Mike Maydak is the illustrator of The Blackbeard Legacy, a comic book mini-series published by Alias, and the creator of Slimbone, a nationally syndicated comic strip. Mike is a graduate of Northern Kentucky University, where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drawing. He currently resides in northern reaches of Kentucky, where he teaches art, paints, and works on his next graphic novel, “1782: The Year of Blood.”
The Daniel Boone Project
(The Sequential Art Project)
Grade Level: High School
Time Required: 2-week to 4-week residency
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
- Sketchbooks
- Drawing Supplies (pencils, ink, brushes, erasers, etc…)
- Copy Machines
- Bristol Board (Art Paper)
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED MATERIALS:
- Computer Lab with Graphics Program (Adobe Photoshop)
- Printers and Scanners
OPTIONAL MATERIALS:
Introduction:
The Daniel Boone Project is a sample of how my sequential art skills and expertise could be used by educators within the state. This two to four week residency, designed for a high school level, requires the students to immerse themselves in a wide variety of research and communication skills. This residency is designed so that it covers core content and demands understanding of related concepts and skills at high levels, all while providing a flexible framework for a wide variety of subjects.
Procedure:
Introduction
The residency is launched with a discussion of sequential art. Students share their understanding of the medium and what examples of the art form they enjoy and are familiar with. This gives a chance for students to discover similar interests and break the ice.
Historic Perspective
The discussion is then be guided to a historic perspective of the art form, providing a solid foundation for the what, when, who, why, and how. Modern sequential art can be compared to ancient cave paintings and hieroglyphs and linked with the invention of the printing press and political revolutions. This presentation will demonstrate that modern styles, design, and communication skills are the culmination of the cross-cultural influences of history and that as artists, we stand on the shoulders of giants.
Demonstration
This segment includes a presentation of my own art and discussion of my working process, previewing the procedures that the students will be involving themselves with. Tactile examples of each step of the following procedure are presented.
- Brainstorm – Beginning with sketches and notes, a solid theme and plot are constructed.
- Outline – The story is then fleshed out around the theme/plot and segmented into issues, designating the pacing. (Note: The complete story is a graphic novel; the comic book issues are the chapters.)
- Research – Material and visual references of the time period or culture are assembled. It is important to be grounded in some reality, increasing the story’s accessibility to the reader.
- Design – Characters and places are visually designed. Drawing the characters helps to distinguish their personalities and the role they have within the story.
- Page Breakdown – The outline is then designated into pages, pacing being a top priority.
- Page Design – Scenes, or panels, are then sketched out. Using a copy machine, the sketches are then composed to create a mock-up of the page, with careful consideration going toward visual flow and storytelling. (Note: A mock-up is a visual first draft.)
- Scripting – The mock-ups are then used to write dialogue and narratives of the story, insuring that the words and imagery work cohesively.
- Pencil – Using a light box, the mock-up is transferred onto illustration board to create a clean, finished line drawing.
- Scan – The image is then put into a digital format.
- Digital Inking – The penciled image is converted into a high contrast illustration.
- Coloring – The image is then colored in the software Adobe Photoshop using a personally developed method.
- Lettering – The script and word balloons are then added digitally via the software Adobe Illustrator.
- Production – The finished pages are then formatted for pre-press.
The Daniel Boone Project (The Sequential Art Project)
This project’s framework allows for a flexible subject and can be adjusted to focus on a wide-variety of time periods and/or cultures.
For the sake of this example, we will us the subject of Daniel Boone and his time period. With this subject matter, we will directly research Colonial America, Early America, and Native American culture, as well as Kentucky history.
Students will be asked to create a three to five page story related to Daniel Boone and his time period. The story must be based on or inspired by research of historical events and culture. Using biographies, history books, etc, students must gain a broad understanding of the man and time period, and then narrow their research to specific event or aspect. Whether that is an account of the massacre at the Blue Licks or an interpretation of his early explorations will be decided among the teacher, the individual student, and me.
The students will then be required to accumulate visual references of the time period (landscapes, structures, tools, weaponry, clothing, etc.). Not only is this essential in character and setting design, but it will also create a better understanding of why things were.
In conjunction with this research, students will also need to surround themselves with artwork which they enjoy and intend to mimic in their project. This can range from varying styles of comic art to drawings from the masters. Whatever the case, students will need to know the relevance of their artistic influences and have an awareness of its connection with their project.
Students will then interpret their research and begin illustrating and storytelling. Using my working process as their guide, they will learn that drawing is more then just mark making. They will learn that drawing is visual problem solving.
As part of sequential art, combining drawing skills and writing skills cohesively builds a better understanding of communication overall. Understanding how negative space allows the viewer to enjoy and analyze a visual subject is equivalent to understanding how a piece of literature must leave room for the reader to participate with their own imagination.
By limiting the subject matter to Daniel Boone and his time period, the finished stories have a shared theme, making them a natural fit to be collected into one volume. This finished book can be produced in a number of different ways and used for whatever purpose the school deems fit.
Closing Statement
Though the subject matter of this residency is flexible, the demand for highly skilled problem solving and interpretation remains constant. The skills for success are the same needed for high performance with our state’s academic expectations.
Sequential art has served me personally as a gateway to a world of learning, discovery, and creativity. Before I read my first Godzilla comic book in 4th grade, I had no interest in reading or any of the benefits. The desire to know what was happening within the images ignited a curiosity and interest.
Comics are a wonderful and creative art form that needs to be shared with others.