5/24/12 - Heroes Con 2013

Great Comic Convention coming up next month! Heroes Con June 7-9 in Charlotte NC! Classy show that focuses on the creators! Great line up of guests and quality programming! Met Shawn Crystal there back in 2007 - he was presenting for SCAD at Heroes Con's great "how to" line up!

http://www.heroesonline.com/heroescon/

1/4/13 - January CCG Meeting/Workshop Sunday the 27th

Out with the Old and in with the New!

Happy New Year! 

Let's hope the Mayans are right (this time) about thirteen being a lucky number! We will be having a full three hour CCG meeting/workshop this month! New and old are welcome, and as always all meeting are free and open to the public. Children under 16 should be accompanied by an adult.

Location: Large Conference Room, Beaumont Branch, Lexington Public Library, 3080 Fieldstone Way, Lexington, KY 40513

Tell everyone you are coming on Facebook!

January 27th 2013 CCG Meeting/Workshop - Tentative Agenda:

Community Announcements -

• The Lexington Drawing and Painting Group on MeetUp - a new collaborative venture with other area arts groups. Another way to get the word out about local arts events, classes and opportunities! Think of it as arts clearing house. Might be the virtual start for a Student Art League in this area! Last month we co-hosted a Themed Life Drawing (TLD) event: Zoe from the Firefly/Serenity universe of Joss Whedon! 
• Lexington Comic & Toy Convention is a multimedia show highlighting mainstream comics - coming March 16 & 17 in downtown Lexington. Do we want to get a table? Do we want to have something (mini comic anthology or group sketchbook) ready for then? Do we want to present, as in a panel? Do we want to set up a talk/demo/workshop with one the pro guests coming to Lexington? 
• SPACE (Small Press and Alternative Comic Expo) is geared to the independent comics producer and consumer - coming up April 13 & 14 in Columbus OH. Another great opportunity to set up at a table and promote the CCG, collective work and individual work by the members!

Educational Activities -

• Comics project - Work on/show work for Dark Horse Comics Ghost Script (will everyone have something ready by then - or do we start the process at the meeting? Who needs some help getting started? Does everyone have an idea of how to work from a script? If not let me know - I have lot's of how to material that may give you some ideas. 
• Themed Life Drawing - if we can pull it together (model and costume) my idea is to have a real life "Ghost" that we can all use for making a character sheet/model sheet for Ghost. This is what you use as a guide for drawing your characters - serves to keep you consistent in your depiction of the costume and character likeness. 

Networking Opportunities -

• Business Card Swap - learn more about each other and how to get and keep in contact 
• Sample or Tear Sheet Exchange - cartoonists, illustrators, caricature artists, storyboard artists, entertainment design artists - show us your skills! 
• Mini Comic/Zine Trade - from xeroxed miniature comics to oversize full color magazines - mini comics are short run publications - likely 1000 copies or less (does not describe size or page count ). If you have 'em - bring 'em! Trade, barter or sell to our assemblage!

10/7/12 - 24-Hour Comics Day & Halloween Comics Fest - What a Combo!!

Wanted to alert/remind folks about these two October comics events. These will likely be hosted in comics stores and art schools all around the nation, as well as Louisville, Cincinnati, Nashville, Huntington, Columbus and Lexington.

What I like to do is post a master listing of what's being done locally and regionally on the CCG blog! So if you know of events in your area please send me the scoop and I will post it for all to see!

24-Hour Comic Book Day - can be shortened to a 4-Hour event or I have even heard of it being a 24-Day Comic event. Please follow the above link or visit Scott McCloud's site to understand the history of this challenge Scott made with his colleagues and friends  Steve Bissette and Neil Gaiman. The most important part is MAKING COMICS and breaking out of the inue of  thinking - to the state of doing! You can do this alone or with a group - but as Nike is fond of saying "Just Do It!" Then share it....

Here is a link to the official event locator: http://www.24hourcomicsday.com/content.aspx?page_id=2702&club_id=448232

Halloween ComicFest (Free Comic Book Day II) - This year we get a second FCBD! Because of Halloween and new comics day both falling on a Wednesday the ever thoughtful l Diamond Distributors came up with this new version to help promote sales in October. This is a chance not only to pick up free comics made for this event, but also for LOCAL creators to distribute (with the approval of the shops) their mini comics and other products. For COSPLAYERS this is a chance to strut their costuming prowess and compete in best Halloween Costume contests!! For artists this can then become a costumed life drawing event....the opportunities just continue to bloom!

