Christmas Fair

2nd Years Christmas fair 

Cartoon and Comic Arts team up with Illustration students 

For the second year running, Cartoon and Comic arts Students team up with Illustration students as part of their Visual Storytelling module to produce a Christmas fair. The students were given an audio book that had gone out of copyright as a starting point for this project. So from Wuthering Heights to Dorian Gray the students had a lot to go at. 

The point of the project was to prepare the students to working in a consumer lead environment. It made them think about their intended audience as actual people rather than trying to produce something to get marks and graded. It pushed them into areas of learning about advertising and marketing their work. Students had to get used to talking to their customers about their work and had to learn how to engage with the general public. 

 

The students arrived early to set up the area. People had different ideas about how they wanted their tables to look and some had gone the extra mile to demonstrate their eagerness to produce and sell work at the event.

Table set up still on going 

illustration student Joe and Cartoonist Carl team up to run thier stand. Joe had "Lord of the Flies" as his book and Cart and "Matilda" 

Two mature comic artist Shaun "The Hobbit" and Conan "Matilda" on their stand. Shaun was also drawing sketches and Conan had an additional surprise for his stall 

A 3rd year student Drew Hird, popped across to give advice on how to sell their work to Emily and Rebecca. 

 International Man of mystery Josh "Jeckyl and Hyde" helps to run his and Sarah's stand at the event.

Mike is joined by his mate to help run his and Joe Assi, while Joe is on patrol around the event.  

Millie and Diana work on louring people to their stand. 

The illustration students were really up for the challenge of running a table at the event. they produced some really novel stuff, like the screen printed tote bags.  

Danielle and Seren work on their pitch to get customers over to the table. Danielle used her cosplay to great effect at the event. 

Another 2 illustration students who did really well at the event and produced some really good work. 

Danielle hold fort for herself and Lawrence 

Jasmin and Scarlett made the perfect team 

Max the Pirate made his mark with a couple of illustration students 

Acouple of third year students were keen to make their mark at the event, and try to relive their first attempt at running a stall at a Christmas event  

Hidden away, Millie and Vicky working behind the scenes

Tom manning his table 

Elliot and Laura working their table 

One of the most unusual stalls, Katie and Gee running their stands where Gee made Dracula Capes for Cats to wear.! 

Strike a pose with Meg and Alex 

Finally Ellie on her stall doing the business

At the door greeting people were AckwardBex and myself. 

  

Selling work & Workshops

Life after Study 

Cartoon and comic arts provides a wide and varied selection of options available to the student to what they can do with the skills acquired on the award after they finish. 

Obviously a lot of students either dream of selling their work independently at small press conventions or plan to work for other like minded individuals.

The award offers a range of opportunities to allow the students to experience work in a range of different elements.

Off the back of a successful MCM trip to London  in May, the 2nd year students were up for attempting to sell there work at a range of places before the official end of the semester.

Having Rebecca Such (AwkwardBex) as part of the teaching team allowed us to expand what we were doing. Becci is very entrepreneurial in her approach and out look. Always one to see an opportunity to sell both her work and skills along with students, she helped the students realise their true potential.

Working alongside Staffordshire Student Union, Becci help set up at stall at the local train station in celebration of the Queens Birthday.  

 

 

The Geek Box comic shop in Newcastle also provided an opportunity for the students to get their work out into the public.

Both 2nd years and 3rd Years ventured down to the shop where we had a small spread on for people who turned up to support the students. 

                            

 

Along with this we were lucky to meet while at MCM a small publisher Accent UK Comics, who turned up to have a look at what the students were producing. 

The Guys from Accent Comics were happy to preview the students work and have a general chit chat about what they should consider if they were really interested in getting in the comics industry.

                                     

 

Sam Megaw was singled out with his book as a potential comic artist to watch out for.

Afterwards we headed out to celebrate the success of the event and also see Shaun Nichols, who was working across the road at a bar.

During the degree Show, the second years got their act together to open the Pop Up Comic Shop in the main Henrion Foyer area. This was great as it encouraged the second years to have a look at the degree show and also experience the whole event. Something that a few of them don't do as they have usually left at this point and headed home.

Becci and workshops

Becci Such (AwkwardBex) also provided help and support while running a couple of workshops during the Degree Show week . 

One included a workshop in the Local (Hanley) Park where there was a literature event happening (The Big Book Swap!).

Along with Tanra Studios Tara Washington and Nadia Williams they helps young children to experience story creation using comic arts.

On the following Friday, Becci was available once again to take on younger children from local schools to do another Comic Art class with the help of new lecturer and interdependent artist Claire Smith (TallyB)