Art is everywhere. Last week it came to the Maidstone High School gymnasium in living colour.
Happy Harbour Comics of Edmonton visited the school as part of their store's outreach program. Synergy Credit Union sponsored the expenses for the tour taking Happy Harbour Comics' owner, Jay Bardyla, and two artists to four schools in the area over two days.
Synergy Credit Union purchased some comics from Happy Harbour Comics and the store brought some along for the schools' libraries.
Bardyla explained the process of writing, designing and drawing comic books while artists Kyle Sams and Danny Schneider drew superheroes requested by the audience. Students watched as within minutes a blank page became a pencil sketch, an inked drawing and a full colour design.
The artists did their own pictures from start to finish and demonstrated how the penciler and inker are often different people for the same pages while they finished drawings started by the other.
Bardyla spoke about the writers and the importance of including elements of realism even in fantastical stories, to help connect with the readers. He outlined the time it takes at each of the stages of creation from writing to penciling, and laying out, inking and colouring.
Bardyla spoke to the students about the inker's role as a proofreader catching any errors made in the pencil drawings and the importance of the talents of each type of artist.
Students asked questions about becoming artists and writers in the industry and about the guests' favourite superheroes.
Bardyla shared some of the media's 130-year history, speaking about some of the changes in comics over the years and around the world. As the artists drew, Sams listened to music on his iPod and worked to the rhythm. He explained his inspiration comes from other art and from music.
Schneider grew up in a rural setting and said his inspiration was found in art, music, comics, movies and nature.
Art was on display as a career, an inspiration and an idea for the students to enjoy and explore.
