St. Louis Public Library

Photo by www.slpl.org Title: St. Louis Public Library logo
Source: www.slpl.org

ST. LOUIS PUBLIC LIBRARY PRESENTS COMICS UNIVERSITY 2016 FEATURING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES

The St. Louis Public Library presents the 2nd Annual Comics University.Every Wednesday from June 1-July 20, a comic expert discusses different facets of the industry. Workshops and classes run from 7 to 8:30 p.m .at Central Library, 1301 Olive Street.

*All events held in the Training Room, unless otherwise noted.

·June 1
Finding Your Voice in Comics

The Comics University panel discussion features Maggie Thurston, Mike Harvey, Sacha Mardou and Rori! How do you come up with a brand? How do you decide what to write about? Is it possible to be creative in the world of comics these days?

·June 8
Architecture of the Comics Page

Join Gene Kannenberg, Jr. as he presents a historic show-and-tell focusing on page design in comics. From the baroque weirdness of early comic strips to the inventiveness of today's webcomics, and everything in between, he'll discuss how layout influences the way readers interpret comic pages.

·June 15
Alan Moore 101

Learn about comic masters with Professor Steve Higgins. A brief overview of the life and career of comic legend Alan Moore, with a special focus on three of his early works,Swamp Thing, Watchmen and V for Vendetta.

·June 22
Traditional Bookmaking

Learn to make comic books. Caitlin Metz teaches students simple bookbinding techniques, covering various folds and stitches. Students will make maze books, origami books and pamphlets that are perfect for small comics and zines. Be sure to bring any comic making supplies such as magazines and comic pages. The Library will provide bookmaking tools such as paper, wax thread, needles and scissors.

·June 29
Digital Bookmaking: Printing and Formatting Comics  
*Creative Experience

Learn the process between finishing a comic and having it printed. Artist Ray Nadine Walsh discusses and demonstrates how to properly format a comic so that it is printed accurately. The class covers preparing both traditional and digital comics. It features basic use of Adobe Acrobat and Adobe In Design.

·July 6
Black Comics and Comics Creators

Comics University creator Christina 'Steenz' Stewart leads this class on the history of black comics and comic creators. The course covers as early as the 1940s with Jackie Ormes, to the trailblazing of Milestone Comics with Dwayne McDuffie, to Digital artists including Brittney Williams and Mildred Louis. Learn about where it all started and where it's going.

·July 13
Introduction to Archival Research of Comics and Illustration

Illustrated sources, especially comic books, provide a rich bed of cultural information for the informed viewer. Comics and other illustrated publications are becoming an increasingly popular resource for researchers, faculty and students engaged in the historical study of race, ethnicity, gender and class. This workshop provides some basic tools for interpreting and preserving this visual history.  Skye Lacerte, the curator of the Modern Graphic History Library at Washington University in St. Louis, leads the session.

·July 20
Contract Writing for Artists

As budding comic writers and illustrators, it's paramount to protect your creative rights through copyrighting and contracting. VLAA Corge Umflauf discusses work for hire, intellectual property and writing contracts.

Attend any single session and have your Punch Card validated for 10 percent off any one (1) full-price item purchased that day at Star Clipper (conveniently located right around the corner at 1319 Washington Avenue). Attend all eight sessions and receive a $10 gift card to Star Clipper and a Comics University 2016 t-shirt.

Call Christina at 314.539.0376 for more information. Seating is limited and first-come, first-serve.

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