Category Archives: Workshops

Tidbits – Student Comics Anthology

Leave a comment

At the invitation of Northbridge International School, Our Books participated in the ‘Yearly Cultural Exchange‘ ‘CX 2010′, including students from International School of Phnom Penh, and also International School of Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), Vientiane International School (Laos), International School Eastern Seaboard (Thailand), Saigon South International School (Vietnam), Hanoi International School (Vietnam), and United Nations International School (Vietnam).

After two days of sharing and teaching about Cambodian and international comics we came up with this anthology created by students in grades 6 through 9. Included are student stories and collaborative ‘jam strips’. You can read or download the comic by clicking on the cover or via these links to varied formats:
PDF File
Comic Book Reader File
Comic Book Archive File
ePub File

Enjoy!

Posted in Workshops, teaching | Tagged , ,

24 Hour Comics Day, October 02 2010

Leave a comment

Once a year, cartoonists around the world participate in 24 Hour Comics Day! Java Café & Gallery will host a Cambodian contingent joining cartoonists all over the planet who are attempting to draw 24 pages in 24 hours.

The 24 Hour Comic is a ‘free drawing’ exercise designed to unlock creativity. Our Books has been developing Project: 24 since October 2008 to gradually introduce Cambodian artists to this unique exercise and the global comics community.

This year marks the second time Cambodian comic artists will attempt to ‘go the distance’ for a full drawing day. Cambodian and overseas artists are welcome to join the drawing marathon at Java Café’s downstairs space, beginning at 8am SHARP October 02.

Art supplies, paper and coffee will be provided until 8am the following morning. One-page efforts from 2008 and 2009 will be posted as example and incentive for this year’s effort. (Our Books is developing a collection of these two years, ’48 Hours’. )

All artwork will be posted as it is finished on the walls of Java Café, to be exhibited for the following month. A live webcam linkup and Twitter feed will be accessible via http://www.javaarts.org/24/ . Staff from Cambodia’s comics nonprofit Our Books will be on hand to scan pages and assist overall documentation of the event.

  • Artists: bring your ideas and enthusiasm, we will see who makes it to 8am the following morning!
  • Amateurs: all nationalities are welcome, regardless of your skill level, please feel free to give it a try!
  • Enthusiasts: enjoy reading comics? Check in on use in person or via the web to see art in action and cheer us on! We’ll need all the encouragement we can get!

Pages will be on sale at the discretion of the artist. (We request that they remain on display at Java for the following month’s display.)

As with prior years, we offer participants a ‘Cambodian Variation’: One artist — one page — one hour of the day. Many Khmer artists have jobs, school, and family obligations, but all artists who have an hour to spare are welcome to join the exhibition!

‘Best of’ pages from 2008 and 2009 are being collected in print and have been archived on the web as a ‘Who’s Who’ of contemporary Khmer comic art by Our Books, as well as sent to the permanent 24 Hour Comics archive.

Event Time: 8am Saturday October 02 to 8am Sunday October 03.

Event Location: Java Café & Gallery, 56e1 Sihanouk Blvd, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Event on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=157967840889207

+855 (0)12 526 840 (John, Our Books)
+855 (0) 12 894 180 (Dana, Java Café)

info@javaarts.org
john@siewphewyeung.org.kh

Posted in Project:24, Workshops, exhibition, exhibitions, miscellaneous, news, webcomics

Fulbright Comics Session at Royal University of Fine Art

Leave a comment

Our Books staff joined Fulbright Scholar Jan Arabas to talk about comics history and do a simple ‘quick comic’ session. Managing Editor John Weeks and Artist Moeu Diyadarvuth were joined by independent publisher (and former Our Books Graphic Designer) Try Samphos.

The conversation is in English and (mostly) Khmer. At the end the students displayed and discussed their works. (Thanks to Rick for video!)

Posted in Comics, Workshops, academia, news, scholar visits, teaching

Fulbright Visit

1
Comment

A fuzzy phone photo of visiting Fulbright Scholar Jan Arabas!

Presenting some books from her USA class to our team in Phnom Penh!

Jan Arabas

Jan will be conducting an art exchange program with her students in Lowell, Massachusetts and also creators at the Royal University of Fine Art.

She’s also looking forward to taking some of Our Books back for Lowell’s upcoming Water Festival! (More pictures and news to come.)

Posted in Publishing, Workshops, academia, teaching | Tagged , ,