Finding the story
in your research
Your research story:
How I might turn research into a comic strip...
Lady of the Skies by Selina Lock & David O'Connell
Shows passage of time and distance
Based on a description by fellow passenger of her scrambling among the rigging
Based on conversations with researchers.
Used Guinea Pig as narrator as that's how patients saw themselves.
Artist used photo-reference for scenes of, and aboard, the zeppelin
- Get into pairs
- Discuss how your research might be broken down into a comic strip.
- Not sure? Think about:
- 1: What is your research about or where did the idea come from?
- 2: Where are you in the research process/ what are you doing now?
- 3: What's the next step in your research?
- Have a go at drawing your comic strip.
- Feedback to the group.
Based on articles by Lady Grace Drummond-Hay (Primary Source)
Picked moments of interest from her articles.
Use of humour to tackle difficult subject
Tried to think of images to convey scientific concepts
This comic was created as part of the Newcastle Science Comic: Asteroid Belter project - http://newcastlesciencecomic.blogspot.co.uk/
Pair up with someone from another subject area.
Language of Comics
Let's look at some examples:
Description of what's happening in the panel/image
- Have a look at some of the printed graphic novels mentioned or the online comics strips listed at:
http://padlet.com/wall/comicsmarch2014
Script excerpt: Lucifer by Mike Carey
Text for the Caption Box/Narration
Dialogue
What did not work for you?
What did you like about them?
Did the images and words work together?
Did any of the images work particularly well?
Note any thoughts you wish to share on the padlet wall...
But I can't draw...
Finding an artist...
Comics & Graphic Novels cover a wide range of topics...
- Friends & family?
- Other students or staff?
Other art options:
Online
- Websites: www.deviantart.com
- Twitter: #createcomics
- Facebook Groups
- New artists may be willing to work with you for free to build up their portfolios BUT all artists prefer to be paid.
- Discuss copyright with the artist.
Photographs: yours or use those with Creative Commons License.
- http://www.flickr.com/creativecommons/
Software
- Comic Strip Creator (Freeware)
- http://www.comicstripcreator.org/
- Pixton (Online)
- http://www.pixton.com/uk/
- Comic Life ($30 but can have free trial - good for photo-strips)
- http://comiclife.com/
When could you use a comic strip?
Not suitable for submitting for academic purposes or to academic/research publishers unless negotiated in advance. Other possible uses....
- Poster presentation
- In conference presentations
- Online to communicate research ideas to public
- In internal publications or meetings
- To explain research when recruiting research participants
- Other ideas?
Your turn...
- Have a go at creating a comic using Pixton:
- http://www.pixton.com/uk/
- Further help & questions?
- Email: stl5@le.ac.uk
Communicating your research as a comic strip
Selina Lock
University of Leicester
stl5@le.ac.uk
June 2014