9/30/07 - "Back to School Special " Meeting/Workshop Today!

Today we are having our "Back to School Special" Meeting/Workshop at the Beaumont Branch Library here in Lexington. Hopefully everyone knows to watch our CCG Calendar for keeping track of our events and regional comic/illustration/animation events.

This is a special meeting because we are actively recruiting new members who are new or returning to the area for college, high school or middle school. We will have some small door prizes and may have a raffle for some bigger items. All proceeds will go toward operating expenses or for future expenses. So don't wait, come on down and join the fun! This will be a great time for checking us out or joining in!

09/16/07 - College Newspaper Looking for Cartoonists

The student run University of Kentucky newspaper, the Kentucky Kernel, is looking for cartoonists for it's editorial page. Posted is an example from the Friday August 28th edition of this year. They pay the whopping sum of $7 for each piece they accept.

Here is the contact info if you want to submit something :

Chad Reese, Opinions Editor opinions@kykernel.comPublish Post

09/06/07 - Gallery Hop & CCG Sketch

Hey! It's that time of year again, the city-wide gallery hop is coming up Friday September 21, 2007. Several of us enjoyed hanging out at the coffeehouse last June so much we've decided to do it again! Come join us - learn about the CCG and see what we're currently working on. Bring your sketchbook or journal and join in on the merriment!

2nd CCG (Lexington KY Comic Creators Group) Gallery Hop Event

WHY:
In an effort to expose and promote our group while being able to create art in a different, inspirational and hopefully collaborative atmosphere, we have been trying to find a place for some of us to draw comics or just sketch in a public environment. Maybe this will even draw out some of you closet extroverts to come to a CCG event! Please send us feedback on this...

WHAT:
Some of the possibilities....

* Sketching
* Large scale comics
* Interactive comics (leave panels, word balloons, thought balloons, or captions empty and invite participation by visitors)
* Immersive comics (including passersby or actual events in the story)
* Big group jam page (strawberry is really good, oh no not that kind of jam) think jazz music, improvisational and collaborative...
* Big group doodle page (no stress here - just go to town or be laid back - whatever!)

HOW:

* Contact Jonathan (email: lexkyccg@gmail.com, phone 276.5528) or Wolf (cell: 859.749.6430) if you are interested (or just show up if you are a commitment-phobe!) and to get more info.
* Think BIG and BRING your own supplies ...just in case we don't have your favorite marker. You may consider white foam core board if you want to work big on a wall. Sharpies are cheap but bold. If your ideas are more modest sketchbooks are always a good idea!
* PLEASE - nothing TOO MESSY! (We want to be able to keep coming since we like the place!)
* We should have a large table so the regular scale paper and supplies should be OK too.
* Bring photocopies of your work if you want a red line critique.
* Be ready for something different - you can do it the same old way at home!


WHERE: (subject to change call there or the contacts to be sure)

* Common Grounds Coffee House, 343 E High St, Lexington, KY 40507, (859) 233-9761 Upstairs "conference room"


WHEN:(subject to change call there or the contacts to be sure)

* Friday September 21st 2007, 6 - 9p and beyond?

09/05/07 - See You in the Funny Papers?

The attention diverting image on the left will link you to a great blog on comics by Steve Duin of The Oregonian. Nice that they value the medium enough to have a regular columnist assigned to cover it! You can read a review about Craig Voe's mag there as well.

Meanwhile, our local paper, the Lexington Herald-Leader, is running a request on their website for input about the comics they run in the paper. Stop by and enter your votes. This is great that they are asking, but the ballot system they are using seems a little restrictive.

How about we look at the big list of comic strip options? There a lot of great strips that don't get much attention: Liberty Meadows, Spiderman, Little Orphan Annie, you can probably remember some that you thought had gone away or are no longer produced. Here is a link to some of the best comic strips you have never heard of. Below is a partial list (let me know what I have missed) of the offerings from some of the comics syndicates:

• King Features: http://www.kingfeatures.com/features/comics/comics.htm
• United Media: http://www.comics.com/
• Tribune Media Syndicate: http://www.comicspage.com/
• Creators Syndicate: http://www.creators.com/comics.html
• United Features: http://www.unitedfeatures.com/ufsapp/home.do
  

Oh, and while we're at it let's look at Editorial Cartoons - do you think they want our input on that? Here's some links to some of the leaders in that form of cartooning:

• The Washington Post Writers Group: http://www.postwritersgroup.com/edtoons.htm
• Tribune Media Syndicate: http://www.comicspage.com/ed_comics.html

I encourage all readers of this blog to contact your local paper and let them know you are interested in what they run, how they choose to display it (have you noticed the comics page space just keeps shrinking?) and that you want local content as well as the syndicated stuff!

