My 24 Hour Comic Challenge Attempt

My Comic 

it is still a work in progress. But I was posting about it every few hours to let people know what I was doing. A lot of the idea was based on Scott McClouds book "Understanding Comics" but I added a bit more research as I wanted it to be basically illustrated notes for a lecture I did. It is based on Understanding where comics initially evolved from and the thinking of where this might lead us. After 14 hours I failed as my back went, but I do hope to finish it and get it printed to accompany my notes!

Below is an example of some of the pages that I posted online as an idea about what I can do to make comics and include them in my lecture.

The opening page/Cover.  

This is the initial idea to try and challenge peoples preconceptions about what comics are and where they can be found. 
One of the things that I've been wanting to do for a long time, is try to recreate some of the old Hogarth/Gillray political art from the 1800's - these are my rough attempts and hopefully the new ones will be shown in a later blog. 

This is Halloween This is Halloween

A bit late but its Halloween

Cartoon and comic arts once again did a Halloween project with the first years. Each student got given a ghoul and a predicament for them to write about.
Needless to say the standard was as ever very high.
The aim was to get the students producing work and then selling it in the 1st semester at an Open day event. 

Above - The starting line for this was "Archaeologist who finds a mummy"

Above - "Werewolf trainer" by Alex Price

Above "Ghost of Somebody who was a zombie!" Drawn by Vicky Whieldon

By Laurence Twells

Sculpture work by first year Comic Art students

Sculpture work 

Working with Becci Such the first years started to develop their character sheets with the idea that they were going then use these 2D images and make a plasticine character. So understanding how these 2D drawn images could be fleshed out and developed to create some impressive characters.

The idea is to open the cartoonist mind up to realise where this type of work can be used. So we all know that you go into forbidden Planet and there are an array of toys and figurine of our favourite characters for sale in the shop. 
It also provides the artist with a reference object to help them draw. So now they can draw their character from a range of different angles and positions. 

Drawing Exercise

Life Drawing and Layouts Class

We've been very lucky over the last few weeks at Staffordshire University to have comic artist John Charles working alongside the students. Obviously John has high standards and one day while chatting over a curry he mentioned how flat the students at work was. I explained that we had tried to various methods to get then think a bit longer and harder about the composition of the panel but to no avail.

 

So we took it on ourselves to create our  own scene which the students had to draw every panel from a different position and angle. 

We asked the student to design a 4 panel page to a script we wrote of a character vomit through a door way sitting on a chair then walking into a bedroom to pack his bed and flee. Here are some of the results 

 

London Super Comic Con

Last weekend saw some 1st and 2nd year cartoon and comic at students attend the London Super Comic Con in the docklands area. Selling their 1st semesters work and getting a feel for the whole experience of selling stuff at conventions

Staffordshire University's 1st Ever DRINK N DRAW

Staffordshire University's

Drink & Draw

 

Thursday 27th February sees the first ever Drink and Draw being held at Staffordshire University. Asked for by the Cartoon and Comic Arts students, it is aimed at being a social out let for these rather shy and retiring individuals and an opportunity for them to develop their drawing abilities. Its open to both animation and illustration students as well. Students are expected to turn up in Coplay (Costume) of their favourite characters and allow other members of the cohort to draw them.

 

As this is our first event we are happy to have a few professional industry experts to help out and add a bit of prestige to the event. They include MarvelUk and 2000AD artist John Charles and Jason Brindley. Both giving up their free time to be part of this epic new venture to the comic arts award. As well as that Kevin Gunstone, writer for Markosi, Marvel Dark Horse etc, will be sharpening his pencil as well to take part in the event. No event would be complete with out our own AGL Mark Garner as well! 

Pop Up Comic Shop

Pop Up Comic Shop

Wednesday 19th February 

10.00 - 4.00

 

Henrion Gallery

 

New stock will be on Sale this Wednesday in the Henrion Gallery from 10.00. This year we see students tackle Shakespeare and make comic books of a range of his plays. This Wednesday sees a selection of artwork on sale in the Henrion Gallery by 2nd Year Cartoon & Comic Arts, Illustration and Games Concept Design Students. 

 

 



Comics and Magazines

Cartoon & Comic Arts are in Print

This is just a quick round up of where you can read more about the exploits of the Cartoon and Comic Arts Award. The Fringe Festival had its own magazine out where we were interviewed by a range of journalist students to gather information about the award and what were had done and what we are going to do in the future years. 

I was also delighted that we were allowed to have an article published as part of the degree Show magazine.

Some time next week I'm going try and do a summary of what we did as an award from September 2012 to May 2013, so that we've got a record of whats happening and how we can go on and improve the award.

Later on this week I'm in London where I'm hoping to meet up with some independent artists as well as visiting Orbital Comics to try and get them sell the Students work. A visit to the cartoon Museum and also booking a table for the MCM Expo in London in October. When we hit London with the new intake I want to be in a position where we can blow them off their feet and show them what we've managed to do in 2 years and what they have to live up too.

Big Times Ahead !

 

UniQ Selling Comics

UniQ Comic Stall

As well as the Pop Up Comic Shop, we also had an attempt at selling work at the first university UniQ market stall.

This was a place where other students with a range of work on sale were also encourgaed to try and sell their work as well. It was a good day though it started off slowly, but using our enterprise and entreprunerual skills we managed to over come the slow start and got a range of people coming overand showing and interest in our work.

We also attempted face painting and doing caricatures of people in various Super heroes costumes.

Overall it was a fun experience just doing the carticatures and chatting to people who wouldnt usually have thought about buying comics