Here is the link to the official event locator: http://www.halloweencomicfest.com/storelocator

As you now no doubt see these two events can feed into one another - as you share your comics made one week the following week as your own mini comic! Happy cartooning to all!

Stephen R Bissette - Comic Art Workshop - September 25th 2012

The CCG will be hosting a series of  comics storytelling presentations by Stephen R Bissette  at the NKU METS Center on Tuesday September 25th, 2012 from  9:15 am - 5:45 pm. On site registration begins at 9:00 am.

Facebook event here:
http://www.facebook.com/events/453613618011698/

Online registration here:
http://ccgstephenrbissetteseminar-eorg.eventbrite.com/

Here is the latest info on the content of those presentations . Contact CCG Coordinator for more info or to register. Space will be limited! :-)

1. Stephen R. Bissette: Horror Comics, Ghost Stories & Storytelling Staples

The Award-winning SWAMP THING artist, creator of TYRANT, and co-creator/editor/publisher of TABOO offers an illustrated lecture offering an overview of his career, his approach to storytelling, and some basics of the comics medium. Includes illustrated readings from two of Bissette's comics-format ghost stories and his serialized "day in the life of a dinosaur" graphic novel TYRANT.(All ages)

2. Stephen R. Bissette: Basics of Comics Storytelling

Using examples of his own work on comics like SWAMP THING, TYRANT, and self-contained short comics stories, the Award-winning vet SWAMP THING and TYRANT artist and Center for Cartoon Studies instructor discusses his philosophy of visual storytelling and step-by-step analysis of his process. Includes illustrated readings from SWAMP THING and TYRANT. (All ages)

3. Stephen R. Bissette: Stories on Storytelling

Using some of his most recent comics and short story creations, Award-winning cartoonist (SWAMP THING), writer (ALIENS: TRIBES), and editor/publisher (TABOO) Stephen R. Bissette workshops his own process of storytelling, specifically citing more introspective "story on story" devices, techniques, and dissection of process, including the use of dreams, pop culture artifacts, and more. Includes readings from recent stories, including "Tenderfoot," "Secrets & Lies, Windows & Wounds" and "Copper." (Adult audiences; ages 16 and up)

4. Area Premiere - Independent Documentary film "Cartoon College", (76 min , 2012, NR)

In the summer of 2007 filmmakers Josh Melrod and Tara Wray left New York City for the wilds of Vermont to begin shooting CARTOON COLLEGE. They spent the next three years following the lives of a few unique students at the Center for Cartoon Studies, the nation's premiere institution of higher learning for aspiring literary cartoonists and graphic novelists. Along the way they interviewed some of the most famous names in independent comics, including Lynda Barry, Charles Burns, Kim Deitch, Scott McCloud, Francoise Mouly, R. Sikoryak, Art Spiegelman, and Chris Ware, among others, in addition to traveling across the country to meet comic book store owners, museum curators, convention goers, critics, librarians, college professors, and fans to find out what it takes to make it in the world of indie comics. (With live intro and closing by Stephen R. Bissette, CSC Faculty)

Working Schedule:

Time	Location	Description	Notes:
9:00 am	Lobby	Arrival & Set up
9:00 - 9:30 am	Lobby	Registration and check in
9:30 - 9:45 am	Auditorium	Introduction and Welcome (TBA)
9:45 - 11:15 am	Auditorium	Presentation #1: SBR
11:15 - 11:30 am		Break
11:30 am - 1:00 pm	Auditorium	Presentation #2 SBR
End of Morning Session and All Ages presentations
1:00 - 2:30 pm		Lunch break
2:30 -4:00 pm	Auditorium	Presentation #3 SBR
4:00 - 4:10 pm		Break
4:10 - 4:20 pm	Auditorium	Introduction to Film by SBR
4:20 - 5:30pm	Auditorium	Cartoon College Documentary screening
5:30 - 5:45 pm	Auditorium	Q&A
5:45 pm		Dismissal
5:45 - 6:00 pm		Take down & departure

7/4/12 - Editorial: Independance Day #236

Benjamin Franklin is often quoted as saying:
"Those who would give up Essential Liberty
to purchase a little Temporary Safety,
deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

1776-2012: 236 Years of Freedom and Justice for All
Today we celebrate Independence Day - what does that mean to you?

