Friday, November 20, 2015

Photos of "Drawn from the Headlines" online

Bruce Guthrie's pictures of the panel at the National Archives are online now.

Natl Archives -- Panel -- 11th Annual McGowan Forum on Communications ("Drawn from the Headlines") w/David Sipress, Tom Toles, Jen Sorensen, Keith Knight, and Signe Wilkinson:
  • Bruce Guthrie Photos Home Page: [Click here] to go to Bruce Guthrie Photos home page.
  • Description of Pictures: 11th Annual McGowan Forum on Communications
    Drawn from the Headlines: Communication and Political Cartoons
    A panel of award-winning political cartoonists discuss their work, inspiration, and motivation, as well as how these cartoons affect the political community and the public, and how technology has impacted the form. Moderated by cartoonist David Sipress (The New Yorker), the panel includes Tom Toles of The Washington Post, winner of the 2011 Herblock Award; Jen Sorensen, nationally syndicated political cartoonist and 2013 recipient of a Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award; Keith Knight, award-winning creator of Knight Life and The K Chronicles; and Signe Wilkinson, the first female artist to win a Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning. This program is generously supported by the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, Inc..

The Post's Jessica Jones tv show review

In Netflix's new series, Jessica Jones is 'exactly the hero' we want her to be [in print as A female superhero with heart, and a past: Netflix's 'Jessica Jones' is a noirish Marvel riff].


Thursday, November 19, 2015

Drawn from the Headlines: Communication and Political Cartoons

11th Annual McGowan Forum on Communications

 Nov 18, 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-IEXeFRFaU

Drawn from the Headlines: Communication and Political Cartoons
Editorial cartoons are often characterized by their originality, editorial effectiveness, and quality of drawing and dramatize a wide range of social and political issues with style and humor. But how has the ever changing technological climate influenced this art form and what lies ahead for the future? A distinguished panel of award-winning political cartoonists will present and discuss their work, what inspires and motivates political cartoons, how these cartoons affect the political community and the public, and the impact of changing technology. Moderated by David Sipress, cartoonist for The New Yorker, the panel features panelists Tom Toles of The Washington Post, winner of the 2011 Herblock Award; Jen Sorensen, nationally-syndicated cartoonist and 2013 recipient of a Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award; Keith Knight, award-winning creator of Knight Life and The K Chronicles; and Signe Wilkinson, the first female artist to win a Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning.

This program is generously supported by the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, Inc.

The Post's best graphic novels list

Cartoons & Cocktails auction tonight

Tickets NOW ON SALE through 3 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 19. Tickets will be available in the Holeman Lounge of The National Press Club thereafter.

Plan now to attend the 28th annual auction of editorial cartoons made possible through generous donations of original* cartoon art by prize-winning cartoonists.

Join us Nov. 19 in the National Press Club ballroom for an evening of food, drink and lively bidding. It's a fantastic opportunity for collectors and admirers of cartoon art to acquire new works and help good causes.

*Because some cartoonists are creating their work electronically, their C&C items vary. Some are limited-run prints with original signatures; some are original sketches accompanied by signed prints.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Christiann MacAuley of Sticky Comics

by Mike Rhode 

Earlier this year, I met cartoonist Christiann MacAuley at Smudge, a comics expo in Arlington's lamented Artisphere. She's been staying busy with Sticky Comics, a weekly webcomic for Cosmopolitan, but here's her answers to our usual questions. (all images are courtesy of her) 

What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?

I mostly create one-shot humor comics about modern life. Sometimes they're autobiographical.  My work appears weekly on Cosmopolitan.com since 2013. 

How do you do it? Traditional pen and ink, computer or a combination?

I typically draw on off-white paper with a totally normal pencil, like the kind you'd put in a kid's backpack. I draw pretty slowly and erase a lot. Then I ink with a combination of black art pens. After this, I generally scan the page into my computer and add color and shading in Photoshop. I have a Surface Pro 3 tablet with a pen, but I prefer to only use the pen for coloring and sketching, not finished drawings.

