HOW TO – Get Started with your Pixton for Schools account

CATEGORIES: RESOURCES: Animations & Comics

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NOTE: I created this help page for my Fall 2015 students. If you follow the tips below, you’ll get the hang of Pixton far faster than if you try to figure it out on your own. I’ve used Pixton for years, which means I learned everything the hard way so you don’t have to!

 

LOGGING IN

(1) Open this URL to open the student login page: https://www.pixton.com/schools/login

(You can get here from the Pixton.com home page, but it takes a few steps, so you might as well bookmark that login page)

(2) Enter the screen name and password I sent you by email.

CREATING A NEW PROJECT

After you log in, you’ll see the home page for your “classroom,” which shows active assignments.

Here’s the “classroom home” for my Storytelling through New Media class, with a few parts of the interface labeled for you:

pixton-for-schools-story-classroom-home-page

Choose an Assignment

Choose whichever assignment seems appropriate for your purposes and click the GREEN “OPEN” BUTTON.

Create a Comic

Assignment pages provide details on the layouts available (and possibly a demo comic). Click on the GREEN “CREATE COMIC” BUTTON.

Here’s one of the assignment pages for my Storytelling class:

pixton-for-schools-story-assignment-page

Choose a Layout

The layout options available to you will depend on what I set up for the assignment. Read the layout description for more info.

pixton-for-schools-story-layout-choices

Set Up Your New Comic

Here’s an overview of the new comic interface, with some tips for getting started.

pixton-for-schools-first-comic-opening-page

USING THE COMIC EDITOR

The Basic Tools

pixton-first-comic-side-buttons-overview

Choose a Background

Pixton-background-choices

Choose a Character

Pixton-character-choices

Choose Props

Pixton-prop-choices

THE BACKGROUND MODES

Select the background to access the following options.

Pixton-background-selected-modes

Pixton-background-split-edit-options

THE CHARACTER MODES

TIP: Pixton has a tendency to time you out after a relatively short period, so before you put too much work into a character, save the panel, save the comic (use “Save for Later”), and then open it up again for editing.

Select the character to access the following options.

Pixton-character-selected-modes

After you click on one of the modes on the left, the interface changes to match the color of the mode button. So always PAY ATTENTION TO THE COLOR of the interface to make sure you’re in the mode you intended to be.

Pixton-color-coded-character-modes

Changing Character Expressions

When in Expression (GREEN) mode, use the zoom buttons to make it easier to adjust expressions.

Pixton-character-zoom-buttons

Then hover over the character to see which body parts you can move or rotate.
— Green parts with a hand = movable.
— Green parts with a circular arrow symbol = rotatable.

To try preset expressions for body or face, use the preset buttons:

Pixton-character-presets-buttons

(more to come on working characters)

GENERAL NAVIGATION TIPS

  • If you get stuck in a mode you didn’t want, click outside the panel to deselect everything, which returns you to the default mode (with yellow buttons on the left).
  • If your cursor seems to have grabbed an item to move around, tap or click again to make it let go.

SCREENCAST VIDEO TUTORIALS

I made these last year, so some steps might look a bit different. I’ll make updated versions if current students would find them helpful.

OTHER HELP RESOURCES