Author: Tempo Lush

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Purley Manga Club – Comics Writing Workshop

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I had a great time on Saturday, meeting kids at the Manga Club in Purley Library and running a workshop there on writing comics.

I’d heard good things about the club as my friends Chie Kutsuwada, Inko and Karen Rubins have all run workshops there before.  It’s enthusiastically run by Jayson Arago.  He’s created a perfect fun environment for kids to meet and talk about their passion for Manga, Anime, Cosplay and gaming.

Here’s the space ready to go….

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How many libraries offer folders full of Manga reference material, eh?!

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I wanted to talk about developing original ideas for stories.  The kids had fun using their skills to write six different endings for the same newspaper strip.

There were a lot of Pokemon references (no bad thing in my book)…

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The pic below illustrated the obstacles characters must face in their stories, and how finding solutions makes the story!
One boy in the group added the Health Points bars – nice touch!

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To end the workshop, the children all made their own comic pages.  The stories were based on their own Saturday mornings, often with a few fantasy elements thrown in…
They had a really good grasp of visual language.  I love the tummy rumbling here, an effective way to show the character’s wants and needs.

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This story below was a beautiful poetic take on not having enough time to get things done…

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There were some great Mangaka in the group…

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Thanks Purley Manga Club!  Stop on by at my table when I’m at a con some time!

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Christmas Comic Workshop in Blackheath

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I was up 5am this morning to head out into the frost and make my way to Blackheath.  A chai latte and pecan muffin woke me up in Greenwich and I was ready to roll, running two comic workshops at Blackheath Bluecoat Secondary School.

I was met by the school’s fantastic librarian Caroline Fielding who helped me guide the school’s Year 9 through a speedy two hour workshop on making comics.

We looked at…

  • Idea development
  • How even the simplest drawings can communicate ideas
  • How placing an image in a different context can change its meaning
  • Editing stories and picking key moments to depict in comic panels
  • Creating characters based on ourselves, but not necessarily looking like us

Despite some of the kids’ insistence that they couldn’t draw, everyone did some wonderful comic work…

After group-developing some Christmas themed ideas, each participant drew their own series of images, creating a fabulous Christmas atmosphere on the page…

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For the record, the image above does not show Lucy the Octopus but instead shows a derpy squid.

Next up, the talented Year Niners developed their own narratives based on what they think they might be doing on Christmas morning.

Some great work here.  You can tell which kids have a Manga influence…

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It was a fascinating insight into the psychology of each of the students, seeing how they chose to depict themselves, from stick people to animals to floating eyeballs with tentacles and a bow!

After the workshop, Caroline created a fantastic display of some of the amazing work done…
XmasComic13Thanks very much Blackheath Bluecoat Secondary School – you did some excellent comics!

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Thought Bubble 2013 Round Up

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I had a fun-filled weekend heading up to Thought Bubble Comic Con in Leeds.

Thanks to everyone who came by my table to say hi or pick up some Tempo Lush goodness!

TB2013-01I was glad my tower of bear boxes didn’t collapse…TB2013-02 It was great doing commissions for nice folk that stopped by.
Some Lucy the Octopus style portaits…TB2013-03 TB2013-04 TB2013-05 TB2013-06…and Mike & Sulley from Monsters Inc!TB2013-07 TB2013-08Being stuck behind a table for a weekend is made lots of fun by all the cool people than visit!
Here are Hayley Charlseworth and Sarah Turner. Sarah is taking part in WASP 2014 with her webcomic Folklore.TB2013-09Here is, comic creator and video maker, Dan Lester‘s friend Schmurgen Jonerhaffs.TB2013-10The friendly smiles of Alex Hern, Molly Muldoon ( who runs the Dr Who blog, Confused Companion) and Aaron Tavaler who interviewed me for The Big Smoke Podcast which he runs with Karim Flint.TB2013-11Two talented creators and awesome buds Sally-Anne Hickman and Francesca Cassavetti.
TB2013-12Even talented creators have to eat.  Dinner at Wagamamas with (L-R) Van Nim, Sally Jane Thompson, Zarina Liew, Paul Shinn (my roomie!) and me…
TB2013-13Plus (L-R) Saul Taylor, Francesca Dare, Jess Cave, Andy Poyiadgi and Elliot Bagget.
 TB2013-14Richard Carter and Chantel Beaven.
TB2013-15 Ah yes! Here we have myself sitting alongside Mike Medaglia. I was very happy to pick up my copy of his new Avery Hill Publishing title, Seasons, complete with bookmark, bookplate and portrait…
TB2013-16 TB2013-17 TB2013-18 Had much fun on the train journey home playing Mariokart with Van Nim, Paul Shinn and Zarina Liew (who seemed to be having the time of her life).TB2013-20Just about recovered from the weekend now!

If anyone missed picking up any Lucy the Octopus comics or other Tempo Lush stuff you may want to visit my online shop!

Cheers!

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Thought Bubble this coming weekend!

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Looking forward to meeting lots of comic lovers at this weekend’s Thought Bubble Convention in Leeds.

Thought Bubble Comic Con
Saturday 23 – Sunday 24 November 2013
New Dock Hall
Armouries Drive, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS10 1LT

Come and find me in New Dock Hall at Table 140, and check out the other wonderful creators there too!

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Score & Script

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Today (Friday 8 N0vember 2013) is the launch party of the print collection of John Miers’ amazing  Score & Script project, taking place at Gosh Comics (1 Berwick Street, London W1F 0DR).  Launching alongside two other fine comic anthologies, Comix Reader and The Strumpet.

