The Student News Site of Monta Vista High School

El Estoque

The Student News Site of Monta Vista High School

El Estoque

The Student News Site of Monta Vista High School

El Estoque

Drawings pop to life in artists’ hands

Drawings pop to life in artists hands
Comickers artists connect the 2 dimensional world with reality through little paper children.

 A blonde girl hangs onto an axe pick, her legs dangling hopelessly in the air. A dark-haired samurai holds a sword in one hand as he is held by the waist with rope. Another child spits a river out of his mouth as a blade cuts him–a scissor blade, that is.
 

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Junior Lulu Liu’s cat-eared paper child fights against a real life hand for his nutritious snack.

These children who have violent actions actually appear angelic with their anime style eyes glistening saintly. These children, officially known as paper children, are part of a two week tutorial activity held by Comickers club–a club that generally attracts students who read manga or comics and want to learn more about the comic book world. Weekly tutorials are held during club meeting that help members build their comic book techniques.
 
Paper children are widely popular in online art communities, which is where officer senior Cat Bui found the idea to bring paper children to Comickers last year. The paper children are constructed by drawing a child on Bristol paper, a heavyweight paper for technical drawing. The child is colored in with Microns or Prismacolor makers and cut out with scissors. After the child is cut out, the artist holds the child by a part of the object the paper child is holding or in the case of the dark-haired samurai, by the rope.
"The mindset behind the paper child activity is to connect the paper child to become part of the human hand," Bui said. "They make for good photos to use later."

Photos of the paper children are uploaded by Bui onto the club's LiveJournal and Facebook group album. During tutorials, Comickers officer junior Lulu Liu assists members by teaching members how to draw in a comic book style. Liu, known by other officers as a professional at photoshop and comic book drawing, is in charge of teaching and giving constructive critiques.

Members, like sophomore Amanda Hsu, who wants to improve her art technique, appreciate the constructive critique.

Although many of the members do take art class and most officers are planning to enroll in art school for college, there are also a number of beginners who are learning basic comic book and art skills.

"This club isn't for elitists," club president senior Aprajita Yadav said, as she ended her opening blurb at the beginning of a meeting. "It's for everyone and we are here to help you [with art]."
With art materials like Prismacolor art markers, Bristol paper, and Micron pens brought to meetings, members are fully supplied to craft anything they can imagine. For some members, the only time they are able to use art materials like Micron pens, which are pens that professionals use for actual comic books, are at Comickers club meetings.

As of now, paper children is an activity that "doesn't require proportions," a skill that is necessary for comic booking. However, later on in the year, the club will make comic books and officers Bui and Liu will teach members how to make a real comic book with proper Computer Graphics and layout.

"In previous years Comickers concentrated on general anime," Liu said. "This year we're concentrating more on comics."

Members and officers plan to attend Fanime Con, the largest Northern California convention, in May held in San Jose by fans of anime for fans of anime. With success of a member last year who had her artwork wold during Fanime, club officers Liu and Bui plan to sell art and print outs this year as well.

"Maybe we'll sell," Liu said, "and we'll get it out there to some [comic book] editors."

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