Comic Artists Forum With Ryan Estrada and Jerzy Drozd

Sat, 11/26/2011 - 8:53am by K.C.

Sunday, December 4 | 1:00-3:00 PM | Multipurpose Room – Downtown Library

Join Ryan Estrada, cartoonist and Google+ guru with 32,000 followers, and Ann Arbor cartoonist and teacher extraordinaire Jerzy Drozd for an interactive discussion on using audio, video, and other exciting digital media to add extra layers of content to your comic's website. Learn how to spread the word about your work via a variety of social media like Google+, Twitter, and more.

Come to the Forum to get fresh ideas for your next comics or graphic novel creation. Drawing supplies will be provided, so drop in to draw, learn, share, and network with other cartoonists.

The Possum Act of Tokyopop

Tue, 10/18/2011 - 9:49am by corinthian

Almost half a year has passed since Tokyopop closed its North American branch. The company produced "unflipped" English language versions of several popular manga such as Chobits, Fruits Basket, Saiyuki as well as several manhwa titles ( Demon Diary, I.N.V.U.) and English translations of Japanese novels ( Trinity Blood, 12 Kingdoms).

Following the statement that Tokyopop would close in April, the company held a "garage sale", selling off toys, posters and books. Then, on May 31, Tokyopop seemed to close its doors for good. Since then some of Tokyopop's titles have been picked up by other companies -- Yen Press acquired Alice in the Country of Hearts and Viz Media picked Loveless.

On October 12th, however, Tokyopop launched a new Twitter account and then confirmed intent to publish English language manga again. Many people seem skeptical of Tokyopop's revival, this has not been helped by the fact that the company no longer has a website -- only a twitter account and a facebook page.

Teens Make Comics Panel Discussion

Tue, 10/11/2011 - 4:41pm by K.C.

Tuesday, October 18 | 7:00-8:30 PM | Malletts Creek | Grades 6-Adult

It's never been easier to dive in and make comics on your own!

Join a group of local teen cartoonists -- who are already publishing and distributing their own comics -- for a discussion on how to get started making comics and building your audience. Learn how a combination of curiosity, willingness to learn, and dedication to your craft can put you on the path to being a published author, regardless of age!

Comic Artists Forum Follow-up: Photoshop Lab with Jerzy Drozd

Tue, 10/04/2011 - 2:11pm by K.C.

Sunday, October 16 | 1:00-4:00 PM | Downtown – 3rd Floor Training Lab | Grades 6-Adults

Clean up and finish your comics art using Adobe Photoshop Elements. Cartoonist and Photoshop expert Jerzy Drozd will be on hand to provide instruction for those who need it. For experienced users of Photoshop, just bring your scanned work on a USB drive or scan it here, then get to work.

Comics Digital Coloring 101 for Grade 9-Adult

Tue, 08/09/2011 - 10:00pm by K.C.

Learn how to use Adobe Photoshop Elements to clean up your art, fill in line work with colors and half tones, create cool lettering, prep the finished page for printing, and more. Cartoonist Jerzy Drozd will be your instructor. Art will be provided for you to work with or we can scan your art for you to work on.

Choose from one of the time slots below. Both are identical programs. Registration is required. Register at any AADL location, online at aadl.org, or call 327-8301.

Wednesday August 17 -- (3:00-5:00 PM) OR (6:00-8:00 PM) -- Downtown Library -- 3rd Floor Training Center

Get Real: Realistic Figure Drawing for Comic Artists

Thu, 07/28/2011 - 10:22am by K.C.

Saturday, July 30 | 2:00-4:30 PM | Malletts Creek | Grade 6-Adult

Cartoonist Chad Sell creator of Manta Man Comics helps you bring your comic characters to life with detailed instruction in muscular and skeletal anatomy, dynamic poses, and facial expression. Students of all skill levels are welcome! Drawing materials will be provided.

Comics Fundamentals: A six-week series starts July 6

Tue, 06/28/2011 - 10:35am by K.C.

Wednesdays, July 6 thru August 10 | 6:00-8:00 PM | Pittsfield | Grades 9-Adult

Join cartoonist Jerzy Drozd as he helps you explore illustration and storytelling strategies used by professional cartoonists to create graphic novels, manga, and comic books. Learn how to choose the right moments in your story, how comics take advantage of the rules of art and literature and how the illustration style you choose contributes to the tone of your work.

Basic supplies (pencils, erasers, paper, etc.) are provided along with a weekly gamecode to add to your summer game totals. No registration required.

Miss the first session? No problem. Jerzy has designed each session so you can quickly catch on.

Comics!

Fri, 05/06/2011 - 6:24pm by articia

Comics and comic book characters have always been popular with many but have more recently broken into the mainstream in a huge way. Because of the recent rise in popularity, many kids (and "kids at heart") are taking up an interest in comic books.

The Ann Arbor District Library has fantastic Graphic Novel collections in youth, teen, and the adult sections of all 5 library branches and also offer lots of neat programming involving comics, how to create them, and info about those who do.

Tomorrow, May 7th, 2001, is Free Comic Book Day. Free Comic Book Day - the first Saturday in May each year - when participating comic book shops around the world give away comic books to anyone who comes into their stores. Check out local comic book store, Vault of Midnight, and see what you can find!

And for those busy tomorrow that can't get out to Free Comic Book Day, check out this event in June: Kids Read Comics hosted at the The Chelsea District Library and throughout the downtown business district in June.

"Kids Read Comics Convention is a totally free event that unites kids, teens, parents, teachers and librarians with professional artists and writers from the comics and animation fields. Our goal is to introduce kids to worlds of imagination while unlocking their creative impulses, and to serve that goal, the convention features:

* hands-on workshops
* panels and presentations for kids, families, and educators
* a chance for kids to meet and chat with comics and animation professionals
* the opportunity for kids to have their own art portfolios reviewed"

Hands-On Manga Workshop With Visiting Manga Artists Konohana Sakuya!

Thu, 03/03/2011 - 4:34pm by erin

Thursday March 10, 2011: 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm -- Traverwood Branch: Program Room

Join us for an amazing hands-on evening with two visiting Japanese Manga artists! Konohana Sakuya is the alias of the working partnership between two comic artists, Kohei Nishino and Tsugumi Nishino. Since August 2004, the duo has had its latest work, "The Lights," serialized in the monthly version of the Shonen Jump magazine.

Learn how to make your own manga comic and ask questions about the real world of manga in Japan!

It's Go Time!

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 4:13pm by MariaK

Time to play the ancient strategy game, that is! Saturday February 5, 2011 from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm at Traverwood Branch, Michael Zhang of the University of Michigan Go Club and his super-crew will offer an introduction to Go -- at the same time the simplest and the most complex game of strategy on Earth.

As Iwamoto Kaoru -- a 9-dan professional Go player -- said "Go uses the most elemental materials and concepts -- line and circle, wood and stone, black and white -- combining them with simple rules to generate subtle strategies and complex tactics that stagger the imagination." Need I say more?

If you're interested in learning more about Go before coming to play it with us, check out Go by Charles Matthews, Go Basics by Peter Shotwell, or, perhaps the most entertaining introduction, Hikaru no Go -- a manga series about a young teen haunted by the ghost of a Go master.