Monday, February 04, 2008

HI-EX AFTERMATH --PART ONE

Hello all, i'm back from my little trip to Inverness, and what a trip it was. Once i got there i was sorry to hear that because of heavy snowfall, some guests couldn't make the weekend. I feared that the weather would also mean the weekend would be a slow one, with small attendance. Thankfully, that wasn't the case. I has kept busy all weekend, as were all the other artists, as much as i could tell.

Afraid i didn't take many photos, but i robbed these two from the Forbidden Planet Blog




















The very talented Dave Kendall and myself sketching for fans
(well, Dave's sketching. I'm taking a picture of a sketch i just drew)


Funny story to go with that pic. When i took the photo of my sketch i accidently knocked something off the table. "Oh no" i thought, " i hope i didn't drop my new digital camera!" Never fear dear reader, cuz it turned out i knocked my open bottle of India Ink straight on to my lap!!! Thank god i was wearing black trouseres is all i can say!

Was kept busy sketching for most of saturday. Sunday too. I was asked to cover for some of the guests who didn't make it, so i rather hillariously was on the 'Script Writing Workshop' and 'Brits in the USA' panels. I also was part of the 'Pitching to Comics/Portfolio Review'. Most of the panels i was on were with 2000AD writer Al Ewing, who had me in stitches all weekend. What a funny man.


















Myself fith fellow indie folk Paul Scott and Graeme Neil Reid at the Indie Comics panel

The one panel i did that i was originally supposed to do in the first place was the 'Indie Comics' panel, where my fellow panelists and i discussed the pros and cons of getting involved in the scene of independent comics. To be fair, without meaning to, i think we gave the indie scene a negative slant, just by describing how hard it can be, but i think we pulled it together with a positive outlook in the end. I definately made it clear that without being involved in indie comics, i would not be where i am today.

I must say that with all the panels i was on, i developed a taste for it. I certainly got into the habit of cracking jokes/smart comments on stage and making fun of the audience, so hopefully people found my presence on the panels entertaining, rather than irritating. I'm pretty sure i mentioned Bob Byrne in every panel, and tried to make myself seem cooler by telling people i knew him. I may have pretended to be him, once or twice.....

The other panels were quite fun. With the Writing Panel, i managed to let aspiring writers know what they could do to make an artist-friendly script. I got to see some grat talent with the Portfolio Reviews, and vented some steam at the Brits in the USA panel, while also maintaining i was neither British or American.

I popped in to see the Charity Auction at one stage, where there were some great pieces going ridiculously cheap. I put in a bid for this Trevor Hairsine piece....























......and won! Won't say what i got it for, but i can honestly say it was a steal. In fact, i could have gotten it cheaper, but i raised my bid just to make sure that i got it, and no one else.

I took a couple of photos of sketches i did, i'll post them soon, along with more info on my Hi-Ex experience.

Later,


Dec.

7 comments:

Alan (with one L) said...

now I'm really gutted - but hey NY is next

Stephen Mooney said...

Great report man- thats the same reason I like to do panels, just to make fun of other people. Basically to be a bully. Although making fun of YOU on panels is the MOST fun... sigh, good times...

Declan Shalvey said...

Hey Alan, yeah, shame ye couldn't make it.

Don't worry Steve, i made a lot of fun of myself too. That whole self-deprecation thing i do was in overdrive.

Alma Ryan said...

Great to hear the weather didn't feck it all up!:) awesome sketch you got too!

Unknown said...

Hey, just wanted to say that Hi-Ex was bril, and that Green Lantern sketch in the picture was actually done for me!

T've actually got it scanned if you want that, rather than the photo you took.

Bob Byrne said...

Hey bro, sounds deadly. Look at you all panelled and all. Fair play for bigging me up. Will give Will a copy of the book for you tonight.
x

Declan Shalvey said...

Hey Graeme,

Was it? Yeah do, send it on, i was pretty happy with how it turned out. Twas great to meet yeh man.

Bob, bigging you up is my favourite hobby.

Alma, i'll have you know that was no sketch, that was an actual inked piece of art from an X-men comic!