Friday, July 13, 2012

Digital Story: Storybird sings a love-lost song

http://storybird.com/books/love-walked-away/ What a magical journey! Storybird, the site that allows you to create books using art from hundreds of artists, is radically different from 20th century publishing. Yes, you can follow the traditional format of writing a story then adding images that propel the plot; but you can also conceptualize stories based on the artwork, which is what I did. I started off exploring Animoto, Prezi, and Movie Maker to create an introductory piece on myself. However, I was drawn to Storybird because art and books are my passion. I first explored creating a story based on "joy." I opted however to go with "love" after finding my magnificent goth girl, created by an illustrator known as CreepyCuties. This character resonated with me, which made me realize I could develop a story based on how the art moved me. As someone keenly aware that much of the public views art as a static, irrelevant medium, I was thrilled. I'd love to use Storybird to introduce students to writing, but also the power of art and the individuals behind it. CreepyCuties has a website, accessible through Storybird, featuring her ghoulish creatures in such things as comic strips. I don't need to "create" the example when I have access to such a broad range of quality work. My job is to sift through what is worth presenting, then let my students follow wherever it takes them creatively!

5 comments:

  1. Joy,
    Thanks for taking on Storybird. It is a great resource for storytelling. In the future you can try use Screenr to screen capture the Storybird while you read it. This would create a video of the Storybird that includes your narration. This would make these stories more dynamic and easier to share.
    Great work.
    Steve

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  2. Hi, Joy---

    The artwork you chose is so interesting--very "Goth," as you say, but it has a sweetness to it as well. I think it's the large, luminous eyes that give the characters humanity.

    I think teenagers will related to this kind of story well, because it's about love and loss, told simply, and the images give the story its emotional complexity. The students can put their own experiences into the images, which will help them identify with the story, and hopefully inspire them to write their own.

    I agree that this new medium is a whole new world away from traditional book publishing, but there are a lot of new opportunities it offers, which is exciting.

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  3. Thanks for viewing it! At newspapers, you feverishly flip through photos trying to find the one that has the greatest communicative power to hook the reader, who will then read the article. In Storybird, you have a similar type of visual and intellectual exercise, trying to link images with what best conveys your words, feelings, and ideas. Obviously, it's far easier to utilize Storybird for K-3; but the ability to explore both simple and complex themes through art and storytelling would be a creative challenge for anyone!

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  4. Joy,
    Cool little story. The drawings remind me of the cartoon movie Coroline and the Nightmare before Christmas. I need to get George playing on this site to try and write his own stories.

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  5. This was very cool! I really liked the images you chose for this! Definitely something older kids would be into, and the story itself is something they can relate to.

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