Cartoons and Comics

ToonDoo

By digilibrarian | View this Toon at ToonDoo | Create your own Toon

ToonDoo was easy to use and create this fun comic I titled "The Encounter," which is a funny memory I have of camping in Yellowstone a couple years ago and seeing a bear near our campsite (thankfully we did not really have to run from him; we never got that close!) I like that ToonDoo offers various layout options for creating a cartoon, both horizontal and vertical. They can be as simple as a single frame, or multi-frame. It does limit you to no more than three frames per toon in horizontal mode and four in vertical mode. However, you can create a book using multiple toons. I like that you can edit the emotions on the characters' faces and copy between frames. Also, there are many tons of different characters, backgrounds, props, texts, and clipart to make your cartoon unique. There is even an option to draw your own creations and create your own emoji face using ToonDoo's "DoodleR" and "TraitR" features. Saving your creation is fairly easy and it also allows you to choose to share publicly or keep it private.

One thing that stood out to me as a concern for teachers of younger students is that there are some more mature images (such as cartoon women in skimpy bikinis). I am not sure if there is any way you can set up controls to only allow access to certain images, but that would be helpful. I do see at the top of the homepage there is a way to set Safe Search on or off, but that doesn't change these images from appearing.

Another negative of ToonDoo is that I didn't feel the website was very easy to navigate. For example, once you are in the creating screen, there are not any homepage buttons or tabs on the screen to exit that section and return home. Also, I don't like that the title is limited to only a certain amount of characters, so you have to keep your title short.


What really makes ToonDoo stand out to me is that it allows users to publicly share their cartoons within the ToonDoo community. This allows students to share their own work as well as view others' cartoons. You can even save your work with the option of allowing others to edit and add to your cartoon.

Pixton

I really enjoyed creating a comic using Pixton. I felt it offered the most options for editing the images, was most user-friendly, had the smoothest interface, and even has tons of curriculum-based templates for all subjects. I chose to create my comic based on the book I just finished reading called The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn. I had fun adding props, choosing appropriate background and character images, and adding text. I think students would love to use this to tell about books they are reading, too. In fact, my eleven-year-old daughter saw me using Pixton and immediately started creating her own! 

When creating an account on Pixton, you can choose if you want to use it as a tool for teaching lessons, a creative writing tool, or an assessment tool. I chose the first option, as a teaching tool for lessons, and went from there. I couldn't believe how many options there are for layouts! You can choose from comic strip (what I chose), storyboard, graphic novel (what my daughter chose), mind map, character map, plot diagram, timeline, poster, or photo story. From there you can choose if you'd like to proceed with the basic or advanced option. The basic option doesn't allow as much customization, but is easier to use for younger users. 

I really liked that you can even move the characters arms and legs, and position them in a way that works for your story. You can even change the character's skin color, hair color, their clothes, and even their facial expression. You can even save characters for later use.

Another helpful feature is that you can zoom in and out which makes it easier when editing things like facial expressions and eye color. 

The only downside that I could see was when my daughter wanted to upload her own images and that was only allowed in the paid version.

Make Beliefs Comix
The Tourist

This site was probably my least favorite in terms of customization. There just aren’t nearly as many backgrounds, characters, or options for making your comic unique. I created my comic, “The Tourist,” about a man that travels the world and tells fun facts about each location. I thought this would be a fun geography activity for students to present information they learn about various places around the world. I don't like that you can't search for pictures and backgrounds as you can on ToonDoo and Pixton, but it is really easy to keep adding frames as you go instead of choosing a preset layout. The comics are fairly easy to save either online or to your computer, but there aren't the various sharing options that are offered on the other sites. 

What this site lacks in customization features, it certainly makes up for in tools for teachers to use to help teach creative writing. It offers lesson plans, ideas for writing, printables, and even free ebooks. It even offers help on teaching students with special needs and those with English as a second language. There is also a feature to create and send greeting cards. Some of the printables offered allow students to fill in speech bubbles with their own words and ideas, like one of Martin Luther King, Jr. giving a speech and a series of Abe Lincoln that students can give words to. I also like that there is the option to watch a demo on how to get started and the option for you to submit your finished comic to be featured on the site’s gallery page. There is an impressive amount of Spanish language printables also available. Under the ESOL/Literacy tab, there are even comic strip starters to help students practice language. 

Tellagami

My Gami

Tellagami was a fun app to use to create a book talk/review using my own recording, customized character, and book picture. The downside is that it's only available to use on an iPad and many of the customization features cost extra to use. However, for a free thirty-second recording, this is a unique option to offer your students to use and make their own!