Comics in Childhood

Looking back to when I was a child I did not find comics interesting, but I did not have access to comics either. Once in a blue moon we would get the newspaper and I would read the comics in the back, but that was only a couple times a year. I lived my childhood with no idea that comics outside the newspaper existed until I was in about sixth grade. A peer was reading a comic that had to do with super heroes. At this point in time I was not interested. Now as an adult I still do not find comics interesting. I have looked through them and tried to understand that craze is about.

As I stated above I do not read comics nor graphic novels. I have tried to read graphic novels before and they just do not keep my attention or interest. I love to read and I love images, but I just do not enjoy reading graphic novels. But when thinking about middle school  and high school aged kids I think that they love comics and graphic novels because they are different from reading traditional novels. I also believe it is because they make graphic novels and comics for every age that kids can relate to. Teaching an art lesson around comics and graphic novels is a good idea because they are popular and kids are interested in them. Being able to bring what kids are interested in into the classroom is important.

When researching and looking at comics I was surprised  to see how many there were. I knew that there were more comics than just superheroes, but there are a lot of other comics that are about other subjects. I came across a website that was discussing the 20 Best Comics of 2015 and the website gave a short synapses about each one. http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/07/the-20-best-comics-of-2015-so-far.html There were only two comics on this list that I had ever heard of. Finding this article really helped me realize that there can be comics about almost everything and that finding a comic that students can relate to or enjoy is not that difficult. I think I need to spend more time looking at comics and graphic novels so that I can become better acquainted and bring that information into my classroom.

Art Journals

When thinking about journals being used in art there are many different ways this can be done. Journals are not just used for writing, but can be used to incorporate art and writing into one. The journal itself can be turned into a piece of work. Images, sketches, text, collages, and painting are all ways that can be incorporated into a journal and it doesn't have to stop there. There are many artists who used journals in their art practices: Leonardo Da Vinci, Emily Martin, Dan Eldon, Sabrina Ward Harrison, Lynda Barry, and Jennifer New are just a few. Emily Martin is a book maker, author, and illustrator. Below is a picture of a book she created and then an awesome video about the inspirations and ideas behind the book. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYZRslUPViE&noredirect=1 

Where as Leonardo who was a "Renaissance Man" used journals to write down and document his ideas, artwork, scientific findings, and his invention ideas. Journals are an important resource in art that are sometimes overlooked.


Besides the functionality of a journal I believe that students who use journals are able to express themselves without worry A journal can be a personal object that does not need to be shared. Students can sketch their ideas and write down their thoughts to clarify what they are thinking without the pressure. Journals are great for students to problem solve in. Students could buy a journal, but why not teach the skill of bookmaking and talk about how bookmaking can be an art. Before entering college I did not even know bookmaking was considered an art. Students can learn about paper making, book binding, and many other skills while learning to make their own journal. This is a great way to get to know your students.


In my classroom I hope to have my students create their own journal to use throughout the course. I want the students to learn the skills of bookmaking and learn about bookmaking as an art form and also create something that they can use. Students can then use their journals to write down and sketch their ideas throughout the course. Besides just using a journal to document their ideas I would like the students to create a blog where they can interact with their peers. I will require the students to create a blog to use to share their artwork, influences/inspirations, and their problems/successes in art. I want to extend the classroom outside of the four walls of the art room. Students will then have a journal to keep their ideas in without having the pressure to share and then be able to share what they do want on the blog.

While looking at artists that use journals I came across another artist that we did not talk about who I fell in love with this journaling style. The above artist is Brian Kasstle. He has his own blog with his journals. https://apaperbear.wordpress.com/tag/art-journals/page/2/

Social Justice

When looking at social justice today in our world I feel that there is just as much injustice happening as justice. Social injustice can be found when you turn on the news, read a newspaper, or even when looking on Facebook. Right now a lot of attention is being placed on injustice and being put in the media where it spreads like wild fire. Social justice and injustice can play a huge role in my career as an art educator because of how prevalent it is in our culture today.

How can social justice/injustice play a major role in art education? Artists create art that is influenced by what is going on around them and what is happening in their life. Artists respond to their emotions and portray these emotions through their art.Social justice/injustice is all around us and easily accessible. As a future art educator social justice/injustice is an avenue that students can explore and create art in response to their ideas and emotions. Students are all affected by social justice/injustice and this can be a way for them to express their thoughts to what could be a personal issue. When students are researching and creating their projects this can help them develop their identities of who they are because it shows what the student may support or disagree with. Students are able to research and understand what their topic may have to do with social justice and the information may or may not change their views on a topic. Students can learn more about themselves, the world, and their own beliefs.

Social justice/injustice is important when considering and planning my curriculum because it can be a sensitive topic that needs to be addressed correctly. Depending on the community there could be specific social justice/injustice issues happening that are related to just that community. Being aware is the key. It is also important to consider when planning the curriculum about what do I want to the students to get out of this lesson and what is the goal of the lesson. This idea is important in all lessons, but social justice/injustice is a big topic and students need to learn about the topic, understand the topic, and be able to translate their ideas and thoughts.

Art is a way of expressing yourself. There is no wrong or right way and no definite rules about how to do it. But in art there are many valuable skills that can be developed and made stronger when creating art. Collaborating, planning, reflecting, and being driven are all skills can be developed. When creating a lesson, especially around social justice/injustice, these skills are brought forth to help create a successful project.