For local area blog visitors, I don't have specific names or emails (yet!) for you all to send your messages to - in the meantime here is a link to the contact us web form for the Herald-Leader. Let them know what you want to read! Start a list here as a comment - we can summarize the suggestions and forward on to the powers that be. Viva La Revolucion!

09/03/07 - Labor Day, What's It Really About?

Well Happy Labor Day! Don't get sunburnt or eat too much at the picnic. But is that why we celebrate this holiday? Who is this celebration for? Why is it important to celebrate the working man and woman? The modern labor movement is responsible for the minimum wage rate, the eight-hour work day, the forty-hour work week, overtime, child labor laws and lot's more we take for granted.

Comic creators and cartoonists are most often freelance artists and writers. Without the confines of the 9 to 5 grind they work their magic in basement or attic studios far from the hum of neon track lighting and carpet covered cubicles. Until sometime in the 1980's many artists were considered "work for hire" and did not get their original art back - even more disturbing is the fact that many pages of original art were shredded or cut up into pieces just so no one could try to republish the work.

Many of the folks who inspired us as readers (if you were born in the sixties as I was) are now approaching retirement age. Most of them have worked for years without benefits (life insurance, health insurance, sick time or vacation days) and now have nothing but the dubious comfort of Social Security. Mark Alessi, the controversial and abrasive former owner of CrossGen Comics did a lot of classy things (in my opinion) while at the wheel of that company. He tried to be on time with his books, he started the Bridges Educational Outreach Program for bringing comics into the classroom and he brought back the studio concept. But one of his most significant actions was to help start an organization now called The HERO Initiative. That organization originally called ACTOR (A Commitment To Our Roots) started around 2000.

Here's the HERO website if you would like to learn more about this charitable organization that offers confidential "monetary assistance to former comic book creators requiring supplemental health, medical, and quality-of-life assistance.."

How To Help: You can help with money, material, and time, or something special.

09/02/07 - Apex Digest Day at Joseph-Beth

Come Spring and Fall we here in the bluegrass are blessed with a bounty of activities: conferences, seminars, festivals and workshops. But with that blessing often comes a burden, the burden of choosing between conflicting events that happen to fall on the same day or close to one another. September (just check the CCG Calendar link), looks to be an interesting month - choose well my friends.



Apex Science Fiction and Horror Digest is a local success story - they have fought and scraped their way to develop a loyal readership while presenting a high standard for writing and graphic design. The CCG is proud to have friends and and active members on staff with this homegrown wonder. Congratulations to them and the local author friendly, independent, bookstore Joseph-Beth on the celebration of the
2nd Annual Apex Digest Day.

• When: Saturday September 22nd 2007, 2-5pm
• Where: Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Lexington Green
• What: Author Signings, artist Signings, Apex Editor Harassment, story Readings, artist demonstrations
• How: Just show up or check this website for more info.

Museum Go Round at the Explorium

Since I, Stevie, work at the Explorium, I wanted to inform all of my fellow comic creators of a dandy little event called the Museum Go Round. The Museum Go Round is a big deal as far as events go at the Explorium and is basically a special event for youngsters (18 and under) to become vendors and sell their art. The Museum admission is free that Saturday SEPTEMBER THE 22nd and there is an application for kids to operate a table and also for a group such as ours to operate a demo table. I already have the application and I would be really excited about operating a workshop on cartooning that day whilst simultaneously promoting our club to tons of kids. Here is a cut and paste of the basic info from the Explorium website, (www.explorium.com), let me know what you think.

Museum GO Round 2007 needs you!

What it is. Museum Go Round (MGR), our most anticipated event, is a street festival - complete with hands-on activities, workshops, food, and entertainment - designed for young artists (18 and under) to show and sell their work. Every year we have over 100 young artists participate with everything from sculpture to hand-made cards; jewelry to paintings; flip flops to photography. Designed to provide a real-world experience, MGR provides our young artists the challenge of overhead, display, customer service and profits (all theirs to keep, by the way!).

What you need to know. It all happens on Saturday, September 22. We’ll close Short Street (from Broadway to Felix Street) for the day. “Booths” are $10.00. Individuals or groups are encouraged to participate. The event runs 11am until 4pm.

