Manga Manga Manga!

Teens love manga, the Japanese style of comic books, and many fans try their hand at writing and illustrating their own manga. Now they can get advice and insider tips during free drawing workshops at the Springfield City Library led by Bettina Kurkoski, the published and award winning artist of My Cat Loki. Bettina will give fans an inside look into the life of a manga artist and how she got into the industry. From a step-by-step walkthrough of her working process (scripting and storyboarding, toning and lettering, and everything in between) and tools of the trade, to tips and techniques to get you started on your own manga. Teens can bring their own work for a mini-critique session following the discussion.

Sign up for one of these workshops:

Monday, July 21, 6-8 pm, Central Library Community Room, 220 State Street;

Tuesday, July 22, 11 am-1 pm, Pine Point Branch Library, 204 Boston Road;

or Tuesday, July 22, 2-4 pm, Forest Park Branch Library, 380 Belmont Avenue.

Teens can call 263-6828, ext. 425 or sign up online at http://www.springfieldlibrary.org/

Kurkoski grew up in Western Massachusetts in Montague, and now lives in Plymouth, where she works as a freelance illustrator. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth in 1996 with a BFA in Illustration, she entered Tokyopop's Rising Stars of Manga 2 competition in 2003, and placed as a runner-up. Though My Cat Loki is Bettina's first professionally published series, she also illustrated the convention exclusive cover for Star Trek the Manga: Shinsei Shinei, both cover and short story "Communication Breakdown" for Star Trek the Manga: Kakan ni Shink ou and her latest, Warriors: Rise of Scourge, all available from Tokyopop.

A regular guest at Springfield Library Chibiconn, and a familiar artist on the New England Anime convention circut, Bettina is one of the most giving library guests we have ever hosted. Her workshop is HIGHLY recommended by this Anime Librarian!

Sarah H-W

Springfield city Library