Original Comics!

Middle School students recently created comic strips. We began by learning about the art of comic and cartoon making. Students looked at all different forms- from traditional comic strips, cartoons, anime and fan art. Students then created original characters and created a 3-4 panel story. The narrative needed to be clear and understandable and the layout needed to employ good use of the design principles of art. This project kept students more engaged than any other lesson I have ever taught. I displayed these outside my classroom and have seen groups of students admiring them consistently all day!

Narrative Comics

Middle School students recently created comic strips. We learned about the art of comic and cartoon making. Students looked at all different forms- from traditional comic strips, cartoons, anime and fan art. Students then created original characters and created a 3-4 panel story. The narrative needed to be clear and understandable and the layout needed to employ good use of the design principles. This project kept students more engaged than any other lesson I have ever taught. I displayed these outside my classroom and have seen groups of students admiring them consistently all day!

Native American Buffalo Hides

2000 years ago, the Anasazi Indians inhabited the cliffs of the Southwest. They were the ancestors of the Pueblo Indians who live there today. There are 20 pueblo villages left; at one time there were 200! These ancient villages are built from adobe bricks. These natural homes are warm in winter and cool in summer; it rarely rains in the Southwest, so they won't melt.

The Anasazi Indians left Petroglyph drawings on rocks and cliffs. Some were chiseled into the rock with animal antlers, some were etched with the acid juices from cactus plants. They are pictures of Indian symbols. Symbols are pictures drawn very simply of things in nature, such as animals, plants, stars, people, etc.

The Indians were very spiritual people. They respected the earth, never wasted resources, and were ingenious at using the things in nature around them.

Students created these buffalo hides over three classes. We began by drawing a narrative using Native American symbols. After the drawing, students covered the paper with a light brown watercolor and cut the paper to look like a real buffalo hide.

The next class, students used fluorescent tempera paint to paint in all of their symbols. For the last class, students outlined all their symbols and also created a pattern around the edge of the hide.

Comic Illustrations

Middle School students recently created comic strips. We learned about the art of comic and cartoon making. Students looked at all different forms- from traditional comic strips, cartoons, anime and fan art. Students then created original characters and created a 3-4 panel story. The narrative needed to be clear and understandable and the layout needed to employ good use of the design principles. This project kept students more engaged than any other lesson I have ever taught. I displayed these outside my classroom and have seen groups of students admiring them consistently all day!