A fascinating BBC documentary from back in 2007 about USA comics legend Steve Ditko.

Famous for co-creating Spider man. He also created and drew Dr Strange, The Creeper, and lesser known titles like The Question, and Mr A.

His depiction of magical planes of existence in Dr Strange predated the whole psychedelic movement!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gwDnhMO8is&feature=youtu.be

Online source for visual reference recommended by illustrator Edward Kinsella.

http://www.shorpy.com/

Remember to design first and then seek reference.  Don't be a slave to your reference - use it to improve your own drawing.

Comics Storytelling Class on Skillshare by Phil Jimenez

Here is a Skillshare class on comics storytelling by Phil Jimenez for the Smithsonian Institute.

Free one month trial!

https://www.skillshare.com/classes/The-Art-of-Visual-Storytelling-How-Comics-Work/2143596670

Live Performance Drawing - Friday March 16th 2018 - Arabesque World Dance

Friday March 16th 2018 (Gallery Hop)
Live Performance Drawing 
"Oritentale Odyssey" 

Come join fellow sketchers as we are guests to enjoy the great live performances by several talented traditional middle eastern style dancers including Hala Alimah Belly Dance Troupe!

Thanks to Safiya Nawaar and AWD for being drawing friendly venue! 

5 - 8p, Arabesque World Dance, 451-B Chair Avenue, Lexington, Kentucky 40508

Facebook EVENT: https://www.facebook.com/events/496369834097017/

Developing Your Visual Memory

Wouldn't you like to be able to draw from your visual memory?  We all see such fantastic and amazing events and things in our lives - many which happen so quickly or unexpectedly that we can't draw them or take a photo.

"If you think about it, all life drawing and painting is at some point being done from the artist's memory."  - Darren Rouser from the introduction of his book, 

Memory Drawing: Perceptual Training and Recall

memorydrawing

Lexington Comic & Toy Show 2018

Come join us at the 2018 incarnation of the Lexington Comic & Toy Show!  The show gets bigger and better each year!

Now expanded into Rupp Arena as well as Heritage Hall in the Convention Center!

Be part of the fun for their FIFTH YEAR!

We (the CCG) will be set up on the main floor in Artists Alley - table 1408!  

Come by and see us and learn about local comic creators, illustrators, animators - visual storytellers!  Find out about upcoming events, educational opportunities, and talk with some local creatives!

SVA Masters in Visual Narrative and other Comics related courses

If you are looking to add a Masters in Visual Narrative (comics) to your educational pedigree - this is an excellent opportunity to learn more about this excellent, low residency, master's program chaired by none other than Nathan Fox! Act quickly this happens tomorrow, November 30th. I would advise signing up for the online session ASAP.  

 

Learn More About the MFA Visual Narrative Program!

Why you will want to join the event:

• Save time - no cost or travel
• One-on-one Q+A with chair Nathan Fox
  
• Immediate answers to your questions
• Chat live in groups
• Easily join in from anywhere
• Register at CareerEco.com/events/NPDA

Even if you miss this informational event, you should explore the options at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) from from this Masters program to online, and summer course in creating comics!

https://www.facebook.com/bfasvailluscart.depts

Safiya Nawaar : Photo Ken Ferrell

Live performance drawing opportunity this Friday!  This is a free event - by the generosity of
Arabesque World Dance studio and their Gallery Hop performance (four professional dancers will present!) from 5-8pm Friday November 17th.

See the Facebook event to RSVP.  Hope to see you there!

https://www.facebook.com/events/326331007834742/

Artwork: Jonathan Gilpin

Artwork: Jonathan Gilpin

Happy Veterans Day everyone.  Dylan Teague is a British artist whose work has appeared in newer Judge Dredd comics.  Here is a link to his blog - hope he will continue to post there - it is a little out of date (2014) - but shows some of the incredible work he puts into his sketchbooks.

http://dylansdrawingboard.blogspot.com/

October 2016 CCG Meeting/Workshop

Promotional artwork by Jonathan Gilpin
for Kennedy's The Art Part and Nathan Penrod.

We will be having a meeting/workshop Sunday October 16th, 2016 in meeting room B of the Central Lexington Public Library, 143 Main Street, Lexington KY from 1:30 -4:30 PM!

Regular CCG Meeting/Workshop: 
Sunday 10/16/16 - 1:30-4:30 pm - Lexington Public Library - Central Branch Meeting Room B-
regular meeting with:

• Meet and Greet
• Announcements
• News
• Round Table Review
• Themed Life Drawing - maybe a little Star Trek TNG cosplay?
• Print Project Overview get a packet explaining the project and how to submit (submission requirements)) Newspaper style comics and a calendar!!
• Video Project Overview (get involved now!)
  Email lexkyccg@gmail.com if you have any questions about the meeting. Hope to see you there!
  
  

August CCG Meeting - Tentative date 8/31/16

Let's get together this Wednesday August 31st (or another day this week?) for an impromptu and informal informational and planning meeting? We have some new folks who have been in contact with CCG Coordinator on Facebook - this would be a great time to introduce everyone.

There are some cool events coming soon -

• Saturday 9/3/16 -Free Comic Book Day - CCG will be at local stores - le me know if you want table time/space
• Friday evening 9/9/16  -Demo and talk by Game Concept Artist Bobby Rebholz at Manifest Drawing Center in Cincinnati - class on Creature Design (F-Su 9/9/16 to 9/11/16 - 9am-6pm) is also available check the website! Student discounts available -( possible a group discount for CCG - please inquire with me if you are interested)
  9/9/16 to 9/11/16 - Cincy Comicon - Tony Moore's comic convention - favoring the creators and the art of making comics
• 9/23/16 to 9/25/16 - Cincinnati Comic Expo - there is an incredible guest line up this years including Larry Hama (who did a fantastic presentation for the CCG a couple of years back in Louisville at KY School of Art (Spaulding University))

let's chat about that and share ideas for the future direction of the group!
Join the discussion on Facebook or leave a comment here about venues, days, or times!

