Resource Materials
Here is a six-panel, blank comic book page. You are free to download, photocopy and share this blank page.
When you're done, please share your comic with me by e-mail: matt@smithvssmith.com
I'd love to see what you and your students draw!
Here is a blank comic grid. Connect any two marks with two other marks to create your panel borders and gutters.
You are free to download, photocopy and share this blank comic grid.
When you're done, please share your comic with me by e-mail: matt@smithvssmith.com
I'd love to see what you and your students draw!
Here is a blank character sheet with space to draw your comic character.
Write down as many character descriptors as you can, then draw a character that shows these character traits.
You are free to download this and share it with your class or use it at home.
9-Panel Grid
You can download a 9-panel grid here for printing. Or one to use in Photoshop if you are a digital artist.
Recommended Books
Three Thieves Series - All ages adventure/comedy series by Canadian cartoonist Scott Chantler.
Bone - All ages adventure/fantasy/comedy series. Epic.
Toon Books! - Comics by some of the best cartoonists working today, written for very early readers.
Star Wars Jedi Academy Series - All ages stories set in the Star Wars universe by Jeffery Brown.
Princeless - All ages fantasy with a strong female lead.
Smurf Series - Great for expanding vocabulary through context. Readers have to smurf what they are actually saying.
Recommended Books for Comics Education
Let's Draw Some Comics! A Guide for New Cartoonists by Matt Smith!
Understanding Comics & Making Comics by Scott McCloud
Tech Resources
Strip Designer - iOS app for making comics.
Comic Life - iOS app & computer program for making comics.
Pixton - Online comic creator.
Make Beliefs Comix - Online comic creator.
Strip Generator - Online comic creator (requires Flash).
