I make comic-based explainers and illustrations, turning complex ideas and subjective experiences into visual communication with a twist. Some recent projects I’ve created for include:

– Book Illustrations emphasising the importance of workplace health and safety through a series of gritty and graphic depictions of disability, told straight from lived experience.

– An animated story-reel informing about an EU-funded scientific project to provide the knowledge base needed to make the political goal of conserving 30% of Europe’s nature by 2030 reality.

– A comic outlining key theories from communication psychology as a way to improve discussions about the environment, in collaboration with academics from three universities, published both in scrolling web and print formats.

There have been many other things I’ve been asked to explain in comics and drawings, including Microgrids, editorial addendums for a German psychology journal, the origins of a charity that gets men to talk about mental health and addiction, and a program connecting rural communities with law officials.

My creative research was recognised in 2019 via highly competitive selection (five people from a national callout) to undertake a residency as a ‘Top 5 Media, Humanities and Social Sciences Early Career Researcher’ with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation at ABC Radio National, Ultimo, who published a comic I made about tenancy issues in Covid that was read more than 100K times in its first month.

More recently I have had traditional research published in the Journal of Media Practice and Education, and had an animated comic shown at 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). I currently reside in Austria and volunteer as a drawing demonstrator and facilitator with SOS Kinderdorf, an independent, non-governmental, nonprofit international development organization that provides humanitarian and developmental assistance to children in need.

Qualifications

Doctor of Visual Arts 2017
Queensland College of Art
Griffith University, Brisbane
Thesis: “Autofictographics: Exploring Truth and Identity in Autobiographical Comics”

https://www120.secure.griffith.edu.au/rch/items/36f5a496-cd3b-444e-aa41-9f5582f67eec/1/

Primary supervisor: Associate Professor Andi Spark
Secondary supervisor: Dr Peter Moyes

Honours (1st Class) 2009
Animation Department
Griffith University
Thesis: “Sequential Art Narrative: an exploration for the expressive possibilities of sequential art storytelling”
Supervisor: Dr Andi Spark

Bachelor of Animation 2007
Majors in 3D Animation and Character Animation

Teaching

Swinburne University

2018-21 ANI30002: Capstone Supervision (Major Project) “Production and Post-Production
2018-22 ANI20004: Convenor & Lecturer, “Producing and Production Management for Animation”
2018-22 ANI10002: Convenor & Lecturer, “2D Production Techniques for Animation”
2018-22 ANI30001: Convenor & Lecturer (Major Project) “Development and Pre-Production”
2018 ANI10006: Lecturer and Drawing tutor, “Action Analysis for Animation”

JMC Academy

2017 3DAN201: Lecturer and Drawing tutor, “Production Art 1” (Trimester 2 & 3)
2017 3DAN207: Lecturer and Drawing tutor, “Production Art 2” (Trimester 3)
2017 3DAN302: Lecturer, “Visual Storytelling 1” (Trimester 2 &, 3)
2017 3DAN307: Lecturer, “Visual Storytelling 2” (Trimester 1 & 3)
2017 3DAN308: Lecturer, “Screen Literacy 2” (Trimester 2)
2017 3DAN206: Lecturer, “Screen Literacy 1” (Trimester 1 & 3)

Griffith University (Griffith Film School)

2016 6014GFS: Topic Coordinator and Lecturer, “Topics in Screen Research”
2015-16 3121GFS: Topic Coordinator and Lecturer, “Sequential Art and Illustration”
2014-16 1117GFS: Topic Coordinator and Lecturer, “Concept Design Fundamentals”
2014-16 1117GFS: Tutor, “Reading the Moving Image”

Traditional Research

(in review) “Death of the dual identity: Reconceptualising the mercurial superhero”, Journal Article, Journal of Popular Culture

(Book chapter-in press) “What it takes to succeed in the Creative Industries: Interviews with Leaders in Animation and Games”, Book chapter, CILECT 21st Century Animation: Innovation, Aesthetics, Approaches

(Book chapter-in press) “Reframe, Revise, Re-remember:Self-Narrativising the past with Diary Comics”, Book chapter, Folio Books

(2022) Murdoch, Steven; Fisher, Darren: “Shared visions of animation: Empowering creativity and innovation within tertiary education”, Journal Article, Journal of Media Practice and Education- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/25741136.2022.2155371

(2021) “Graphic Storytelling: Teaching Experience and Utility”, Kiel University, Closure: E-Journal for Comics Research – https://www.closure.uni-kiel.de/closure8/fisher

(2020) Davis, Hilary; Fisher, Darren, Ivana Randjelovic: “I Understand, Mate”: A Co-designed Comic-based Digital Story from ‘Down Under’, Association for Computing Machinery, https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3357236.3395585