When (within a decade is fine) and where were you born? 

I was born and raised in Fairfax County, Virginia in the 80s. I grew up near Herndon in a 50s brick rambler that has since been replaced by a dozen townhomes.  

Why are you in Washington now?  What neighborhood or area do you live in? 

I live in South Arlington in a great neighborhood on Columbia Pike. Unlike a lot of people I meet, I'm from around here, so I'm pretty much living in my hometown. I even went to college in Northern Virginia at George Mason University. I've always had better reasons to stay in the DC area than to leave, including my family, friends, and good jobs. I do require regular travel to keep my wanderlust at bay. One nice thing about being from such a transient city -- I have friends I can visit all over the world who I met here in DC.  

What is your training and/or education in cartooning?
 
I'm pretty much self-taught, although I have taken some drawing classes and one short cartooning class since I graduated college. As a child I didn't try very hard with art, even though I wasn't terrible at it, and most of my teachers would have said I was best at writing. I still see writing as equally important (sometimes even more important) than drawing in my work. I studied History and Literature in college, which gave me a lot of practice writing, and have participated in some writing workshops since then. I also work as a designer, which gives me a lot of everyday exposure to colors and composition. I'm always trying to get better at both writing and drawing. 

Who are your influences?

During childhood, I read a lot of newspaper comics, and I was particularly inspired by one-panel cartoons like The Far Side and Bizarro. I also liked to read kids' comic books like Donald Duck, funny stuff like Cracked and MAD Magazine, and mystery/horror comics like Tales From The Crypt. My dad subscribed to something called CARtoons, which was a cartoon magazine about cars, and I read it every month. I think that my early impression of comics was more topical and less story-driven, which is probably still reflected in the work I do today. 
As a young adult, I had an interest in zines (I wrote two zines in high school with friends), and the zine scene introduced me to the raw punkrockness of indie comics. I was an avid reader of Life In Hell by Matt Groening and other indie newspaper comics. But I had almost no interest in seriously making comics until I read Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud in college. It made me consider comics as a powerful, unique medium. I began looking at The Comics Journal and artists like Art Spiegelman and Daniel Clowes. I'm still in awe of Ice Haven by Daniel Clowes, I think it's one of the most innovative comic stories I've read. 

If you could, what in your career would you do-over or change?

I probably would have taken a few more art classes! I would also have liked to learn more about animation, something I'm trying to learn today. 

What work are you best-known for?

I started making comics and posting them on the internet almost ten years ago. Probably my most widely-shared comic is called An Update Is Available For Your Computer (2011). You can find it on my website, although it's really dated now. Since then, my Cosmopolitan.com comics are what I'm best known for. They largely focus on the humor of everyday stuff, like eating, sex, and riding the Metro, from my own perspective that happens to be female. 

What work are you most proud of?

I'm really proud of anything that legitimately makes people laugh. When people laugh at my work it makes me feel great. Amusing myself is the main reason I started drawing comics, and making other people laugh is usually why I share them. A few funny comics I'm proud of are How To Go To Work With A Hangover (2015), Juice Cleanse (2015), Morning People Are Smug (2014), The Seven Deadly Keys (2011), and Spoiler Alert (2010). 

What would you like to do or work on in the future?
 
 I'd like to publish at least one book in the near future and probably develop relationships with more magazines or online publications like I have with Cosmopolitan.com. If I ever get better at animation, I wouldn't mind doing more of it. As far as subject matter I'd like to work on, I would love to do some more work related to some other topics that interest me, including technology, futurism, and classical literature. Also, I'd love to write and draw an autobiographical comic memoir at some point. 

What do you do when you're in a rut or have writer's block?

Work on something else. My twin sister, Sheridan, calls this FAUXcrastination. I think she coined the term. The idea of fauxcrastination is that yes, you're procrastinating, but at least you're getting something done. Otherwise you'd just be watching Netflix or reading Facebook or whatever. I also think getting out of the house, taking a walk, and talking to friends all help. If I have a deadline and I'm in a rut, I basically just force myself to work until dawn. I'm an avid night person. 

