What Can We Make? (& How Long Will It Take?)

From the HANDBOOK:
📖 7 COMICS FORMATS
+ 🔧 Key features
+⌚ Time needed!

PRINTABLE PDF @ the Patreon 👉

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NOTES:

All production times are estimates; we all create comics at different speeds.

It IS possible to produce a “finished” mini-comic in a single 45-minute class period — This is how I approach my 24-Hour Comics:

However, with student projects, speed often does NOT result in “our best work”… Whenever possible, I allow plenty of time to edit & improve work over multiple sessions. (SEE: P*I.E. Process✏️)

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TIME LIMIT = 1 CLASS PERIOD?

Try finishing a SINGLE PAGE or COMIC STRIP:

Sometimes the severe time limit (a.k.a. “deadline”) helps us to come up with new ideas & creative breakthroughs!

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TIME LIMIT = 3+ CLASSES (= 1 UNIT)

Hand-drawn mini-comics offer the most powerful platform for short-form focused storytelling in school settings:

📝In my classroom visits, I prioritize cartooning, storytelling, drawing by hand (pencil & ink on paper), test-reading in person, &c. …

💻Digital production (required by webcomics) adds yet another skillset, more tech tools, & more working time to the equation.

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TIME LIMIT = 1+ SEMESTER

📘 Graphic novels & comic books require consistent work over long periods of time. Of course, we draw them one page at a time — So shorter student projects MAY develop into longer works.

📚 We can also assemble our shorter projects into anthologies & class books, featuring multiple pages drawn by different artists (working simultaneously over a shorter time period).

For examples of this, see:

ALSO SEE: