The Learning Zone

Welcome to the student-led workshop series to be held in OCAD U Library Services: The Learning Zone. This special programming is presented in partnership by the OCAD U Library, and the Writing & Learning Centre (WLC) and supported by funding from the Ontario Post-Secondary Access and Inclusion Program, administered by the WLC.

We start this workshop series with a Character Design Workshop with Vincy Lim (Thursday Jan. 23) followed by André Freitas Digital Colouring For Comics Workshop (Friday Jan. 24).

Vincy Lim is a Chinese-Canadian non-binary sapphic illustrator and cartoonist whose work revolves around the themes of self-love, queerness, disability, and abuse. @kiwimii

Vincy will give a brief presentation about character design then share tips & techniques allowing time for constructive feedback in this hands-on workshop that will get you started on creating your own unique characters. 🎈🎈🎈

Participants are welcome to bring their own materials, such as their laptop + drawing tablet if desired, and are encouraged to bring reference photos of things that interest them in order to inspire the characters they create. Drawing materials will be provided.

The Digital Colouring For Comics Workshop led by comic artist André Freitas, will step you through various digital colouring techniques in comic design using Photoshop, including the all important flatting techniques used by colourists. Participants are encouraged to bring a laptop with Photoshop installed to follow along and experiment with the techniques being demonstrated.

André Freitas is an independent comic book artist, originally from Brazil who moved to Toronto to study at OCAD U. André graduated in Industrial Design from Faculdade de Belas Artes de Sao Paulo and has worked for publishers illustrating books and making comics. Since 2013 André has been self-publishing comics through crowdfunding in Brazil. André is a current OCAD U student and the International Student Representative for the OCAD Student Union. @yescabrita

Student-led workshops are open to all current OCAD U students. Stay tuned for student-led workshops coming in February 🔥🔥🔥

Salisa Jatuweeapong, a third year Digital Futures major presents blown-up comic panels and process sketches from her most recent work, How Do You Love The Storm? a non-linear comic about deciding to love.

How Do You Love The Storm?

It’s about those summer storms in your childhood that disappear just as quickly as they come; about tornado-winds that tangle heartstrings till it’s all knotted yarn; about the hurricane’s overcast being scary, too scary, of a shadow for you to breath in. In less metaphorical terms: it’s about three teenagers on a storm-chasing road trip figuring out emotions as they go.

Salisa got a lot of things she wants to do, and a lot of stories she wants to tell! Find her pretty much always yelling about these kids on Twitter (@salsaeatschips) or Instagram (@ica_agency).

On until September 30

Last March 13 and 14, the OCAD U Zine Fair took place at the lobby of 100 McCaul Street. This year, the event had its 11th anniversary.

The Learning Zone -as part of the OCAD University Library- has been an active space for the promotion and growth of a unique publication known as zines. The OCAD Zine Library houses and provides access to over 2500 zines and the collection is developing every year. By organizing the Zine Fair, the OCAD offers another initiative to inspire students.

11 years have passed since the first edition of the Zine Fair but the goals have remained the same. It is definitely a great opportunity to not just celebrate the creation of zines, but also to recognize and acknowledge the multiple aesthetic versions of these alternative publications. Different subjects and concepts were presented in the zines exhibited, from comics, art, fashion and politics, to sex, sexuality, and queer zines, among others.

Surrounded by music and stimulating energy the public engaged with creators/vendors. They asked questions and chatted about some techniques and formats of zines. One of the highlights of the event during all these years has been the opportunity of “Make a button”. Of course, this time it was not an exception and art lovers, creators, and the public, in general, were enchanted with the process and steps of creating their own buttons. Last but not least, it has been a tradition to create a poster in order to promote and provide an identity to the event, and this year it was designed by fourth-year student Natalie Mark.

Here, find the vendors and participants of the Zine Fair in its 11th edition:

Rebecca Suzanne Michie https://www.instagram.com/nausicaa.art/; Old Growth Press www.oldgrowthpress.ca; Rachel McCormick https://www.instagram.com/ayoitsrachelo/; Myshka instagram.com/mishsmam; Elise Conlin www.eliseconlin.com; The Blues https://akpaillustration.com/; Salisa Jat salisajat.format.com; Alyssa Pisciotto www.instagram.com/that_glitter_chick; Dalbert B. Vilarino www.dalbertbv.com; Project 40 Collective www.p40collective.ca; Clairandean www.instagram.com/clairandean; Gwendolyn McLuhan https://www.instagram.com/grendelline/; Kelly K www.okaykellyk.com; Kimberly Edgar www.kimberlyedgar.com; Isa  www.instagram.com/carefultarot; Zoë Martin a.k.a. Zome Loam www.kzoemartin.wix.com/zomeloam; The Sunday Night Bombers https://sundaynightbombers.com; Dairysam http://www.instagram.com/dairy.sam; Andre Freitas https://www.facebook.com/ozman.hq/; Cleopatria www.instagram.com/cleopatriia; Emily Fay Fin www.fayforest.com; Casey E Helm – VESTAIS www.instagram.com/vestais; Clara Lynas https://www.instagram.com/claralynas/; daikonbaby www.instagram.com/daikonbaby; Xiaoxiao Li. www.instagram.com/xiaoxli; Lina Wu https://www.instagram.com/linaw_u/; Madcrush.co  madcrush.co; Jercy Dee www.instagram.com/jercydee; Rabeea Syed https://www.instagram.com/rabeeasyed/; Maradecartoons www.instagram.com/maradecartoons; Kai Lumbang kailumbang.com; Emma Percy http://www.instagram.com/emmalucillepercy; creepazoidMonster https://www.instagram.com/creepazoidmonster/; Toadstool Illustrations https://linktr.ee/toadstoolillustrates; Nati Romero www.natiromero.com; Chuddi Collective https://www.instagram.com/bodoodley/; https://www.instagram.com/monsterjuice/;   https://www.instagram.com/sylvianowak/

  Poster design by Natalie Mark

In celebration of the 4th annual Mini-Comics Day, the OCAD Zine Library will be hosting a Mini-Comics day workshop in the Learning Zone on Friday March 7th, 11 – 2pm.

Students and members of the general public are invited to join the fun to create, celebrate or collaborate by making a comic zine!

Happy Mini-Comics Day!

Did you know that the OCAD Zine Library has French and bilingual zines? Mais oui! This is Canada, after all, et le français est l’une de nos langues officielles! (That’s “and French is one of our official languages,” for the Anglophones out there.)

On display right now in the Learning Zone is a selection of French and bilingual zines (pictured below). This is a great opportunity to widen your understanding of the Canadian experience! Even if you can’t read French, comics are a fun way to learn a new language — or even just to ingest some of the culture — because of how much they use images and other non-textual methods of communication.

If you can’t make it down in time for the display, ne vous inquiétez pas! Here’s a list of French and bilingual zines in our collection. As always, if you can’t find what you’re looking for in the Learning Zone, ask for help! That’s what we’re here for, after all.