What do you think will be the future of your field?

I think comics have a bright future. It will always be a great way to convey ideas in an accessible and interesting way. I also think there's a great future in being funny, if you can keep it up. I'll never get tired of laughing. 

What local cons do you attend? The Small Press Expo, Intervention, or others? Any comments about attending them?

The Small Press Expo is my favorite! I regularly exhibit there, and actually started attending when I was a teenager making feminist zines in the 90s. I have also done Intervention a few times and love the supportive community there. SMUDGE is another awesome local indie comics show I've done twice, and hope to do again. I will probably try tabling at AwesomeCon one of these years too, although I haven't done it yet. 

What's your favorite thing about DC?

Wow, there's a lot. Personally it's my family and friends. As far as DC area goes, I adore the multiculturalism here. In the DC area, I have eaten almost every kind of food there is, and can regularly see art and culture and meet people from almost anywhere on earth. 

Least favorite?

Probably just how expensive it is to live here. I'm sort of a minimalist, but even living in a small space without owning a ton of stuff requires a pretty good job and a lot of hard work. I think the cost of living here is hard on the art scene, because it's so hard to make enough money just to pay rent. 

What monument or museum do like to take visitors to?

I take international visitors to the Air & Space Museum. Not just because I love space travel, but because it's a fairly unique American thing and they usually love it. Some other favorites are the FDR Memorial at night in the winter when the fountains are frozen, the Washington Monument with kites on a windy day in spring or fall, and exhibits and cafeteria at the Museum of the American Indian. 

How about a favorite local restaurant?

I'm kind of a dive restaurant person, so a lot of my favorite places are in the NoVa 'burbs where you can find great Vietnamese (Pho Vinh Loi in Bailey's Crossroads), Korean (Kogiya in Annandale), Mexican (Taco Bamba in Falls Church), etc. In DC proper, I'm going to say it's Quick Pita in Georgetown. 

Do you have a website or blog?

My website is stickycomics.com. You can find me on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram, and even a few other places. If you google my name you'll also find a lot of my recent work on Cosmopolitan.com.

A new Daniel Boris interview is online

PR: Nguyen Nguyen's Double Release Party!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A DOUBLE RELEASE PARTY!

Washington DC – November 17, 2015

Multi-disciplinary artist Nguyen Khoi Nguyen is premiering two new projects: The second album with his Jazz trio: Superior Cling, and The fourth chapter of his graphic novel: the Gulf. The double release party will include a live performance of the album by Superior Cling.  The album, chapter four, and other merchandise will be on display and for sale!

 Event Details:
A DOUBLE RELEASE PARTY!
Where:
Shaw's Tavern (upstairs)
520 Florida Ave NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20001
When:  Tuesday, November 17, 2015
8pm-10pm
facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1094602103936961/

 About Nguyen:

Nguyen Khoi Nguyen is the author of the multimedia graphic novel "The Gulf,"  which includes original drawings, music & animation.  Nguyen is the vocalist, pianist, composer and bandleader of the jazz trio: "Superior Cling," which performs widely in the DC metro area.  As a filmmaker, Nguyen produces a dynamic range of content including art films, documentaries and promotional videos for non-profits and institutions.  

Nguyen is currently the Video & Multimedia Editor at Science magazine.  He is an exhibitor at Artomatic 2015.  His video installation: F & G Variations was show at DC's Art All Night this fall.  He is the recipient of a 2015 American Web Design Award.  Nguyen was a 2014 Strathmore Fine Artist in Residence and was awarded a DC Commission for the Arts Artist Fellowship Grant in 2013. 
​          Nguyen was born in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, raised in Cape Coral, Fl. and currently resides in Washington D.C.  He studied visual art at the Cooper Union, music and integrated arts at Bard College and completed a master's degree in jazz piano at the University of Maryland.

Contact Information:

Email Address: ngknguyen@gmail.com

202-441-8618

--

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Kickstarter for new Outliner comic book


A rulebreaking graphic novel about a young man with the power to redraw reality by bending the outlines of the drawings we put him in.


