I’m excited to share my experience designing the Short Course: Self-Publishing Comics as part of my action research for the Postgraduate Certificate in Creative Education at the Royal College of Art. I delivered this course to a group of 11 students from the MA Animation and MA Visual Communication programs. This journey has deepened my understanding of teaching and highlighted the incredible potential of comics as a medium for creative expression.
As a comic book artist, I’ve always found self-publishing to be an empowering process that gives artists complete control over their projects. My own experiences creating zines and collaborating on comic anthologies such as WIP Comics and ZARJAZ have shaped my professional path, and I believe this do-it-yourself philosophy can be transformative for students. This belief inspired me to design a course that teaches students how to create and self-publish a comic anthology using risograph printing, a technique that allows for overlapping storylines and dynamic visuals, making storytelling even more engaging.
Poster and cover of the dossier I designed to promote the course among students.
The recruitment process for the course was competitive, with 39 applications for just 11 spots. I selected participants based on their eagerness to learn storytelling and experiment with different styles and narrative techniques in comic creation. Some students were completely new to comics, while others had only sketched a few panels before.
The course included three in-person sessions featuring lectures, demonstrations, visual examples, and collaborative hands-on activities, followed by a week of personal tutorials that allowed students to develop their comics at their own pace. We kicked off the first class with a collective drawing icebreaker, which led into a lecture on comics as a visual communication medium. Individual and group discussions revealed students’ strong desire to tell stories, along with their insecurities about writing and sketching. I emphasized the importance of considering their audience: if they are creating a story for someone to read, are they effectively conveying their message? I encouraged them to reflect on their roles as storytellers and how their unique perspectives in the world could shape their narratives.
In my LinkedIn article about my work on ZARJAZ illustrating a Strontium Dog story (read HERE), I discussed how Andrew J. Lewis, the editor, ensured that readers had a satisfying experience, while Amanda Kear, the writer, focused on bringing her vision to life. As the artist, I aimed to balance both perspectives while infusing my own artistic interpretation. This triad of roles became a guiding principle in my discussions with students, helping them define their unique voices and connect meaningfully with their readers. I shared my professional experience working with journalist Oscar Losada, where he handled the script and historical research while I focused on creating a visually engaging narrative. This collaboration highlighted the benefits of working with other creatives to achieve more complex stories. Throughout the course, I emphasized the value of creating anthologies with fellow artists as a way to learn about alternative self-publishing systems, including navigating the circuit of fairs, markets and small press publishers.
I witnessed remarkable growth in my students as they evolved into confident storytellers, embracing the challenge of crafting their narratives. It was inspiring to see students develop their unique voices and techniques, culminating in the creation of the OVERLAP Comic Anthology—a testament to their hard work and creativity. Printed in bold red and blue inks using Risograph techniques, this collection invites readers to experience comics in a fresh way. The anthology features imaginative stories, including the whimsical suspicion of a tutor being a mermaid, the adventures of a man made of water escaping desert monsters, and the resilience of the Palestinian people. Each student has pushed the boundaries of their imagination, exploring diverse themes and narratives that challenge traditional storytelling.
I conducted surveys, interviews, and observational records to gather feedback. Students shared valuable insights about their experiences. Feedback highlighted the importance of peer collaboration and considering the reader's perspective in storytelling to create narratives that resonate with the audience.One Animation student remarked, "I keep hitting blocks where I can’t picture it as a film, but now I can see my story develop through the process of making the comic." A Visual Communication student, who initially had little knowledge of comics, expressed her transformation by saying, "Comics isn't exactly what I thought it was; we were encouraged to do what we like," and learned that comics are a language in their own right.
The final survey indicated a significant increase in confidence levels, with many participants feeling capable of creating comics by the end of the course. One of the MA Animation tutors noted the positive outcomes for students who participated in this course, stating that those who took part were using their comics as a foundation for their final animation films. She observed, “There can sometimes be a struggle in translating a personal story into a succinct short film without relying on heavy dialogue. What I saw was a clear and condensed central idea communicated in a single page, with poetic images and gestures in action—a flow rather than a set of frames.”
Reflecting on this experience, I am motivated to continue developing courses that integrate storytelling, audience engagement, and experimental self-publishing. The OVERLAP Comic Anthology showcases the unique voices and discoveries of the participants, celebrating our collective creativity and the impact of a supportive learning environment.
I am proud of the growth of the students who took part in the course and how they have helped me grow as an educator, deepening my appreciation for the diversity of approaches to learning, storytelling, and creativity.
A big thanks to the participaints, authors of the comics in Overlap. The stories in the anthology are:
"Thirst Trap" by Julia Jolliffe
"Tracing Identity" by Anggi Gracia Gultom
"I Suspect My Tutor Is A Mermaid" by Tianlin Qu
"I Fall And Fall" by Aaroolya Rajesh
"Small Smiles" by Theresa Rauh
"Dog Dreams" by Zala Reberc
"If I Must Die" by Nour Khamis
"Meant To Fall" by Yuecheng Yan
"The Dawn Of The Mess Age" by Alba Ceide
"Pest Control" by Cat Sinclair
"Creatures Big And Small" by Arturs Voblikovs
"My Tenants" by Jahnavi Amarnani
I would also like to extend my gratitude to my PG Cert tutor Elise Ruffle and colleagues at the RCA, Samantha Moore, Katerina Athanasopoulou, Marek Wisinski, Charlotte Raymen, Orlando Girón, Ilona Kulpinska, Constantian Riala, and Giovanna Del Castro who all helped in one or other way to accomplish this project.