VISUAL STORYTELLING

Look HERE for a sneak peek at last academic year’s study guide

Do you love illustrating and have a passion for good stories? Would you like to be prepared in one year to take the market by storm with your great idea for a picture book, graphic novel or drawn journalism story?

The Visual Storytelling Programme

Create original, personal work within a supportive and transformative creative community, with visiting makers and mentoring by professionals in your field
Find your own voice by being given room for experimentation and research as well as development and deepening at a technical level
Be in touch with the field and receive coaching on the business sides of the profession, know what market suits you and how to move in it
Meet a teaching team with a passion for the profession as well as for teaching
Meet a peer group of inspiring classmates who all share storytelling as their greatest passion
We offer you a year packed with inspiration and all the ingredients you need to create your unique visual story and put it out into the world!

What does the programme look like

Starts Sept. 1, 2023. Study year of 32 class weeks (4 blocks of 8 class weeks + 2 test weeks, fixed class day is Friday)
50% On-site classes in Utrecht and 50% online classes: lectures, webinars, workshops and classroom feedback moments
Print room excursion
5 Intensive in-depth modules on material experimentation, storytelling, subject history and business
Lesson content the same for all students, final project focused on own learning question around picture book, graphic novel or graphic journalism story
Taught by inspiring experts with passion for both their craft and teaching
Group coaching in addition to classes to tailor to individual needs

Our final goal

Students who complete our course can generate original ideas from their own artistic vision. They create quality narrative, visual work that conveys what it needs to communicate, can communicate the contexts and concepts that drive their work, and adopt behaviors that lead to successful entrepreneurship.

Cost

€5774 excluding VAT
a final, possibly higher price will be set by May 2023, based on then current energy rates, personnel costs, etc.

Check your eligibility at Werktuig PPO (granted so far for all applicants and only to be applied for in 2023!), the Pictoright Support Fund, the Netherlands Foundation for Literature (also available to storytellers in the broader sense) or the Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie (Don’t be alarmed by the requirements – a book you are working on with support from a course can also be submitted as a project or product, please contact the relevant funds for help with submission if necessary). There are also plenty of local initiatives to explore. For Utrecht, for example, these can be found here: Subsidies Kunst en Cultuur.
As a business owner, consult with your accountant: this training falls under business expenses and is therefore deductible from your profit. They are expenses you incur as an entrepreneur to become a better entrepreneur (if you are not yet an entrepreneur but plan to become one, consult with an accountant about whether this can be deducted retroactively – up to five years back). Also, as an entrepreneur, you do not have to pay back VAT: you get it back from the government.
Are you working from salaried employment? Then have a conversation with your employer. Perhaps the knowledge you gain from us could be of value to your business?
Are you from Utrecht and need extra support? If so, contact Het Punt to see what, if any, additional “pots” are available.

Apply now for our admission interviews!
Deadline for start next September is June 17, 2023

Note: accessibility

Classes take place in the Dakzaal of the Hof van Cartesius
Location space is on the second floor
Not wheelchair friendly, no elevator available
Toilet use via Tree Tower (other space)

Content

The Visual Storytelling Course consists of four blocks of 8 class weeks and 2 test weeks. Classes are 1 day a week, in addition at least 1 day of self-study is expected.
Each block consists of 4 weeks of live classes and 4 weeks of online classes. Each teaching day consists of 2 teaching blocks per day (2 x 3 hours, 10:00-13:00 and 13:30-16:30).
Class content is the same for all students. Each person’s final project focuses on their own learning question around picture book, graphic novel or graphic journalistic story. Personal learning questions receive extra attention in bi-weekly duo/trio coaching sessions of 1.5 hours each time.

The following competencies are tested:

Creating
Reflecting
Business
Specializing/ capstone project

Assessment is always based on a submitted portfolio and reflection report.

Currently, five modules have been formulated, covering the competencies:

Sketchbook practice
Storytelling I and II
Context & analysis
Business
Capstone project

The first module starts from the point of view of making. It is encouraged to experiment, explore new techniques and processes, respond to new environments. The basis lies in drawing from observation. You will strengthen your skills in drawing from observation, establish your own visual database in your mind, and finally strengthen your ability to generate ideas. Classes are taught around colour theory, gesture drawing, perspective drawing, and digital techniques, among others. Evaluation of steps taken takes place, you choose from all themes and methodologies that pass what suits you and which way of training you want to continue to apply throughout all modules.

Once you have an idea of what capabilities you have at your disposal as a creator, go further into depth and cast your skills in sequential form. You explore different (visual) narrative possibilities and learn to develop a visual narrative concept in your own/ distinctive handwriting. Different methods of idea generation. There is experimentation with immersion in atmosphere and character, learning to empathize and visualize to get to the heart of what makes a story a good story. Creative writing and visual storytelling skills are honed. You learn about the “who, how, what, where” and the “why.” The story will be viewed from multiple angles: from creator and viewer/reader.

Finally, from in-depth knowledge of what a story is, we work to create a specific story that only the individual student can create. Through discussion in class and with your own coach, you will work on your own sequence and you will develop a clear standard for yourself by which the quality of your own product will be measured, evaluated and can be adjusted according to your own entirely unique method.

Selling your story means telling your story. In the final module, you will learn to help people understand what has been created. You will develop your own campaign and a thorough marketing plan designed to expand audience and professional networks. You will learn to understand where the unique value is for users, businesses and society, looking beyond national borders.
In addition to marketing yourself, basic technical aspects of self-organization are covered.

Look HERE for a sneak peek at last academic year’s study guide

Newsletter

Would you like to stay informed about
everything that happens at VENSTER?
Sign up for the newsletter

VISUAL STORYTELLING

I am interested!