02/02 Main Entrance, a Carolyn Main exhibition @ Sequential Art Gallery

--Press Release--- 

Location: Main Entrance, a Carolyn Main exhibition
Opens: First Thursday, February 2, 2012, 6-10pm
Closes: Saturday, February 25, 2011
Open Thursdays 3-7pm, Saturdays 11am-5pm, or by appointment

Sequential Art Gallery is excited to host Portland native Carolyn Main’s first solo exhibition of her art, entitled “Main Entrance”. We gave Carolyn carte blanche over the gallery space, and this is what she came back to us with...

The works presented will include varied renderings of couplings, both romantic and lewd, and a collection of prints. This will also be the premier of Carolyn’s brand new pixel animation sequence, titled "Burn it Down (extended 3 minute cut)”.

Reception will be 6-10pm on First Thursday, February 2nd, with wine, beer, and snacks. You can also pick up a pair of the artist’s Zombie blood splatter panties, just in time for Valentine’s Day! Some content in this show may be considered “mature”.

Carolyn Main is an award winning animator and Internet authority on dick jokes (her words). The prolific artist is known for her cutting humor and flourish. You may recognize her art from Portland’s weekly alt newspaper, The Mercury, or from the cult hit comic strip Sex Wizards. Visit her website to check out more of her art: www.carolynmain.com.

Main Entrance, a Carolyn Main exhibition
Opens: First Thursday, February 2, 2012, 6-10pm
Closes: Saturday, February 25, 2011
Open Thursdays 3-7pm, Saturdays 11am-5pm, or by appointment

Facebook Event

02/08-02/22 Frank Reade: Adventures in the Age of Invention

---PRESS RELEASE----

Book Launch Event:

The Land, Sea, and Air Tour

Frank Reade: Adventures in the Age of Invention

BY PAUL GUINAN AND ANINA BENNETT

Before Jules Verne’s flying machines and H. G. Wells’s spaceships, there was Frank Reade, globe-trotting inventor and original steampunk hero. Starting in the nineteenth century, Frank Reade magazines were the world’s first science fiction periodicals. Now Frank Reade and his progeny are back in a new book: Frank Reade: Adventures in the Age of Invention! To celebrate the launch of this stunningly designed book, authors Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett—of Boilerplate fame—are hosting a series of events that any Reade family member would be proud to attend.

The events will be held on three consecutive Wednesdays in February, at three Portland comic book stores. Each will have a different theme—Land, Sea, and Air—the three realms Frank Reade explores in his electric vehicles. The authors will also display each of the three model vehicles Guinan himself built for the Frank Reade book, which are rarely shown in public. Attendees will have the chance to talk with the authors and get books signed, as well as meet local steampunks (Land), pirates (Sea), and superheroes (Air).

The Frank Reade Land, Sea, and Air Tour

When: Feb. 8, 6-9 pm: LAND

Location: Floating World Comics  

400 NW Couch St., Portland, OR 97209

Guests: Rose City Steampunks, Local 23

Vehicle: Frank Reade Jr.’s Valiant, an electric battle-wagon

When: Feb. 15, 6-9 pm: SEA

Location: Bridge City Comics 

3725 N Mississippi Ave., Portland, OR 97227

Guests: PDXYAR 

Vehicle: Frank Reade Sr. & Jr.’s Centennial, an electric ironclad gunboat

Bonus: A mock battle between pirates and author Paul Guinan as Frank Reade Jr.!

Feb. 22, 7-10 pm: AIR

When: Feb. 22, 7-10 pm: AIR

Location: Things From Another World 

4133 NE Sandy Blvd., Portland, OR 97214

Guests: Alter Egos Society

Vehicle: “Wild” Kate Reade’s Aegis, a helicopter airship

BONUS: There’s a prize at the grand finale event! The first ten attendees who make it to all three events and get their “Land, Sea, and Air” passports stamped will receive a print of an original Frank Reade engraving signed by both authors, plus custom-stamped Frank Reade chocolate “gold coins” (which will also be available for purchase).

Publishers Weekly predicts Frank Reade will “satisfy even the hardest to please of readers” and praises it as “a stunning multimedia confection of the highest order that creates a detailed and delightful world.”

About the Authors:

Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett have been collaborating as storytellers since 1989, on works such as their Eisner Award–nominated science fiction comic book series Heartbreakers and their critically acclaimed book Boilerplate: History's Mechanical Marvel. They live in Portland, Oregon.

