Escaliers de New York! New York Stairways!
De retour en Californie après un petit voyage éclair à New York. Là aussi, il y a des escaliers!
Back in California after a short trip to New York. I saw stairways!
Well, February is all about graphic novels here, in Palo Alto!
I started my Graphic Novel Class Tuesday at the Palo Alto Art Center. The class is full and the students seem enthusiastic. Although almost nobody has any experience in graphic novels, most of them are artists. They work in watercolor, oil, mixed media, etc. I’m looking forward to seeing their project. It’s going to be very creative, I’m sure!
I’m getting a lot of positive feedback on my Graphic Novel wall display at PAAC. It will be up until the week of March 19. So if you haven’t had time to go see it, yet, you still have more than a month to do so. If you live to far away, you can see the pictures here.
I just set up the Graphic Novel display at the Palo Alto Main Library. The head librarian offered me the library display case for the month of February. It was really difficult to decide which graphic novels to include in the display. But I managed to choose 16 of them, in a variety of styles, showcasing graphic novels available at the library. Here are some pictures:
I worked a little bit more on the display wall at the Palo Alto Art Center yesterday. I really need to be done by Tuesday. Then It’s Holiday time! Holiday music, Holiday cards, Holiday cooking, visiting friends and family! I love it!
Then in February, the Graphic Novel class will start!
More pictures (See the first pictures on my previous post):
A new weekly Graphic novel class for adults (16 years and over) at the Palo Alto Art Center. Winter 2013
I’ll be teaching a weekly graphic novel class for adults at the Palo Alto Art Center, starting in February 2013. Students 16 years and older are welcomed.
Graphic novels offer a unique and exciting way of telling stories, combining sequential art and writing techniques. In this class, we will explore the work of graphic memoir authors like Art Spiegelman (Pulitzer-prize winning Maus) and Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis).
This will lead to a practical introduction to the step-by-step techniques of comic book art, from thumbnailing, to penciling, inking and finally, coloring.
Students will start developing their own story in the style of their choice. Do you want to preserve the memory of the significant moments in your life, in a special and exciting new way? Start writing a graphic memoir. Or maybe you have a great idea for a work of fiction?
No special background required
Don’t worry! You don’t need any background in art or in literature! Just come with your stories (funny or sad), your special memories, or your personal reflections on life . Start writing your own graphic novel in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.
When? Tuesday nights, 7 to 9 PM. February 5 to March 13.
Where? Palo Alto Art Center, 1313 Newell Road, Palo Alto.
Registration? Register online or in person at the Palo Alto Art Center.
Registration starts Nov. 30 for Palo Alto residents and Dec. 7 for non-residents.
Information? Art Center (650) 329-2366 OR
Send me your questions by email
Depuis quelques jours, des lecteurs de mes BD et plusieurs proches me contactent au sujet de la parution d’un album de BD dont la couverture ressemble beaucoup à celles de ma série « Histoires d’escaliers ». « Est-ce ton nouvel album? Ta nouvelle série? » me demande-t-on? « Une collaboration spéciale, peut-être? »
Mais non. L’album en question, « La Célibataire », est le fruit d’une collaboration entre l’auteure québécoise bien connue India Desjardins et la dessinatrice française Magalie Foutrier. Une bande dessinée, certes, mais très différente de ma série « Histoires d’escaliers », lancée en 2010 et qui compte maintenant trois albums.
Je comprends bien la confusion, le questionnement. Cette nouvelle BD, malgré son format différent, est bien assortie aux miennes. Les couvertures ont comme un air de famille. Même composition avec le titre dans le feuillage, même plan général avec les personnages à l’avant-plan, même angle de vue avec point de fuite entre végétations côté rue et escaliers à l’assaut des façades de l’autre côté.
Mais on y reconnaît aussi la signature de deux artistes tant au niveau du style de dessin que de la palette de couleurs. Et que dire des escaliers? Je connais bien les rues et les escaliers de Montréal. Je les ai photographiés sous bien des angles… j’en ai fait de nombreux croquis… je les ai habités… Il ne s’agit ni de la même rue, ni du même quartier. Mes histoires ont pour toile de fond le quartier Villeray; les façades de maison, les escaliers de l’album « La Célibataire » évoquent un autre coin de Montréal.
Et, bien sûr, on n’a qu’à jeter un coup d’oeil à l’intérieur des albums pour constater que nos histoires décrivent des mondes bien différents. Ma série de BD « Histoires d’escaliers » met en scène deux jeunes enfants francophones, Doudou et Danny, voisins de balcons et d’escaliers, dans le Montréal de la fin des années 1950. Tant les dessins que les histoires documentent la langue et la culture du Québec, à la fin de la Grande Noirceur. Dans « La Célibataire », on retrouve les histoires amusantes du quotidien d’une jeune fille bien d’aujourd’hui.
On constate bien ici que les célèbres escaliers montréalais qui ont abrité tant de moments heureux de notre enfance sont également devenus une signature pour qui veut évoquer Montréal. Hier et pendant longtemps, « ville aux 100 clochers », comme le remarquait, entre autres, Mark Twain, Montréal est devenue la « ville aux escaliers » après que moult chercheurs leur aient consacré plusieurs études et que nombre d’artistes les aient croqués sous tous leurs angles et en toutes saisons.
Alors, je rassure mes amis et mes proches : mon prochain ouvrage vous sera annoncé à l’avance. C’est promis!
Bien amicalement,
Danièle Archambault.
Description
Over the course of two afternoons, this graphic memoir workshop will introduce you to the art of preserving the significant moments in your life in a new and exciting way.
First, we will explore the work of graphic memoir authors like Art Spiegelman (Pulitzer-prize winningMaus) and Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis). This will lead to a practical introduction to this rich form of storytelling, which combines visual and writing techniques. You will then start developing your own unique story in your own personal style.
Don’t worry! You don’t need to have a background or special talent in art or in literature! Just come with your stories (funny or sad), your special memories, or your personal reflections on life.
This workshop is for beginners to advanced students.
When: Sunday, October 21 and Sunday 28, 1 to 4 pm
Where: Cartoon Art Museum, 655 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
Number: Maximum 12 students.
Minimum age: 18 years old
Price: $50 general; $40 CAM members.
Registration: Advance enrollment for this class is required. Please visit this website for ticketing: http://guestlistapp.com/
Her’s a new cartoon in this series about young adults living on their own. This time the story features a boy. It’s easy to get ideas for new stories on that topic. I have reached this time in my life when young people all around me are leaving their house to go live in their own apartment. This is so exciting for them. Friends, nieces, nephews, even my own kids!
However, I got the idea for this story by video chatting with my friends. Every time somebody calls me, I can’t help but looking around the room wondering what they can see. Kids are not the only who can be messy…
This Graphic Memoir Workshop will introduce you to the art of preserving the significant moments in your life in a new and exciting way. We will first look at the work of famous graphic memoir authors then you will get a practical introduction to the techniques of comic book art. We will then focus on developing your own unique story in your personal style.
Don’t worry! You don’t need to have a background or special talent in art or literature. Just come with your stories (funny or sad), your special memoires, or your personal reflections on life.
Graphic Memoir Workshops are fun! See the video!
When: Sunday, May 20th from 1 to 4 PM
Where: Cartoon Art Museum, 655 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
Registration: http://guestlistapp.com/
Age: 18 years old and over. (Please note that registration is limited to 10 participants!)