Annapolis Book Festival

You've probably seen pictures on our Facebook about the event. (If not, go check them out here!) But we just had to tell you about the amazing time we had at the Key School!

Children gather around Phil Cho's while drawing at the Annapolis Book Fair. 

AWA was in the Comic Key section of the Book Fair. We had lovely artists selling their beautiful art, talks from Geppi Entertainment Museum and the Museum of Science Fiction, and art demos by Batman enthusiast Phil Cho (pictured above) and Character Design artist Darren Soto. We also had an area for kids to draw on paper or create their own Superhero Mask.

Great mask! 

Throughout the day, we met amazing people who showed their creativity and interest as soon as they walked through the door. We had three year old children who already knew their favorite superhero. There were mothers who walked their children through every character in the Bat Family. Fathers asked us for comic book recommendations - and even provided some of their own.

But the highlight of our day was definitely the Character Design Demo given by Darren Soto. Soto asked children to provide three words, and from there, would create characters based on the given vocabulary. When Soto challenged them to think outside the box with their words, they did not disappoint. "Belligerent" and "bellicose" ended up on the board - and they were provided by third graders!

From there, Soto asked the kids to draw the characters they created on the board. The art that emerged was phenomenal. From Moose C.E.O.s to a Spider-man (who was there!) fish hybrid, the kids did it all.

If you want more information about the Annapolis Book Fair, feel free to contract us, and we won't hesitate to tell you more. Our deepest thanks go to the organizers of event: Liz Glass, Ginny Nayden, and Stephanie Reisinger. Without their attention to detail, devotion, and enthusiasm, this would not have been possible. Our next event is Awesome Con, and it is sure to live up to its moniker, so come out! You don't want to miss the fun.

Superior Spider-man demands you to try to come! 

AWA Gets A Shout Out!

Art Way Alliance was at the Alpha Kappa Alpha STEM and Leadership Summit on March 16, 2014 and had a great time. We even got a mention in The Examiner with other community leaders.

 [On] hand were the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), the Art Way Alliance and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, Inc. There were also stations titled Everyday STEM Fun=STEM Career, and STEM Girls Rock! Lastly there was a Parents only session titled Raising Children in the 21st Century.

Talk about good company! Click here to read the entire article. If you know of any other events and want AWA to be a part of them, feel free to contact us!

2014!

With 2013 behind us, we take pride in our inaugural year. Our events and classes were nothing short of spectacular, and we have you to thank for that!

Now as we formally welcome 2014, we are pleased to expand our reach across the DMV area. Our STEAM Character Creation class, hosted in conjunction with The Patriots Technology Training Center and taught by Darren Soto (our January featured artist), is just the beginning of our fantastic programs and events.

As you know, Art Way Alliance has long promised to expand our list of classes to feature in-depth instruction on the more advanced aspects of comic book creation. This year, AWA is currently offering an assortment of classes, including:

• Intro to Comic Book Creation/ Penciler, Inker, Colorist or Letterer Class 

• Create Your Own Character/ Character Designer Class 

• Create your Own Environment/ Background Artist Class 

• Comic Writer, Scripter & Illustrator Class 

• The Art of Storyboarding/ Sequential Art Class

AWA classes not only teach the fundamentals of comic book media and arts. They instill students with self-confidence in their abilities as artists and evaluators of the media they consume. Our instructors’ experiences in the industry provide insider information on possible opportunities to turn their talent into lasting careers. Our classes also have set curriculum that can be fined tuned to incorporate themes. Our STEAM classes in particular have been popular.

Our classes can accommodate up to ten kids per session and are “hands on.” Children learn by continually drawing throughout the classes while referring to teacher’s instructions, drawing tutorials, and of course, comic books. Materials are provided for the children.

We are always eager and willing to provide these classes to the DMV area. We work with schools to provide after school programs or partner with other non-profits to provide Saturday classes. If you or anyone you know is interested in coordinating a class or event with AWA, please let us know. We have also partnered with PTAs and can provide materials and presentations to interested parties.

Thank you! 

The Art Way Alliance Team