Rachel Carew

Title of Scheme: Iron Man

The comic book - Create a
series of comic book
illustrations to depict the
storyline of The Ironman, a
book written by Ted Hughes

No. of Lessons: 12x s 6 x D

Total Time: 10 hours

Group: 2nd years

No. of Pupils: 11

Aims:
To help pupils to:
To help students to understand how to analyze a story through the characters, the plot, the
setting and the used of visual illustrations
Recreate the story Iron Man engaging their imagination through comic book style to develop
drawing and illustration skills
Develop imaginative drawing skills and compositional planning and layout
Translate a narrative comic book sequence on Iron Man into a 2d design storyboard
exploring techniques and processes of comic design, to show the student how to develop a
plot which is both visually compelling and tells a story which captures the imagination.
To be able to communicate through visual imagery by understanding various ways to depict
and illustrate a storyline and highlight main plot, subplot etc.
Be aware of space and composition considering emphasis on foreground, background,
midground and various viewpoints such as birds eye, worms eye, close up, medium shot, long
shot, aerial shot etc
Complete a finished A3 piece and construct a complete collaborative comic book.
Overall Learning Outcomes for the Scheme:
On completion pupils should be able to:
Understand, develop and create a narrative story; to analyze a story through examining
plotline, setting, character, mood and action.
Be creative and imaginative in the development of the Iron Man story through drawing and
illustrative skills
Discuss the main elements that make up a scene, including drawing skills, compositional
planning and layout.
Depict and communicate their scene through drawing, use of storyboards and plot lines
Use images and limited text to tell a story through plot and subplots, enabling the student to
illustrate the narrative of the story
Correctly compose imagery incorporating elements such as foreground, background and
perspective -Identify a range of different viewpoints in their illustration.
Examine layout plan and identify changes if needed
To complete a finished A3piece.
Work collaboratively to complete a comic book
Investigating/Exploring/Creating (include illustrations, especially your own work):

Iron man arrives to planet earth and initially frightens the locals who fear his enormous size,
his huge feet, his dustbin shaped head, his enormous hands, the image shoots fear into the
people . The colossal finds a scrap yard and makes it his home. He becomes destructive but
not intentionally, he just wants to feed on metal. The people believe they must put a stop to
the dreadful destruction caused by the Iron Man. A trap is set for him, but he cannot be kept
down. Then everything changes when a terrible Space bat angel dragon monster from outer
space threatens to destroy the planet. The Iron Man, who befriends a boy called Hogwarth,
finds a way to save the world. He leaves the scrap yard and challenges the monster to a duel

and ultimately earns the respect of the people and is made welcome to live amongst the
people who no longer fear him.
Investigate
Students will investigate and explore firstly what a story entails students will explore through
discussion key elements of a story such a plot, characters, setting, incorporating wording. Example of
questions pose to students to get them to create a discussion centre around the topics include:
What is a story? - An account or recital of an event or a series of events, either true or
fictitious,
What is a story made up of? Plot: The plot of a story is everything that happens in the story
leading up to and including the ending. It is a sequence of events told within the story itself...
Characters: Main characters and minor characters
What elements are needed to create a story? Plot characters setting imagination,
Then I will introduce the book Iron Man to the students and discuss the above - characters main
character, plot and the setting giving them a insight into the book. I will show imagery to the
students to give them a real sense of who these characters are. I will provide a word wall to help
students with literacy and encourage students to add to the wall chart
Explore
Students will begin exploring and creating the story through a whole class mind map incorporating
sketches investigating various depictions (scenes).
They will formulate their mind map and create a story from it. They will then look at their story and
start choosing key elements to depict with imagery. Making notes of how many images they need to
create the story. They will then create these images into thumbnail drawings to investigate do their
chosen imagery depict their individual scene before beginning their piece;

Below is an example of my thought process when planning a narrative story

The book Iron Man

Example of thumbnail

Once students have explored their images through thumbnails and finalise their selection of images
they will then begin creating their narrative story with their selected imagery.
Students will explore various ways of laying out their images to create a visually finished piece.

Examples of various imagery layouts

Students will explore various ways of incorporating text into their narrative drawing looking at scale,
font and text bubbles. Students will discuss wording on wall chart.

Example of various mark marking

Students will explore and investigate different mark marking techniques using a variety of medium
including pencil and colouring pencils and incorporate their chosen medium into their drawing
imagery.

Example of narrative drawing. (my sequence of

a 6 panel narrative drawn in the medium of pencil)
Create
Students will create a group mind map, wall charts, and thumbnail drawings in A3 to help them
develop ideas for their final A3 creative drawing. Then students will collaborate to create a complete
comic book, with full colour telling the story of Ironman through narrative text and full coloured
illustrations.

