Here are a few highlights:
Mohawk College
135 Fennell Avenue West
(at the corner of West 5th St)
Hamilton, Ontario
I-wing
Rooms i131, the Rotunda and i109
Starts @ 9:30AM
Parking is free. Attendance is free.
More details (including order of presentations) can be found here.
Stay TOONed!
- Mike Cope
Tomorrow morning, I'll be participating on a "Tech Talk" panel at the 2010 Association of Canadian Editorial Cartoonists (ACEC) Convention, which is taking place here in Hamilton, Ontario.I'll be presenting some PowerPoint (and other presentation software) tips and tricks, based on my experiences running cartooning workshops for kids and students at area libraries and schools.
Although the convention is closed to the public, those interested in editorial cartooning are more than welcome to join us at the official opening of the "Doodles to Digital" cartoon exhibit at the Art Gallery of Hamilton. Details about this special event can be found in this previous post.
This coming Sunday (Sept. 26), members of the Canadian Chapter of the National Cartoonists Society will be presenting a series of cartooning workshops at Mohawk College's Fennell Campus in Hamilton, Ontario.
If you're in the Hamilton area this weekend, and would like to meet some friendly and talented Canadian cartoonists, come and join us!
From the new NCS Canada Blog:
"Members will take turns discussing their career paths, their working methods, and the state of the industry for professional cartoonists working in a variety of specialties including newspaper syndication, animation, advertising, book and editorial markets."
Participating cartoonists include: Sandra Bell-Lundy (Between Friends), Paul Gilligan (Pooch Café), John Martz (chickaDEE Magazine), Leif Peng (this event's coordinator and instructor in Mohawk College's Graphic Design program), and myself.
Here's the synopsis of my presentation:
Drawing on 12+ years of experience facilitating cartooning workshops and animation courses for kids of all ages, Mike Cope will share some of the insights he’s gained and lesson ideas that he’s implemented at area schools, libraries, and recreation centres. He’ll also bring copies of the new “NetTrekkers Comic Yearbook #2” (published by LesPlan Educational Services Ltd.) that he illustrated, through which students explore Canada via exciting comic adventures.
There'll be time to ask our participating cartoonists questions, and best of all, the event is FREE!!
Visit the new NCS Canada Blog for complete details!
Stay TOONed!
- Mike Cope
A few months ago, I was contacted by the publisher of two children's science magazines, YES Mag and KNOW, to see if I was interested/available to do some regular cartoon illustration work for their "Home Lab" features (science experiments that kids can do at home). Needless to say, I was extremely flattered when, shortly after accepting their offer and beginning work, the editor of KNOW asked if I'd also like to illustrate the cover for one of their up-coming issues. The theme of the issue would be "Shapes & Patterns."
After some initial brainstorming and thumbnail sketching, the editorial team expressed an interest in having a herd of zebras with one zebra standing out from the crowd. Since zebras are typically black & white creatures, it was agreed that colour would be the best way to do this.
Well, Issue #29 (Sept/Oct 2010) is hitting magazine shelves now at bookstores and newsstands, so be on the lookout for this cool equid ... (click to enlarge!)
KNOW #29 - The Science Magazine for Curious Kids - Zebra Cover Illustration by Mike Cope
For those who enjoy seeing some of the creation steps behind a cartoon illustration, here are a few selections from the evolution process this particular design undertook ...
1) A very quick thumbnail sketch drawn in Adobe Photoshop on a KNOW cover template.
KNOW #29 - Zebra Cover - Thumbnail Sketch
2) Initial colour tests applied to thumbnail sketch.
KNOW #29 - Zebra Cover - Thumbnail Colour Tests
3) Rough pencil sketch drawn on 11" x 14" sheet of Strathmore Bristol.
KNOW #29 - Zebra Cover - Rough Pencil Sketch
4) Finished art inked with dip pens and brushes, scanned and coloured in Adobe Photoshop.
KNOW #29 - Zebra Cover - Finished Art Preview
6) A few other colour tests applied to finished illustration.
KNOW #29 - Zebra Cover - Finished Art Colour Tests
I'll post some samples of the "Home Lab" cartoon illustrations soon, but in the meantime, you can also find them on the YES Mag and KNOW websites.
Stay TOONed!
- Mike Cope
I'm very delighted and honoured to be a contributing cartoonist for Doodles to Digital, a new cartoon exhibit opening in my hometown of Hamilton (Ontario, Canada).
If you're a fan of cartooning and are in the Hamilton area between now and December, be sure to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to view cartoons drawn by a number of Canadian editorial cartoonists, from traditionally inked original artworks to the high-tech digital stuff!
The exhibit's official opening will be at 6PM on FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2010 at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, coinciding with the 2010 convention of the Association of Canadian Editorial Cartoonists (also taking place here in Hamilton). In fact, I'll be a guest presenter for the convention's "Tech Talk" panel, earlier that day.
I've heard rumours that some prominent Canadian politicians (ex. Liberal Leader, Michael Ignatieff) will be attending the opening, so it should be fun seeing/hearing their reactions to some of the editorial cartoons for which they've been the subject ... and sometimes "target"! It's always nice to know that our leaders have a sense of humour.
Here's a sneak peak of the two cartoons that I've contributed, both originally published by Reader's Digest Canada ...
Fill Up by Mike Cope (original cartoon art and finished version).
Flag of Canada by Mike Cope (original cartoon art and finished version).
Of special note ... A number of the exhibit's original cartoons (including both of mine) will be available for purchase via a silent auction with proceeds going towards SpecKids Unlimited, a local registered charity that helps underprivileged children and at-risk youth in our community. And so, while I don't personally specialize in editorial-style cartooning, I do extend a special thanks to current ACEC President (and Editorial Cartoonist for The Hamilton Spectator), Graeme MacKay, for inviting me to contribute to Doodles to Digital.
Here are the exhibit's details, once again, in search engine-friendly format ...
Doodles to Digital
Canadian Editorial Cartoons in the 21st CenturyOn view September 4 to December 12, 2010
The Jean and Ross Fischer Gallery at the ART GALLERY of HAMILTON
57 works on exhibit in a silent auction with proceeds benefitting local charity
Join 20 of Canada's best known editorial cartoonists at the OFFICIAL OPENING 6-7 pm FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2010
More updates to come, so STAY TOONed!
- Mike Cope