Are we as free today as our forefather's were on that joyous day 236 years ago? Do we (you and I) work to make our country stronger, braver, with greater justice and even more freedom?

Have we (collectively as a society, and individually as citizens) preserved what some of our fathers, mothers, grandparents, great-grandparents, and on back - have DIED to protect and establish?

For those of us who have never been called to serve our country in time of need - how do we give back? Is this a time of need?

How do we continue and improve on the legacy of being a citizen in what is arguably, still the greatest country in the world (no offense to all our brothers and sisters across the planet - but this is still the place I CHOOSE to call home)? So once you realize how much we all have and the sense of gratitude washes over you, you start to wonder: how do we give back?

http://www.foundingfatherquotes.com/

6/26/12 - Larry Hama Sequential Art Seminar July 1st Louisville KY

Larry Hama is the 20011/2012 Artist in Residence at
the Asian/Pacific/American Institute of NYU

Larry Hama Seminar in Louisville Revisits Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art Lecture from 2011

Louisville KY June 26, 2012- Noted comics writer, artist and editor Larry Hama will be presenting at Kentucky School of Art, Spalding University campus this coming Sunday, July 1st.

The lecture will cover the same material Mr Hama presented at NYC's MoCCA Museum. Mr Hama has worked in the comics industry for over thirty years and has lectured widely in higher education - including a week long series of talks on storytelling for the Moscow School of Film. This lecture should appeal to comic fans, artists and writers, cartoonists, animators and film students.

This seminar will explore the process of getting the narrative onto the page clearly in a self-evident sequence of pictures. Main visual points of reference will be “Wally Wood’s 22 Panels” and GI Joe: A Real American Hero #21, “Silent Interlude.” There will be a frame-by-frame deconstruction and analysis of “Silent Interlude,” an exploration of techniques, and a Q & A.

Schedule: 

• 9:30-10am - late registration and check in
• 10 - noon - 1st half of presentation
• 12-1pm - lunch break (delivery or brown bag - can eat inside or outside in pavilion)
• 1-2:30 - 2nd half of presentation
• 2:30-3pm - Q&A

Seminar cost: $20 or $15 for Derby City Comic Con guests with proof of attendance. $10 for KSA students or Faculty. Cash only at door. Credit card use only for advance registration - email for assistance.

Lunch: Please sign up for a lunch delivery at registration or bring a lunch. We can eat inside or outside the library at one the picnic pavilions. We will only have one hour so we advise you plan to stay on campus for lunch.

Location: Library Lecture Lounge, Spalding University Kentucky School of Art • 845 South.Third Street, Louisville, KY 40203,  phone( 502).618.4600.

Contact: J. Gilpin, Coordinator, Lexington KY Comic Creators Group. email: lexkyccg@gmail.com, phone: (859) 276-5528, web: http://lexkyccg.blogspot.com.

Facebook event link: http://www.facebook.com/events/337440002977753/ 

This event would not be possible without the kind help of Kentucky School of Art (thanks Skylar, Kasey and Kelly!), Derby City Comic Con (thanks to Eric), Louisville Cartoonist Society (Ted, Rene and Phil -mucho gracias) and of course, the main man: Larry Hama!

6/21/12 - Brave Themed Life Drawing in Morning - Movie Tavern in Evening

'BRAVE' THEMED LIFE DRAWING Saturday June 23rd, 2012 9a - 12p UK Reynold Building Room 202B. Disney's "Brave" (Scottish Animated Epic) Themed Life Drawing session - $5 for artists. Will have at least one model in costume from movie (Medira - young red haired lead character). Get warmed up the Movie Tavern Event (Drink and Draw) later that night. Contact Ccg Coordinator at lexkyccg@gmail.com or call 276-5528 for more info! :-) Artists can work in pencil, pen, ink, watercolor or even oils. Pose lengths will be 1 min, 5min, 10 min, 20 min, and maybe one or two longer poses as time, energy and heat allow :-) Looking for extra models - artists come in costume and draw for free! (email to confirm)! Friends who can volunteer time as models, hlelpers or bring props are encouraged to do so! Email for more info about what we need.... This should be a lot of fun and really helpful for creating art/illustration based on fantasy characters but having some real world reference! Facebook event:

http://www.facebook.com/events/401671809869269/?notif_t=plan_user_invited