Saturday, May 12, 2012

Master Class in Comics Narrative



Wouldn't it be great to put everything else aside and only work on your comics for a few days? Do you have the beginnings of a graphic novel but need some help getting it off the ground? Is your cartooning stuck in a rut, ready to move up to another level?

Those might be reasons for you to consider taking my course this summer: The Master Class in Comics Narrative at the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, August 20-24.

Here are some of the reasons that I am looking forward to the class: 

1. I like to teach.
At the moment I am wrapping up a spring semester at RISD and it is thrilling to come in weekly to see what my students have wrought on so little sleep.




2. Fresh donuts.
Baked daily at the Polka Dot Diner two blocks from The Center for Cartoon Studies.



3. Intensive.
The group will be doing nothing but discussing, reading, and making comics except for when we are eating fresh donuts at the Polka Dot Diner.



4. The Jump-Start approach
Students will be developing work for a long project. If you have been waiting for the opportunity to start or finish that graphic novel project, this is it!



5. The Long Haul
But the fun does not end after five days: we continue to work as a group on-line for another two months, refining and improving work.




6. Guest star cameos by some of today’s most fascinating talents of Comicdom!!!
I am hoping that we will have visits and lectures from the likes of cartoonists Steve Bissette,  Jason Lutes, and James Sturm because while they yap I can run down to the Polka Dot Diner for a fresh you-know-what.

If you take this class, I can pretty much guarantee that you will be a better cartoonist leaving my class than when you begin.

Plus: it will be lots of fun.

Any level of cartoonist may apply, but bear in mind, this is a MASTER Class. Unpublished cartoonists should have solid drawing and humility skills. Published cartoonists may just need their asses kicked for which I will be only too happy to oblige. Comics boot camp!

The only real requirement is that you come to class willing to work very hard...and like donuts.


If you want more info, go here:

If you want less info, go here:

If you want a donut go here:


8 comments:

heather benjamin said...

if you ever had any interest in taking a comics class, i recommend THIS ONE. i took a similar class with paul when i was at RISD and it absolutely changed the way i draw comics by breaking down visual narrative construction in a really helpful way. he’s probably one of the most insightful and all around influential and amazing teachers i’ve ever had, and still when i’m drawing sequential comics i think back to specific lessons from his class. i even saved all the handouts!!!! it was that great. anyway, i give this class ten thumbs up, if i only had thumbs for each finger.

Tom Toye said...

Paul breathes comics. He'll breathe it on you. The class I took with Paul at risd was one of my favorites with the strong constructive attitude that was ever present while we looked at everybody's work. It wasn't restrictive feeling and cut and dry, I felt like I could do a comic about anything I wanted while still being guided to make it as clear as possible. He focuses on helping you find your individual voice as a comics creator rather than driving a bunch of jargon into your brain, and he's a real nice guy on top of that

Paul Karasik said...

Thanks!
You can see some of Tom's weird, cool, twisted stuff here:

http://ttoye.blogspot.com/

...and Heather's weird, cool, twisted stuff here:

http://mnvxzpytr.tumblr.com

You, dear reader, however, do not need to be weird, cool, or twisted yourselves to enjoy this class. Just love comics (and donuts).

Jack Turnbull Studios; graphic novels, art, design, illustration said...

"Karasik forces you to observe comics from various different angles; you begin to see how the medium of comics connections to poetry, filmmaking, literature, illustration and even abstraction. Ultimately, you realize that comics is a language all its own. If not for Karasik's class, there would be no beat in my panels. His voice is stuck in my head reminding me about story structure, page layout, lettering and just about everything else the masters such as Will Eisner were fixating on when they were making their masterpieces. Karasik's class is elite."

Lasky said...

If I lived a little closer to Vermont (or the east coast), I would sign up to have my ass kicked (metaphorically). This sounds great.

Paul Karasik said...

David, I would be happy to oblige!

-Paul

mr ed said...

If you are ever in Sarasota you are invited up to the house for made from scratch cake donuts. It is not possible to eat fewer than six of these when they are fresh from their bath in hot peanut oil.

Ashley said...

I'm excited for this class. I was at RISD way back in the day, and have channeled my narrative voice into picture books for the very young since then. Some kind of longer book is kicking around in my mind and I look forward to learning.