Get started on the right foot

Crash course in everything you need to know- how do I lay out a page? What's a panel, what's a balloon, what are the traditional tools?, stuff like that. Get this under your belt before we start and we'll explore the edges of your own vision in the months ahead.

Course curriculum

  • 01
    SAW Year Long Program 101
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    • Welcome from Tom Hart
    • Introduction Video to The SAW Online Comics Certificate Program (3 min)
    • How to Use this Course, Community Link , and Community Guidelines
    • How to Navigate This Program Video (7 minutes)
    • SAW 2021-2022 Calendar
    • Video: live Q+A about the course. ( 1 hour)
    • A word about diversity at SAW - from Tom Hart
  • 02
    Comics 101
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    • What is a Graphic Novel? By Jessica Abel - Find the original at https://dw-wp.com/resources/what-is-a-graphic-novel/
    • A brief outline of comics making process
    • Workspace and materials, from Emma Jensen
    • Some common standards and more
    • SAW Guide to Professional Comic Strips by Tom Hart

  • Emma Jensen

    Instructor Bio:

    Emma Jensen is an Australian artist and editor based in Gainesville, Florida. She graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Masters in Creative Writing, Editing and Publishing, including a major creative work in graphic form titled, ‘What We Don’t Speak Of’. Since graduating she has worked as a comics educator for various Australian organisations including the State Library of Victoria, Yarra Youth Services and Express Media. During that time she also worked as an editor for independent and educational publishers, and as art editor for youth magazine, Voiceworks. She has been publishing and exhibiting comics regularly since 2015, with her work most recently included in kus #37 ‘Down Down Under’ and Ink Brick No 10. She joins SAW as an instructor after coming to Gainesville to attend the year-long intensive program in 2018-19. You can read collections of her past work at issuu.com/emma.jensen.

    Emma Jensen

    Instructor