You can see more details and pics from last year’s exhibition of the Score & Script at the Centre for Recent Drawing  by clicking here!

Over 30 artists including myself took part in the project, creating comic pages either based on an unusual script or a mysterious score, both originated by John.

Here are some panels from my attempt to interpret the score, working in ink line and watercolours.Score-script1It’s a beautiful collection.  Here’s my effort in it on the right, proudly sitting next to a page by the very talented Woodrow Phoenix.  Aside from the launch, John will be selling the collection at Thought Bubble in Leeds later this year and no doubt in some fine comic shops too.Score-script2

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Process at Gosh / Watercolour Presentation Pictures

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I had a great time giving a watercolour presentation at Process at Gosh Comics last night.

Before it kicked off I prepared an ink drawing to add colour to later…

WatercolourProcess-01 WatercolourProcess-02 WatercolourProcess-03 WatercolourProcess-04Process is organised by the fantastic Steve Walsh (below, far right).  There was a great turn out yesterday.
WatercolourProcess-04.5 WatercolourProcess-05Andy Poyiadgi talked brilliantly about putting together his exhibition for The Lakes comics festival and how the festival involved the local community, similar to the French Angouleme Festival.
WatercolourProcess-06Next up the brilliant Lorenzo Fiorini talked through the process of laying out panels and story telling as told to him by artist Eduardo Risso (100 Bullets, Batman: Noir). WatercolourProcess-07 WatercolourProcess-08Then it was over to me to babble away while painting.  Two pics below by Lily Withycombe.WatercolourProcess-09 WatercolourProcess-10It was good to hear further watercolour suggestions and ideas from many of the experienced creators gathered around, including Rosie Polet, Francesca Dare and Maartje Schalkx.
Two pics below by Francesca.WatercolourProcess-11 WatercolourProcess-12So here was the piece by the end of the presentation…WatercolourProcess-13And here it is after I added some more layers of watercolour.
I added some additional texture on the wood, ground and bushes. I also gave some of the other areas richer and more defined tones.
After scanning it, I cleaned up the speech bubble a bit on Photoshop.WatercolourProcess-14There you go.  Thanks very much to Steve for asking me to come along!

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Comiket November 2013

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I had a great time as always at Comiket this past weekend.  Thank you to everyone who bought the new Lucy comic and other Tempo Lush goodies…

Suki Kabuki helped me sort out my new stock to sell.

ComiketNov2013-01In case she sat on it I covered it.  She did.ComiketNov2013-02Lucy supporter Lily Withycombe took this pic…ComiketNov2013-03I was proud to be table buddies with my WASP and Rosie and Jacinda collaborator Francesca Dare…ComiketNov2013-04 ComiketNov2013-05Two more collaborators (with art in Tempo Lush titles coming in 2014) and old friends Sally-Anne Hickman and Francesca Cassavetti.ComiketNov2013-06The great Martin Eden, creator of Spandex…ComiketNov2013-07Tim Hassan, artist for a story in the upcoming Tempo Lush Tales and his first comic festival table, despite his art looking like he’s been a pro for years…ComiketNov2013-08Comiket’s Live Drawing Parade featured some amazing talent including Miss Moti creator and Strumpet editor Kripa Joshi…ComiketNov2013-09The buzzing comic-hungry crowd…ComiketNov2013-10A Lucy the Octopus style portrait I was commissioned to do of a very cute baby in boots with dragons on…ComiketNov2013-11Chilling after the show with Saul Taylor, Francesca Dare, Chantel Beaven, Lauren Murphy and Paul Shinn.ComiketNov2013-12Joined by Richard Carter…ComiketNov2013-13Tim Hassan with Karim Flint….ComiketNov2013-14Wu Wei editor and regular rice eating partner Mike Medaglia…ComiketNov2013-15Mike chats to Comica Festival organiser Megan Donnolley.  Also in the background is Elliot Baggott and seated is comics podcaster Stephen Lacey. ComiketNov2013-16 ComiketNov2013-17Finally check out Chantel Beaven’s accidental cosplay as Zarina Liew‘s human take on Lucy the Octopus…ComiketNov2013-18 ComiketNov2013-19Looking forward to next Summer’s Comiket at the British Library!

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Water Colour Presentation at Process

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I’m looking forward to doing some live watercolours tomorrow and talking through the process at, appropriately enough, Process at Gosh Comics  tomorrow evening…

Process
Gosh Comics
1 Berwick Street, London W1F 0DR
Wednesday 6th November 2013, 7pm

8-WatercoloursCome along to this fantastic free event.  As well as my presentation you can listen to Andy Poyiadgi talking through putting together his exhibition for The Lakes comics festival and Lorenzo Fiorini will be talking about an instructional essay on storytelling visually that he was given by Eduardo Risso (100 Bullets, Batman: Noir).

9-Watercolours-1st-Layer11-Watercolours-3Watercolour Life Painting 15.11.11Watercolour and Ink Life Painting 7.2.12LucyWatercolour09LucyWatercolour13

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The evolution of Muesli and Servers

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Here’s a recent Business Illustrator infographic I did for Swiss IT company, Cassarius. It contrasts the development of the computer server to that of famous Swiss breakfast, muesli, …

Evolution-of-Muesli-and-Servers-English-for-print-Tower-FormatWhile the working language was English, my clients provided a German translation for the finished work.

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The best part of this was learning that the German word for “health enthusiasts” is “Gesundheitsfreaks“.