Tell your own story through comics

Presentation for my workshop at Walls With Doors Nijmegen,
https://www.denijmeegsestadskrant.nl/cultuur/jongeren-maken-deuren-in-muren/?fbclid=IwAR3TePx3l0hcf6hf8xToK3bpjYevi1J58fL2xKpIKi84BkUU9Mlgi1X1FqA

Transcript

1. Telling your own story through comics With Koyo Do
2. Outline 1. Why do I draw comics? 2. How do I approach it? 3. 5 steps to make a comic 4. Let’s draw! (1 hour) *If an artwork does not have credit, it belongs to me :)
3. Why do I draw comics? Comic is just another art form, some people prefer listening to music, writing, singing, painting, dancing because that’s what works for them. And today, we will figure out if making comics is something that might work for you as a creative outlet.
4. Reason 1: Comics invite me to slow down
5. @constantbageltherapy If I don’t take time to make comics, I would constantly be swept away by other people’s plans and emotions. Comics allow me to slow down and connect with myself, and from there - connect with the world.
6. @constantbageltherapy Making art is very similar to journaling: You “transfer” the energy from inside of you on to paper to in a way organize your inner world, and cleanse it.
8. If you can visualize your emotions, what does it look like? Credit: fb.com/StellimicansEyes It is time to turn your emotions into something tangible.
9. Reason 2: Comics invite me to process life. • Notice little things that most people take for granted
10. Story of the fridge: I have always been fascinated by refrigerators. As a teenager, whenever I forget what I was doing.. I just instinctively open the fridge. Whenever I go to my friend’s house, I’ll be nosey and I want to know that’s in their fridge. So I started to explore what the fridge means to me.
17. Like that, refrigerators became a symbol of love, care, and comfort for me.
18. What has caught your attention that you would like to explore? Credit: fb.com/StellimicansEyes
19. How do I approach it?
20. Treat it as a diary • Whatever you might write down in your diary. • It does NOT have to be profound. • It’s for yourself - first and foremost.
21. It could be simply about something you felt that day
22. Something that happened to you
23. Nathan Pyle - Strange Planet @nathanwpylestrangeplanet Something strange about humans that you noticed
24. @constantbageltherapy Or a reflection of your last week, last year, or a longer period of time and how you have changed.
25. Koyo’s 5 step guide to making comics Everyone has a different approach to making comics and I would like to suggest mine!
26. Observe within- Take 10 minutes in stillness Step 1
27. Write down your idea & brainstorm Step 2 This was my theme for the next comic I wanted to work on, and it’s such a big idea that I think it can be and should be broken down into at least 4 different comics. But that’s why it’s important to transfer your thoughts onto paper so you can organize them.
28. Plan your comic Step 3 • Keep it short: ideally 4 panels, 8 pages max. You could even try and shoot for 2 or 4 panels. • You can write down the idea of each panel: Characters, dialogues, or just text.
29. Sketch things out & make drafts Step 4 • Take as much time as you want here - this pre-production phase is actually the most important because it’s when you process your story and emotions. • There are many comics that looked like it was made in 5 minutes but the planning could take days!
30. Tips: Keep your characters simple Basic shapes: Square, circle, triangle Don’t worry about making your art beautiful - because it’s all about the story and about getting in touch with yourself and processing life.
31. Keep your characters simple Blobs
32. Keep your characters simple Or however you want them to look!
33. Draw your comic! Step 5
34. There is actually another reason why I make comics... Invite others to connect with you: Open your door.
35. Comics help me connect with others. • Make that comic for yourself and then decide later if you want to share it with people! • When you have been true to yourself you will see that many many other people have experience the same thing you’ve been through, it: ◦ Invites deep conversations ◦ Informs you that you are not alone
36. Happy crafting! Feel free to share your comics with me, I would love to see! Tag me on Instagram @letsgokoyo Or email me: letsgokoyo@gmail.com