Time
TBA
Venue
TBA.
Type
Taught unit with hands-on
application.
ECTS credits
4
Assessment method
Assignment (20%); final
practical project (60%); mid-unit practical project (20%)
(*).
Description
A unit that continues to deliver
content from "Introduction to Visual Narrative" at a more advanced
level, elaborating on the elements that form Illustration. The unit
delves deeply into different style formats of traditional,
hand-drawn illustration, as well as found-image, text-as-image, and
collage productions; along with materials. It also goes into detail
about digital and digitally enhanced illustration, exploring the
role played by Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator in this.
The first part of the unit is dedicated to book, poster, cover,
information and advertising illustration, exploring the different
thrusts of the genre in these areas and their sub-sections
(children’s books, persuasive communication, data presentation, etc.
Illustration styles will also be examined by era and influence,
following Heller and Chwast’s (2008) classification.
The second part of the unit is dedicated to the use of illustration
in cartoons (both printed and animated), comic strips, comic books
and graphic novels, through an exposition of a wide variety of
texts, investigating some of the multiple styles possible in these
genres. The mechanics of visual narrative and graphic storytelling
will be examined and, in certain instances, replicated by the
students. The unit also looks at comics as communicators through
exploring the language of the medium and the possible permutations
of messages afforded by the various styles, schools, techniques and
intentions. The basic elements to be studied are the comic strip,
the comic book and the graphic novel.
A practical component in the form of ongoing workshops is linked to
the taught component of each session. This translates into
supervised practical work the lessons taught.
Study-unit Aims
– To be more cognizant of the
importance and use of illustration in different contexts;
– To be aware of illustrative styles based on period, form and
thematic content;
– To understand better the use of image generation and manipulation
programs in the enhancing and/or creation of illustration;
– To be aware of the variety of styles of illustration used in
different sub-genres of visual narrative.
– To become familiar with the techniques of visual narrative,
particularly in comics and graphic novels;
– To have a hands-on experience in using illustration as a means of
visual narrative and storytelling.
Learning Outcomes
1. Knowledge & Understanding:
– Have an advanced understanding of hand-drawn and/or crafted and
digitally generated illustration;
– Gain an understanding of comics narrative construction and
storytelling;
– Have a solid grounding in visual narrative stylistic
diversification.
2. Skills:
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
– Have a clear knowledge of how to fit an illustrative style to a
context;
– Practically generate a graphic narrative;
– Effectively apply traditional and digital illustration techniques
to textual and visual narrative productions.
Preliminary reading list
Caputo, T. C. (2003). Visual Storytelling: The Art and Technique.
New York, NY: Watson-Guptill Publications.
Duncan, R., and Smith, M. J. (2009). The Power of Comics: History,
Form and Culture. New York, NY: Continuum.
Eisner, W. (1990). Comics and Sequential Art (expanded edition).
Florida: Poorhouse Press.
Harvey, R. C. (1996). The Art of the Comic Book: An Aesthetic
History. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi.
Heller, S., and Chwast, S. (2008). Illustration: A Visual History.
New York, NY: Abrams.
Male, Alan (2007). Illustration: A Theoretical and Contextual
Perspective. New York, NY: Watson-Guptill Publications.
McCloud, S. (1994). Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. New
York: Harper.
Slade, C.(2003). The Manual of Illustration Techniques. London, UK:
A & C Black.
Zeegan, L. (2012). The Fundamentals of Illustration (2nd ed.).
Lausanne, SW: AVA.
Other books and journal articles related to the topic will be
suggested throughout the duration of the unit.
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