Sketchbooks & Zines: Junk Journalling (Ages 12 – 16)
About this course
Bring forward your inner storyteller and dive into the world of DIY publishing! Led by illustrator Anita Fowl, this six-week studio gives youth total creative control to design, illustrate, and produce their very own comics, sketchbooks, and zines. From crafting original characters and dramatic panel layouts to exploring page fold, binding, and filling their books with their creations, students will explore the intersection of visual storytelling. Whether you’re a budding graphic novelist, a manga enthusiast, or just love to sketch, this is a fun, highly collaborative space to build technical illustration skills, find your unique voice, and walk away with a collection of self-published creations to enjoy and share.
What you'll learn
- Develop Original Characters: Learn how to design expressive characters with distinct turnarounds, dynamic poses, and personal style.
- Visual Storytelling: Practice panel layout, pacing, thumbnailing, and using word-and-image relationships to guide the reader through a narrative.
- Explore DIY Bookmaking: Explore hands-on paper folding and basic binding techniques to assemble original sketchbooks, comics, and zines.
- Build Technical Illustration Skills: Refine line art, inking techniques, shading, and lettering
- Discover Personal Voice: Use self-published zines and comic strips as a creative outlet to express unique ideas, fandoms, or personal stories.
- Collaborate and Share: Experience the culture of trading zines, sharing constructive feedback with peers, and building a portfolio of handmade publications.
They didn't think they were artists either.
Anita Fowl
FAQs
Please find answers to commonly asked questions here. If you're still in doubt, don't hesitate to contact us: contactus@avenueroadartsschool.com