What you can do. Join us! You’ll find a MGR Artist Application here. Print it out and send it in. Any art form is acceptable as long as it’s yours. After we receive your application, we’ll follow up with you: confirm your space, give you set-up information and any other details as they develop.

The Kentucky Arts Council, a state agency in the Commerce Cabinet, provides operational support funding for Explorium of Lexington with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.

08/26/07 - Woodland Arts Fair, Nice Changes

The 32nd annual Woodland Art Fair (WAF) was held last weekend 8/18- 8/19/07. This is one of the premiere art events each year for Lexington. The new booth layout is a great improvement and really seems so obvious now that you wonder why we had to be crowded together in all those years previous. Bravo to Joe Artz, program director with the Lexington Art League (LAL), organizer of the show, for this much needed change!

I met several local and regional artists and wanted to say hello and thank you to them here:

Saturday I talked with a wonderful watercolor painter named Bruce Allan Neville from Cincinnati. His watercolors were breath of fresh air - very spontaneous without the ubiquitous masking fluid technique that so many watercolorists now use. His paintings remind me of the work of my great aunt, Anne Gieswein Dunn, a life-long artist now in her 80's. She grew up in Covington, Kentucky but has lived most of her life in Connecticut. Mr. Neville, a retired architect had many lovely painting of old Victorian homes that bespoke of his familiarity with their lines. He teaches at the Baker-Hunt Art & Cultural Center in Covington as well as having a studio space in the Pendleton Art Center artist Coop in Cincinnati.

Also on Saturday I met and spoke with Marianna McDonald a pastel and oil artist with vibrant paintings of landscapes that seemed more colorful than real life! She is a long time exhibitor at the WAF and the product of a state school, Murray. Her website has a class link - if she can teach only half of what she knows and does she would be a brilliant teacher. Maybe sometime I will have the pleasure!

Sunday I enjoyed talking to Beau Stahl's wife, oddly he was one of the few figurative artists displaying at the show (come on Lexington, are we really that prudish?). She (I did not get Mrs. Stahl's first name) said the LAL had asked Beau to submit for the Nude 2008 Show (hand delivered entry deadline October 10th 2007) - I hope he does, as I would enjoy seeing his work again and hope to have an opportunity to meet him in person.

Also on Sunday I spoke with one of Lexington's most talented photographers, John Snell, who explained he has worked exclusively in the digital format for the last few years. I hope I didn't bore him with my computer peripheral and hardware advise - turns out he is a former Computing Manager for Transylvania University and doesn't probably need any help in that area. It was kind of hot Sunday and my mouth and brain weren't working in conjunction! He certainly produces some striking landscape work (z falls being one of my favorites) and if you're lucky you can catch him teaching his craft at LAL (hint, hint, education director).

Maybe next year some of us Lexington cartoonists and graphic designers can have a booth; if not at the FAS (a juried event), maybe across the street in the Woodland Church parking lot? Watch for the CCG banner!

PS: If you like outdoor arts and crafts shows check out the Berea Crafts Fair, October 13th & 14th, and the huge Saint James Art Fair in Louisville October 5, 6 and 7. Enjoy!

Art Yard Sale!!!! (This Weekend!!)

!!! Art Yard Sale !!!

This weekend during the "Woodland Arts Fair." Saturday & Sunday, August 18 & 19, 2007.

324 Oldham Ave., Lexington, Ky.
(Oldham Avenue is across the street from Woodland Park's tennis courts)

Affordable art from local Artisans!

- Magnets

- Masks

- Jewelry

- And much much more!

Calendar

Look here for upcoming meeting info or special events. You may find it easier to read in "agenda" view. Email Lexington KY CCG to have your event added.

We are also listed on Zevents.com

08/05/07 - Workflow or Process

First you read through the script, next you...
Identify and gather any reference material you will need, then you...
Thumbnail the panel layouts....

A large part of gaining facility and speed in creating comics or cartoons is having a system, a process, or a workflow. This way you can focus on what you want to say not how you are going to do that. Depending on whether you are part of a creative team (writer, penciler, letterer, inker, or colorist) or an auteur creator and do it all yourself - it is beneficial to have a routine way of approaching your creative task. A large part of this is accomplished through familiarity with your media and materials. You learn, often through trial and error, what works and what doesn't. You learn what flows naturally and what often ends up a big mess.

An example of this familiarity with materials that is specific to drawing: dip pens, like the Hunt 102 are commonly used for inking comics and need a smooth, calendared surface when you are choosing a drawing paper. If you don't have the right paper your pen will get a clumps of paper fiber at the end and require frequent cleaning. Another common problem is when the ink will not keep a sharp line on the page and will bleed and feather. The weight of the paper can become an issue if you lay down large areas of black - thinner papers can buckle or ripple - this is why a 2-ply is predominantly the minimum thickness of bristol board you will see professionals using with dip pens.

