Comic Book Writing And Drawing Classes Are What’s Hot!

Meltdown University announces the start of its next series of classes on writing and drawing comics, Creating Comics, plus a brand new series, Inking and Coloring Comics. What started three years ago as just one class, has now expanded to seven classes on five different subjects and is still growing. It’s a graphic novel school in the making!

“I was doing private classes in New York City while I was also teaching in the Cartooning and Illustration Department at The School of Visual Art,” said Meltdown U Program Director and former DC Comics editor Jim Higgins. “When I moved to LA, I approached Meltdown Comics about hosting similar classes. They were very receptive and supportive, and already doing things like gallery shows and book signings. Owner Gaston Dominguez-Letelier turned out to be probably the most innovative and aggressive event host in the comic book business.  I started the classes and ran them just like a semester of my college comics courses, but for a lot less money.”

The program has now grown to include two sections of Creating Comics, where the students either write and draw their own minicomic (a short-run, locally printed, photocopied comic) or write a short comic book script. In the past six months, the program has added an ongoing Kid’s Comics class for ages 7 to 12 taught by LA artist Donna Letterese, a Web Comics class about doing comics on the Internet by comedy writer and editor of the humor magazine The Devastator Geoffrey Golden, two DrawMelt: Life Drawing classes moderated by artist and celebutante Satine Phoenix, and will soon add more.

Meltdown U’s newest offering, Inking and Coloring Comics, is starting on Tuesday, February 14 at 7pm. The class is taught by professional comics artist and colorist Chris Northrop, who has worked for Marvel, DC, and other major comics companies.  “Inking and coloring are skills very specific to comics and we’re one of the only places in California where you can learn them in one place,” Higgins said.  Northrup has been teaching comic art for years.

So who takes these classes? Screenwriters, graphic artists, computer programmers, teachers, social workers – anyone who has a story to tell and wants to do it with comics! Higgins also teaches comic book classes at Otis College of Art and Design and CalArts, but says, “Meltdown U is for everyone.”

The next Creating Comics class begins Wednesday, February 15 from 7 to 9:30pm.

The next Web Comics class starts Saturday, February 11 from 12 to 3pm.

The Kid’s Comics class meet on Thursdays from 3:30 to 5:30pm and is ongoing.

To sign up for these classes, go to: www.meltcomics.com/blog/meltdown-university/

The DrawMelt: Life Drawing classes meet on Mondays and Tuesdays at 7pm and are ongoing.

To sign up for these classes, e-mail Satine at DnD@Meltcomics.com.