This month’s Comix Jam is taking place on January 27 at Shanghai Restaurant (631 Somerset) from 7 to 10 pm. The information below is from the DragonHead Studio’s website.
What is it, really?
A Comic Jam is when a bunch of cartoonists gather and draw comics together. There are jams in a lot of major cities in the states and here in Canada. There are monthly Toronto and Montreal jams that have been going on for several years. There are others in Maryland, San Francisco, Seattle and New York. The Ottawa Jams have been sporadic, but hopefully we can make them more regular!
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So, um…how does it.. How does it work?
“Bring a nice piece of paper, divide it up into segments, and start drawing (painting, colouring…). When you have filled one square you pass it to someone else and they fill the next square and pass it on. There are no rules, styles vary, stories unfold, people fall in love, wars break out, the world is knocked off it’s axis, Days of Our Lives is still on television, shit is fun.”
Thanks to: Aimée van Drimmelen’ Montreal Drink & Draw site
In general, jams proceed with several people working on each other’s stuff. Someone draws a panel, then passes it to another person and they draw the next panel, keeping the story going, then when finished, it gets passed to another, and another and another until everyone has drawn in it and then it comes back to the start. Depending on how late it is, the jam starts all over again. There are usually 1-4 stories going around at once so depending on the size of the group, no one should have to wait longer then 10-15 minutes for a strip.
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Why? For G*d’s sake, why?
It’s fun to draw together with other creative people, and it is also fun to do so in public and drink beer (or what have you). I have been hosting a 24 Hour Comic Event at DragonHead Studio for a couple of years and it is a blast 
Westin Church and I, along with other folks have also held infrequent “Drink and Draws”. This is sort’ve an expansion of that idea.
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Why are we gathering in a bar/ restaurant? Why not a community centre on a Sunday afternoon?
Alcohol, as well as being a good way to get a fire going, does the same for one’s creativity. You don’t need booze to draw, but for a jam, it seems to lubricate the Muse and make her a little more generous. The majority of animation artists and comic artists I’ve spent time with enjoy a pint, and some more memorable “Drink and Draws” have happened in bars, including unforgettable jams with Mik Casey.
An all-ages jam would be an enjoyable thing to organize on a semi-irregular basis in a community centre. But, I am a slacker, so until I get myself more organized, just getting other artists together in a bar to draw will be enough of a challenge.
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Can I draw “Wolverine”?
If you’d like to; go for it. Comic jams tend to be “anything goes”. The ones I’ve done have mostly been autobiographical, more indie-styled, but if you like drawing superheroes, why not? It’s for fun for goodness sakes’. As the beer flows though, watch out; you may discover Wolverine becomes more of a cross-dressing babe chaser than he usually is.
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How many people actually show up to this thing?
At one of the old Ottawa jams, there were over 20 people. Before Troy Little left to go back to P.E.I., there was one with an embarrassing tally of 2. I expect it might fluctuate between 4 – 12, depending on who is available, interested and in town. I can’t guarantee I’ll be there every time, but I’ll give it an honest try.
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Can I be a complete jerk? I mean it’s funny to be a jerk, right?
In general, artists, comic or otherwise, tend to be an easy-going group that gets boisterous as more booze is applied. But barring the usual shenanigans, no, being a jerk is not funny or cool. If you’re being threatening, incredibly disruptive, or disrespectful, you’ll be asked to leave.
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I’m a little nervous to come out to a Jam…
Unless you’re being a complete jerk (see above), approach the Jam with your art- making tools, enough dough for a couple of drinks and a song in your heart. You are coming to a place to draw and have fun. It’ll be ok.
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I might actually make it! Should I bring anything?
Most importantly, bring yourself. As well, it would be good to bring basic cartooning stuff: pencils, erasers, pens. You can go crazy and bring brushes, nibs and ink, or whatever you think you might need. And Paper, cheap paper. Grab some from the office, or just out of your printer at home. Staple some together or what-have-you. You can also just bring a sketch book with removable pages. And cookies. You can bring cookies
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Do you have publishing rights to my fine art?
No one does. It has always been an unwritten rule that whatever is done at the jams, becomes the property of the jam and has no copyright and is public domain. This is our gift to the world, or we’re too stupid (or lazy) to fill out paperwork.
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What becomes of my drawings?
It depends on whose jam book you drew in. If it is one of mine, with the DragonHead Studio logo on it, the artwork will hopefully be scanned and posted here. The jam book will be filed at the studio, and may (eventually) get published in P.O.D. form, if we create something truly memorable. Ya never know….
