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Jim Tripp On Illustrating Stories
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6 thoughts on “Jim Tripp On Illustrating Stories”
Jim,
If you are budget-conscious, you can use a booklet-maker app and make booklets out of stories on regular paper, inserting the photos on the front page and laminating the cover. You can leave space on the text pages, or just leave pages open, so that students can illustrate. They’re close to being paperback-sized, and they don’t take up so much room.
I may try that out sometime. I only have 3 classes next year (blocks), so my expense on this will probably be under $50, I think. But for a larger quantity class load, it sounds like the booklet-maker app is the way to go. Thanks Michele!
One thing I’ve had great success with is right before we start asking a story to take two volunteers in the class to illustrate 2-3 scenes from that story. Then right before the reading day, I’ll scan those pictures in and make them a part of the reading that we see in class the next day. After getting used to the routine this adds about 10 minutes additional prep to my creating readings for the next day, but being able to see instant interpretations of the stories really amps up the focus for that reading day. I stagger what classes I do this for so I end up doing “instant illustrations” for each class about every other week or so.
That said, I love the illustration technique that Jim details above to a) get a higher level of picture sketched, and b) give a good excuse to recycle a story yet another time so that you essentially get a free rep you wouldn’t have otherwise.
Nathan, I do this also, if I have a student who just can’t keep from doodling in class. This year I had a super-talented girl who would draw comics ALL THE TIME. I directed that interest and she quickly became regarded in class as the girl who drew amazing illustrations for the class stories. Of course, this doesn’t always happen because of the spontaneous nature of stories and time constraints, thus for me the necessary structured illustration process for the book.
Getting the instant illustration up for classes is great. I’m sure this helps the students a lot! This is exactly what prompted the new direction I will probably take, having a kid or two illustrate the story outside of class and bring it in shortly after the reading day. However, it won’t be up for the reading as you have been doing via scanner, which is much better in my opinion.
You know, Jim, I’ve got those superstar artists as well and I am still kicking myself for not using using them as much as I could have. A lot of students like to draw for me, but it’s always a special event when some people in particular illustrate–like with the girl you mentioned–and the rest of the class sits on the edge of their seat a bit more when they draw.
So now you’ve got me asking myself “Why don’t I schedule these special events more often?” I have indexed over the course of the year which actors I call upon when I need to spice up a particular story; why don’t I do this more with my artists as well?
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the Thomas Young post “A Stellar Cast” that posted a while back (https://benslavic.com/blog/?p=6775) in wondering am I really finding enough roles for my students to excel in. As we’re implementing more student generated scripts, stories, and now illustrations, this requires us to leave the directors chair for our students to sit in and instead become project managers and producers. I can live with that.
You said it first Nathan. I was actually talking about that girl drawing on a piece of paper, not up in front of the class.
What you were just speaking about, well, that really only happened about once a month in my class, when we needed a funny looking character for the story. Usually that character would stay up on the wall for a while though, because it would be so funny looking and it would always insert itself into our next story.
I think that post of Thomas’ is right on too. If our actors and audience know how to play the game, and if we “direct” them well, we will be more of a voice in the background than a one-man show. Less stress.