Features

• Article

  A brief history of webtoons – accessible version

  As the economy suffers, people can only afford to rent and not buy comics.…
• Article

  A brief history of webtoons

  Story by Jaemin Lee, comics critic and independent researcher.Graphics by Seong In-Soo.…
• Article

  The story of circus

  circus clown act, was ‘The Tailor of Brentford or ‘Tailor's Ride to Brentford’, in which he acted out a comic…
• Article

  "That's the way to do it!" A history of Punch & Judy

  name relating to Punch's roots in the Italian 'commedia dell’arte', where masked actors improvised comic…
• Article

  Poor Maria and the Bourbonnais Shepherd – when literature came into fashion

  mocked by Jane Austen who later used her heroine Catherine Morland’s addiction to Gothic novels to comic…

Collections

• Collection

  Opera

  These objects explore the staging of opera in its many forms – tragic, comic, serious and popular – as…
• Collection

  Books

  of the book, ranging from early printed works to contemporary artists' books, from fine bindings to comics…

Objects

What's On

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  Past Event

  In Conversation with comic designers CHIP Collective

  Online

  Join designer Catriona Laird from CHIP Collective to hear more about their route into working into comic illustration, design education and forming creative collectives.
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  Past Event

  Drawing for Comics and Graphic Novels

  Join former V&A Comics Artist in Residence Karen Rubins on this four week evening course and learn to draw for comics and graphic novels. You will discover the history and context of comics, and how the very best tell stories through this dynamic and engaging medium. Exercises will include observational drawing, cartooning, sequential illustration, storytelling and using word and image. Develop your own visual style and narrative voice as you create your own pages of artwork.
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  Past Event

  Designing Games: Karen Rubins and Matteo Menapace

  Join us for a conversation with Karen Rubins, V&A Comics Resident 2010, and Matteo Menapace, upcoming…
• 

  Past Event

  How Queer Everything Is To-day: Zine Workshop

  V&A South Kensington

  Rachael is a legend of the comic strip and queer zine scene, creator of the auto-bio series ‘Red Hanky…
• 

  Past Event

  Manga Jiman Pop-Up at Young V&A

  Young V&A

  pop-up table in the Town Square to celebrate the launch of the 18th Manga Jiman, a renowned annual comic…

About us and our work

• 

  Info

  National Art Library

  collections range from medieval manuscripts to contemporary artists' books and armorial bindings to comics…
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  Info

  V&A Illustration Awards

  Book Cover Design and for Editorial Illustration, covering illustration in newspapers, magazines and comics…

From the Blog

• Blog Post

  From Dolly to Dickens

  special collections chart the art and crafts of the book from medieval manuscripts to contemporary comics…
• Blog Post

  Laughing Matters: The State of a Nation

  Now, in the 21st century, many comics challenge historical stereotypes and celebrate diversity, but there…
• Blog Post

  Looking for visual narrative in illustration – an interview with V&A Illustration Awards winner and judge, James Albon

  Although I’d enjoyed reading comics before, it was at the Drawing School, under the tutelage of Emily…
• Blog Post

  Paolozzi: Man and the machine

  This is especially evident in the comic books in the archive, whose heroes are often the ‘perfect’ figure…
• Blog Post

  The Royal Photographic Society Library at V&A South Kensington – coming soon!

  From Tuesday 30 May 2023 an extensive collection of more than 20,000 volumes spanning the history of photography will be available to consult in the National Art Library Reading Rooms. The works were collected by...