Reading Graphic Novels in the High School Art Classroom

It’s been four years since I incorporated reading and analyzing graphic novels into my high school art curriculum. While there have been challenges, I can say with certainty that it has been incredibly beneficial for my students.

I know some people don’t think of comics as a serious or important medium, but honestly? Graphic novels are a powerful way to teach visual literacy, explore symbolism, narrative, and sequential art, and analyze style and creative voice.

In Art 1, we start with the graphic novel adaptation of The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and Almost American Girl by Robin Ha. We dive deep into character design, as well as essential aspects of visual storytelling such as page composition, panel pacing, setting, style, and mood. I chose The Graveyard Book because it was illustrated by several different artists, which gives students a chance to discuss a variety of styles and techniques. And Almost American Girl shows how Robin Ha’s illustration style is informed by her identity and cultural experience. Together, these books provide a strong foundation as students begin developing their own drawing and design skills.

In Advanced Art, students read Collected Essex County by Jeff Lemire and the graphic novel adaptation of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, illustrated by E.M. Carroll. These works introduce more complex narratives and emotionally impactful visual storytelling. We analyze how the artists communicate mood, emotion, and tone, helping students see how visual choices can carry immense narrative weight. This helps to prepare them to develop their own artistic voice.

Bringing graphic novels into the classroom does more than supplement reading instruction (which, by the way, is an excellent benefit and the English teachers love it). It also teaches students to read images as critically as text, think deeply about narrative and style, and experiment with their own creative voice. It’s incredibly rewarding to watch them make these connections and realize that art isn’t just about perfect realism and mastery of technique. It’s about communication, storytelling, and style.

As someone who is currently writing and illustrating my own graphic novel, nothing excites me more than seeing students recognize that comics and graphic novels are not only valid forms of literature and art, but complex, dynamic, and absolutely worth reading!

Find Your Artistic Voice by Lisa Congdon

One of the biggest things I want my Advanced Art students to walk away with beyond excellent technical skills is a sense of who they are as artists. That’s not an easy thing to figure out for adult artists, let alone high school students. That’s where Lisa Congdon’s Find Your Artistic Voice comes in.

I love this book because it makes the idea of “voice” in art feel approachable. Congdon makes it clear that artistic voice isn’t some magical gift you’re either born with or not. Instead it’s something you develop over time by trying things, messing up, experimenting, reflecting, and noticing what sticks with you.

Another reason I wanted this book in my classroom is because it connects us to the real, contemporary art world. Congdon shares stories from working artists, and students get to see that even professionals struggle with doubt, influence, and originality. They didn’t just wake up one day with a fully formed style. They worked through the same questions my students are asking in my classroom right now.

Ultimately, I chose this book because it gives us a shared language in the studio. We can talk not just about how to make art, but why, and that’s the real leap I want my students to make.

From Technique to Voice with Advanced Art

The Advanced Art students just wrapped up a project inspired by the word Happiness. Their challenge was to translate that theme into an art piece using their unique artistic voice, while also creating depth and dimension through shading with either pencil or colored pencil.

Unlike my introductory classes, where we focus heavily on the technical building blocks of drawing, this course leans more into style development and finding an artistic voice. We still practice fundamentals like value studies and shading to show depth, but the real emphasis is on how each artist uses those tools in their own unique way.

To support that process, this semester we’ve been reading Find Your Artistic Voice by Lisa Congdon. Her message that every artist has a voice worth developing is a touchstone for our class.

The “Happiness” projects reflect that beautifully. Some students leaned into bright, playful imagery that feels almost like a panel out of a manga or comic book, while others approached it with quiet, subtle symbolism. Every piece reveals a different interpretation of what joy looks like and showcases each student’s growing confidence in their personal style.

For me as a teacher, it’s inspiring to see students move beyond “how do I draw this?” into “how do I say something with my art?”

Box Factory Student Art Exhibition

Bridgman High School students exhibited their work at the Box Factory Student Art Exhibition in St. Joseph, MI. This annual event brings together student artists from across the region, showcasing a wide range of media and ideas from emerging young artists.

Many of our students displayed work in the exhibition, representing the skill, dedication, and creativity happening in our art program. Several Bridgman students also received special recognition:

• Gavin B. earned Second Place in the 3D category. (Pictured below.)

• Grace S. received both the Bridgman Community Award and the Robert R. Williams Portrait Award.

• Carter B. was featured in the Emerging Artist category for high school seniors planning to pursue art at the college level. Carter will attend Lake Michigan College next year to study Art Education. (Pictured below.)

Opportunities like these not only celebrate achievement but also give students valuable experience sharing their work in a professional setting and engaging with the broader arts community. I want to congratulate all of our students who participated in this exhibition.

Revealed Layers with Advanced Art

New year, new blog style! You may notice a change in this blog: I’m moving away from posts with minimal text to more in-depth posts that highlight both student work and the learning behind it. These posts will give more context to the projects explaining the thought process, skills, and growth happening in my art classes. The goal is to provide a fuller picture of what my students are accomplishing while also documenting the teaching strategies and artistic experiences that make my program unique! Here we go:

The Advanced Art students completed a project titled “Revealed Layers,” in which they combined colored pencils and markers. This assignment encouraged students to experiment with multiple drawing media while expressing their ideas about what lies beneath the surface.

Students chose subjects that allowed them to reveal hidden layers either literally, metaphorically, or both. Some explored their personal memories and identities through symbolism, some took a literal approach showing something being revealed, and others literally revealed layers by employing collage techniques to create actual depth.

Through this project, students not only developed their technical skills like mixing media, layering color, and building depth, but also strengthened their artistic voice, making deliberate choices about composition, narrative, and concept. The combination of colored pencils and markers allowed them to balance fine detail with bold, expressive areas of color.

“Revealed Layers” is an excellent example of how advanced students move beyond technical exercises into projects that challenge them to communicate ideas, evoke emotion, and showcase their unique creative perspectives. I’m proud of the thoughtfulness, risk-taking, and skill each student brought to this project.