The Instagram Comic

Instructor: Sienna Gonzales

Max: 20 Students

No experience necessary. All levels welcome!

January 24th, 2025 / 1:30-5:30pm (including a 15 min. break)

(Please arrive 20 minutes early. Parking is ample and easy. )

How do we get your story out there?

On the surface, this workshop  is about comics. What it's really about is abstract thinking, artistic truth, vulnerability, AND how those go public. How do we as artists create good art and visual value for a broad audience?

Sienna Gonzales is an illustrator, comic artist, storyteller, and educator. Her perspective is formed by a mosaic of experiences, spanning from fine art training at UCLA to hours poring over Calvin and Hobbes comic compilations as a kid. She believes that storytelling in all forms has the power to shift perspectives and quite literally change lives. 

In this workshop, artists will learn some of the fundamentals of how to develop and place their artistic vision within the comics medium, specifically as shareable Instagram content.

Sienna has shown with GiantRobot gallery.

She’s produced work and educational experiences for clients such as Google, Netflix, Xbox, Giving List Women, Illuminative, Junior High, EA

THE WORKSHOP WILL INCLUDE:

INTRODUCTION & IMAGINATION EXERCISE (30 min)

Instructor and student introductions. Sienna will guide students through imaginative exercises, preparing them for more openly creative storytelling.

DEMO OF SIENNA’S PROCESS (30 min)

Sienna will develop a short piece of writing as thumbnails and discuss the mood that she’s trying to establish. Sienna will narrate her process and take questions.

STUDENTS START (45 min)

Students will begin drafting their own narratives and comic thumbnails. Sienna will rotate round the class advising and answering questions.

—- BREAK —- (15 min)

PART TWO: DEVELOPING FINISHED SKETCHES (40 min)

Sienna will continue to guide students as they develop their sketches. After these four minutes, Sienna will choose 4-5 samples to review with the class to provide inspiration and comparison for the final stretch.

PART THREE: INKING (40 min)

Students will finalize and economize their drawings for graphic and storytelling impact. Sienna will advise.

PART FOUR: COLORING (30 min)

Here students will be encouraged to use the breadth of their coloristic imagination. While we’ll have simplicity and clarity as objectives, big ideas are welcome!

RECOMMENDED MATERIALS

Graphite and Colored pencils

Waterproof inking pens

Watercolors

Eraser and mixed media paper

CANCELLATION POLICY:

If you need to cancel, please do so at least 3 days before the workshop. No refunds shorter than 3 days before class. If you cancel within a week, you are entitled to a full refund minus $25.