For more information about Frank Reade, visit www.FrankReade.com or join the Facebook group: 

By Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett

Abrams Image / February 2012

U.S. $24.95 / Can. $27.95

Hardcover, 176 pages / 8½" x 11"

100 full-color and 200 black-and-white illustrations

02/09 Frank Santoro’s Comic Book Layout Workshop @ FWC

 -- Press Release ---

Why do some comics read easier than others? Is it the story, the cartooning or the page design? Frank Santoro will demonstrate how some cartoonists such as Hal Foster and Herge used visual harmonies and structures in their page designs much like classical oil painters. Discover the similarities between visual and musical harmonies and how some of the great cartoonists used dynamic symmetry like a map to organize their stories.

Also, after the talk, Frank will lead an informal FREE workshop focusing on formats available for the comic book maker in 2012. Everyone is welcome. Come see what Frank Santoro’s Correspondence Course is all about – or come on down just to argue with Frank – maybe even buy a book and get it signed.

LISTING INFORMATION:
WHO: Frank Santoro
WHAT: Frank Santoro’s Comic Book Layout Workshop
WHEN: Thursday Feb. 9th, 6-8pm

WHERE: Floating World Comics, 400 NW Couch St.

Frank Santoro is the artist behind the acclaimed comic books Storeyville and Cold Heat. His work has also appeared in Kramers Ergot. He has exhibited his drawings and paintings internationally. Based in Pittsburgh, Santoro is well known for his visionary colors and evocative sense of place.

http://franksantoro.tumblr.com/

http://www.tcj.com/layout-workbook/

02/02 Emi Lenox, Natalie Nourigat @ FWC

--press release

This February, Floating World is proud to exhibit original artwork by local artists, Emi Lenox and Natalie Nourigat. Each artist will display pages from their two new books, EmiTown Vol. 2 and Between Gears, which will be released later in the month by Image Comics.

Emi and Natalie have each created a brand new archival print which will also be available at the show.

LISTING INFORMATION:

WHO: Emi Lenox, Natalie Nourigat
WHAT: Art exhibit and print release
WHEN: Thursday Feb. 2nd, 6-10pm
WHERE: Floating World Comics, 400 NW Couch St.

Art on display until Feb. 29

BIO INFORMATION:

Based out of Portland, Oregon, Emi Lenox is a comic creator widely known for EmiTown which was released into a printed collection by Image in Dec. ’10. She has also had work in Mike Allred’s Madman and Jeff Lemire’s Sweet Tooth. She has just finished working on the second collection of EmiTown. Basically, she’s just a nutty girl with a case of the munchies and a deep fond love for comics, cats, bassets, and iPods.

http://emitown.blogspot.com/

Natalie ‘Tally’ Nourigat, is a sequential artist living in Portland, Oregon. Natalie graduated from the University of Oregon’s Clark Honors College in 2010. Her first book, Between Gears, is about to be published by Image Comics. She is currently working on a new graphic novel and a children’s book series. She appeared in Image Comics’ anthology ‘This Is A Souvenir’ in 2009 and is a member of Periscope Studios.

http://natalienourigat.com/

Portland Questions 48: Conley Smith

I met Conley Smith at the Portland Comic Book show.    She is an aspiring illustrator here in Portland and she was displaying her and Dan Tabayoyon's new comic, Lady Red.   She is a member of the weekly sketch group over at Sketchery.  She also made an appearance as a guest artist at this year's Women of Wonder Day. 

This is her portfolio and you can checkout her blog ConleysDoodles

Doug Dorr:   What projects are you working on currently?

Conley Smith:    I'm currently getting ready to begin working on a short comic project with Terry Blas, which should be a lot of fun! Besides that, just working on a couple little projects for myself, to keep busy.

DD:  What is your artistic Process?

I tend to draw inspiration from my own life experiences, as well as things that I enjoy! I prefer to draw and ink things on paper, then scan them and color in Photoshop. However I am in a tiny apartment, and recently had to get rid of both my art desk and my scanner, so I've been doing a lot more things completely in Photoshop lately. I've been trying to do some watercolors lately too. It's a lot of fun, but I miss ctrl+z a little bit, haha.

DD:  Illustrating, it is said is essentially storytelling. Have you thought of writing a story?

Several years ago I used to write stories all the time. These days though I've been much more focused on drawing... I'm pretty out of practice at writing! Hence working with other writers (Terry, Dan Tabayoyon.) I'm definitely trying to get back into it, though.

