Tag Archives: comic book classes

This and That…

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Too busy to think up creative titles today in the Land of Bootcamp. Trying to plan out the schedule for the next couple of months…

January-February classes started last week. There are still a couple of spaces available in HOW TO INK COMICS; if you’re interested and let us know pretty much RIGHT NOW! Ty can catch you up on what you missed last week, and you can start in on the second class this Thursday. comicbookbootcamp@gmail.com

FRIDAY JANUARY 30, 7 – 10pm, COMIC BOOK CREATORS ASSEMBLE!!

We had our first Bootcamp get-together a couple of months back and had a loud raucous fun gathering. Bootcamper Shane Kirshenblatt offered up his event space, BACK SPACE TORONTO, for future gatherings (until the end of April, when it closes). As it’s a much larger space, we’ve opened up the gatherings to anyone in the Toronto comics community who would like to join us. Come meet other creators, pro and just-getting-started… network, share stories, check out each other’s work. Ty will be doing portfolio reviews during this event so feel free to bring yours. Reviews will be done publicly for all to see, as watching someone else’s review can be as much of a learning experience as having your own done.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 7, 11AM – 11PM, 12 HOUR TORONTO COMIC BOOK MARATHON

I will be hosting a twelve hour comics marathon at the BACK SPACE TORONTO (again, with much thanks to Shane Kirshenblatt for donating use of the space). The event is open to anyone who wishes to participate, but I do need to know how many chairs I’ll need (in case I have to import more) so PLEASE EMAIL ME AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU’D LIKE TO PARTICIPATE! Sorry for shouting, but I wanted to get your attention! Email me, Keiren, at comicbookbootcamp@gmail.com. You can work solo or as part of a team.

This is a relaxed easy-going gathering; come hang out, work on a comic… do an analog comic, plan a book, work on a webcomic. Work with whatever media you like; we’ve had people work digitally, with collages (soooooooo cool, Mr. Ricky Lima!), with ink-stamped letters, and more. Bring whatever materials you’d like to work with. There are some outlets in the room if you have devices which will need charging. If you’re planning to listen to music or shows whilst working, please bring headphones.

We will have a SMALL fridge available if you’d like to bring snacks. We’ll have coffee and tea available, and the neighbourhood is full of great restaurants and shops (grocery store only a couple of blocks away, Burrito Boyz just a few doors down!).

So, just email me if you’re planning to participate! comicbookbootcamp@gmail.com.

And! I’ve just posted the info on March and April’s classes, HOW TO WRITE COMICS PART ONE, and HOW TO DRAW HEADS, HANDS AND FACES. The writing class tends to fill very quickly (and I’ve had people asking about it for months) so let us know if you’d like to be in either or both of ’em.

Keiren

Yayyy!!

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FINALLY!!

We officially have the keys to our location!! The Comic Book Embassy members are all planning their moves into the building, and Comic Book Bootcamp is buying up chairs and tables and looking at the calendar to plan a mural-painting party for that oh-so-boring white wall! Can’t have a comic book school in a white room without putting something up on the walls! That would be like putting a piece of paper in front of an artist and telling them not to doodle!

It’s a busy month for Toronto comic book folk–the biggest comic convention in Canada, FAN EXPO CANADA 2012 starts NEXT Thursday August 23 and runs through until Sunday August 26. So, at the moment, we’re just holding onto the keys and making plans…an official opening party will be coming up. When we decide on the date YOU will be the first to know.

Spaces are still available in both of our FIRST classes in this new location…  Check ’em out and let us know if you’d like to reserve one.

WORKSHOPS

Let me teach you a thing or two…

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I`m going to brag, just for a minute.  I`ll be humble when you meet me, later.

I`ve been making comic books for over twenty-five years, earning a few Eisner and Shuster Awards for my efforts along the way, and being fortunate enough to work with such legendary characters and publications as Batman, Spider-Man, the Simpsons, Superman, The Avengers, Star Trek, Bugs Bunny, Mad Magazine, the Spirit, and so many others.

If there`s one thing I`ve learned, it`s that there`s no part of my job that requires talent.  It`s all skills, knowledge and practice.  Anything to do with art, writing and craft is teachable, and the notion that some people are `born with it` is nonsense.   It`s all SKILLS.  And YOU can learn it.

For the last five years, I`ve been teaching these skills to the next generation of Comic Book superstars in my famous Comic Book Bootcamp classes in different locations all over the city of Toronto.  Finally, I have a PERMANENT location (392 Spadina Avenue, 2nd Floor at the Comic Book Embassy), and the learning is just getting started.  I can`t wait for you to join us.

If you`re interested in making comics, webcomics or graphic novels, or you just want to learn to write and draw, my Comic Book Bootcamp is quite simply, the best place in Toronto to learn how.   Ask around.

Ty Templeton

So, with that out of the way, here are the first two classes I will be teaching in September:

Writing for Comics.  ( Part One)

Tuesdays 7-10pm, September 11–October 23 2012, 

OPENING SPECIAL:  $325 $300 (for students who have taken this class before, and would like to repeat it, the price is $250)      Payment accepted by cash, cheque or PayPal (There will be a fee for NSF cheques). 

UPDATE:  Please note that spaces are limited for each class; registration is on a first-come first-reserved basis.

Plot, tale, character, dialogue, set pieces, scenes  and act structure —this class covers it all.  Seven intensive workshops will teach you the basic language of fiction, with an emphasis on comics and graphic novels as a script form.  This is a writing class like no other writing class you`ve ever had.

Students are expected to create stories, plots, pitches and scenes in the workshops.  Bring a pencil (with a healthy eraser) and a willingness to dig in and write, write, write!

Most of my industry awards were for my many years writing for Batman.  As a result, this course is my favourite to teach, and a favourite with students.  Class may fill up quickly, be warned.

(This course is followed by  Writing for Comics Part Two, which focuses on world building, continuing series, genre, comedy, tragedy, and a study of classical story forms.)

REGISTRATION/INQUIRES:  email comicbookbootcamp@gmail.com to book a space, and to make payment arrangements.

 

Drawing the Human Figure From Your Head

Wednesdays 7-10pm, September 12-October 24

OPENING SPECIAL:  $325 $300 (for students who have taken this class before, and would like to repeat it, the price is $250)     Payment accepted by cash, cheque or PayPal (There will be a fee for NSF cheques).

UPDATE:  Please note that spaces are limited for each class; registration is on a first-come first-reserved basis.

One of the handouts I will give out in class–I explain it all, I promise!

Visualizing the human form in three-dimensional space is one of the basic skills needed to make comics, and our bootcamp class makes this often difficult skill surprisingly easy, with a unique geometric approach to skeletal and muscular systems.  In seven weeks, you’ll understand the movement  of the elbows, shoulders, hips, knees and hands, basic human proportions, the muscle system, and balance (yes, in just seven weeks!) without needing a model to see it in your head.   Previous drawing experience is not required, we can teach this method to anyone willing to learn.

Bring lots of paper and pencils, this is a class for drawing, not for listening to lectures.

REGISTRATION/INQUIRES:  email comicbookbootcamp@gmail.com to book a space, and to make payment arrangements.

Ty Templeton