We're very excited to chat with professional comic artist, Alex Demetris, who teaches our 'Drawing for Comics and Graphic Novels' classes.
We catch up with Alex to find out what to expect on the course, get some drawing tips, and talk about how comics are more popular than ever.
When did you become interested in drawing?
I have always enjoyed drawing - if I look back at old exercise books or university notes, there are always doodles in the margins. I can remember having a crack at drawing comics in my teens, and I would often draw odd characters in my spare time.
After I finished university, I enrolled on a cartoon and comics drawing evening class, which was really interesting and helpful, and after attending a similar course a few years later, I decided to produce my own small press comic. Looking back, that was the real beginning of treating comics and cartooning as more than an on-off hobby.
I am most proud of the comic I produced which was based on my family's real experiences of dealing with my Dad's dementia...published in December 2015 by Singing Dragon
Could you tell us about one of your stories?
Most of the stories I have written have been fairly short and silly, but I am most proud of the comic I produced while studying for an MA in Illustration at Camberwell College of Art a few years ago. The comic, which was based on my family’s real experiences of dealing with my Dad’s dementia, was published in December 2015 by Singing Dragon. It was my first attempt at producing a substantial comic narrative, and I am very proud that it has been so well-received.
What do you enjoy about teaching people to draw?
I thoroughly enjoy learning new skills and knowledge myself, and it is rewarding and great fun to share this experience with others. It is also really interesting to see the way different people approach similar tasks. I would also add that drawing comics and cartoons can be a fairly solitary pastime, so it is nice to do it in a group with communal exercises, and with ideas emerging from, and bouncing between, participants.
When making comics, it's worth bearing in mind that every drawing does not need to be perfect. The most important thing is that the art works in the context of the story.
Can anyone learn to draw?
If someone wants to draw then I see no reason why they cannot learn to do so. I would also say that when making comics, it's worth bearing in mind that every drawing does not need to be perfect. The most important thing is that the art works in the context of the story. Personally I think that if you can arrive upon a simple style that conveys character and narrative effectively, you can make a decent comic.
What are your 3 top tips for someone starting out who has a great idea for a comic?
Not sure if this is a top three, but here’s some thoughts. I would suggest doing lots of preparatory work such as character and location design - also thinking about the setting and taking photos of locations that could be used as a basis for story settings. I would also suggest working hard on sketching the pages in order to get the visual storytelling right, a process that will include a lot of trial and error. Some people might want to write a script prior to drawing a comic, but I find that I draw and write a comic at the same time - though I would be working to a structure I had already sketched out. In the end there is no right or wrong way of making a comic.
Could you tell us a little bit about what your classes will involve?
We will be working on simple character design techniques, undertaking exercises in producing basic narratives, and making simple 8-page comics from a folded sheet of paper which, if well drawn, could be photocopied outside of the class so the creator can produce as many copies as they want.
A lot of people think comics are always about superheroes. Comics can be about any subject matter and can be as serious or silly as the creator wants them to be.
Do you encounter any misconceptions about comics?
A lot of people think comics are always about superheroes. Comics can be about any subject matter and can be as serious or silly as the creator wants them to be.
Do you have a favourite comic writer or artist?
A difficult question to answer! I love the book Maus by Art Spiegelman, and am a big fan of Gilbert Hernandez’s Palomar stories, which are set in a Mexican village and have a cast of brilliant characters. I also like the work of Dan Clowes, Bryan Talbot and some of the books written by Alan Moore, but I don’t necessarily idolise certain creators - if a comic or graphic novel is good, then it is worth reading whoever wrote or drew it.
Classic comics and their characters continue to be more popular than ever. Why do you think they continue to capture the imagination?
There have been a lot of films based on comic characters over the last few years (I actually think there have been too many to be honest - overkill!). Because of the visual side of comics, the characters can be quite visually iconic and lend themselves to cinema, which can then create further interest in the comics. Also, over the last 30 years or so comics creators have made different interpretations of characters like Batman, so the character has been addressed in ways that appeal to different kinds of audiences - perhaps it has allowed Batman as a character to mature at the same time as an audience that first got to know him as children.
I suppose that the bottom line is that if any film, book or TV show is good and makes a big impact, they will have long-lasting appeal, and this also applies to comics and graphic novels.
Find out more about Alex's Drawing for Comics and Graphic Novels course in London, here.
View Alex's full profile here.
