In my classroom at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, our drawing tables have toys on them. In the Comics Room are toys everywhere, on all of the shelves and in all directions. Casually drawing toys is something I have my students do when I introduce a new element, like drawing with ink and a brush, or trying a different sort of pen.
There is something about translating a three dimensional toy into simple line work that allows us to use the new tool in a steady way. I always have students work within a time limit: four minutes or less, and I announce the minutes remaining as they pass. This helps people keep their hand motion in a way that naturally invites the kind of personal line comics are made from.
Without a time limit, people either concentrate on trying to perfect one little part of the drawing or they give up. Most of my students can’t recognize the original character of their own line at first. Classmates usually recognize someones line work before the person making it does.
What I want to do is to find ways to keep my students drawing so they accumulate enough line work to recognize and accept their natural style. Even people who are certain they can’t draw have a specific line that will easily bend itself into comics. My goal is to keep them drawing long enough for this to happen.
