Toonage about Tune-age: Draw an autobio comic strip inspired by your favorite song.

ASSIGNMENT

Your assignment is to create a 4-panel autobio comic inspired by your favorite song.

To get started, first pick your song. It doesn’t necessarily have to be your all-time-favorite tune — pick something with a personal connection. The last song on prom night. A song from your first concert. This is your inspiration.

Once you have your song, you’re ready to draw your comic. An autobio comic is a personal visual story. It’s just like a memoir or personal essay, just in comic panels. This is the memory that song is making you feel!

Keep your comic short and simple. Draw with pen and paper. Stay in black and white. This assignment is all about the story. Remember: you don’t need to know how to draw to make an awesome comic strip. You just need a song and story!

DELIVERABLE

Upload your finished piece to the online project gallery on Skillshare. A completed project should:

be an 8”x8” box divided into 4 equal panels.

have the name of the song, artist(s), and album written across the bottom.

be drawn in black and white. Keep it about the story.

RESOURCES

One of the cartoonists best at simplifying stories is Jesse Reklaw, who draws people's dreams.

Here are some samples of good comics with stick figure drawing – XKCD and Matt Feazell.

If you are just starting to do autobiographical comics, check out Sarah Andersen's Skillshare class. I think she does a neat job with it.

Also, I recommend checking out Shantell Martin's Skillshare class. In order to survive, thrive, and make it live as a cartoonist, you have to think behind the box (or outside the panel).

Follow along with my cartoons at KChronicles.com, Patreon, and Medium.

Want more autobio comic examples? Check out this roundup from the A.V. Club.

Jay Newton

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