When we choose a story to read, retell, or illustrate, that choice reveals something about ourselves. What motivates an artist to explore one particular theme over another, whether it is a political issue, personal obsession, or a “purely aesthetic” interest? This course will require students to mine personal meaning in the narrative sources they choose for class projects, ultimately using these analytical conclusions to shape each project’s character. Assignments will include the creation of the following: a storyboard; an historical narrative image, a series for a book, a comic and a game or toy. Discussions will include: formatting a single narrative image or a series of images; telling stories without text; illustrating stories for adults and for children, analyzing plot, character, pacing, and style and communicating the essential meaning of a story to an audience.
This course will involve in-class critique, a character workshop, a visit to Special Collections, a visit to the RISD Museum, a field trip, slide/Powerpoint lectures, and a weekly review of books, picture books, graphic novels, comics, games and toys.
Email: chuang04@risd.edu
Office: ISB 117
Illustration majors: required sophomore studios
Non-majors & Brown students: instructor permission
Conceptual/problem solving; graphic design; editorial illustration; corporate & institutional illustration; book and poster illustration/design
OPEN MEDIA: pen & ink/scratchboard; mixed media/collage; drawing/painting; digital 2D/3D; printmaking; animation; photography; videoanimation, photography, film/video