The 3rd Years go Professional 

The new 3rd year started with a bang and off the back of the successful 5th Stoke Con Trent event  we invited a range of visiting artist to come in and talk to the students about life in the comic industry. First out of the blocks were AccentUk publishing House. 

 both Colin Mathieson (Co founder of the Publishing collective) and Gary Cruthley (Comic Artist and co writer on WESTERNoir) gave up their precious time to come and talk about life working in the market place.


This year also saw Alan Batson (Managing Director of Character Building UK Ltd) come and talk all things from Star Wars to art composition and direction to the students

This slightly departed from what our guest lecturers usually talk about 

Dan Painter Storyboard artist also made an appearance helping to students to realise the other potential areas of the industry that they might want to venture into. 

And as ever we welcomed our very own Fig Taylor from the Association of Illustrators to talk to students about working freelance and getting themselves an agent to work with .

Fig also does excellent portfolio reviews where the student can talk to her about their portfolio and if they need any help in what they have in their or any top tips.

Stoke Con Trent - Also had in Frazer Irving who hasn't been on the Comic Convention scene for a few years, but was ready to step out again. We were very lucky that he decided to do Stoke Con Trent and also to grace us with his brilliant presence.

Frazer also has developed his digital drawing skills and was willing to show this off to students.

During the first week we also tried to run a mentoring scheme where 3rd years and 1st Years came together to help in a pub quiz.

As part of the mentoring scheme there was a trip to the Monkey forest which provided the opportunity for the students to study and draw real life action. If forced them to look and observe the  creatures and the environment.

Visiting Lecturers Monday 21st April

Visiting Lecturers 

Staffordshire University 

Off the back of the Stoke Con event held on Sunday 19th April. Staffordshire University was extremely lucky to be able to ask some of the visiting professionals to come to the cartoon studio and then present their work and talk about what they did with Students.

                             

The session started off with Simon Donald introducing himself and how he started off in the comics industry. Simon was at the event to publicise his hilarious autobiography. 

His insight into the industry and how he was able to break into it and establish both himself and the comic as independent entities was both insightful and extremely funny. 

David Lloyd talked about his new venture in trying to get people to read comics on line. He set up ACES Weekly. This allows independent artist to get their work out there with out having to circumvent publishers. 

Jon Haward has had a long a distinguished career working for the likes of Eagle Comics, Thunderbirds, 2000AD and MarvelUK. In the shot above he explains one of his images to students at the lecture.

All the professionals featured in this article have said that they would love come to Staffordshire University again and help the students to develop their skills in preparation for the  outside world and industry. All the professionals also have a lot to offer the Cartoon & Comic Arts Award, from basic drawing skills to marketing and getting their work out there.