2021 – Summer

Graphic Journalism: Using Live-Drawing, Visuals and Comics (2-credit) (Session 1)

Course Number: SS1: JOUR-UA 25.002

Day & Time: Mon/Thur 6:00-8:00 pm

Location: Online

Instructor: Bob Eckstein

Albert Class Number: 2861

Recent times have taught us all the lesson of adapting. Learning more skills, expanding your toolbox and ability to change with the times is crucial. Illustrations, videos and live-drawing have become an integral part of reporting, and are used widely by major news outlets. Graphic journalism ranges from covering the World Series to serious world events. From local small town culture to global news. It affords those with the right skills to stand out at a time when our profession is more competitive than ever. All writers need to be elastic. If telling your story in a vibrant way through images helps you reach more people, media outlets will want you. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Creativity and being open to try is a prerequisite. This class is about improving your storytelling while discovering ways to make work more enjoyable and rewarding.

Students will cover and report one event a week in an area of interest and executed through drawing, filming or some other non-text form of expression while communicating their story. We’ll determine this after learning what your strengths are (hidden or obvious) and how to apply them. This class will prove there is room for experimentation in journalism. The ultimate goal is to find your individual voice, produce work that is shared online or published, and amass examples of graphic journalism to add to your portfolio.

Having an electronic drawing device––Apple pencil, Wacom tablet and pen or stylus for your laptop, for example––would be a big plus.

Notes: Can count as an elective towards the journalism major when coupled with a second 2-credit journalism elective. Does not count toward either journalism minor.