Course Description

This course is called “Graphic Novel Appreciation”. Its goal is to help the artist develop as a visual thinker via comics (and related) mediums – we’ll accomplish this through analyzing select graphic novels as they relate to visual story-telling, as well as class discussion and creative application exercises.

Class Content

1. One day of the week we'll organize specific topical discussions of or relating to comics. You'll also be responsible for providing one in-class oral presentation (see assignment 6).

2. The other day of the week, through small projects, we will draw comics (individual and group). It is best to use this time to work on skills that will aid you in completing the drawing portion of your project final.

3. Out of class we'll respond to our discussions about how it relates to comics you've read, and if possible, to your personal work (see assignments 3 and 4).

4. Through out the semester you'll be working on a project final (see assignment 5).

Grading:

You will be graded on 3 things:

1. Class participation.

2. Assignments.

3. Punctuality.

Grading in "plain-english":

Turn in all assignments (including final) on time and in a standard of quality representative of your respective majors, plus full participation which includes leading an oral discussion on a film clip, and you'll get in the A range.

Turn in all assignments (including final), plus full participation which includes leading an oral discussion on a film clip; BUT a certain portion of your assignments are late, and you'll get in the B range.

Missing assignments will lead to the C or possibly the D range.

Disappear off the face of the earth mid semester, sans an obituary, will lead to an F.

1 absence acceptable and will not impact grade, any more that that will require a relevant third-party note of excuse turned into me in hardcopy or by their email account. Every absence without note of excuse will have a single drop in final grade [e.g. (A) -> (A-); (B-) -> (C+), etc., etc.].

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Completion of quality assignments and attendance is your bulk grade. Second to that would be turning assignments in on time.

I think this is fair considering the nature of the arts professional, plus the fact that late assignments negatively impacts my ability to read and asses your work, and puts me significantly behind schedule.