(2017) “Autofictographics: Exploring Truth and Identity in Autobiographical Comics”, Doctoral Exegesis, Griffith University, https://doi.org/10.25904/1912/154

Non-Traditional Research

(2023) “Developing Energy Literacies for Meaningful Community Engagement”, https://www.cvga.org.au/uploads/9/8/3/8/9838558/apo-nid322666.pdf

(2022) “Natura Connect: Supporting the design and implementation of a coherent and resilient conservation network for nature and people”, https://naturaconnect.eu/naturaconnect-at-the-un-biodiversity-conference-cop-15/

(2022) “HALT – Slamming the Mental Health Stigma”, Hope Assistance Local Tradies and Melbourne Polytechnic- https://halt.org.au/halts-2nd-digital-story/

(2021) “12 Reasons”, CNBSafe, https://cnbsafe.com.au/12-reasons-not-to-get-hurt-at-work/

(2021) “HALT Origins”, Hope Assistance Local Tradies, https://halt.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/HALT-Digital-Story-1.pdf

(2021) Stone, Wendy; Fisher, Darren, Emma Power, Selina Tually, Amity James, Debbie Faulkner, Caitlin Buckle, Zoe Goodall: “Can I have a pet and be housed, too? It all depends”, The Conversation, https://theconversation.com/can-i-have-a-pet-and-be-housed-too-it-all-depends-155202

(2020) “Kicked out during coronavirus — a comic about finding a new home in a pandemic”, ABC Radio National, R1 ranked, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-27/comic-on-coronavirus-rental-crisis-home-ownership/12268622?nw=0

(2020) “Panic Disorder”, Kontext, vol. 51, no. 2, https://doi.org/10.13109/kont.2021.52.2.101

(2020) Fisher, Darren “Digital Therapy”, Kontext, vol. 51, no. 2, https://doi.org/10.13109/kont.2020.51.2.105

(2020) “One Shoulder or Two”, The Suburban Review, https://thesuburbanreview.com/product/the-suburban-review-20-handbag/

(2019) Davis, Hilary; Darren Fisher, Jasmine Knox, Krishneel Nand, Jane Farmer “The Rural Outreach Program Illustrated Story”, https://commons.swinburne.edu.au/items/119ab5a6-c36c-4ffd-ab70-30a0b8ed196e/1/

(2019) Beher, Jutta; Darren Fisher, Winnifred Louis, Leonie Seabrook “How to have better arguments about the environment”, The Conversation, https://theconversation.com/comic-how-to-have-better-arguments-about-the-environment-or-anything-else-98554

Conference Presentations

Diary comic workshop, Auto/Bio/Fictional Symposium, 2024, Centre for Comparative Literature, Goldsmiths, University of London. https://sites.gold.ac.uk/comparative-literature/auto-bio-fictional-graphic-narratives-a-symposium-programme/

Crises and Disasters in Popular Culture, 2022, University of Kiel.

“A Comic-Based Digital Storytelling Showcase to Support Positive Mental Health Outcomes”, OzCHI, 2022. www.ozchi.org/2022/creative_9.html

Fisher, Darren; Steven Murdoch “Shared Visions of Animation: Empowering Creativity and Innovation within Tertiary Education”, ASPERA Conference- Creativity Matters: Production. Poetics. Pedagogy. Policy. https://events.griffith.edu.au/event/fd6b3443-428e-4646-9242-4fbc5751f30e/websitePage:566cdcb7-2c4a-4a19-8b70-e4148ff44ae8

“Generative Drawing: Mobile Image Making for the 21st Century”, Mobile Studies Congress, 2021. https://www.msi.wiki/mobile-studies-congress

Fisher, Darren C; Darren P. Fisher “Death of the Dual Identity: Reconceptualising the Mercurial Superhero”, Southwest Popular/American Culture Association Conference, 2021, http://southwestpca.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/SWPACA-2021-Program-Final.pdf

Davis, Hilary; Darren Fisher, Ivana Randjelovic, (2020) “I Understand, Mate”: A Co-designed Comic-based Digital Story from ‘Down Under’. in Proceedings of the 2020 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference, Eindhoven Netherlands: 243-254. https://doi.org/10.1145/3357236.3395585

Fisher, Darren; Julia Prendergast “Fractured Forms: Consumers Become Creators”, Fan Studies Network Australasia Conference, 2019, Melbourne, https://fsna2019.wordpress.com/about/program/

Fisher, Darren “Entwined: Reinterpreting Polytheistic Gods”, Storyworlds and Transmedia Universes, International Graphic Novel and Comics Conference, June 2019, Manchester. http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/450120

“Secret Identity/Public Persona: Oppositions and Duality”, Superheroes Beyond, December 2018, Melbourne, https://www.superheroes-and-me.com/superhero-identities/.

