Skillshare

The Art of Visual Storytelling: How Comics Work | Learn with Smithsonian

Name: The Art of Visual Storytelling: How Comics Work | Learn with Smithsonian
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Sequential Narrative for Comics and Visual Media

Phil Jimenez has spent two decades crafting stories for DC and Marvel. In this 30-minute class, he teaches the specific skills that make sequential narratives work: translating script into sketch, using references wisely, and communicating action across panels. The class breaks down how emotional core drives story structure, and how panels build on each other to create impact. He focuses on the visual language comics uniquely use—how a blank space, a panel border, or the size of a frame changes what a reader feels. Designed for artists and writers alike, the class assumes no drawing experience but demands you think about storytelling as a visual craft.

About this course

What makes a great visual story?

Telling a compelling sequential narrative with words and pictures is a critical skill, whether you want to work in comics, give a compelling visual presentation, or simple create a strong creative connection with an audience.

In this 30-minute class, master writer and artist Phil Jimenez shares his visual storytelling process, honed over two decades working with DC and Marvel Comics. You’ll learn how to:

Translate a comic script into a sketch
Use references to inform your drawings
Communicate action and drama in a panel-by-panel format

This class is perfect for artists, writers, creatives, and everyone who wants to hone their visual storytelling skills — no previous drawing experience required! By the end, you'll be able to identify key elements that make up the best stories, and find the emotional core of a great narrative.

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Since its founding in 1846, the Smithsonian Institution has been committed to inspiring generations through knowledge and discovery. The Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, consisting of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park, and nine research facilities. The total number of objects, works of art and specimens at theSmithsonian is estimated at nearly 138 million, including more than 126 million specimens and artifacts at the National Museum of Natural History. Learn more at www.si.edu.