Lecture Summary/ Notes -Devon Bragg

Devon Bragg

SPX Lecture

Response and Summary

SPX Scott McCloud & SPX Across The Seas-Style Lectures

            Visiting SPX for the first time was a very eye opening experience. You follow, and enthrall yourself in the artists online or in a book and then all of a sudden, they’re in front of you. One of the lectures I couldn’t miss was Scott McClouds lecture. A role model for many young artists and experienced ones alike, he gave his presentation on his interpretation of the artistic work ethic and comic theology. He called it his “toxic theory”, and in this toxic theory he stated that there are four “tribes” or groups: classist, animist, iconoclast and formalist. Classist being beauty and work ethic, animist being storytellers, iconoclast being honesty and real humanity and formalist being figuring out form all of these groups are his “formula” to how comic creators work; and this became the base of his lecture.  He also spoke to the young artists that sat in front of him, giving them a few pointers before ending his lecture, “have some humility, they’re only lines on paper. Have vitality and have pure truth to your material. If you stay honest to how you work and feel, then work will come to you, don’t worry.”

The other lecture I attended was “Across The Seas-Style”, which focused around four main artists, two from America and two from England. Representing the United States was Sam and Kali Ciesemier and representing England was Mark and Eden Miller. Both couples are considered “Tumblr famous” by the sheer thousands of followers they have. The base of the lecture was to show the difference in styles from across the seas but to be honest to me, there wasn’t a huge difference. Most artists have a different style from each other and since these artists both originate on Tumblr and earned their fame through Tumblr, the styles were actually similar in ways.  Both couples have to convey a message that internationally will be understood. Plus the couples apparently keep in contact with one another in both countries, so you can see each person bringing a little bit of  everyone’s style into their own. It was interesting to see. Besides talking about style, the rest of the lecture revolved around keeping true to your art and how to build a name for yourself.  They had the same notions as McCloud, basically to put yourself out there as often as possible, even if you think you can’t.