I found this cartoon process link on the Drawn! The Illustration and Cartooning Blog, it is to Ted Slampyak's blog Shop Talk- he is the current artist for the syndicated comic strip Annie and also has a wonderful web comic entitled Jazz Age. I hope Ted continues to post on his blog about his cartooning process and about how to draw as I found this post most interesting and enlightening.

How do the rest of you all work? Do you have a system? Anyone willing to share your process with us? Or perhaps you know of another web resource that discusses this?

07/27/07 - Drawing Aids: Photoreference & Computer Models

Is it OK for artists to use photo reference? What about tracing photos by hand (lightbox) or with software (Photoshop, Painter)? What about using 3D software (SketchUp, Hash Animation Pro, 3D Studio Max, Maya)? These really help with that tough perspective you really don't have to hand draw out... (see my previous post about using the computer as a perspective aid). Did famous classical painters use devices like the camera obscura? If they did, does this lessen the value of their work?

Greg Land (a favorite of mine from back in his Birds of Prey and later Cross-Gen's Sojourn runs) is really getting pounded (too harshly I think) recently in a lot of on-line chats and forums for what seems to be pretty obvious tracing of photo reference (also for the sources of these images). This debate seems to have really heated up and a lot of consumers of comics (fans) are incensed and seem to feel this is cheating. Illustrators, to my knowledge, have used photo reference and tracing as pretty common working methods for years. But there is usually some effort to disguise the source image (through creative deviations in the final art) when the work will be publicly displayed or published. If folks are aware of the photo reference then that hurts the final product.

I found this (CBR) Comic Book Resources article by Stuart Immomen (penciler of Superman and Nextwave) linked to over at the Drawn blog. He apologetically acknowledges his use of photo reference and software models. The article is pretty good, but the discussion it spurs is even more interesting. Don't skip the comments!

My personal take is that reference is OK if used to fill in your gaps of your knowledge for a particular subject matter. That means your design takes precedence over the exact layout shown in the photo (or model). The reference serves your idea not the other way around. Sometimes (most if you are not really experienced) you have to start with reference (Joe Kubert's cartooning courses explicitly tell you to look for reference needs as you read a script, then gather them before you even start to draw ). Say you need to draw scenes from the Forbidden City in the 1700's - not many of us have any visual memory to pull from for something like that, right? That's when you have to research on things, locations and times frames that you are not familiar with. But, you should be building a personal visual data bank while doing that (you really should be doing this all the time in everyday life).

There are differing opinions about this; one comic artist, I really admire comes to mind - Paul Pelletier will quite proudly will tell you he doesn't use any photo reference (it all comes from his mind's eye, I guess). If you can do it and keep your readers (and editors) happy more power to you! I do think as visual artists we should strive to be able to do that but I don't know if we can all hold that much visual data in our heads! Do you want to attend your first convention as professional and you have to tell little Timmy that you can't draw Mustardman without being in your studio do you? Nah, you want to be able to whip out a nice little con sketch (that his parents will later sell on EBay) for him to tack to his bedroom wall!

07/24/07 - More Positive Reviews for The Experts

Long time local comic creator and artist Kenn Minter and collaborator Clarence Pruitt have gotten more supportive media reviews for their work: The Experts - this time from People Magazine (Australia). It's great to see the little guys get a seat at the table and of course CCG is proud to have Kenn as a member (and source of inspiration to us all)!

07/23/07 - Instructional Video Links on Making Graphic Novels

How-to videos on creating a graphic novel! I just found this one - http://www.expertvillage.com/interviews/comics-novels.htm

Does anyone out there have experience with this site?

7/23/07 - Newsarama's One Step Column 2007

Lots of books have been written about it and lots of web space is dedicated to it - HOW TO BREAK INTO COMICS (?) (Get a crow bar and flashlight - oh not how to break into a comics shop? Oops, Never mind!)

You may remember I have posted about the One Step column (15th installment and looks like only one for this year? Use the "One Step" label to link to the previous post) by Jim Zubkavich (project manager and illustrator for Udon Comics as well as a part-time animation instructor somewhere in Toronto) over at newsarama before...it was an ongoing Op/Ed column trying to give comic artist rookies some insider advice about how to get a professional gig.

