12 hours of creativity at Comic Thon

Professor Mazure and studentsat the 12 hour Comic Thon on March 7. Photo Courtesy of Hannah Wallner
Professor Mazure and studentsat the 12 hour Comic Thon on March 7. Photo Courtesy of Hannah Wallner
Professor Mazure and students at the 12 hour Comic Thon on March 7.
Photo Courtesy of Hannah Wallner

BY JENNY BRONT

SC Staff Writer 

Student cartoonists got the chance to explore their ability in ESU’s Annual Comic Thon sponsored by the Student Art Association on Friday March 7.

Students and professors alike partook in a 12 hour nonstop comic drawing event.

David Mazure, art professor and advisor to the Student Art Association, began this event three years ago in hopes of raising money for their Juried Drawing Exhibition.

The event itself is about getting together with your creative peers and using their presence and experience to encourage the creative process.

The goal for the young artists is to illustrate one page per hour in hopes of having 12 pages finished by the end of the event.

Mazure’s advice for the creators is to “keep pushing through and don’t slow down.”

For further inspiration, Professor Mazure brought in accomplished comic artist, Mike Dawson,  who had published “Freddie and Me” and “Troop 142,” and is in the process of coming out with a third book.

Dawson, who had started self publishing in the 90’s, uses long firm stories as a way of working through preoccupation and to explore how he feels about things.

His decision to the Comic Thon was to kick start creativity and to have time to sit down and work on his art.

Dawson will be back in April to give a presentation to all of the comic artists.

When Dawson was asked what his advice was to artists, he said, “If you’re interested in writing, the best thing to do is write.”

For more of his work, be sure to check out his web comic on his Tumblr page.

The students also enjoyed working on their art.

Senior Hannah Wallner, who was working on a song adaptation, said she used this event as a cathartic release and as a distraction.

“I felt bummed out this week, so I thought I’d draw some pictures,” said Wallner.

Another student, Tess Dorish used the event to “be creative and to meet other creative people.”

The experience also helped her use the creative opinions of others if she got stuck with one of the pages.

Not only did students enjoy this gathering, but English professor, Cynthia Leenerts, also enjoyed the creative group setting as well, starting her own comic book novel, also based on a song.

“I really like doing this with a group of students,” said Leenerts.  “It doesn’t matter whether or not I’m a professor. Everybody is really supportive.”

All of the fruits of everyone’s labor will be displayed at the Juried Drawing Showcase at a later date.

Email Jenny at:

jbront@live.esu.edu