Comics / Cult Favorite

Former SCAD Sequential Art Instructor Launches Independent Curriculum

By Philip Schweier
August 17, 2012 - 12:29

Some might claim to be unable to draw but the truth is that everyone has within themselves the means to draw. It’s merely a matter of tapping that creative outlet in the proper manner.

In an effort to do so, comics instructor Bob Pendarvis has created A Girl Called Ana Teaches Kittens How to Draw, the first in a series of graphic novels covering the basics of drawing, design, illustration and sequential art.

Ana, a young girl who makes and sells her own mini-comics, is approached by envious kittens that would love to make their own comics. They whine about not knowing how to draw anything, much less comics, so Ana offers to teach them in her backyard. The first book focuses primarily on drawing lessons, hinting at much more complicated concepts to be taught when the time is right.

“Each book is designed to be read and enjoyed by itself,” said Pendarvis, “but also to work with the other books in the series to create a much larger story, a decidedly female-friendly story, about the separated-at-birth relationship between writing and drawing.”

Pendarvis introduced comic book illustration classes at the Savannah College of Art & Design in 1991, going on to create the school’s BFA and MFA sequential art programs. Mark Kneece, a freelance writer whose credits include NBM, Marvel and DC Comics, was recruited by Pendarvis at Atlanta's Dragon*Con.

“Without Bob's guidance, insight, understanding of academic processes and willingness to make many personal sacrifices for the good of the institution, it is not at all certain that sequential art would have flourished at SCAD the way it did,” says Kneece. “Bob's experience and expertise was invaluable as the department grew. He has a profound knowledge of teaching and a genuine understanding of how to communicate complicated ideas to students, pulling the highest level of excellence out of them. He builds a bond of trust with his students and mentors them far beyond the classroom."

Together, Pendarvis and Kneece produced The Bristol Board Jungle in 2004, a semi-autobiographical graphic novel (published by NBM) of two guys teaching college-level comics classes. “That was a group effort,” explained Pendarvis, “primarily illustrated by students, and hastily completed to meet a strict deadline, meaning many compromises were made along the way. With the Ana books, I’ve been taking my time to shape them just the way I want.”

Pendarvis has always been a fan of Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics, which makes a compelling case for treating comics as a true art form, and provides readers with page after page of entertaining, enlightening lectures presented in a comic book format. “Understanding Comics is also apologetically ‘dense,’so much so that many of my students admitted they hadn't gotten around to finishing it, because there was just so much to take in and absorb.

Like The Bristol Board Jungle, Pendarvis aims for something different with the Ana books. “Instead of overloading the books with too much lecturing, I wanted to have an actual story, featuring a variety of characters and various plots/subplots. I also wanted to reach much younger readers, as well as their parents and teachers.” As if talking kittens weren’t enough, the Ana series also features an obnoxious robot boy, Jimmy, who bulldozes his way into Ana's classes. There’s also the powerful Mr. Superhero-Man, a seemingly scary witch, wild space aliens, a friendly snowman and a handsome flying horse.

Pendarvis isn’t interested in merely explaining how sequential art works for those interested in practicing their craft. More importantly, he wants to inspire a new generation of young artists and writers, especially young girls. “In my book, Ana tells her students that learning how to draw is a lot like learning how to read and write. Personally, I think it would be a great idea if kids refused to accept the idea that only so-called ‘talented’ students can be artists. Can you imagine the outrage if parents were told that only certain children can be taught how to read and write?”

Kat Shea, a costume designer/illustrator for the Archer animated television series, was one of Pendarvis’ students at SCAD. "Bob was a great voice for female students in the Sequential Art program at SCAD,” she said. “I can honestly tell you that he is one of the best educators I've ever had the pleasure of knowing...always dedicated to his students, both current and former.”

Pendarvis’ Kickstarter campaign has currently raised more than $5,000. To donate, click here.

The 8.5" x 11" Ana graphic novels will be roughly 150 color pages and should be available in both print and digital editions. Book one will be available this fall and book two, moving from life drawing to 2-dimensional design, should be ready by next summer.

Coinciding with the release of the first Ana graphic novel is the launch of Pendarvis’ new online initiative, StoryDrawingSchool.com. Its goal is to serve as a sort of gateway or alternative for artists who are unable to take college-level art classes just yet, whether for financial reasons or due to the quality of their portfolios.

“My program, while a fraction of the cost of attending a major art school, isn’t accredited, so no degree will be offered,” explained Pendarvis. “On the other hand, dedicated students should be able to hone and improve their skills, creating stronger stories and artwork samples that they can turn around and send to art schools for scholarship consideration, or to employers for possible jobs creating comic books, picture books, animated cartoons and video games.”

Many of Pendarvis’ former students have become successful in their chosen fields. Phil Craven, the lead story artist for Dreamworks’ Kung Fu Panda 2, said, “I felt inspired by Bob’s teaching to think outside the box and develop my creativity in new directions. My SCAD education would not have been nearly as deep or artistically enriched without his courses.”

Brad Walker, who has drawn many comics for both DC and Marvel Comics, including Guardians of the Galaxy, concurs. “Bob knows comics art and art in general, and he has a keen sense of what’s working or what’s not, at a glance, probably better than anyone I know. I’ve even leaned on his insightful eye as recently as the last few months, improving pages eight or nine years since I’ve been doing this professionally and should know what I’m doing.”

Other former students-turned-pros include Heidi Arnhold (Legends of the Dark Crystal), Christy Lijewski (Re:Play), Becky Dreistadt (Tiny Kitten Teeth), Ross Campbell (Wet Moon), Jennie Breeden (The Devil’s Panties), Chad Minshew (Infected), Chris Lie (GI Joe), Sam Ellis (Archer), Dave Silva  (McFarlane Toys), Tom Feister (GI Joe), Marji Bordner (Word Girl), Cassandra Wedeking (Magic Chicks), Tracy Yardley (Sonic the Hedgehog), Michael Phillippi (Bioware), Andy Robinson (Dusty Star), Erica Currey (Sea Princess Azuri), and Ramanda Kamarga (The Incredibles).

“My philosophy as a teacher has always been to provide students with a solid grasp of the basic building blocks of visual storytelling, but to allow them as much freedom as possible when writing and drawing their unique solutions to different assignments. The last thing I would ever want to do is churn out a bunch of Bob Pendarvis clones. I love western mainstream and indie comic books as much as the next guy, but I also have a passion for all-things manga.”

Students taking classes at StoryDrawingSchool.com will not only have the opportunity to practice their craft under the guidance of a professor with a proven track record, but also to engage in spirited, constructive critiques of student projects. “Of course, I won’t permit any personal attacks and everyone will learn the difference between actual analysis and pointless comments along the lines of ‘looks pretty good to me.’ The first set of classes focuses on comic book illustration and there will be three different levels available (beginning, intermediate, advanced). Students can use any tools and materials they like, as long as they can scan and upload their work for review.”

Pendarvis is still working out various details, but plans to have former students serving as guest lecturers, as well as possible additional teachers. Interested participants should check out the StoryDrawingSchool.com site this Labor Day Weekend, for announcements about tuition rates, class schedules and application instructions.

Praise and adulation? Scorn and ridicule? E-mail me at philip@comicbookbin.com

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12