“Autofictography and the shifting self”, The Drawing International Brisbane Symposium, October 2015, Brisbane, https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/intellect/drtp/2016/00000001/00000002/art00007

Media

Roundtable, “Visual Storytelling: Can comics help us to advance solutions to our social and environmental challenges?” The Nature of Cities, 2023, https://www.thenatureofcities.com/2023/06/12/visual-storytelling-can-comics-help-us-advance-solutions-to-our-social-and-environmental-challenges-yes/

Interview, “Can’t Draw? Here’s why you should keep doing it anyway” The Age, April 18 2022, https://www.theage.com.au/culture/art-and-design/drawing-parallels-between-visual-arts-and-language-20220216-p59ww1.html

Interview, “Why it’s a Myth that You Can’t Draw”, The Ambition Incubator, February 13 2022, https://ambitionincubator.com/blog/darrenfisher?fbclid=IwAR1teM6V2l9qe4WufV35aQXYpcsCruSqRwVJGiI0nWemHCZ95DB2a4VzwTI

Commentary, Fisher, Darren (2021) “Have you fallen for the myth of ‘I can’t draw’? Do it anyway – and reap the rewards”, The Conversation, December 28 2021, https://theconversation.com/have-you-fallen-for-the-myth-of-i-cant-draw-do-it-anyway-and-reap-the-rewards-172623

Interview, “I can’t Draw- Myth Busted with Darren C Fisher” Joy FM- Drive, January 05 2022, https://www.instagram.com/p/CYiCvPthE3t/

Interview, “Have I fallen for the Myth of I Can’t Draw” ABC National Mornings, December 29 2021, https://liveswinburneeduau-my.sharepoint.com/:u:/g/personal/dcfisher_swin_edu_au/EbqDuWNVTMVAprt1Sa_yW2ABvFRqqGGvA-7HyK2WCuFNDg?e=hsk8dh

Interview, “World Celebrates ‘International Animation Day”, RTRFM 92.1, October 28 2021, https://rtrfm.com.au/story/world-celebrates-international-animation-day/

Interview, “Q&A with Darren Fisher” The Suburban Review, February 26 2021, https://thesuburbanreview.com/2021/02/26/qa-with-darren-fisher/

Interview “Surviving an eviction during a pandemic through comics”, Ozanimate, 18 June 2020, https://www.ozanimate.com/podcast/ep5-surviving-an-eviction-with-dr-fisher/

Fisher, Darren; Barbara Neves, Gareth Wearne; Ruth Morgan, Raihan Ismail, Opinion piece, “During coronavirus, we need social sciences and humanities more than ever. This is why”, ABC Radio National/ABC News, 1 May 2020, hdl.handle.net/1959.3/455451

Opinion Piece (video) “Superheroes and identity”, ABC Radio National social media, June 2020, https://www.facebook.com/radionational/videos/250470109388633/?v=250470109388633

Commentary, “Reflections on a 2019 ABC Top 5 Media Residency”, Swinburne Newsroom, 11 December 2019, https://www.swinburne.edu.au/news/2019/12/reflections-on-a-2019-abc-top-5-media-residency/

Opinion Piece, “From Batman to Watchmen, the masks superheroes wear tell us a lot about ourselves”, ABC Radio National, 28 October 2019, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-28/the-secret-identity-politics-of-superheroes/11627646

Research Income

Today is Tomorrow – a Transdisciplinary Art-Generates-Art Project. Using the Adobe Creative Cloud to develop digital literacy skills in first-year undergraduate animation students. (M. Schleser, J. Prendergast, D. Fisher, S. Murdoch). Adobe Innovation Grant, 2021 (AUD 5,000)

CNBSafe, creating visual materials for promotion and education materials, 2020 (AUD 4900)

HALT/Social Innovation Research Institute, co-creation of comic-based digital stories, 2020 ($1500 over three years)

SASSH Conference Scheme, Swinburne University, 2019 ($1300)

Top 5 ABC Media Residency, Humanities and Social Sciences Researcher (University of New South Wales, The University of Sydney, ABC Radio), “the autobiographical use of comics to understand what it means to be human”. Duration: September – October 2019. https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/top5/humanities/ (2 week residency, accommodation and flights, training and use of studio resources all inclusive)

TEXTure Digital Media Exhibition, The Edge Digital Media Centre, Griffith Film School, Griffith University Postgraduate Association, http://edgeqld.org.au/whats-on/texture/ ($6000- catering and booklet printing)

Griffith University Postgraduate Research Scholarship with stipend. “The sequential art medium as a tool in the effective communication of mature narrative themes”. Duration: February 2013 – July 2017 ($25,0000 per year over 3.5 years)

Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEERWR) Mobility Subsidy. The Endeavour Exchange Program. Duration: July 2008 – Dec 2008 ($5000- flights and living expenses)

Fisher, Darren (2019) “Swinburne Animation Capstone Preproduction”, Swinburne University (as organiser).

