The Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration has opened their online autumn courses and workshops are now available to book, which include the opportunity to learn to craft a graphic novel based on your life experiences with Rachael Ball, turn fascinating facts into beautiful books or learn how to use layouts and pacing in picture books.
The courses are popular, and spaces are limited, so secure your place now.
• Graphic Novel Your Life with Rachael Ball
Online course for adults | 17 September – 26 November 2024 | Tuesdays, 18:00 – 20:00 UK Time (BST until 22 October then GMT)
On this 10-week online course you’ll learn how to create a graphic novel based on your own life experiences. Guided by award-winning cartoonist Rachael Ball, you will breathe life into well-thought-out characters and create the key elements of a compelling plot.
Rachael will teach you how to pace your story and use visual metaphor to evoke emotion and suspense. You’ll experiment with image-making, using different media to create attention-grabbing comic page layouts through real-time exercises, tutorials, demonstrations, group discussion and feedback.
Rachael Ball is an acclaimed cartoonist with 16 years of teaching experience. She started cartooning for cult comic Deadline in 1988. Rachael’s first graphic novel, The Inflatable Woman (Bloomsbury), was a Guardian Best Graphic Novel 2015 and her second, Wolf (SelfMadeHero), has been called “a timeless classic”. Rachael is a graphic novel mentor for LDComics and was a co-coordinator for LDC for eight years.
Planning a Non-Fiction Picture Book with Owen Davey
Online course for adults | 20 September – 29 November 2024 | Fridays, 10:00 – 12:00 UK Time (BST until 25 October then GMT)
Introduction to Kitchen Lithography with Viola Wang
Online workshop for adults | 19 – 20 October 2024 | Saturday – Sunday, 14:00 – 17:30 BST
Storyboard a Mini Picture Book with Claire Alexander
Online workshop for adults | 9 November 2024 | Saturday,13:00 – 17:00 GMT
The Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration is transforming this a heritage site in Clerkenwell into the UK’s centre for illustration. They need your support: make your mark and donate now
- About the Author
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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