Have I spent more times in schools this year than at this time in any previous year? Feels like it*. (Says he, going off to Google, or possibly Bing, to find out if it's true). This week saw me doing four days in schools in Northumberland, courtesy of Gil Pugh and the Hexham Book Festival, beginning with a day divided between Seaton Sluice and Seaton Delavel. Here you see the covers of the comics we produced together, my having added the colour after the fact.
In Alnwick, where my day was split between Duchess and Glendale schools (you might spot the name of one of those schools inspiring a Stranglers quote on the cover) their suggestion for titles (chosen by everyone in the class coming up with a name, and us playing a knockout game to choose the favourite) gave me the chance to draw Bananaman for the first time in ages, and Rastamouse for quite poossibly the first time ever.
I've been there twice now, and neglected every time to ask why Dr Thomlinson's school is so called. Sounds like the name you'd give to a venerable public school, but it's simply a rural middle school in Rothbury. Simple as it is, I love how the cover of Shpoke came out when I coloured it (the character was taken straight from the drawing by one of the kids, Kacie I believe was her name).
Tweedmouth, rounding off the week, gave me the chance to slip in a bit of comics history for them. Hands up who recognises Krazy Kat and Ignatz Mouse? Well, you know them now.
The celebrities these eight groups chose to star in my demonstration strip were Donald Trump (only twice this week), Declan Donnelly (also twice), Gordon Ramsay, Harry Styles, Anthony Joshua (I had to google him, a boxer apparently), and most original of the week Barry Scott from the Cillit Bang ads.
*Yes. Yes I have. So far this year I've posted 6 updates of comics from schools, effectively making 6 weeks worth of school visits. This time last year I'd posted 2, this time 2016 I'd posted 5, this time 2015 it was 4, and in 2014 it was 2. )
Kev F Sutherland, as well as writing and drawing for The Beano, Marvel, Doctor Who et al, runs Comic Art Masterclasses in schools, libraries and art centres - email for details, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter. View the promo video here.
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