office,andRetailWorkers’UnionofCanada”byEthanHeitnerandtheGHC
“KwentongBayan:LabourofLove”byJoSiMalayaAlcampoandAltheaBalmes
BillWilliamsonByKaraSievewrightfromDrawntoChange
ComicProcess:ResearchingandWriting
1. Research 2. Transcribing 3. ScriptWriting
ComicProcess:VisualResearch
ComicProcess:Drawing
1. ThumbnailsorStoryboards2. Pencils- usecolouredpencilthatcan
beeasilyeraseddigitally3. Inking4. Scanning5. Photoshop - cleanupandfix
mistakes
Even though it’s not perfect, it still helps think about the story in a different way!
Illustrate! Educate! Organize! Installation at the Cumberland Museum & Archives
WarmUpDrawingActivities
Creaturedrawing
1. Firstpersonusespaintormarkersto
createarandommarkon thepage
2. Secondpersonusesadifferentmarkertocreateacreature
Portraitdrawing
Sketchthepersonnexttoyou:
1. In1minute
2. 30seconds
3. 5secondsWhathappens?
StorytellingActivities
Activity:TheWrongTreasure*
Materials:Postitnotes andpencils
Step1Breakoffintogroups offive.Assigneachpersonanumber 1- 5
Step2Writethestoryontheboard:1. Anexplorer islookingfortreasureintheocean2. Theygotothebottom oftheocean3. Theypickupatreasure atthebottom ofthesea4. Theyreturn hometolotsofexcitement5. Butthen theyrealizetheygotthewrongthing
Step3Eachperson isgoingtodrawtheir number lineofthestoryin3– 5panels.Onepanelperapost-itnote.
Step4Eachgroup isgoingtosticktheir panelstothewallorlaythemonthetableinorder.Takealookateveryone’sstories.Lookathowdifferent peopletoldthesamestory.Ignorevisualdifferences.
*Alsocalled TheWrongPlanet,fromDrawingWordsandWriting Pictures,JessicaAbelandMattMadden
Step5Gobacktoyourgroup, together decidewhereyouneedtoaddmorepanelstomakethestorybetter.Doyouneedtostretch outtheactionorcreate bridgesbetweensections.Thinkingabout pacing.
Step6Lookatyourstorynow.Arethere panelsyoucantakeout?Aretherefunnypartsthatyoucanmakefunnier.
Step7Lookaroundateveryone’sstories.Reviewthemtogether. Talkabouthowthestorieswork.
1.CreatingComics:ComicJam
Activity:Createanimprovisedcollaborativecomic
1. Everyonegetsapagewith9panelsonit.2. Usuallyyoustartwithapromptlike:
● Iusedto…(like,believe,dosomething)● Thiscanbefictionalornon-fictional
1. Everyonestartstheircomicinthefirstpanelusingthepromptandthenpassesittothepersonontheirleft.
2. Eachpanelgets4minutes.3. Attheendyoucangothroughthestories.
2.CreatingComics:Onepageautobiographicalcomics
3.CreatingComics:MinicomicsActivity:Createaonepagecomicthatcanbefolded intoasmallbook
Comicsaremeanttobereproducedwhetherinprintoronline,andtheyaremeanttobesharedandread.Thisactivityallowsstudentstocreateacomicundercreativecontrainsts(sixpanelsplusfrontandbackcover)usingatemplate.Thefinishedcomiccanbeeasilyphotocopiedtocreatemultiplecopies.
4.CreatingComics:GraphicHistory
Activity:Createahistorical comic1. Studentsdoarchivalresearchorinterviewelders
2. Writeastoryscriptbasedonresearch
3. Createastoryboard
4. Createthevisualseitherthroughdrawing,usingfoundor
historicalphotographs,digitallyoreventhroughsimple
stickfigures
Skills:Reading, researching, writing, story creation, digital skillsSubjects:
English (or other language), Art, History, Computers
Display on comics prepared for the April 1954 Senate Subcommittee Hearings into Juvenile Delinquency. At the hearing there was a special focus on comic books(TIME Magazine)
Prepared by Provincial Advisory Board on Objectionable Publications
“KwentongBayan:LabourofLove”byJoSiMalayaAlcampoandAltheaBalmes
“TheBattleofBallantynePier:AnInjury toOneisanInjurytoAll”DavidLester
“WorkingontheWater,FightingontheLand:IndigenousLabouronBurrardInlet”byTaniaWillardandtheGHC
“WorkingontheWater,FightingontheLand:IndigenousLabouronBurrardInlet”byTaniaWillardandtheGHC
“CoalMountain” byNicoleMarieBurton
GettingGraphicwiththePastGraphicHistoriesandtheUsesofComicsin
Education
Canada’sHistoryWebinarMay17,2016
KaraSievewright&RobinFolvikGraphicHistoryCollective
Ethan Heitner, artist