Comics Masterclass Writing Workshop: Animal Magic

Animal Magic: How to Use Animal Archetypes to Create Unique Human Comic Book Characters

Animals often appear in comic book stories in the form of friends, sidekicks or threats. However, writers can also incorporate animal spirit into creating multi-dimensional characters that resonate with readers. This workshop shows participants how to capture animal traits and energies in character profiles and model sheets, and also provides an understanding of how to use animals symbolically to comment on story themes. Presented in association with the Sydney Comics Guild. 

Presenter: Julie Ditrich
Date: Saturday 10 May 2014
Time: 11am to 2.00pm
Venue: The Dash Bar, Harold Park Hotel, 70A Ross Street, Forest Lodge NSW 2037 Australia
(02) 9660 4745
http://haroldparkhotel.com.au
Who Should Attend? Comics writers and artists who want to create fabulous characters in their stories.
Audience Age: 18+
Level: Intermediate
Duration: 90 minutes of workshop presentation (plus a one hour information session on Comics Masterclass™—meet some of the team, understand the philosophy, find out about services, ask questions)
Materials: Pen, pencil, sketchbook, notebook, and / or computer
Cost: FREE
Bookings: Sydney Comics Guild Facebook Events

ABOUT THE PRESENTER
Julie Ditrich is a published comics writer and editor with over 270,000 sales of her works around the world. She has been published through Image Comics and Warp Graphics in the USA, and her latest fantasy mermaid comic book series Elf~Fin: Hyfus & Tilaweed was self-published through Black Mermaid Productions in Australia. She was the co-founder and the co-portfolio holder of the Australian Society of Authors Comics / Graphic Novels Portfolio for five years, and has also lectured extensively on comics at various writers’ festivals, tertiary institutions, pop culture conventions and arts organisations around Australia. Julie recently co-created Comics Masterclass™, which provides professional development for the next generation of Australian comics creators.
www.blackmermaid.com

ABOUT COMICS MASTERCLASS™Comics Masterclass™ is an Australian-based service that provides professional development to comics creators in the form of comics script assessments, editorial services, mentoring and coaching, and short courses and weekend intensives.
www.comicsmasterclass.com

ABOUT THE SYDNEY COMICS GUILD
The Sydney Comics Guild is a group for professional and amateur comics artists, and comics enthusiasts and fans. It is a forum where comics creators can network with each other. The Guild encourages all styles and genres, within appropriate age brackets, in comics and all comic media from web to print and everything in between.
www.sydneycomicsguild.org

Colleen Doran and the Black Mermaids at Comics Masterclass

Received the full Comics Masterclass pic disk from the Australian Society of Authors (ASA) a couple of days ago and we've been troweling through all the photos to find new ones to put online on the Comics Masterclass FaceBook page and onto the Comics Masterclass Spotlight ezine (you can SUBSCRIBE HERE if you want to start receiving it). We did a Comics Masterclass wrap up post last month but LOVED this pic of Colleen Doran and us (Jozef Szekeres and Julie Ditrich) at a morning tea break on the first day on the balcony which served as the green room. Outside of our official Black Mermaid™ logo character, we are also known as the Black Mermaids in the trade, hence the title of this post. BTW, the morning tea was scrumptious! [Photo credit: Ali Hand]

Win a Portfolio / Project Review at the Comics Masterclass with Colleen Doran!

Participants in the Australian Society of Authors (ASA) Comics Masterclass to be held on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 November 2011 have a rare opportunity to win a private one-hour portfolio or project review with elite US comics industry professional and masterclass presenter Colleen Doran.

This opportunity is based on merit rather than luck. You must be booked into the event to be able to apply.

There will be two rounds in the process. The submissions are due by the end of October and will be assessed during the first week of November by a three-person panel consisting of ASA Comics / Graphic Novels Portfolio Holders Jozef Szekeres and Julie Ditrich, as well as Comics Masterclass Advisor / Consultant Tim McEwen who will shortlist the six best submissions.

Colleen Doran will decide the winner from the shortlist. The winner’s name will be announced at the event on Sunday afternoon. The review will take place after the Sunday session so if you are applying, please allow time in your schedule (especially if you’re an out-of-towner and have flights to catch) should you be the lucky winner. Also make sure you bring your complete portfolio or the expanded project proposal with you on the Sunday.

Submission Guidelines

(1) If you are presenting a portfolio then:

– Artists should include up to six pieces of published or unpublished comics artwork indicative of current ability and in any genre. This can include covers, concept sketches and the like but must contain interior sequential artwork of one scene (approximately two to four pages) within a larger work or short story.

– Writers should include up to six pages of published or unpublished wordless or lettered sequential art indicative of current ability and in any genre. It should include one scene (approximately two to four pages) within a larger work or short story.

Furthermore, both writers and artists should include a cover page which contains the following information: name, address, phone / fax, email and website details and a short bio that includes publishing credits.

(2) If you are presenting a project then:

– Artists should include a sequential art scene of three to six penciled pages (no lettering required) from an unpublished work. It should reflect your current ability, and reflect the direction of the feedback being sought (ie. what you would like most help with).

– Writers should include a comics script of a three to six page scene from an unpublished work. It should reflect your current ability, and reflect the direction of the feedback being sought (ie. what you would like most help with).

Furthermore, both writers and artists should include a cover page which contains the following information: name, address, phone / fax, email and website details and a short bio that includes publishing credits.

This should be accompanied by a one to two page project summary, which includes a synopsis, project description (page count, comics format, art style, genre, target market, production notes such as your vision on the packaging, as well as what you would specifically like to discuss with Colleen about the project and need most help with).

Teams of up to three people (eg. writer, artist and inker) may also apply for a project review, provided they are all registered for the masterclass and comply with the above submission criteria. If the team project is successful then the team will participate in the review session with Colleen.

Assessment Criteria

The submissions will be assessed on:
– Publishing potential
– Sequential art storytelling ability.

Where to Send Submissions

You can either:

(1) Email your submission to Laurine Croasdale: laurine@asauthors.org
or

(2) Mail your submission to:
Australian Society of Authors
Suite C1.06 22-36 Mountain St Ultimo NSW 2007

Deadline
5pm on Monday 31 October 2011

Further Information

Please direct queries to:

Julie Ditrich on (02) 9606 4728 or julie@blackmermaid.com
Laurine Croasdale on (02) 9211 1004 or laurine@asauthors.org