The Intermediate Creative Writing class (EN375) is testing a new course format in hopes to give students a better understanding of the relationship between image and text in comics.

Hannah Sanders, associate professor in the department of art and design, said she wanted SEMO to teach a course on the topic of comic writing and imagery. The idea came after she was given a grant to attend a summer course at Harvard University taught by comic artist and illustrator Peter Cooper.

“The course gave me a lot of valuable information,” Sanders said. “I got to work with artists from all over the world and of all ages.”

Sanders said she wanted a class at SEMO similar to her experience at Harvard; in her own professional body of artistic research, she creates artwork combining imagery and text.

To help build the class, Sanders enlisted the help of Dr. Sandra Cox, an associate professor of English. Cox then enlisted the help of Dr. James Brubaker, another associate professor of English.

In the course, the three professors collaborate to give students the real-life experience of working with students in another profession. The classes also help them understand what image and text gain from one another.

Brubaker is the professor of EN375, but his class works in conjunction with Cox’s LI523 Topics in American Literature and Hannah Sanders’ Topics in Art and Design (AR504).

“At first, the English majors were like, ‘Oh goodness, I don’t want to draw,’ and the art majors were like, ‘Oh goodness, I don’t want to read,” Cox said.

To help students feel at ease doing tasks outside their comfort zone, the professors and students will visit one another's classes to practice writing and drawing.

“We have a really unique class structure happening where all of our students are getting comics theory and critical analysis, as well as creative writing components and artistic components, because we have three professors,” Sanders said.

Sanders emphasizes the importance of this opportunity for creative writing, art and English majors, as the class has three collaborators of different professional backgrounds.

Brubaker describes EN375 as a bridge between Introduction to Creative Writing and advanced fiction and poetry courses. He said the students are focusing on graphic storytelling, while also incorporating traditional storytelling topics.

Brubaker highlights the fact that writing students aren’t going to make perfect artwork when doing drawing exercises, so he reminds them they aren’t being graded on their drawing abilities, but rather, the idea behind their drawing.

Creative writing sophomore Skyler Roberts describes the course as an interesting experience. She said she’s learning a different perspective of storymaking when she’s making art instead of writing.

“I feel like images add to writing because you can see characters, see their facial expressions, then deduce your own thoughts and feelings from those pictures,” Roberts said. “At certain times, pictures can be so much more powerful than words.”

View the students’ progress through the end of the semester at the Nest Gallery in the Seminary Building at the River Campus. Their work will be on display from April 4 through May 7, 2022.