Jim has written a lot about what should be in your portfolio in the past but this latest post is more about the old saying "...it's all about who you know...". The article makes a lot of sense, nobody wants to work with a social retard or an arrogant jerk - so remember to polish up on those people skills along with perfecting your page layout skills or your Photoshop coloring prowess. It's the networking and your skills that will get you that exclusive contract from Marvel or DC.

By the way, all the previous One Step columns are accessible as links at the bottom of the current post. Check them out!

07/15//07 - Todd Klein On Hand Lettering

If you want to master the skills of cartooning you will eventually need to develop hand lettering skills (even if you want to use computer lettering it's really cool to be able to use your own font derived from your hand lettering). So here's a link to the website of one of the masters of this art form, Todd Klein, winner of several Eisner awards for his calligraphic skill in comics. Specifically here is his page on hand lettering - come on now you can find out what that Ames Lettering Guide is really used for!

Thanks to Chuck at comicrelated.com for the heads up to this great site!

07/15/07 - DC Comics Creates Web Comics Portal

Hey web comic artists! DC Comics has started a new online publishing venture and they are soliciting for content. This was sent to me by Chuck Moore at comicrelated.com.

Per the New York Times article...

The imprint, called Zudacomics.com, will permit aspiring cartoonists to register at its Web site and submit an eight-panel sample of their work. Starting in October and each month thereafter, editors at DC Comics will select 10 entries, post them for public view and invite people to vote for their favorite. Editors may also declare as many as six submissions to be instant winners during the calendar year.

“We’ve always found interesting stuff in submissions,” said Paul Levitz, president and publisher of DC Comics. “One of the problems that comics have today, I think, is that open door is much more closed. This creates a more open door.”

Most people who produce online comics do so as labors of love. Some post their work online free, hoping to catch a publisher’s eye or gain a following, but Zuda will offer a rare chance to become a paid professional.

Before I could post what Chuck had sent me another Charles (Lines and Colors Charley Parker) posted this on his blog with some analysis of the ramifications from someone who has been doing web comics for over a decade (and may have been the first to do so?).

07/15/07 - Collaboration: The Sum is Greater Than the Parts!

My goal in setting up this blog were many fold (and continue to be) but besides just promoting our group and our goals (see mission statement, still a work in progress, hint, hint..) was to have a collaborative site that was more (grander, more intelligent, more insightful, more knowledgeable, more inspiring, unfettered by geographical restraints...OK , I hope you get my drift..) than any one person. This is a TEAM blog and anyone who is regular attendee (heck, just come to more than one meeting..) is encouraged to ask me to be added to the group (a quick and painless procedure).

SO I was greatly pleased on one hand and little frustrated on the other when a visitor to our last CCG meeting sent me several ideas for posts. Pleased because this is the type of collaboration that can make this site really click and frustrated because for the most part this blog ends up being my singular voice. Please support this blog with your posts, comments or even emails (for the very shy :-) . Opposing viewpoints or opinions are encouraged... an ongoing dialog is a great way to learn and grow!

07/02/07 - Digital Painting Accelerated Videos

There are more and more of these type of videos popping up on YouTube and other video sharing sites. This one struck me because the artist follows a pretty sound academic approach: layout the structure and form and then work out tonality before jumping into the hues (colors). Well at least he did in this painting - but you will still see a lot of back and forth type edits in this time accelerated video. Painting with software and your computer can be very time consuming and frustrating so having a structured approach really helps. Here is the site of the artist, Nico de Mattia if you want to see more. He calls these speed paintings but that is phrase used by most digital artist to mean a short (less than one hour) painting session - his videos are more like (accelerated) art demo music videos.
Links to some other art demo videos:
Painting the Mona Lisa with MS Paint
Jim Lee Draws a Comic Scene
Adam Hughes Con Sketch Part 1
If anyone else out there has some favorite art demo videos please post or provide link in a comment - we could start a collection of links for those like what I propose for reading material.

07/02/07 - 2DArtist Magazine

2dartist is excellent and I have been buying this online PDF magazine for over a year and highly recommend it. Best of all you can check it out with a free preview for each issue and if you like what you see the cost for the full blown issue is only four bucks! Support a great magazine and get a great deal at the same time!
Geared for the digital artist crowd out there, this and ImagineFX are really the top two art tutorial magazines available.

