Learn to Create Visual Stories
Does this sound like you?
> You have a GREAT idea for a visual story, but don’t know where to start and how to turn that into a plan of action…
> You’ve spent hours trying to build attractive artwork, and you feel stuck with a slow workflow…
> You’ve been trying to find a consistent style that makes your artwork different from everyone else…
> There’s a feeling of overwhelm in trying to get your story told, when dealing with digital art tools…
We’ve felt the pain of these hurdles above but have also seen the satisfaction of artists that feel proud of publishing and talking about their stories, even if it’s just one frame at a time.
So we have created the Visual Narratives Academy as a large scale resource to help develop your story ideas to fully rendered sequential artwork.
We specialise in teaching the use of 3D character software DAZ Studio and Poser at the heart of the workflow and then using Photoshop (or GIMP) for postwork. Our professional instructors also coach the use of supporting applications for further postwork effects, layout and framing of your stories. You’ll be surprised at how many cost effective resources are available!
What’s your story?
• It may be in the form of single images portraying powerful character moments. Thinking of being a professional illustrator to create book or product covers?
• You may be aiming to tell your story in a short sequence of panels providing a more tantalising tale.
• What about grander designs to launch a graphic novel or a series? Learn how to hook your readers into sympathising and following your characters.
• Use the power of motion graphics to bring your characters and story ideas into vibrant life.
What does this resource contain?
The tutorial library contains an evergreen library of videos by Drew Spence, Peter von Stackelberg, Tasos Anastasiades and other artists going over techniques and workflows creating story-telling artwork (including comics and graphic novels). The collection is evergreen, where new tutorials will be added from time to time. At the time of writing there are 38 sets of video classes.
Also embedded is a private forum for visual narrative artists. Here you have the opportunity to reach out to other visual narratives that will have similar aspirations to you.
Our monthly magazine “VISNews” is especially for artists creating stories with digital art tools, including the use of DAZ Studio and Poser for character based scenes. It’s an absolutely unique publication that includes market news, software and plugin news for visual storytellers and an in-depth interview each month with a professional visual narratives artist. The volume stands at 27 issues (as of January 2022) , all found in this resource with new issues published every month.
Tutorial Library
Searchable Tutorial Sample from the Comic Creation Foundation course by Drew Spence
Peter von Stackelberg
- Visual Storytelling for Comics, Graphic Novels & Illustrated Narratives
- Visual Storytelling : 5 Essential Building Blocks
- How to Tell Stories in Small Spaces : Illustrated Narratives for Mobile Devices
- DAZ Studio : Mastering Cameras and Composition
- Motion Graphics : Easy Animation Production
- The Visual Creator’s Guide to Storyworlds
- DAZ Studio : Creating Compelling Characters for Comics, Graphic Novels & Illustrated Narratives
Peter von Stackelberg – Visual Narratives Writing Course (new for 2022)
15 hour course with set exercises and worksheets
- Session 1 : Story Idea Development
- Session 2 : Story Concept / Plot Summary
- Session 3 : Story Concept Development
- Session 4 : From Event to Story
- Session 5 : Narrative Arc + Plot Points
- Session 6 : Character Arcs
- Session 7 : Scene Creation – The Foundation
- Session 8 : Character Types in Stories
- Session 9 : Scenes, actions, goals
- Session 10 : Publishing
Drew Spence
- Professional Comic Book Foundation Course
- Professional Comic Book Foundation Course : Lighting, Lettering, Effects and Covers
- Visual Story Writing : From Inception to Production
- DAZ Studio FIGHT SCENES : The Vital Creative Guide
- Character Creation : The Complete Guide for Designing Characters for Visual Stories
- DAZ Studio : Digital Kit Bashing
- Scene and Postwork Clinic : Your Composition and Postwork Challenges Solved!
- How to Create Compelling Covers : Expert Advice for Book/Comic/Promo Cover Design
- Prime Postwork : Solutions Workshop
- Sci-fi Special Effects : Laser Swords, Blasters and Spaceships with Photoshop
Tasos Anastasiades
- The Traveler : Creating a Steampunk Comic Adventure with Poser Pro
- Line Art : How to Create your own Line Art Style with Poser
- How to Create Graphic Novels and Anime Style Art with Poser
- Advanced Graphic Novel and Comic Book Art Techniques
- Essential Postwork Techniques for your Renders
Miscellaneous Artists
- Powerful Poses : How to Create Dynamic Pose Sets
- DAZ Studio : Easy Character Creation with FaceGen
- DAZ Studio : Getting Started with Animation
- DAZ Studio : Comic Book Workshop
- The Complete Guide to Animation in Poser
- Ten Style Secrets for Sequential Art in Comics and Graphic Novels
YOUR PROFESSIONAL MENTOR ARTISTS
Our professional artists are the main set of presenters in the academy video library.
Tasos Anastasiades
Tasos Anastasiades is an Assistant Professor and the Vice Chair in the Department of Arts at the European University Cyprus.
In 2004, he started publishing the “Plastic Comics” magazine, the first comic book created and published in Cyprus. In 2006 and 2009, he won Distinctions for professional artists in the Annual Greek Comic Book Competitions in Greece.
In 2013, he co-created ” Uni-Man”, the first superhero of Cyprus and became a Co-Founder of the Cyprus Comic Con.
In 2014, he published his first graphic novel titled ‘Fascista’.
In 2015, Tasos Anastasiades visual work was selected to be used in the official Promo Real of Poser Pro 11. Poser Pro 11 is a 3d software that is produced by Smith Micro, one of the biggest companies in the field of 3d design, animation and illustration.
He has published a short comic book series title “The Traveller” in collaboration with Neil Gibson, owner and publisher of T-Pub comics in London.
Drew Spence
Peter von Stackelberg
“Whether it’s with words or images, I love to tell stories. I’ve been a storyteller as far back as I can remember — well before I made journalism my first career.
I studied journalism at Ryerson University (long before it was known as a university) and spent a number of years as an investigative journalist and news photographer. With the emergence of the web in the 1990s, I worked as a web designer, e-commerce developer, and IT project manager. In the early 2000s, I was a professional futurist doing technology forecasting and working as a technology strategist. I also began teaching college classes in strategic management, managing technology and innovation, project management, business communications, systems thinking, and other courses.
Through all of these jobs writing and visual communication remained a core part of the work I did.
I have a B.A. in Journalism from Ryerson University, an M.S. in Studies of the Future from the University of Houston-Clear Lake, and an M.S. in Information Design & Technology from SUNY IT (State University of New York Institute of Technology).”
The Academy is my favorite platform …what I like about it is that the Coaches are pushing for a professional approach and attitude. That is very important, because as a Hobbyist, you easily get lost in the “if not today, then perhaps tomorrow or ext year”%2 and “Who cares if it’s not that great?”. But the Coaches give me a sense of “I want to deliver Quality”, and “I want to treat this project as professionally as possible”. It makes me want to do my very best, beyond what I would aim for.”
Academy member : BeeMKay