A wide shot of a ceramics studio, featuring students working with pottery wheels and other tools.

Alex Dahm

Continuing Studies Instructor

Contact

Bio

Alex is a cartoonist, performance artist, and teacher. Alex loves translating stories from their daily life into strange diagrams, tactile comics, and audience interactive experiences.

Personal Statement

Alex is passionate about teaching students different ways to express their ideas, explore their identities, and build community through art. No story is too small – there is power in letting your voice be heard!

Courses

Title Department Catalog Term

Description

This course guides students through the process of bringing illustrations to the next level by creating unique comics and graphic novels. Emphasis is placed on storytelling, introducing students to character development, plot structure, scripting, and storyboarding. Skills in pencilling, inking, coloring, space, and perspective are introduced through the use of a wide variety of traditional and non-traditional media, which may include colored pencils, oil pastels, watercolors, digitally edited drawings, and/or handmade zines. Artist presentations, trips to the Art Institute of Chicago, and visits to downtown Chicago's vast array of public art provide inspiration and drawing practice as an entry into the basics of comic narrative and stylization. *Basic drawing skills are helpful, but not required.

Class Number

2326

Credits

1

Description

This course guides students through the process of bringing illustrations to the next level by creating unique comics and graphic novels. Emphasis is placed on storytelling, introducing students to character development, plot structure, scripting, and storyboarding. Skills in pencilling, inking, coloring, space, and perspective are introduced through the use of a wide variety of traditional and non-traditional media, which may include colored pencils, oil pastels, watercolors, digitally edited drawings, and/or handmade zines. Artist presentations, trips to the Art Institute of Chicago, and visits to downtown Chicago's vast array of public art provide inspiration and drawing practice as an entry into the basics of comic narrative and stylization. *Basic drawing skills are helpful, but not required.

Class Number

2347

Credits

1