07/02/07 - Excellent Videos With Ron Lemen Art Instruction

Ron Lemen has been involved in art education for a while and recently been involved with Gnomon Workshops out in California. You may remember that name from previous posts - they offer training to and with some of the best concept design and FX artists in Hollywood.

xTrain is a newish web company that wants to deliver high quality video based training over the web. Right now several wonderful training videos are available to you free once you set an account. I highly recommend the Ron Lemen training on traditional art media and also on Painter X (although I found the traditional media instruction to be more informative). If you have a fast Internet connection I encourage you to JUMP on this great opportunity to learn!

07/01/07 - Suggested Reading

Suggested Reading:

OK- Here's the beginning of what I hope will be a community effort to point interested readers in the right direction for some quality books. I am only posting books I own or have read or partially read. (So post your recommendations and or add them if you are a part of the team blog.) Updated: 3/27/15

Examples of the Medium
Graphic Novels

• Art Spiegelman - Maus I, II
• Craig Thompson - Blankets, Habibi
• Marjane Satrapi - Persepolis I, II (required reading at one or more US military colleges)
• Alison Bechdel - Fun Home
• David b - Epileptic
• Alfred Bester (w) & Howard Chaykin (a) - The Stars My Destination (amazon) [Novel Adaptation]
• Archie Goodwin (w) & Walter Simonson (a) - Alien [Movie Adaptation]

Comic Trade Paperbacks

• Bryan Talbot - A Tale of One Bad Rat - Dark Horse
• Tom Veitch and Bryan Talbot - The Nazz - DC Comics - (great insight as to how cults form)
• Various - Batman Black and White - DC Comics (SCAD sequential art faculty reference this work often!)

Educational
General Comics and Cartooning

• Matt Madden & Jessica Abel - Mastering Comics: Drawing Words & Writing Pictures
• Matt Madden & Jessica Abel - Drawing Words & Writing Pictures
• Scott McCloud - Understanding Comics
• Scott McCloud - Making Comics
• Will Eisner - Comics & Sequential Art (have not finished this one - hard read for me)
• Will Eisner - Graphic Storytelling (have not finished this one - hard read for me)
• Steve Lieber & Nat Gertler - The Complete Idiots Guide to Creating a Graphic Novel 
• Mike Manley & Danny Fingeroth - How to Create Comics From Script to Print - Twomorrows
• Jack Hamm - Cartooning the Head and Figure - Perigree

Writing Comics

• Denny O'Neil - DC Guide to Writing Comics - Watson Guptill
• Danny Fingeroth (Editor) - Write Now! (Magazine) - TwoMorrows Publishing

Drawing Comics

• Klaus Janson - DC Guide to Pencilling Comics - Watson Guptill
• Klaus Janson - DC Guide to Inking Comics - Watson Guptill
• Various - DC Guide to Coloring and Lettering Comics - Watson Guptill
• David Chelsea - Perspective for Comics - Watson Guptill
• Mike Manley (Editor) - Draw! (Magazine) - TwoMorrows Publishing
• Bob McCleod (Editor) - Rough Stuff (Magazine) - TwoMorrows Publishing
• John Buscema and Stan Lee - Drawing Comics the Marvel Way
• Bob Hickey (Publisher) - Sketch (Magazine) - Blue Line Productions

Drawing General

• Jack Hamm - Drawing the Head and Figure - Perigree
• Jack Hamm - How to Draw Animals - Perigree
• Jack Hamm - Drawing Scenery: Landscapes and Seascapes - Perigree
• Gary Fagin - Facial Expressions: A Visual Guide for Artists - Watson Gutptill (have not finished reading)
• Andrew Loomis - Figure Drawing For All It's Worth - Out of print (PDF versions are available on the web or from CCG folks)
• Ron Tiner - Figure Drawing Without a Model - David and Charles Publishers

6/30/07 - May Workshop Pages

These pages were created as part of an exercise we did during the May CCG Meeting/Workshop at the Tates Creek Branch of the Lexington Public Library.

While the pages are a bit rough around the edges it was fun to churn out something so quickly. It was also a hoot to play off the creativity of the the other cartoonists. I think we all agreed that this was something we should keep up. The basic exercise is a variation of the "Quanto Comics" one Scott McCloud suggests in his book Making Comics, chapter one.

6/14/07 - CCG Live Drawing for Downtown Gallery Hop

Several of us are going to get together tomorrow night at a local coffee house and do some cartooning. Everyone is welcome to attend and participate or just gawk if it looks like too much of a train wreck for your taste! A bit of humor as this will be our first try at this sort of event and I'm not sure what all we will end up doing - but I'm sure it will be different and stimulating!! (With or without a double lattte!)