YOUR PLEDGE TO BUY A BOOK HELPS THE BOOK GET PUBLISHED!
Outliner is a 135-page comic that wants to break the rules of comics.

Its hero is a wannabe comic book artist named John who is on the verge of rock bottom. He's unemployed, lives with his mom, and all he can do is draw drawings and hopelessly stare through his window at the girl next door.
When the bank steals his last dime with a series of overdraft charges, John commits the first of several desperate acts that punctuate the story: he crazily threatens to steal his money back. Police immediately throw him in jail.
John in jail. John in jail.
John's arrest is based on a true story. Things get weird, however, as John gradually learns he's inside a comic book, one that he has the power to control by bending the outlines of the drawings he's in.
The only problem is that this world is already inhabited by a superhero of John's own making, and the guy is kind of an asshole. And he's relentless, because superheroes never go away.
Superjohn. Superjohn.
John has to escape the unreality he created. He has to learn to make friends, and he has to find a real hero. He also needs to quit crying and puking so much.
To help John escape, we need money.

The story and art are finished. The art is by Jon Reed, an illustrator with whom I've collaborated beforeWe need roughly $1,300 to hire a letterer -- the words and balloons you see above are placeholders -- and the rest is for getting books printed to send to publishers and media. And of course, to our donors!

I've included images of the inks before and after Jon Reed added color via computer so donors can see what it looks like in black and white.

Risks and challenges

I don't see a major obstacle to getting a small number Outliner books printed and delivered to donors. We think of that as an initial step toward hopefully landing on a bigger platform and reaching a bigger audience.

Arthur Delaney is a professional journalist covering politics and the economy for The Huffington Post. He co-hosts the HuffPost Politics podcast and writes about presidential campaigns and Congress, with an eye toward connecting the stories of real people to the national policy debate. He lives in Northeast Washington, D.C. with his family and you can reach him via arthur.delaney@gmail.com.

Jon Reed is an accountant who has done illustration work for IDW Publishing, BOOM!, and Kevin Eastman. He lives in Northern Virginia with his family.

Monday, November 16, 2015

Nov 19: Warren Bernard speaks in Brooklyn



Warren Bernard presents Cartoons for Victory

Warren Bernard presents his comprehensive collection of World War II–era cartoons, including a show-and-tell presentation of rare Will Eisner material.

The home front during World War II was one of blackouts, Victory Gardens, war bonds and scrap drives. It was also a time of social upheaval with women on the assembly line and in the armed forces and African-Americans serving and working in a Jim Crow war effort. See how Superman, Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse and others helped fight World War II via comic books and strips, single-panel and editorial cartoons, and even ads. Cartoons for Victory showcases wartime work by cartoonists such as Charles Addams (The Addams Family), Harold Gray (Little Orphan Annie), Harvey Kurtzman (Mad magazine), Will Eisner, as well as many other known cartoonists. Over 90% of the cartoons and comics in this book have not been seen since their first publication. Editor Bernard gathered them over years of unstinting research through private collections and the obscure holdings of public sources.


SPX's Black Art Matters panel is online

Keith Knight will be in town at the National Archives on Weds.

SPX 2015 Panel - Black Art Matters

 Nov 11, 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfhncaGl9o4

Black Art Matters. Black creators Darryl Ayo (Press (A) To Talk), Ron Wimberly (Lighten Up), C. Spike Trotman (Iron Circus Comics), and Whit Taylor (The Fabric of Appropriation) discuss their experiences as comics creators and what it means to make art that speaks about the black experience in American comics. Moderated by Keith Knight.

Nov 24: Double release of books from Nguyen Nguyen



Enable images to view a Double Release Party!
A DOUBLE RELEASE PARTY!

Tuesday, November 24th from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Shaw's Tavern
520 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC

11/17: Teresa Roberts Logan does standup comedy

Teresa says she'll be doing 5 minutes of standup.