IlluxCon 2016 - Reading PA

I attended IlluxCon 4 based on the glowing recommendations of Mister Larry Elmore - and boy was he right! A great concept (highlight the original art from their favorite fantasy Illustrators) started by Patrick and Jeannie Wilshire, this is done right and kept small and enjoyable. You can actually meet most of the active fantasy illustration legends all at one one show - better yet the environment is relaxed and casual - the artists (at least when I went) were not "conned out" and actually had the energy, patience and inclination to talk with a fellow (if not as famous, or as skilled) artist (that being me, Jonathan Gilpin, CCG Coordinator! :-) )!!

Discounted entry for currently enrolled art students was a very nice touch then, and I presume now? There was an art contest for students with a nice award...again then, but probably still the case.

Now in it's ninth year the show is coming up in mid to late October - see this link for more info!

http://www.illuxcon.com/

World Comics Network - A Great Idea Whose Time Has Come, Thankfully!

Great idea for spreading the skill of cartooning to the world as a whole and specifically to the "siletnt" people of our planet - the impoverished or isolated.

Thanks to Jenny Robb at OSU's Billy Ireland Cartoon Museum & Library for "introducing" me and many others with her Facebook post about Sharad Sharma and his group -

World Comics Network!

http://www.worldcomicsindia.com/index.html

https://worldcomicsnetwork.wordpress.com/

Planning for our next CCG Meeting/Workshop - Llkely End of August or Early September?

Hello readers - our active members are mulling over when. where,  and what time to next have our CCG meeting/workshop!

If you want to chime in - please email your suggestions to:
lexkyccg@gmail.com

or post to the Lexington KY Comic Creators Group Facebook Page with your thoughts!

Looking forward to hearing from you!

We also hope to have some CCG TLDs (Themed Life Drawing sessions - see tab on this site for more info or visit the FB page and check out the photos of past drawing sessions and themes). These TLDs can be part of a regular meeting/workshop and would be FREE or might be a stand alone event where we could all pitch in to cover the model and/or venue costs!

Some classic Prince Valiant art by the great Hal Foster!

5/14/15 - Star Wars In the Park

Since Joseph Beth Booksellers had to cancel their "Women of Star Wars" Event for tonight I decided to host the event myself (and with the steady help of my wife Holly) we managed to pull off a moderately successful event with less than four days planning time (critics be damned).
The idea was to make it kid friendly and take advantage of the scheduled time for our model extraordinaire,l Katie Anderson.

Some photos from the event:

5/23/15 - Spectrum Fantastic Art Live

Along with Stevie Moore of Studio Spectrem I set up in Kansas City, MO for the 4th annual Spectrum Fanastic Art Live event. This is hosted by the same people who put out the Spectrum Art Annuals (submission in November of each year).
This is the kind of show where you won't sell a lot but will meet a ton of very nteresting people! More of a particarory convention like they used to be - not so much like the exhibitor/attendee model currently the norm at comic conventions.,
Here is some art I had on display at the show:

2015/5/2 - Free Comic Book Day - CCG at A Plus Comics

Saturday, May 2nd was both Derby Day and Free Comic Book Day - guess which one I am going to write about?
Thanks to  Garreth Evans at A Plus Comics on Southland Drive in Lexington for hosting the CCG at their day-long celebration of Free Comic Book Day. Jonathan Gilpin and Jason Sturgill manned the table and did free scketches for any asking...
Some Photos from the event:

After 5pm we had a Themed LIfe Drawing Session - this was not with the CosPLay Costume Competiont particiapants (thsi was postponed due to low turnout) but with regular attendees - some in costume some not.
See photos below:

4/28/15 - Jeremy Miller Class at Preston Arts in Louisville KY

Great Class and Instructor in Louisville:
Preston Arts Center Inc
Art Center
Address: 3048 Bardstown Rd, Louisville, KY 40205
Phone:(502) 454-9954

Drawing Studio with Jeremy Miller
# 9946
Fridays
May 1-June 5
1-4pm
6 classes/ $120
plus supplies

2015 Spectrum Fantastic Art Live

There used to be the Illustrators Annuals that served as a "yellow pages" of artists for Art Directors to peruse for job offers...now if you want into the Science Fiction/Fantasy art market you need to be published in Spectrum. This is the show/con for that group - a one of a kind show. Make business contacts, meet peers, attend lectures and workshops. Highly recommended

https://spectrumfantasticartlive.com/?page=home

What to Expect at the CCG Booth at the 2015 Lexington Comic & Toy Convention

We will have some guest artists at our booth (3053) during the LCTC this weekend! (All times are subject to change)

Friday - March 13th, 2015 - Show Hours: 6-9pm for VIP Ticket holders

• TBA

Saturday- March 14th, 2015  - Show Hours: 9am VIP 10am - 6pm

• 10:00-11:30 AM - Herald-Leader illustrator Chris Ware (Signing copies of some his cartoon work) Family friendly
• 11:45 -1:00 PM - EKU Video Game Institute Professor George Landon (describing the game development program in Richmond)
• 2:00-3:30 PM -  Sculptor Luke Eldridge (Demo of how to make superhero figures out of pipe cleaners) Great for kids of all ages

Sunday - March 15th, 2015 - Show Hours: 9am VIP 10am - 4pm

• TBA

We will also display/ distribute info about:

• CCG Group activities (past workshops, CCG Themed Life Drawing Sessions (CCG TLD)
• Self Study Educational options
• College and Universities Programs for cartoonists, animators. illustrators, and entertainment design programs