Art Way Alliance is proud to announce that we are partnering with BlerDCon to bring all ages workshops and panels to this premier event. Come join us as we help BlerDCon shine a light on the vast diversity in comics and pop culture.
BlerDCon will be the first nerd convention to ever be truly universal. Structured to cater to minority nerds in all genres and to ensure an inclusive experience, this partnership works well to strengthen Art Way Alliance's goal of diversity and representation. Our panels are as follows:
FRIDAY
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
THE POWER OF PANELS/ Mapping Out Your Comic Story (Workshop)
Comic books panels are an often-overlooked art. Like a director's lens, they determine scale, pace and how the reader perceives the flow of the story. Come learn how to use panels to create dynamic and engaging pages with AWA artist Keir Lyles.
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Drawing Fanart Portraits (Workshop)
Artist Mikki Kurisu will show you how to utilize reference materials to draw unique and interesting portraits of people from popular anime and comic books. From realistic photos to the drawings of other artists, learn how to pick and combine desired elements to create an original look for these well-known characters.
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM**
Curls, Coils, Locs and Everything In Between/ Drawing Hair and Textures (Workshop)
Artist Brittany Pate teaches the fundamentals of drawing different types of hair for all your characters. From straight hair to locs, curls to cornrows, come learn how to shape hair that conveys personality and diversity.
**Update: CyberNinjas 2D Game design has been moved to Saturday at 3:00 pm **
SATURDAY
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Kawaii + Create a Character (Workshop)
Explore your inner self with Imani Brown by creating your own manga character or personal mascot. No experience needed! Just bring your imagination.
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Getting Started in Comics (Panel)
Creating comics can be hard. Come and learn a few tricks to make getting started easier. From getting all your ideas organized to where to print and publish your stuff, don't miss out on these tips from Jordan Clark.
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
The Art of Illustration (Workshop)
Using random adjective, nouns, and verbs, artists will practice creating their own characters with Kofi Jamal Simmons. This brainstorming project is a great way to warm up before doing heavy drawing that can be done anywhere.
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
CYBER NINJAZ 2D GAME DESIGN
Come breakdown the basics of 2D game design by using programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Game Salad to create and make your own version of Rocket League. - Hosted by Clarence Alexander
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Traditional Inking to Digital Coloring: Process, Tools, and Techniques
AWA artist Paolo Galang's unique style combines traditional inking and digital coloring to create dramatic art, and he's sharing his secrets for the first time at BlerDCon! Come learn the tools and techniques needed for traditional inking and digital color and discover how these contrasting mediums can work harmoniously in one piece
**Update: Curls, Coils & Locs has been moved to Friday at 4:00 PM.**
SUNDAY
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Shading and Value Techniques (Workshop)
Join Matthew Houston as he teaches how to create shades and add value to push your work into new territory. Using basic shapes and a simple scale, discover how to convey mid-tones, high lights, and shadows according to a basic light source. There will also be a demonstration of how 2D and 3D differs when examining lighting.
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Color Theory with Fan-art (Workshop)
IIsa Tang How teaches the students how to utilize vibrant color while using little to no blacks. Workshop also includes instruction basic shading and light sources.
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Drawing Dynamic Expressions (Workshop)
Give your characters new life with dynamic expressions! In this workshop, Dennis Johnson teaches the basics of drawing facial features as well as how to manipulate them. This is essential for conveying emotions ranging from happiness and joy to anger and pain. Come discuss how facial features, expression, and body language can enhance your ability to portray strong emotion.
We'll also have the following live demos at our booth. Times to be announced soon!
*Character Freestyle Design with Darren Soto and Damien Duckett
*Freestyle Draw
*Tricks and Tools of the Trade
Be sure to come out for BlerDCon, on June 30 - July 2 at the Hyatt Crystal City in Arlington, VA. Tickets on sale now.