Season’s greetings from everyone here at DCCS!
Over the last couple of weeks we asked our Comics Clubbers to come up with their own Christmas comics. As usual we were completely bowled over by the imagination and creativity in their comics. We thought this strip by Callum Bradley aged 10 was too good not to share! Although it is titled Best Christmas Ever! it might not be what you expect.
Beware Bad Santa!
In the last webcomic before our Christmas break we present part 4 of David Robertson‘s Dundee Shmundee. Catch up with the first three parts here.
Over the last few months our Comics Clubbers and artists have been collaborating with local charity Advocating Together to produce a comic looking at disability hate crime. This 12-page comic highlights particular examples of hate crime, and gives information on what to do if you experience these crimes. This includes using Keep Safe cards, which give information and emergency contact details of the holder.
We are very pleased to be hosting the launch of the Tackling Disability Hate Crime comic at DCCS HQ today. If you would like to pick up a copy, please contact Advocating Together.
We are very pleased and honoured to be The Rank Foundation‘s charity of the month for December. Rank are our main funders, and the DCCS project would not have come so far in the last 18 months without their valuable support and financial assistance. Thank you to The Rank Foundation!
One of the many projects we have worked on for Rank was creating the cover for The Rank Foundation Charities Evening booklet in November. DCCS artist Ashling Larkin created the beautiful cover (above) from a design by our Operations Director Professor Chris Murray.
For more details on our relationship with The Rank Foundation please see the post on their website.
Our older Comics Clubbers have been learning some digital image making skills over the last couple of weeks. They have been finding out how to separate line art in Photoshop and add colour and shading, with some great results! Clockwise from top left, the art is by Jenni Michie, Eilidh Dolan, Islay Barrie, and Emily Irvine.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m Elliot Balson, 23, I’m from the Scottish borders and came up to Dundee to study Animation. After that I went on and did the Comics MLitt course.
What made you want to become an artist?
The same as most people I guess, I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t wanting to draw. I suppose it mostly comes from watching my favourite cartoons and reading comics as a kid.
Do you have a preferred style of art?
At the moment it’s mainly digital, but I’ve been trying to work in more traditional stuff now that I’ve got the studio as well.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Video games, comics, and at the moment a lot of watching film and video essays about storytelling techniques or film techniques. Mostly because I find it interesting but hopefully I can use some of it in my own work as well.
What is your favourite comic of all time?
I knew that was going to come up! There’s quite a few, but the most recent big one I love is Punk Rock Jesus by Sean Murphy – whilst reading it I was like, this is everything I want out of comics put in one nice little package.
What is the best thing about working in DCCS?
Definitely having the space – from uni I’m quite used to having studio space in Animation, but everybody is kind of in and out a bit more in this one, so you keep to yourself a bit more but there’s also the chance to collaborate. Like if you’re stuck on something you’re able to ask someone else if they’re able to help and vice versa. Also having a dedicated area, not only for working in but specifically for comics, is great.
What are you working on at the moment?
Probably too much! I’m actually working on one of the comics we tried to do as an animation in fourth year but we didn’t get finished, so I thought now was a good time to try it. I’m working on a comic – what was originally a short comic – where the writers made the script 150 pages, so I’m slowly working on that in the background. I’m also working with a couple of other people to produce a few short comics for pitching things they want to do, like short films; it’s a nice short way for them to show what they’re hoping it to look like.
How can we follow you on social media?
Instagram – @ellbalson
Facebook – Ell Balson Art
ArtStation – https://ellbalson.artstation.com/
Thanks Elliot!
– Caitlin
Dundee Comics Creative Space 