DD:  What Comic/ Trade would you recommend?

As far as comics that are currently coming out, I've really been loving Batwoman. On a completely different note, I think one of my favorite things I read this last year was Asterios Polyp. Upon finishing reading it, I immediately turned to the beginning and read it again, and have re-read it a few times since.

What Comic/ Trade would you recommend to someone new to comics?

It really depends what they are into! When I started getting back into comics though, one of the first things I started reading was Fables.

What skill would you like to learn?

I would love to learn to animate. Many of my biggest influences are animated films, and I would love to work in that industry. Besides that, I'm really trying to get better at inking. I have basically the world's shakiest hands... it's getting better though.

What's the most important thing you've learned?

To draw constantly, and continue to strive for improvement! I know I still have a lot to learn, and am doing my best to get there.

Do you have a collection? If so, what is one of the items you're most proud of?

Comic collection? Or just general nerd-ery? I have both. Too many collections, really! We have two large bookshelves in our tiny apartment that are completely full with comics, art books, collectibles and the like, and a giant list of prints still in need of framing. Comics-wise, I covet my Hellboy library editions. General stuff-wise, at Comic Con this year we got one of the Rusty Venture lunchboxes, and had it signed by the show's creators... it's awesome. And for art, a sketch of Bigby and Snow that I got from James Jean in 2007.

What is your favorite genre of Comics?

I enjoy some of pretty much anything, but lately I've been really back into superhero comics. The first comics I read were old Spiderman and X-men comics when I was in elementary school. However, watching Batman the Animated Series when I was younger has probably had the biggest influence on my current comic reading tendencies. Besides superhero comics, I enjoy autobiographical comics, some horror comics... really I'll try reading just about anything.

Do you have an Ipad? If so what do use it for the most.

Ha! I wish! Someday.

What is your favorite TV show/ movie?

My favorite TV show is definitely The Venture Bros. Its still at least a year though until the next season! Bummer! I also recently watched all of Mad Men on Netflix, which was great. As far as movies, my favorite movie of all time is Jurassic Park.

How does the Portland comics culture shape your work?

It seems like comic creators are everywhere in Portland! Having so many awesome creative people around, and going to events such as Stumptown, etc. is always hugely motivational in inspiring me to try and do new and better work.

What was your first comic convention?

The first I attended was San Diego Comic Con in 2007. So overwhelming! I went again this year, and fun as it was, that really tires you out. As far as actually having a table, my first was Stumptown of this last year. I also just shared a table at the Portland Comic Book Show with Emi Lenox! Lots of fun.

What is your favorite part of comic conventions?

Probably meeting different artists who I really admire. It's always great to talk to them, and I've met some ridiculously nice people at conventions!

If you weren’t doing comics what would you do?

I would really love to work in animation some day, perhaps doing story boards or concept art. Making video games would be fun too! Basically... something art related.

Do you have a favorite restaurant that you would recommend?

When I feel like getting a little fancy, I love Nostrana, which is an easy walking distance from my apartment. The butterscotch budino is AMAZING.

How long have you lived in Portland, what made you choose Portland?

I've been here for a little over five years now. I originally moved here to go to college, ended up not being able to pay for it at the time, but stayed anyway due to loving the city, and meeting so many great people.

What is your favorite part of Portland?

I grew up in several much smaller towns, so I love the variety of things to do. Most of all, I love the variety of FOOD. There are so many great restaurants! I could probably never go back to a small town for that reason alone.

Where in Portland/ Oregon would you most like to visit?

I'm not sure of any Portland places I'd really like to go to but haven't yet. In Oregon, I've never been to the Newport Aquarium, and hope to change that soon.

Would you like to write/Illustrate for another media? Is there another character from popular culture you would like illustrate, for example, Sookie Stackhouse, Dr. Who, James Bond? What would you explore?

I enjoy drawing fanart! I think it would be really fun to do a Star Wars comic aimed a little more at younger girls. I also enjoyed the older "Gotham Girls" shorts and comics that were spun off of Batman the Animated Series, and would love to do something like that.

02/12 Walking Dead is back at the Hollywood Theater

Starting again on Sunday, February 12th at 9:00pm.  Doors at 8:30pm

Sunday nights, Things From Another World is sponsoring free screenings of AMC’s The Walking Dead Season 2 at the Hollywood Theatre, hosted by local luminaries Cort & Fatboy.



Door prizes at the premiere provided by Skybound, the Image Comics imprint behind The Walking Dead!