Creation and Development of Graphic Novels
A course by María LuqueIllustrator
A course by María Luque, Illustrator
Discover the process of creating a graphic novel from the conception of the idea to its publication
Do you know what it takes to create a graphic novel, including the creative and organizational aspects? María Luque is a sketch artist and illustrator. Her published works include La mano del pintor, Casa transparente, and Noticias de pintores, for which she received several international awards.
In this online course, she teaches you how to embark on the journey of creating a graphic novel, from the initial idea to publication.
Alongside María, develop your own graphic novel, choosing and controlling each part of the process: writing the script, selecting the materials you want to work with, defining the characters and their stories, and learning how to publish it.
What will you learn in this online course?
14 lessons & 17 downloads
Find an idea
11 minutes, 47 seconds
Make a plan
22 minutes, 42 seconds
Define the characters
8 minutes, 57 seconds
Keep the enthusiasm
9 minutes, 35 seconds
Where to start?
11 minutes, 37 seconds
We are achieving it
11 minutes, 55 seconds
What's included in this course?
To start, learn more about María Luque's work, her artistic influences, and the graphic novels that serve as her inspiration.
Brainstorm ideas for your own graphic novel, at which point Maria explains how to develop a work plan with realistic goals.
Time to get to work! Write the synopsis of your publication, choose the materials to work with, define the characters, and plan the pace of the story in order to tell it through a series of comic strips.
Creating a graphic novel can sometimes be a long process, so María shares some tips and tricks to make the process fun and help you maintain your enthusiasm for the project from beginning to end.
Once you have your finished comic strips, discover the process of how to share them, from finding the first reader or a publisher, to what to do once your project is finished (submitting it to contests or publishers, or self-publishing it).
What is this course's project?
Create a graphic novel from start to finish. Write the synopsis, plan the work schedule, test out the materials, define the characters, create the layout and comic strips, and make decisions about editing and publication.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for illustrators, sketch artists, graphic artists, and anyone who is interested in creating and publishing their own graphic novel but doesn't know where to start.
Requirements and materials
No prior knowledge is necessary, as María explains the entire process of creating a graphic novel, but it is advisable to have basic drawing skills to be able to translate your ideas into images.
As for materials, you need paper and whichever drawing tools you want for the graphic part of your novel (gouache, colored pencils, markers, etc.).
Reviews
- 1 month ago
Inspirador! La profesora muy generosa al compartir su forma de trabajo y sus consejos, además de ser muy amorosa al explicar.
- 1 month ago
¡Me gusta! El estilo de María es único y me encanta ver su proceso. Amplía mis horizontes. Gracias.
- 3 months ago
Muy buen curso, María explica claramente los conceptos y da muy buenas recomendaciones de otras novelas gráficas para tomar ideas y inspiración.
- 3 months ago
EXCELENTE! EXCELENTE! EXCELENTE! Este curso era todo lo que necesitaba para lanzarme. Aprecié en particular los tips para no desalentarse. GRACIAS!!
- 5 months ago
El curso proporciona buenos consejos y disparadores para iniciarse en la novela gráfica. Las sugerencias pueden adaptarse a una mayor o menor planificación de los trabajos, según la forma de trabajar de cada uno. María logra que la realización de una novela gráfica parezca muy fácil e intuitiva, lo que anima a lanzarse a la aventura sin tantos temores.
She is also the cofounder of the Festival Furioso de Dibujo and participated in the anthology Informe, historieta argentina del siglo XXI, published by Editorial Municipal de Rosario. She is the author of La mano del pintor, a graphic novel about Cándido López (Sigilo, 2016, L'Agrume Éditions 2017);Casa transparente (Sexto Piso, Graphic Novel Award - Ibero-American Cities); and Noticias de pintores (Sigilo, 2019).
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- U2
Prepare for a long-term project
- Find an idea
- Dive into the idea
- Make a plan
- U3
Start the book that we imagine
- The selection of materials I
- The selection of materials II
- Define the characters
- Fraction the idea
- Keep the enthusiasm
- U4
Let us begin!
- Where to start?
- We are achieving it
- U5
How do we continue?
- Share the process
- What destiny is going to have our project?
- FP
Final project
- Graphic novel, focused on a long narrative project
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
A graphic novel is a narrative work that uses illustrations and text in panels to tell a long, complex story, often with deep themes. It differs from traditional comics in length, structure, and its focus on a complete narrative.
Yes, the course is designed for people with intermediate skills but is also helpful for beginners who want to better structure their ideas and process for creating graphic novels.
You’ll need drawing paper (Canson recommended), pencils, markers, gouache, colored pencils, and access to a scanner. Experimenting with different materials is encouraged to find what best suits your style.
You’ll learn how to turn everyday experiences into visual stories, create synopses, define characters, plan and organize your project, select materials, experiment with panels, and explore publishing options.
The course teaches you how to find the core of your story, define main characters, establish the central conflict, and craft a clear, engaging synopsis to guide your graphic novel’s creation.
It includes practical exercises on observation, recording, varying shots, and methods to develop complex, believable characters that fit your visual narrative.
Yes, the course offers techniques to overcome creative blocks, stay motivated, break ideas into manageable parts, and organize tasks according to your own rhythm.