Graphic Novel Your Life
Online course for adults
16 January – 26 March 2024
Tuesdays, 18:00 – 20:00 UK Time
There is no class on 13 February 2024
On this 10-week course you’ll learn how to create a graphic novel based on your own life experiences. Guided by award-winning cartoonist Rachael Ball, you will breathe life into well-thought-out characters and create the key elements of a compelling plot.
Rachael will teach you how to pace your story and use visual metaphor to evoke emotion and suspense. You’ll experiment with image-making, using different media to create attention-grabbing comic page layouts.
By the end of the course, you will have created a strong plot, key character sheets, scripted pages, a storyboard, visual experiments, a story synopsis and a finished page of artwork. You’ll even learn how to approach a publisher with your graphic novel sample.
This course caters for beginners and skilled illustration practitioners alike. No prior experience of writing or drawing is necessary. Our small class size of no more than 16 students will ensure you receive weekly personalised feedback from Rachael and the group, helping your work to progress in a relaxed and friendly environment.
About Rachael
Rachael Ball is an acclaimed cartoonist with 16 years of teaching experience. She started cartooning for cult comic Deadline in 1988. Rachael's first graphic novel, The Inflatable Woman (Bloomsbury), was a Guardian Best Graphic Novel 2015 and her second, Wolf (SelfMadeHero), has been called “a timeless classic”. Rachael co-coordinates the London branch of Laydeez Do Comics.
What people say
“This course was brilliant! It exceeded my expectations in giving me the confidence and skills to tell my story.”
“I particularly enjoyed the way that the tutor gives very personalised feedback.”
“The tutor is wonderful, really approachable, knowledgeable and encouraging.”
“Hit all aspects of making a visual story”
“I have much more of a grasp now of how to approach graphic novels and become involved in my work”
