In Jeff Gum’s PIONEERS, two shipwreck salvagers from the year 3861 P.G.B. get more than they bargain for when they uncover the remains of an “ancient” NASA space vessel. Jeff and his classmates in illustration II are all pioneers of sorts. They all are making individual zines, or mini-comics to share at MOCCAfest 2013 inContinue reading “Kutztown U artists heading to MOCCAfest in NYC”
Author Archives: illustrationclass
North Carolina’s Monster Man
Bill Fick wrote the book on printmaking. Actually, he co-wrote the book, with Beth Grabowski, Printmaking: A Complete Guide to Materials & Processes. He is a part of the group known as the Outlaw Printmakers. Bill Fick draws monsters. He is a nice guy. I met him one rainy night at the Atomic Cowboy barContinue reading “North Carolina’s Monster Man”
Meadowlands
I visited Hoboken, my old hometown, for the opening of an art show from Meadowlands, Thomas Yezerski’s beautiful children’s book. His book is about the battered, but amazingly resilient, ecosystem that exists just a few miles from Hoboken and it’s better-known neighbor, New York City. The exhibit runs to March 10 at the Hoboken HistoricalContinue reading “Meadowlands”
Attention K’town Shoppers: Please Report to the Gallery
Kutztown University will host Canadian artist Jarod Charzewski as he transforms the Miller Gallery into a “site-specific installation based on the consumer culture of Kutztown shoppers.” What’s that mean? Come find out. Based on his past installations, Charzewski’s work is likely to be colorful and eye-pleasing, yet also thought-provoking. Charzewski’s winning artist residency proposal was one of nearlyContinue reading “Attention K’town Shoppers: Please Report to the Gallery”
Cartooning: Philosophy & Practice
Ivan Brunetti’s Cartooning Philosophy and Practice is published by Yale University Press. Brunetti combines a lovely spare drawing style with an occasionally overwrought writing style. I do dearly love this little book, but at times find his writing style infuriating. Brunetti’s prose slips into and out of quotation marks, parenthesis, often for no clear reason. I felt IContinue reading “Cartooning: Philosophy & Practice”
By the Books: How to Make Comics
There are a handful of good books that will help the motivated student succeed at becoming a cartoonist. Drawing Words and Writing Pictures may be the best of the lot. This is an ideal text for a 15-week class in comics. It also has guidance for starting an informal collective class. It includes DIY suggestions forContinue reading “By the Books: How to Make Comics”
Schooled: Chris Ware’s New Yorker Covers
Chris Ware illustrated September’s back-to-school New Yorker cover with a scene of parents turning their backs on their children, immersed in their own digital devices. This week he did another cover that brilliantly reflects how the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings changed the dynamic between parents and children. On this 2013 cover our point ofContinue reading “Schooled: Chris Ware’s New Yorker Covers”
Illustration Concentration 2012 in review
Happy New Year. The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for the illustration concentration blog. We had 39,000 views in 2012. The post that got the most views was a 2010 story about KU grad illustrator Amanda Geisinger working with Spongebob Squarepants. Next is a story about the folk art tradition of Kolam. That story getsContinue reading “Illustration Concentration 2012 in review”
Comics MFA? There is an alternative… No Joke.
Back in the ’80’s, when I told my pal Putka I was getting an MFA in illustration, he laughed, “What’s next? -a Phd in Wallpaper Hanging?” What’s Next? Looks like the answer is Advanced Comics… Stanford is a great university with one respected graphic novel class. But suddenly, universities across the country are offering completeContinue reading “Comics MFA? There is an alternative… No Joke.”
César Chávez: Drawing on Clay, Printing with Glass
Our 2011 visiting artist César Chávez of Oaxaca, Mexico left a great impression on Kutztown University. He also left a number of plates. Ceramics Prof Jim Chaney formed a half-dozen red clay plates, then iced them with a coat of white slip, or diluted clay. He invited César to the ceramics studio to draw. Prof Chaney speaksContinue reading “César Chávez: Drawing on Clay, Printing with Glass”
