Yesterday we started the first week of our teen classes. It’s really exciting for us to see so many new faces at SAW, and we hope the new students are excited too! The first project is drawing some silent/wordless comics, which we got started on yesterday, and today is the first day of inking. Look at the level of concentration on those faces! It’s going to be a fun week.
Hello, Emma the SAW intern here! The other day I was reading the hilarious SAW-produced newspaper, Seriously Comics, and saw this article:
I mentioned to Tom that I liked the article, but respectfully disagree that Cathy and Kafka are on such different ends of the literary spectrum that a successful parody is impossible. (Thank you liberal arts school for making me think way too deeply about simple jokes.) Remember the recurring scenes of Cathy standing in the fitting room while the salesperson subjects her without explanation to whatever inscrutable ensemble is fashionable at the time? An innocent person simply trying to buy a shirt is thwarted by the sinister machinations of a system that sees her as just another disposable consumer…look into your heart and tell me that bears no resemblance to Kafka’s the Trial. In fact, I bet if you replaced the dialogue in Cathy text balloons with quotes from Kafka’s story, it would fit right in. And so, a comic was born:
Justine gave a great class recently on techniques for inking with – wait for it – toothpicks. (Her abundant chocolate supply isn’t the only reason we keep her around, also the creativity). We weren’t expecting much from toothpick art, but look at these lovely illustrations! Especially that beautiful beard! We will never again underestimate the power of mundane objects for impressive art-making.
And here’s some student work, featuring more facial hair…is this a trend?
Coming soon to a SAW blog near you: the intern’s counter-argument regarding the existential potential of Cathy cartoons. It’s really grueling work around here.
Hi there, Emma here, SAW’s trusty summer intern. My first project here has been to help alphabetize and catalog the library. As you can see, the shelves are now lovely and organized.
But wait, there’s more! Soon you will be able to browse our library from anywhere in the world (China! Morocco! Canada! Go crazy!) because we’ve created an online library catalog. It’s a work in progress at the moment; so far we have everything from the “required reading” shelves cataloged. “But Emma,” you ask, “where can we find this amazing place?” A fine question! Simply go to http://www.librarything.com/catalog/comicsworkshop. It’s magical, I promise.
