Pop-Up Studio Library Comics Event

I and my fellow teacher, Matt O'Connell (right) were happy to take part in the first of this Summer's Arlington Heights Public Library's Pop-up Studio Events.

It is part of the Library's Summer Reading program that features a Super Hero Theme this year. It was well advertised as you can see from the printed materials they've been distributing all Summer.

Matt (shown here at the demo easel) and I alternated between demonstrating Super Hero Comic Art and helping with family activities

Here I am at the demo easel sketching some action panels. Tables were set up behind the demo space for hands-on art activities. We had wonderful Library support staff to help us as well. Special thanks to Kelley and Sydney!

Parents would bring their children and have some time to socialize or take part in the art projects with their kids.

Here Matt is demonstrating the importance of settings and background to the comic story.

This is a detail of Matt's setting and background demo.

One of my demos (shown above) was about drawing the hero figure. This is the ink portion of the demo that included the preliminary sketch as well.

We rotated demonstrations for a total of 4 hours. Each demonstrations was 25-30 minutes.

Many families took part. Above is a dad and his three children ages 5 through 10. They all created heroes using worksheets that I developed for the event.

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Five years ago as part of a Creativity Journal, I made a comic about my desire to give a comics workshop at my local library. It never panned out. But I finally had my wish fulfilled when Arl. Hts. Pub. Library contacted me through one of the students at the Art School where I teach to arrange the Pop-up Studio Event. It was terrrific! Never give up on your dreams ^_^