My Summer Vacation...

I was back at the Worcester Art Museum this year for their Summer program. It's kind of split differently for me this year since I'm teaching the first two weeks and I'm not back again until the first week of the second session in August.

However, I got the change to teach a Comic Book Anthology class I had taught a few times in the past called WAM Comics. Occassionally in the past it has been called Comic Book Anthology or something along this line. But the last couple of times I think it's just gone under the moniker of WAM Comics.

It was something actually started by Mark Lynch, who taught cartooning classes as the Worcester Art Museum when I was there. Mark also hosts a Sunday night show on WICN called INQUIRY. Where he talks to an impressive multitude of guests. I've even been on Mark's show on a number of occassions. It's great fun!!

He produced the book very much the old fashioned way of physical cut and paste. Which I did for the first couple of issues.

When I did the class this year, I decided to take advantage of the technology we have nowadays and go the digital route and actually publish the book online.

There have been a number of WAM Comics before this one. But I don't know where this one would fall numerically. So I decided since I'm going a different route for this book, this would be Volume One of the digitally published series.

I also decided to set up a goal and deadline for the students. It was quite simple. They had seven days to finish their pages up in. The minimum amount of pages I would allow would be between five to ten pages. The last two days would be filled with me doing a demonstration how they would digitally cut and paste their work together and the steps to uploading their book online to have it published.

If they met both the deadline and the minimum requirement their comic would be published in the anthology and they would receive a free copy of it.

It was a small class but most took the challenge admirably. And for those who chose to goof off the seven days, they missed out.

The main statement I wanted to convey over that week was that they're never too young to get their work out there. All it takes is dedication and time. And what I had hoped by giving them a physical copy of their work was that they will leave my class and have a desire to publish their own work.

Proceeds made from the sales of the book will go to the Metrowest Humane Society. A place where my wife Syd adopted our cat Ruben. Click on the link below to order your copy today:

WAM Comics: Volume One

December Workshops at WAM

Well, there's no time like the present to mention that I have four one day workshops coming up in December:

Comic Art 8 - 10 Years 12/28/2009 12/28/2009 Monday from 10:00 AM to 12 N
Comic Art 11 - 13 Years 12/29/2009 12/29/2009 Tuesday from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM
Tour the galleries and discover how artists tell stories through their work. In the studio, create your own characters with their own comic adventures.

Mural Painting 8 - 10 Years 12/29/2009 12/29/2009 Tuesday from 10:00 AM to 12 N
Mural Painting 11 - 13 Years 12/30/2009 12/30/2009 Wednesday from 10:00 AM to 12 N
With your instructor as a guide make a larger-than-life painting with your classmates.

Click on the link below to sign up today:

Take an art class!!

Have a talented kid or a kid who enjoys art? Why not sign them up for an art class? Here's my current list of classes being offered for Spring and April Art Week at the Worcester Art Museum. And be sure to talk with your kid and make sure it's a class that would interest them:
Creative Cartooning 11 - 13 Years 03/19/2009 05/14/2009 Thursday from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM, 8 Sessions 8
Art of the Samuri 8 - 10 Years 03/21/2009 05/16/2009 Saturday from 10:00 AM to 12 N, 8 Sessions 15
Comics on the Computer 14 - 17 Years 03/21/2009 05/16/2009 Saturday from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, 8 Sessions 13
Artful Architecture 11- 13 Years 04/21/2009 04/21/2009 Tuesday from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, 1 Session 17
In-flight Movie 11 - 13 Years 04/22/2009 04/22/2009 Wednesday from 10:00 AM to 12 N, 1 Session 18
In-flight Movie 8 - 10 Years 04/22/2009 04/22/2009 Wednesday from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, 1 Session 18
Animal Animation 11 - 13 Years 04/23/2009 04/23/2009 Thursday from 10:00 AM to 12 N, 1 Session 17
Animal Animation 5 - 7 Years 04/23/2009 04/23/2009 Thursday from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, 1 Session 18
Animal Animation 14 - 17 Years 04/24/2009 04/24/2009 Friday from 10:00 AM to 12 N, 1 Session 18

To sign up for a class today, log onto WAM's website by clicking on the link below:

Fun and exciting classes and events on the horizon...

I have several classes coming up in the Fall for the Worcester Art Museum. Two classes for children and my very first adult education class at the Museum. I will let you know when they are up and running on the WAM website.

The Art of the Cartoon 8-10 years on Saturdays at 10am till 12noon from 10/11/08 till 12/6/08 and Drawing Workshop: Superheroes 8-10 also on Saturdays from 12:30pm till 2:30pm from 10/11/08 till 12/6/08

Introduction to Graphic Novel on Friday nights from 5:30pm till 8pm from 10/3/08 till 11/14/08

What I'm hoping to accomplish in this class is to show the students that you can do so much more with comics than superhero comics. Which I enjoy immensely. But people get into this rut of thinking that comic books HAVE TO BE guys in their skivvies flying around the city and women with... with... huge tracks of land.

But artists like Dave Sims, Daniel Clowes, Art Spiegelman, Terry Moore and Chester Brown did storylines that were outside the realms of the superhero genre. Some of which in the cases of Daniel Clowes and Chester Brown were pretty "down to earth" types of stories.

Basically, my point being, you could create a story based on a night out you had in Worcester. It doesn't have to necessarily go anywhere. And the artwork doesn't have to be super realistic and dynamic to make a great graphic novel. Myself and many of the members of the UCF Group work in styles are outside of the usual comic art aesthetics.

I suppose work from your strengths and use them to tell a story.

A great example of a superhero story that is outside the normal superhero story is Batman: Year One. The artwork is not the usual superhero style artwork. It's very straightforward and simplistic. But yet, I find it completely satisfying and I really enjoy David Mazzucchelli very straightforward, simplistic but yet stylized artwork. The artwork helps you to focus on Frank Miller's writing.

But that's the key. It shows you that the characters don't have to be musclebound or have... um... huge tracks of land. If you have a great story, you accept that the artwork isn't as dynamic (whatever that means) as the usual superhero type artwork.

But bad writing. It doesn't matter how beautiful, dynamic or stylized the artwork is. If the story sucks, the artwork is no better than eating candy all day. Sure if tastes good. But it leaves you somewhat unsatisfied in the end.

Well, that's all on the teaching front.

As for the months moving forward. The Worcester Pub Scrawl will be happening again July 13th at Ralph's Chadwick Diner on 148 Grove Street in Worcester MA from 6:30pm till last call.

Or whenever your fingers fall off. Or you find you find you can no longer draw a straight line.

And in September, I'm already planning on taking part in stART on the Street which will be happening September 21st from 11am till 5pm from the corner of Hyland to the corner of Grove.

After that, I will be taking part in the Boston Comic Con in November at the Back Bay Center and Holiday Art at the Station which will be taking place at Union Station in Worcester MA.

I'll be sure to pass along the times and dates of those events once the information is available.

Well, that's all for now. I hope y'all have a great 4th of Jooly weekend!!