Cartoons and comics are everywhere and kids love them. Parents often hate the whiney voices and the sometimes-silly storylines, but for kids, this is fun. Comics draw on ancient storytelling forms – drawing pictures – and combine it with more modern techniques – words on paper – to form a totally modern form of art and storytelling: the comic strip.
Russell Merritt wants people to know that it is, indeed, an art form and he wants to help kids tell their own stories. So he began teaching cartooning, comic and Manga (a Japanese cartoon art form) classes last year. The show hanging at The Works Central Gallery through February 25 is the culmination of those classes.
Merritt taught four classes at The Works, an ongoing art class for a local homeschool group and a summer workshop at the Newark Public Library.
“I wanted these kids to be able to see their artwork hung in a gallery,” says Merritt. “I wanted them to be able to say, ‘I am an artist.’ I mean an artist now, not going to be an artist, or want to be an artist, but AM an artist. Everyone who draws and creates needs to know that financial success isn’t what makes an artist. Creating is what makes an artist. And these kids are definitely creating.”
The artists in Merritt’s classes range in age from 10 to 18. “If they’re interested in art, they’re welcome in my classes,” Merritt remarks. “Younger kids have a different ability than older kids, but what better time to start them into art? Cartooning is a great introduction to art because they are already watching and reading it. By teaching the classes I can show them that cartoons are, indeed art. It can be a springboard to other art subjects.”
Merritt points out that children already have a love and energy for art. “My goal is to be more of a caretaker or guide through the artistic process, not to tell them what to draw. I do provide some structure and guidelines so they can be better artists. I give them tools such as how to ‘see;’ to recognize things like perspective, depth, and shading so they can create better stories.”
The last thing he wants to do, says Merritt, is to crush them into a mold. He goes on to bring up the story in one of Leo Buscaglia’s books, which talks about creativity and individuality. This is a paraphrase of that story (from this author’s memory): One day in little Johnny’s kindergarten class, the teacher asked the kids to draw a tree. Most children drew trees with green leaves and brown trunks. When the teacher walked around the room, she was pleased … until she came to Johnny’s desk. Looking over his shoulder, she leaned in and said sternly, “Now Johnny, I’ve never seen a tree with purple leaves and a blue trunk, now have I?” to which Johnny replied, “Really? That’s too bad.”
“I will never tell them that what they’ve created is not acceptable,” notes Merritt. “I will show them how they can make it more dynamic for the page.”
Merritt’s teaching style is very loose. Even though he may have several students in a class, he gives individual attention. He’ll explain a technique, but then allow the kids to work independently while he walks around and helps each child.
“I try to stick to answering questions, not telling them,” explains Merritt.
Merritt strongly encourages parents not to criticize kids who are interested in reading comics. “Comics are just as valuable as any other reading material,” he says. “It creates a love of reading, improves spatial recognition – space and layout – and, in the instance of Japanese cartoons, gives kids a cross-cultural understanding. Kids who read comics are more creative and communicative, especially with other kids who read them.”
It may even inspire a career. Merritt says a large percentage of design/layout artists said they began their careers tracing pages in a comic book.
Japanese cartoons, Merritt explains tend to be less violent than American ones. “They tend to focus more on character interaction and relationships,” he says. He does say that there are adult genres of comics, so parents do need to be aware of what their kids are reading, just like in any other media. “Adult comics are not always sexually oriented, but can deal with adult issues of life, death and spirituality.”
In Europe and Japan, comics are not looked down upon as they are here, shares Merritt. “On a subway in Japan, you’ll see people of all backgrounds, even businessmen, reading comics. They’re also very popular in France.”
Merritt will be offering a number of comic/Manga classes again this year. For more information, contact The Works at 740-349-9277 or visit them online at www.attheworks.com.
bravenet.com