1st CCG (Lexington KY Comic Creators Group) Gallery Hop Event

WHY:
Anyway in an effort to expose and promote our group while being able to create art in a different and hopefully collaborative atmosphere, we have been trying to find a place for any of us to draw comics in a public environment.Maybe this will even draw out some of you closet extroverts to come to a CCG event! Please send us feedback on this...

WHAT:
Some of the possibilities....

• Large scale comics
• Interactive comics (leave panels, word balloons, thought balloons, or captions empty and invite participation by visitors)
• Immersive comics (including passersby or actual events in the story)
• Big group jam page (strawberry is really good, oh no not that kind of jam) think jazz music, improvisational and collaborative...
• Big group doodle page (no stress here - just go to town or be laid back - whatever!)
  

HOW:

• Contact me or Wolf if you are interested (or just show up if you are a commitment-phobe!) and to get more info.
• Thinks BIG and BRING your own supplies ...just in case we don't have your favorite marker. You may consider white foam core board if you want to work big on a wall. Sharpies are cheap but bold.
• PLEASE - nothing TOO MESSY! (We want to be able to come back if we like the space!)
• We should have a large table so the regular scale paper and supplies should be OK too.
• Be ready for something different - you can do it the same old way at home!

WHERE: (subject to change call there or the contacts to be sure)

• Common Grounds Coffee House, 343 E High St, Lexington, KY 40507, (859) 233-9761 Upstairs "conference room"

WHEN:(subject to change call there or the contacts to be sure)

• Friday June 15th, 5:30 - 8:30p

"the Experts" #3 in June 2007's PREVIEWS Catalog

"the Experts" #3 in June 2007's PREVIEWS Catalog

• JUN073767 F THE EXPERTS #3 (MR) (page 326)

"What's the story with the Experts gaudy new
threads... and god-awful new attitudes?

Dive head-first into the mysteriously creepy origin of
the draconian Doctor Delta.

Also, as a back-up feature, travel back in time to the
age of the Gods and meet the luscious Love Lantern!
Criminals can't resist her!"

• By Kenn Minter & Clarence Pruitt

• Color cover • 32 pages (black and white) • $3.49 (cover price)

the Experts blog

6/2/07 - Comics Classes for Tweens and Teens

Comics, Graphic Novels and how to create them are getting more popular. Here in Lexington we are lucky to have several educational groups that offer classes or programs for the under 18 crowd.
Here are some classes coming up soon:

Living Arts and Science Center

Session 2 (June 11 - 15)

22. Comics and Cartoons With Duane Keaton
Have you ever dreamed of writing your own comic book? Now’s the chance! You will learn to draw some of your favorite characters in both western and Japanese Manga styles. We will create page layouts, storyboards, bind the books together and by the end of the week you will have a comic book of your own.
Grades 6th - 8th 9 am - 12 noon $60(m), $70(nm).

Session 3 (June 18 - 22)

44. Comic Strips! With Kevin Clapp
Students will learn the stages of creating a comic strip, and everyone will create their own. By week's end, everyone will pick their favorite works to be compiled into a short comic book!
Grades 6th - 8th 1 - 4 pm $60(m), $70(nm).

Session 4 (June 25 - 29)

54. Animation Techniques With Frank Boyer
Improve your figure drawing skills by learning more about proportions and action. Then we’ll learn about drawn, paper, claymation, and computer animation techniques while making our own animated shorts. Each student will receive a disk and videotape of all class projects.
Grades 6th - 8th 9 am - 12 noon $70(M), $80(NM).

60. Comic Strips! With Kevin Clapp
Students will learn the stages of creating a comic strip, and everyone will have the opportunity to create their own. By week's end, everyone will pick their own favorite works to be copied and compiled into a short comic book!
Grades 6th - 8th 1 - 4 pm $60(m), $70(nm).

And even more, check their website....

Carnegie Center for Literacy

camp carnegie 2007
for rising 6th, 7th, & 8th graders

DIGITAL ILLUSTRATION AND STORYTELLING
Mon-Fri July 23-27 8:30 am-12:30 pm
Want to learn how to create your own comic book or illustrated story? Learn how to create digital illustrations on the computer.Pair your illustrations with text to create your very own story... then bind your work and walk away with your own story! All supplies will be provided; participants will have access to computers and a printer. Taught by Aaron Hutson.

