Cartoons and Comics

ToonDoo

Evaluation

Was the comic strip easy to create?

This site was very easy to use. Toondoo lets you create comic strips and cartoons easily with just a few clicks, drags and drops.

Was it easy to save?

Once you create a free account you can easily save your comic strips. You then have the option of sharing or printing your comic strip.

Did the site offer enough variety?

This site offers a great variety of characters and backgrounds.  Unlike some cartoon sites, which only allow you to import images, ToonDoo offers an ample library of clip art and the ability to doodle your own pictures. The site also has some nifty ways of encouraging users to participate: In addition to making their own comic, users can also like other creations or add captions to other users' cartoons, if the owner allows it.

Would students be able to use it?

Although I really liked this site and found it easy to use some of the images that I found under characters were definitely not appropriate for school. The library of homemade cartoons includes a variety of tame and not-so-innocent content. While some images provide artistic inspiration, others contain nudity, bad language, and other for-adults-only items.

Pixton

Evaluation

Was the comic strip easy to create?

Comic-building tools are unbelievably easy to use and simple click-and-drag actions let users create and customize all parts of their comic strip.

Was it easy to save?

Although the site is free to use, in order to download or print you need to upgrade your account. I was able to do a screen shoot of my comic strip to use for my blog. I did find that the words appear somewhat distorted and not very clear.

Did the site offer enough variety?

Yes, the site does offer a great variety of templates, characters and fonts to work with. I did feel that the look of the comic strip would attract an older crowd of students. I didn't find the characters very catchy.

Would students be able to use it?
There are age controls and language is filtered. This can be great for educational purposes.

Evaluation

Was the comic strip easy to create?

The well-explained tool is so user-friendly that even art-averse kids can use it to practice storytelling, writing, and imagination skills.

Was it easy to save?

Yes, users get a reminder to either print or email their creations to themselves or a friend.

Did the site offer enough variety?

Yes, the site offers a wide variety of objects, background colors, and dialogues to choose from.

Would students be able to use it?

Kids get a detailed explanation about how to use the tool, along with frequent hints and writing prompts. They can choose from a collection of characters, customize their positioning and size, and add objects, background colors, and dialogue. Each character has a few "emotions" to choose from; facial expressions and body language to help create a story.

Reflection

After using the three different sites for creating comic strip I found that this can be a fun way to get students engaged and excited about reading and writing. My favorite site was Make Beliefs Comix. This just seemd like the best match for elementary school. It is easy to use and student friendly. There is even a website that they provide with writing prompts and lesson ideas. Make Beliefs Comix provides a number of other valuable resources for parents and kids that stress having a positive attitude. Activities encourage kids to respect others and be confident. The Printables section features several thought-provoking exercises that can help kids identify feelings and make good decisions. Other writing activities encourage them to appreciate the world around them and learn from mistakes. The comic characters are diverse, featuring people of color, animals, and a kid in a wheelchair.

Extra Credit: Tellagami Book Talk