Think of an artwork as capturing one moment in time. Now imagine it coming to life—the people moving, new characters entering the scene, the setting changing. They are all the components of a storyline. Like movie makers and comic writers, let’s tell a story—scene by scene—by creating a storyboard! STEP 1: Draw a series of rectangles (at least 3 to start) on a piece of paper, like a comic strip. STEP 2: Find an artwork that inspires your storytelling skills. (Cut out artworks suggestions on pages 2–4, or browse MAG’s website for images!) STEP 3: Place the image in the storyboard where it fits into your story. (Is it the beginning, the middle, or the end of your story?) STEP 4: Create your story by sketching scenes in other rectangles. You can add characters, change setting or season, etc. Extra challenge: Introduce additional artworks into your story. You may have to add more rectangles. STEP 5: Write the script or dialogue under each rectangle for that scene. Here’s an example with The Fox and the Heron, a painting in MAG’s Collection!

Title of your story

Your script under each image Remember, you can have as many sketches you’d like—there is no limit! Additional tip: See Art and Storytelling resource for suggestions for visual clues to characters and setting in art.

Your sketch

Suggested for the entire family!

Storyboard

Sketching Out a Story in Sequence

Your sketch Your sketch

Above: Frank Snyders and Workshop, The Fox and the Heron, c. 1630–40. Oil on canvas. Gift of Dr. and Mrs. James V. Aquavella, 1972.75

Clockwise from top left:

Hale Woodruff, Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln Discussing Emancipation, 1942–43. Tempera on Masonite. Marion Stratton Gould Fund, 2002.20

William-Adolphe Bouguereau, Young Priestess, 1902. Oil on canvas. Gift of Paul T. White in memory of Josephine Kryl White, 1973.1

John Sloan, Chinese Restaurant, 1909. Oil on canvas. Marion Stratton Gould Fund, 1951.12

Clockwise from top left:

Unknown, Indian, Krishna Rescuing the Elephant from the Serpent King, 1750–1800. Ink with touches of opaque watercolor and gold paint on paper. Gift of Helen H. Reiff in memory of Robert F. Reiff, 1983.36

Mary Abastenia St. Leger Eberle, Windy Doorstep, 1910. Bronze. Maurice R. and Maxine B. Forman Fund, 2004.14

Hiroshi Yoshida, Country Holiday, 1933. Color woodcut. Gift of Clark Fellers, 1996.90

Colin Campbell Cooper, Main Street Bridge, Rochester, 1908. Oil on canvas. Gift of Hiram W. Sibley, 1926.20

Clockwise from top left:

Lilly Martin Spencer, Peeling Onions, 1852. Oil on canvas. Gift of the Women's Council in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Memorial Art Gallery, 1988.6

Jacob Lawrence, Summer Street Scene in Harlem, 1948. Tempera on gesso panel. Marion Stratton Gould Fund, 1991.5

Unknown, American, Colonel Nathaniel Rochester, before 1831. Oil on canvas. Gift of Thomas J. Watson, 1934.1

George Harvey, Pittsford on the Erie Canal, 1837. Oil on panel. Gift of the Margaret M. McDonald Memorial Fund, 2005.33