Student Spotlight: Chris Brunner

This weeks student spotlight is the swiss army knife of the art world. He's done everything from comics to concept art to storyboarding, even toy design and packaging! We are proud to present Chris Brunner! 

Armed to the teeth with experience, talent, and a good sense of humor, Chris is a top notch artist and a top notch guy. He is actually SCAD Atlanta's tutor in Sequential Art and hosts a tutoring lab from 2pm to 4pm on Fridays. If you need someone to look to for help in concept art, storyboarding, coloring, lettering, almost anything you should give Chris a holler by booking an appointment through the tutoring center on mySCAD.

 His personal style mixes realism with exaggerated proportion. Acting as a team with Rico Renzi, long time friend and colorist, Brunner and Renzi's finished pieces exhibit vibrant and energetic palettes bringing us into an exaggerated and animated reality unique to their work.

He has had his hand in every part of making comics too. Even as far as post-production! According to his deviantart page his materials of choice include HB pencil, Zebra Brush Pen, Photoshop, Microns and Top menthol. His inspiration includes the work of Wally Wood, Ira Glass, and Jim Henson. 

This skill filled punk is one of the coolest cats in the department and we're happy to have him in the Temple of Cartoon Mojo. If you'd like to keep up with the kickstand kids, Rico and Chris, be sure to visit their blogspot, tumblr, and deviantart. 

Steven Universe Sketch Challenge

Hank Jones

Zach C. Driggers

Quentin Peterson

Anderson Carman

Jasmine Mimms

Jaime Franks

Student Spotlight: Em Barnard

Our first student spotlight of Fall Quarter is a Sequential Art undergrad infamous for both her work ethic and personal style. Fashionable, artistically unique, and hard working, Em Barnard is a storytelling worth talking about. Her narratives touch on subjects that are hard to swallow such as bullying and coping with anxiety. Terrifyingly real, her comics showcase intense emotion throughout the discourse of the story and sometimes even explores a more fantastical element through the supernatural. Not to say Em doesn't have a sense of humor. She also makes small personal strips and doodles about her daily life in a simpler, sketchier style.

Em didn't get into comics until going to SCAD's summer seminars her senior year of high school. Much like a passion for comics, inspiration can come from anywhere and strike at any time! Her inspiration lies in a variety of web comics, such as Tessa Stone's Hanna's Not A Boy's Name, and a wide range of European comics. Between her organic use of line and her library of rough textures, Em's work demonstrates a contrast between the environments and the characters that harkens back to Cartoon Network's 2008 series The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack. Below are two pages from her short comic Kodama.

Em doesn't just apply her storytelling chops to comics either! She has an interest in storyboarding and character design as well. Example boards below from Amatures (Warning: A  single cuss word.)

We are honored to have Em Barnard as a member and we expect amazing things from her! If you'd like to contact Em or check out more of her work be sure to visit her website or email her at EmarettoHB@gmail.com!

Happy Fall Quarter Everyone (Important Updates)

Some things have changed this year for Temple of Cartoon Mojo. Here are some updates;

• Meetings will be in Room 383 (the room next to 389!)
• Temple begins at 12pm every Friday and goes until 4pm.
• Sketch Challenges will start at 2pm. 

Sketch Challenges will be voted on before the sketch challenge begins (approx. 1:30pm, give or take a few minutes). Whichever suggestion gets the most votes will be our sketch that week. You must be attending Temple to vote!

Also, we will NOT be meeting the 1st week of school. Get cozy back into school life this week. We'll convene the 2nd week of school for free food, nerd talk, and most importantly fun!!!

Let's get pumped! It is going to be a great year!

Important Message from Pat Quinn

I hope that this finds everyone doing well and ready for a great labor Day weekend!!
I know that there has been some concern about the leadership in the department following Shawn Crystal’s departure, so I’d like to announce that we do indeed have a new leader.
As of August 31st I am relinquishing my role as Associate Dean and starting September 2nd, I will be stepping into the role of Associate Chair for the Sequential Art department in Atlanta. 
I am excited about this opportunity and I look forward to working with all of you. I can’t fill the shoes of Shawn, nor will I try. Rather, my intent is to walk the same path in my own way with the same goals mind. Thanks to you Shawn for your teaching, leadership and for bringing the eyes of the industry to the department.
Will there be some changes to the department? Yes.
The biggest change that you will see right off the bat is…we are MOVING! SEQA’s main location has been room 347, which has been great. We are moving out of that space and will be relocating across the hall next to ILLU. Our classes will primarily be in 384 and 389, with a few classes taking place in 373 and 316. (Your schedules should reflect the move…if you haven’t registered, please do so asap.) I believe that the closer proximity of the classes will give us a better sense of identity and a bigger home base. Your faculty member’s offices will be around 384 while my office will be 388.
Mark your calendars: GENERATE is Friday Oct. 3rd – Saturday Oct. 4th and it looks like it may exceed last year’s excitement in every way possible. More news on that as it develops. I recommend that you adjust your schedules accordingly. We will use 384 and 389 for this event.
I certainly hope to inform you of more good news as the quarter, and academic year, moves forward.
Thanks for your patience with me as I adjust to this new role. I believe that change, positive change, requires a catalyst and that it is up to us to either become or initiate that catalyst. I hope that you will all join me in embracing the coming changes. Let’s make some comics!

-PQ