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Developing Comic Characters Workshop

Artist-instructor: Ali Fitzgerald

Format: Online Live (livestreaming with class recordings and instructor feedback).

April 13 – May 18, 2026
– 6 x Mondays
– 6 – 8pm CET Online
(6pm in Berlin, 12pm in New York, 9am in San Francisco, 5pm in London)

Cost: 195 Euros
(includes 19%VAT)

SUPPLY LIST: Pencils, pens (your choice, but a variety of thickness works best), computer paper, thicker paper (bristol board if you have it), a sketchbook if you have one. Erasers and rulers if you want them, and scissors.

*Any art supplies work for the workshop, the only think absolutely needed is some kind of paper and drawing utensils.

What to Expect:

In this six-week workshop, we will delve deep into character creation. Through a variety of drawing and writing exercises, we will discover how to make compelling visual characters. Each week we will craft a graphic story (or add onto an existing one), looking at different comic characters through a critical lens. By the end of this workshop, we will come away with a better understanding of how to center stories around the people and creatures that spring from our imagination!

 

“To use an example with my Hungover Bear and Friends, a comic that ran for 3 years. When I first developed the character, it was basically just a premise, I wanted to make a sort of anti-meme. I also wanted the character to have depth, but the depth didn’t really arrive right away, it had to occur over time. You have to think of it as a three dimensional fleshed out person in this case a bear. I outwardly asked myself questions like: “what would he eat?”, “What would be his favorite restaurant?”,” How would he react in this scenario?”
– Interview with Ali Fitzgerald on Berlin Drawing Room Blog.

Who should join: anyone who wants to draw comics!

This course is intended both for beginners and advanced participants who are interested in learning more about comics. At the end of the course, we should have several pages of new comics and hopefully a new (or renewed) enthusiasm for the medium!

Ali Fitzgerald is a comic columnist for the New Yorker. She also contributes to the New York Times and published her first graphic novel, “Drawn to Berlin” with Fantagraphics in 2018. She has given workshops across Europe and the U.S. and is skilled at directing individuals along their own comic journey.

 

Visual Storytelling Workshop Series:

This workshop is part of the Visual Storytelling Workshop Series. See scheduled modules for the entire year HERE. Join at the start of any module! Continuing students receive a 10% discount on consecutive modules.

Our Online Workshop Format:

  • Livestreaming classes take place via online video conference (using Zoom). The instructor conducts live demos with step-by-step instruction so that you can work together in real time. You also have the opportunity to ask questions and get feedback during class time.
  • We keep class sizes small and the atmosphere is interactive and supportive.
  • Finish exercises or practice at your own pace, at home, outside of class time.
  • Receive individual feedback on your completed work and exchange comments and questions with the instructor and your fellow workshop participants in an encouraging environment.
  • Find supplemental material and watch the progress of other participants by visiting the workshop Dropbox folder in between classes.
  • Recordings from each week’s livestreaming session are available in case you miss a class or want to review a demo.

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