6/2/07 - Sequential Art Education

So you want to get formal training or education in comics creation. Here is a list of known education institutions with programs for comics, cartooning or as Mr. Eisner liked to call it- sequential art:

Higher Education:

• Joe Kubert School Of Cartooning: 3-year programs (trade school)
• Center for Cartoon Studies: 2-year associate degree program, summer programs
  
• Savannah School of Design: bachelors degree in Sequential Art, Illustration, and others

Correspondence Courses:

• Kubertsworld: currently six course to choose from

5/31/07 - Excellent Animated Comic About Iraq

Good example of the power of words and images...I came across this while checking out other comic creator groups (specifically the Kansas City group(s)). The writer is a former soldier, Colby Buzzell. The image at left is by Christopher Koelle. It was animated for a PBS documentary about the war. But I wanted to find out who did the art and here is a link with the video and visual art credits:
http://www.cartoonbrew.com/tv/men-in-black

5/30/07 - Graphic Novel Seminar This Saturday

Lexington multi-media artist Sara Turner and her Make Like A Tree Comics partner Jerzy Drozd will putting on a short seminar this Saturday (see below) at the Carnegie Center in downtown Lexington. Below is the description from their course catalog.


saturday seminars
Storytelling Through Graphic Novels
Saturday, June 2 10:00-noon
Explore comics as a visual language and understand all the aspects that comprise the graphic novel. Learn and practice some of the techniques that can set comics apart from other long-form storytelling media such as prose and film. Short scenarios will be created and translated to comic form; the participation by all will prove the multitude of ways in which a single idea can tell a story effectively and visually. Young adults welcome! $25 Sara Turner and Jerzy Drozd


There is a cap on the class so call or visit them ASAP to assure your place.

The Carnegie Center
for Literacy and Learning
251 West Second Street
Lexington, Kentucky 40507
(859) 254-4175

5/29/07 - Nashville Comic Creators Group

Recently found out about another comic creators group - this one based in Nashville, Tennessee. I have had some email exchanges with some of their membership and hope to develop a mutually beneficial relationship between our two groups. Just to start with we can share links! If you want to know more - here are two URLs for our fellow comic creators in the Volunteer state:

http://community.livejournal.com/nashvillecomics/
http://www.nashvillecomicscreators.org/

I will add a permanent link section in our site side bar sometime soon (let me know if you have any suggestions?). These folks are definitely worth checking out - they have some really talented people in their group. If you visit their blog leave them a message to let them know you like what they are doing - a little encouragement goes a long way! Cyberspace can get a little lonely....

04/17/07 - Book Reviews: Anyone Interested?

This idea has been simmering with me for a while. I must confess the premise came after seeing some of the cool things that our local Adobe Users Group (www.d-mag.org) was doing. See their site for an example of what these book reviews might be like. My first thought is to get our members to review and rate some of the prominent "how-to" or educational books written about comics/cartooning/illustration.

I've been itching to comment on Wizard's How to Draw series - by the way, there will be another new one coming out in May. We could also review extraordinary comics, graphic novels and animated features/DVDs. I'm not sure about these reviews as I don't want to veer off into fandom - there are plenty of blogs and websites for that kind of coverage now! However, perhaps having a list of recommended readings posted here on our site would help grow the audience for these media?

Leave a comment or send me an email if you are interested in participating or have suggestions.

4/13/07 - Lexington Comic Show 2007

OOPS! This one almost got by me - there will be a Comic Show in Lexington on Saturday April 14th 2007. This is being presented by the same folks who put on the show last year. This one day show runs from 10AM to 3:30PM and is being hosted by Comic City Comics out of Nashville. Here is a link to their site with more info about the show. They are advertising that Central Kentucky's own comic writer extraordinaire, Robert Kirkman to be in attendance from 12p-3p.

04/12/07 - Ohio State University Storytelling 2007

You may remember a past post about The Festival of Cartoon Art coming up in October but that is only part of a much bigger event! Here is their description of this year long extravaganza:

To commemorate the centennial of the birth of Milton Caniff, the founding donor of The Ohio State University Cartoon Research Library, a year-long celebration is planned. Storytelling 2007: A Celebration of Graphic Narrative will include exhibits, speakers and other special events that explore both the history of graphic storytelling and the work of current practitioners.

Lots of great exhibitions, talks and presentations coming up in Columbus - they have a wonderful facilities and a dedicated staff - so don't miss out!

04/12/07 - Rave Reviews for The Experts

Kenn Minter, writer and inker for The Experts, and also a CCG member got some great national exposure for his book over at Newsarama.com - here is a direct link to the glowing review of this indy book. Congratulations to Kenn and Clarence Pruitt (penciller of The Experts) for some well deserved recognition - I hope it translates into booming sales for your title.