Understanding/Evaluating: (include illustrations):

Students will have an understanding of creating and illustrating a story through visual images
through discussing key elements required to create the story Iron Man.
Students will create a group mind map, wall chart, thumbnail drawings to support the creation
of their A3 finish piece
Students will gain an understating through evaluating and displaying their own work and
peers work, encouraging them to discuss elements of their work such as colour, line, pencil,
tone composition and layout of their images in terms of what work and didnt work.
- Student will discuss photographs of their work on slideshow
Students will present their finish piece and discuss their process, taught ideas that led them to
their finish A3piece.
Students will then work collaboratively to construct complete comic book.
Art history and Appreciation

Lichtenstein, Warhol, and illustrators

An example of an artist that used text and sequential imagery in his work Roy Liechtenstein

Whamm 1963
Roy Lichenstein

The Joker 1988

Artists Brian Boland and Alan Moore

Batman the Dark Knight Returns

Frank Miller

Students will examine the above illustrations and explore the emotions depicted, the use of
colour and shadow, examining the difference between close up shots and action shots; they
will discuss the form and style used.
The Batman illustration depicts a scene of action and movement; expressions of anger and a
manic determination, the viewer is immediately brought into the action by the illustrators use
of shadow and space. We see an angry Batman who is racing to enforce his brand of justice.
Whereas in the picture of the joker, there is also madness, but it is a different form of
madness, it clearly shows the viewer that the subject has anger issues and wants to do harm,
this close up image uses an elongated shape to the joker which accentuates his madness.
ICT: Projector, internet visual aids

Key words/phrases: Drawing, narrative drawing, sequential imagery, mind mapping, frames, scenes,
design, comics, zoom in, zoom out viewpoints, colour, imagination, event, plot, characters, time and
setting.
Teaching/Learning Strategies:
Discussion on the book Iron Man- what a story is? Whats in a story? How to create a story?
Allowing students to analysis critically evaluate and discuss key elements needed to create a
story.
Give class discussions about Characters, plot setting, themes, story layout including
beginning ,middle and conclusion
Encourage students to create a story using a mind map and demonstrate how to develop a
story from a mind map.
Demonstrate how to isolate descriptive areas for their individual key scenes for the story and
create thumbnails to suit each element of the scene.
Discuss various ways of laying out their images to depict their scene/ story.
The use of line and colour for example tone, colour mix layering and shading techniques 9
pencil and colouring pencils)
Display visual aid for students to reference during their creative process for example various
layouts, use of text type, various fonts, comic book.
Use visual throughout lessons on comics and storytelling
Display a word chart to help students ( literacy)
Photograph students work at various stages of the scheme and display slideshow on projector
Display students work at various stages of the scheme in order for students to analysis what
worked and didnt work and why?
Conclude scheme by displaying students work allowing them to view the techniques of other

students work.

Materials: Paper, ruler, eraser, pencil h-2b, coloring pencil, markers colouring pens, camera and
visuals aids
Safety Precaution: Students to follow art cleaning rules and must return material to storage.
Demonstration when cutting paper with scalpel or scissors and complete supervision when students
are using these and set up a designated area for cutting at all times.
Differentiation: Templates of layouts will be given when required and more one on one support with
students if needed. The templates and narrative written scenes will be provided in various sections
with explanatory notes so that students with possible reading difficulties will feel included in the
class. I will use a word wall where each student according to their ability will be able to contribute to
the class. This will allow sensitivity for those who may have reading difficulties and allow them to
feel part of the project, this would also help to build their confidence and remove any stigma attached
to any literacy problems that a student may have.
Timeline/Sequence of Lessons: Week 1. Introduce Topic Narrative story Board. Discuss The story
Iron Man By T. Hughes. Students will create a mind map, will have an awareness of the layout of a
comic book, introduced to different comic illustration styles, shown how shadow and depth can depict
a story through the image.
Week 2.Students will create thumbnail drawings to give them a sense of mediums and use of space
and layout; they will be exploring how to create mood and atmosphere through images. And the use
of single words like wham, Boom and how words like this can add to the picture and help to tell the
story.
Week 3. Students will begin A3 illustrations and the design of the comic book. They will explore the
use of visuals and recap on the basic skills they have been taught.
Week 4. Students will continue in the creation of the comic book.
Week 5. Students will be adding colour to the illustrations .
Week 6.students will get together to collaborate and complete the comic book. Followed by a group
discussion on the creative experience.
Assessment Rubric: Year Group 2nd years