LYNN — The Lynn Museum & Arts Center gave local kids tools to develop their visual storytelling skills with comic-book-making classes this fall.
Thirteen students aged 10-18 attended the free, four-week workshop called Lynn Makes Comics, where the students presented their “Hero vs. Villain” stories on Wednesday.
Instructor Dave Ortega, cartoonist and author of graphic novels “Días de Consuelo,” “Hacienda,” and “River,” said that Lynn Makes Comics empowers students to “freely put down their stories on paper in a safe environment that encourages them to keep going.”
“Kids get comics. They get telling stories with words and images. It’s something I believe is in our DNA,” Ortega said.
Gabriel Joy Reid, teaching assistant and illustrator, agreed, saying that “students being able to express themselves in a safe space is very important for their development.”
Ortega and Reid encouraged unconventional ideas when it came to “hero” and “villain” characters, as one final project’s protagonist was a refrigerator.
“There’s no right or wrong ideas. They can freely use their imagination,” Ortega said.
The four workshops consisted of a 15-minute, drawing-warmup exercise, followed by character prompts and story structure lessons. Ortega and Reid said students often jumped into drawing and worldbuilding before the classes were slated to start.
Reid said, “Learning comics is almost like learning a new language. In order to do that, sometimes you have to start with the basics. What’s a gutter? What’s a panel? How to design characters that are uniquely your own, and how to tell a story from start to finish on one piece of paper.”
Some comic-making tips? Bold lettering grabs reader’s attention, so save them for key moments. And when overwhelmed, focus on each individual panel.
Ortega said, “The goal isn’t to create a generation of cartoonists because all of these kids have varied interests. The goal is to foster visual storytelling. Even if none of them become cartoonists, being able to communicate and form relationships on paper this way is a really valuable tool for them.”
Lynn Makes Comics was made possible via a partnership with Boston Comic Arts Foundation and grants from the Essex County Community Foundation and Lynn Arts Council.
