Iffy Books | 404 S. 20th St., PHL
hacking, free culture, gardening, zines
This workshop is for every level of drawing skill and is over the age of 16. Materials will be provided but feel free to bring your favorite drawing implements and sketchbooks.
When my grandmother passed away, I found sharing memories of her through comics helped my grieving process. In this workshop, you can represent your grief or share a meaningful memory through sequential art. At the end, you’ll have a simple but significant four-panel comic.
First, we will brainstorm a story or memory. It doesn’t have to be a memorial of a loved one, but it could be the passing of a friendship or a job. We will take time to share and workshop our story. Then, we’ll create a quick storyboard from your story and start with the final pieces, sketching with pencils and detailing with markers.
Before I started creating comics, I felt intimidated. Traditional forms and details in comics are outside my usual practice. This entry-level workshop will demystify the art format in a way that is personal to workshop attendees. Leaving the workshop, you should feel encouraged that making comics, or sequential art, is not complicated and can be a way to journal, process emotions, and capture memories.
As a collective, we don’t grieve enough. Part of resiliency is caring for ourselves and others during valleys so we can be stronger at our peaks. Writing, drawing, or combining both will help people process grief for a more resilient and softer future.