Last October 2nd and 3rd , the Mississauga Bookfest was celebrating the Central Library’s 20thanniversary. As I was among the guests, I attended, meeting with fine local authors : writers, historians, poets… and even a robot (what an occasion for a SF author!)
The robot is on the left.
Even our mayor Hazel visited! The writers were supposed to be outside, but the harsh winds forced the organizers to set our tables inside.
Local bookshops like Image Collections were present, too. We can see Todd, the manager (long hair) at the table. Next to his was the Celtic Shaman table.
On to the 24-24 at the Image Collections comic shop of Streetsville!
In the evening, I packed my boxes and went to the Image Collections shop, to partake of the 24-24 challenge under way since midday! I go
t there around 18h.
The artists at 20h Saturday, eating pizza and pondering their stories. Todd always feeds us well! The challenge is to produce 24 comic pages in 24 hours, and is done everywhere in the world on that week-end.
A 18h20, I sat at the table, « for a few minutes of doodling», telling myself that if I got too tired (after my full day at the Mississauga library), my husband could drive me home from the shop.
I eventually found a story corresponding to the « Species Change » theme, set in my own Science-fiction universe. At ten o’clock, I was confident enough to tell my husband: I stay here for the night!
Then, I worked all night, one page every 50 minutes, with my blue pencils. Had some trouble with the 0.7 mm blue mechanical pencil, always breaking, so I switched for a more classic pencil.
The artists at seven the next morning. Tiffany have given herself totally to the challenge… note the superb coloured pages she managed to produce!
Of course, as I was late, this was a 24-18 rather than a 24-24 for me. So I opted out of a fully completed comic, as I did last year. I manage the full night with only two coffees (meaning, a brisk walk to the Tim Horton at 4 am) and one chocolate milk carton.
Todd did play some awful or bizarre music to keep us awake!
Here is one page pencilled in my trusty bleu pencil. In the notebook under it, some rough break-ins and sketches. I am still working my personal manga style.
I made the thumbnails and draw some lay outs of my story, then worked hard to realize a good pencilling of 22 pages, detailed enough to make the inking part easier. I kept an eye to the overall balance, so that the panels flow smoothly. Todd took pictures of all our pages at the end.
The triumph : Sunday Artist, Paul and Carolyn (Tiff had to leave earlier). Paul is a pure amator who never did a comic before. Carolyn is an accomplished artist who had fun scenarizing her first comic. This is the fun of the 24-24 challenge!
Tiff has a strong talent, and you may glimpse part of her work in last year 24-24. To see my first impressions of the 24-24 in 2009, go here!
Echoes of a Sunday artist 