NEW TIME! Doors open at 8:30, Show starts at 9 PM!
PUNCH!, the brainchild of storytellers/comedians Vijai Nathan & Jenny Splitter, is a space for all types of comedic talent -- storytellers, stand-ups, sketch/improv groups, solo-performers, author/writers, slam poets, singers, puppeteers-- anything you can think of that is funny.

We want PUNCH! to be an inviting place for both the audience and the performers and to become a comedy community where performers hang out, forge friendships, find comedy partners, get inspired by other artists, solicit feedback if you want (totally up to you!), and just chill, drink & chat.

Michael Cavna's short story about his childhood dog today on Comic Riffs

Here's The Post's first Instagram short-story art. Now it's time to show us yours.


Washington Post Comic Riffs blog

Nov 18: Cartoonists talk at National Archives

11th Annual McGowan Forum on Communications: Drawn from the Headlines: Communication and Political Cartoons
  • Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2015
  • Time: 7:00 pm
  • Location: William G. McGowan Theater, Washington, DC

Editorial cartoons are often characterized by their originality, editorial effectiveness, and quality of drawing and dramatize a wide range of social and political issues with style and humor. But how has the ever changing technological climate influenced this art form and what lies ahead for the future?

For the 11th annual McGowan Forum on Communications, a distinguished panel of award-winning political cartoonists will present and discuss their work, what inspires and motivates political cartoons, how these cartoons affect the political community and the public, and the impact of changing technology. Moderated by David Sipress, cartoonist for The New Yorker, the panel features panelists Tom Toles of The Washington Post, winner of the 2011 Herblock Award; Jen Sorensen, nationally-syndicated cartoonist and 2013 recipient of a Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award; Keith Knight, award-winning creator of Knight Life and The K Chronicles; and Signe Wilkinson, the first female artist to win a Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning.

This program is made possible in part by the National Archives Foundation with the generous support of the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund.

Reserve a seat

Nov 19: Cartoons & Cocktails editorial cartoon auction

http://www.cartoonsandcocktails.org/index2.htm


Tickets NOW ON SALE through 3 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 19. Tickets will be available in the Holeman Lounge of The National Press Club thereafter.

Plan now to attend the 28th annual auction of editorial cartoons made possible through generous donations of original* cartoon art by prize-winning cartoonists.

Join us Nov. 19 in the National Press Club ballroom for an evening of food, drink and lively bidding. It's a fantastic opportunity for collectors and admirers of cartoon art to acquire new works and help good causes.

*Because some cartoonists are creating their work electronically, their C&C items vary. Some are limited-run prints with original signatures; some are original sketches accompanied by signed prints.

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Craig Fischer's SPX interview of Scott McCloud is online now

SPX 2015 Panel - SPX Spotlight on Scott McCloud

 Nov 6, 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIQgG5FpDr0

Scott McCloud has influenced countless artists, readers and scholars with his analytical treatise in comics form, "Understanding Comics." Most recently he has published "The Sculptor," a nearly 500-page graphic novel about art, love and mortality. Professor Craig Fischer talks to Scott about his body of work, including a live close reading and analysis of a selected sequence from The Sculptor.

Saturday, November 14, 2015

Corsetto by Rawson

Local cartoonist/illustrator Matt Rawson just finished this wonderful drawing of cartoonist Danielle Corsetto, creator of "Girls With Slingshots"). (Ink on multimedia paper, 9" x 12")

Published with permission from Rawson

Art Hondros' comic on the Naval Observatory in the Post

The other dome on the Hill

Illustration by Art Hondros

Washington Post magazine November 15 2015


https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/the-other-dome-on-the-hill/2015/11/11/3575d9a2-88c3-11e5-9a07-453018f9a0ec_graphic.html

Friday, November 13, 2015

Flugennock's Latest'n'Greatest: "Mission Accomplished, no. 2"


"Mission Accomplished, no. 2"
http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=1806


So, Liberals... how'd that Hope'n'Change horseshit work out for you?

Here's Obama's "George W. Bush Moment".

-Mike Flugennock