The Lakes International Comic Festival has published a report on its first ever project working with prisoners to learn and create comics. The pilot course running at HMP Haverigg in Cumbria earlier this year, with comic creator Mollie Ray and LICAF staff working to introduce learners to the variety of comics available – and then equip them with the technical skills to tell stories and produce an anthology comic together.
The “Comic Cons” pilot course ran over eight weeks, with input from Lakes International Comic Art Festival staff, Novus staff, and visiting artist Mollie Ray. The aim was to introduce learners to the variety of comics available and then equip them with the technical skills to tell stories and produce an anthology comic together.
Eight learners were recruited at short notice, some of whom already had an interest in and knowledge of comics, some of whom were fairly unfamiliar with the medium.
The course began with an introduction to the comic medium and a brief look at main comic features presented by LICAF staff. In later weeks, Mollie Ray, a published artist, looked more deeply at comic features and technical skills, helping the learners to develop their stories. In the other weeks, Novus staff worked with the learners to continue and develop their comics, by focussing on other art skills, such as use of colour. They also looked in detail at some comic books with a readers’ club.
In the final week the learners watched an online video tutorial from The Walking Dead artist Charlie Adlard and then finalised the stories for inclusion in issue one of the Comic Cons Anthology.
A limited number of copies of the anthology were printed, and a copy has been submitted for consideration to anthology has been submitted to The Koestler Arts Award.
The project went down well with involved learners and staff at HMP Haverigg, one learner now looking to further their creative skills after release.
“I never thought I would be able to make my own comic,” said one prisoner, while another commented, “It was the most enjoyable education course I have done in prison.”
“I love the comic book I created and I’m so proud of Haverigg for affording us the opportunity to do the course – thank you,” said another.
The Koestler Awards for arts in criminal justice started in 1962. Each year over 3,500 people in custody and in the community share their creative work by taking part. The Koestler Awards provide feedback and encouragement to entrants of all abilities in visual art, design, writing and music.
