Opening Night 12/06/2015

Degree Show Opening Night 

Friday 12th June 2015 saw the second Cartoon & Comic Arts degree Show. This was a special occasion as we were privilege to have None other than the legend David Lloyd to Open the show. The course has come a long way in a very short time it and the students have achieved so much. 
the aim as ever is to keep that going and let the student drive the award forward. John Charles believe that there is an opportunity to become A centre of excellence in the UK for Comic Artist. It is a tall ask, but one I'm sure the next set of graduates will be up to take on the task. 

the 2nd years got in on the event to. Brad behind the comic book stand and also their own pop up comic book shop where they sold over £40.00 worth of comics on the night 

Some of the 2nd years cam in and volunteered to paint the stand with their characters, it was initially a slow start, but in the end it looked fantastic. 

The opening ceremony was conducted by the Vice Chancellor Michael Gunn and the Dean for the Faculty of Art and Creative Technologies Dr Astrid Herhoffer 

The event took place in the Henrion Gallery 

David Lloyd did an inspirational speech 

Adrian Tooth and David Lloyd

The Prize for best student went to Becci Such of Cartoon & Comic Arts 

The Show

It was great to see Verity Hall and Claire Smith back at the event 12 months after they had been there. More importantly they brought new ideas about how the course can be improved and what they could do to help.

Finally both myself and Gareth were given a present by the students, something that ensured we would never forget them... how ever Hard we tried !

Degree Show Build 2015

3rd Years prepare for Degree Show

This years see's cartoon and comic arts 2nd lot of students graduate. As is now the practice at the end of the  the whole of the Art & Design department goes about putting on an end of year show. Comics once again played an important part in this.

Below is a visual documentation of how the show came together and the various in carnations it went through.

So Starting off with the room we were allocated. It was the same one as last year where it held 10 students, this year there was to be 12, so this meant that false walls had to be built and work had to be printed and put up.

Above shows the initial starting point, the room with the boards in ready for the interior walls to be built 

The partially built side wall was to allow 3 students to display their work 

The corner piece was taken out to allow for the space to be used more effectively 

The final panoramic view of the area in Henrion Room H009

After that the students moved in to start the job of turning the area into their Degree Show Space

We tried to stop the paint being put on the floor honest with the plastic wrapping 

It was great to see how everyone stood around and waited for Becci to stir the paint

then with a few well chosen adjustments the team kicked in 

The paint was stirred enough

and teh magic started to happen

yep... missed a bit. 

Once the room was done, the furniture was moved to one side to allow the floor to be polished.

Artwork submitted 

Kieran Hayes

Callum Lawrence-Bardsley

Will Kellioh

Michaela Betts

Ryan Moss

Will Vaughan

Reece Palattao

Becci Such

Emma Buxton

Connie Skerrett

Michaela Clark

Currently missing is Pete Dawson's work which is an animation which I hope to up load soon 

MCM Success

2nd Years take MCM by storm!

It can only be consider a success with 22 students from the cartoon and comic arts course at Staffordshire university all descending on to the capital city to take part in the  London MCM Expo event at London Docklands, 

The cohort was split into 4 groups of between 5 & 6 students and they as a group had to become a publishing house and go about, coming up with a an ethos for the team, produce individual comics, go about advertising MCM and their work and then proceed to sell them.

Gareth and Adrian enjoying a drink with 3rd Year student Becci (Awkward Bex) and Liam 

 Gareth Catches up with students at Greenwich, discussing plans for tomorrows event 

 A couple of 1st years students tagged along with the intentions of enjoying the event and going in as Cosplay Characrers

HEX Comics

Picture above is with all the team from Left to right Christina, Zu, Simon, Brad and Ross

Hex on their way to London, looking quite happy

First incident at table Hex, Simon spills his drink on the table 

A well drilled emergency display kicks in as they clean up, with special help from ZU

Thats better Photoshoot with Zu & Simon

Simon and Brad

A new method of selling comics Christina and Ross.

Techne Comics

Nadia and Tara at the stall selling their comics

Nick and Kate set up position to do commissions  

Maisy shows a first year Phoenix how to sell work at MCM 

Natasha selling her comics

The Super Comic League

Jay and Megan take control behind their table

Chizi and Emily show their technique to draw people over to their stall

Jay and Megan try a different attack to draw people over to their table.

Melanchomics

Reuben and Sam adopt some strange methods  

Vicky and Sonny 

Rob and Izzy 

From Left to right, Chelsea and Rhonna don their Cosplay, Ross... is just Ross, The Arthur Daley of the Comic Village Zu  

Our very own Becci AwkwardBex at the convention 

Alumni 

Rob Cureton the master of Orful Comics. Ex Animation student at Staffs Uni

One of the first students to graduate from Cartoon & Comic Arts Esme Baran, still going strong and now selling Undine Figurines.

Hidden in all that is Millie (Snail lover) Harrop.

Claire Smith - also did a lecture to 2nd years students about the do's and don'ts of selling at conventions. We are hoping to get her back next year (Sept 2015) as well

 
Phillipa Rice Ex Animation student and brilliant comic book artist and illustrator. 

Lex Harford hiding behind her big box.