Exhibitions

Fisher, Darren (2019) “Indie Comic Voices of Australia”, Australian Short Story Festival, Hawthorne Town Hall, https://australianshortstoryfestival.com/2019-program/ (as organiser).

Fisher, Darren (2016) “Ashcan Comics Retrospective”, Ampers@nd, Brisbane Writers Festival, The State Library Queensland (as organiser).

Shek, Mariana, Darren Fisher (2015) “TEXTure Digital Media Exhibition”. ISBN 9781922216915, https://issuu.com/qcagriffith/docs/2016_qca_design, http://edgeqld.org.au/whats-on/texture/ (as organiser).

“Indie Comic Voices of Australia” (Group Exhibition), Australian Short Story Festival, Hawthorne Town Hall, 2019, https://australianshortstoryfestival.com/2019-program/ (as organiser).

“Squishface Studio: Artists in Residence”(Group Exhibition), The Wheelers Centre Performance Space, Melbourne Writers Festival, 2019. https://mwf.com.au/program/squishface-studio-artists-in-residence-5900/

“Mint Condition: An Exhibition of Brisbane Comic Art”(Group Exhibition), Jugglers Art Space, Brisbane, 2016, http://www.jugglers.org.au/upcoming-events/2017/7/21/mint-condition

“The First Time”, Ampers@nd, Brisbane Writers Festival, The State Library Queensland, 2016.

“Trading Faces”, TEXTure Digital Media Conference, Brisbane, Australia, 2015, http://edgeqld.org.au/whats-on/texture/

“Roughing Out” (Group Exhibition), The Drawing International Brisbane Symposium, Brisbane, Australia, 2015, https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/intellect/drtp/2016/00000001/00000002/art00007

“Buddy, his beat up Gibson, and the Gods of Guitar”, Reel Deal, Griffith Film School, Brisbane, 2014, https://issuu.com/qcagriffith/docs/reel_deal_griffith_film_school_prog

“Works in sequence” Shadow of a Mouse, Royal Queensland Art Society, Brisbane, October 2013, https://darrencfisher.com/2013/11/14/shadow-of-a-mouse-exhibition/

Industry Judging and coordination

Judge, CILECT Prize, animation category, 2018- 2023, online, https://www.cilect.org/

Judge, SAE ATOM Awards, animation category (Secondary, Tertiary, Overall), online, 2019, http://atomawards.org/2019-judge/darren-fisher/

Panel chair, Mobile Innovation Network & Association, 2018, 2021, Melbourne, https://mina.pro/

Judge, Australian Video Producer Awards, animation and live action, Melbourne, 2018, https://videoawards.aipp.com.au/

Judge, SAE ATOM Awards, 1 Minute Film Competition- Animation and Live Action, online, 2018, (link no longer available)

Organiser, 24 Hour Comic Challenge (national competition), October 1 – 3, 2016, https://www.facebook.com/24hrchallenge2016/

Organiser, 24 Hour Comic Challenge (national competition), June 6 – 8, 2015, https://www.facebook.com/24hourcomics2015/

Organiser, 24 Hour Comic Challenge (national competition), https://www.facebook.com/24hourcomics2014/, June 7 – 9, 2014.

Examination and Supervision

Co-supervisor, Rahf Elmahdi Ibrahim Elmahdi Zahran, creative PhD, commenced 2022.

Co-supervisor, Pedro Allemant Barbaran, creative PhD, commenced 2021

External Examiner, BAnim Hons creative project, Griffith Film School, Griffith University, 2017.

External Examiner, B. Comm. Hons creative project, Open Universities Australia, 2016.

Examiner, BAnim Hons creative project, Griffith Film School, Griffith University, 2016.

Examiner, BAnim Hons creative project, Griffith Film School, Griffith University, 2015.

Examiner, MAVA creative project, Queensland College of Art, Griffith University 2014.

Examiner, MVA creative project, Queensland College of Art, Griffith University 2014.

Examiner, BAnim Hons creative project, Griffith Film School, Griffith University, 2014.

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