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

Sara Varon

Lecturer

Bio

Education: BFA, 1995, School of the Art Institute of Chicago; MFA, 2002, School of Visual Arts, New York City. Bibliography: Graphic Novels: New Shoes; Odd Duck; Bake Sale; Robot Dreams; Sweaterweather. Picture Books: My Pencil and Me; Hold Hands; President Squid; Chicken and Cat. Awards: New York Public library for New Shoes: one of 2018’s Best Books for Kids; Kirkus Reviews for Odd Duck: one of the Best Children’s Books of 2013; Sendak Fellowship, 2013; School Library Journal for Bake Sale: one of the Top 10 Graphic Novels of 2011; Oprah’s Book Club for Robot Dreams: Kids’ Reading List Selection 2008.

Personal Statement

I have been writing & illustrating comics, children's books, and graphic novels since about 2002.

Courses

Title Department Catalog Term

Description

The Department of Painting and Drawing offers a wide variety of comics courses, ranging from traditional to experimental methods and techniques. Each course is designed to focus on a specific area of comics production. To learn more about the topic of a specific comics course in which you are interested, please review the course description for that particular class.

Class Number

1638

Credits

3

Description

The Department of Painting and Drawing offers a wide variety of comics courses, ranging from traditional to experimental methods and techniques. Each course is designed to focus on a specific area of comics production. To learn more about the topic of a specific comics course in which you are interested, please review the course description for that particular class.

Class Number

1939

Credits

3

Description

Good stories can come from anywhere, and any story can be interesting no matter the subject matter. This class will focus on the best way to create concepts for stories and how to properly execute them, with a strong emphasis on writing, revision, using the proper tools, artistic process and drawing technique. Students will complete short, one to two page stories each week, while also working toward three six to eight page stories that will be compiled into their own printed comic at the end of the semester. Various comic samples will be provided from a range of diverse sources. Short story assignments will be assigned in the beginning of the semester that will focus on specific aspects of making comics (i.e. perspective, using reference, creating mood, etc). Students will also be making three longer stories that will be compiled into one comic at the end of the semester.

Class Number

1660

Credits

3