Kilkenny Animated

Attendee category: 13-16 year olds

Cliodhna Lyons is a cartoonist and animator with almost two decades worth of experience in publishing comics. She also happens to be a treasured member of the Lighthouse Studios crew, and most recently served as assistant director on the Apple TV+ adaptation of Cece Bell’s graphic memoir, El Deafo.  

Cliodhna will be hosting two creative workshops at this year’s Kilkenny Animated – one a Mini Comic Book Workshop for kids aged 7-10 (read more about that here) and the other an Inking Workshop for Teens aged 13-16.  

So, what’s this Inking Workshop all about? Let’s find out. 

Cliodhna, tell us about your workshop. Who is it for?  

The Inking Workshop is aimed at teens aged between 13 and 16 years old who are interested in creating their own comic books. We will focus specifically on inking techniques using both nibs and brushes, exploring how different approaches, using different tools, can alter the entire feel of a drawing. 

Why do you feel that this is an important workshop for Kilkenny Animated?   

Learning the various techniques of inking and lettering by hand can really help a cartoonist understand the ‘hows’ and the ‘whys’ of inking. Although many comics are created digitally these days, the techniques still apply, whether the inking is done manually or digitally.  

You have facilitated this workshop before. What have the audiences’ reactions been?   

I’ve run this workshop once before as part of a bigger workshop on comics. The feedback from those that took part was very positive. The techniques were new to them, and they ended the session looking forward to exploring further on their own.   

What do you think would be an ideal outcome for the attendees – what do you hope they will gain from the event?   

I’d hope that this workshop will be a solid introduction to the various inking techniques and tools used in comic book making, and that participants come away excited and eager to try out everything they’ve learned.   

Do the attendees need to bring anything?    

No – but as we will be using ink, I’d highly recommend not wearing your nicest clothes! 

Find out how to book tickets for this and other Kilkenny Animated events over on the Kilkenny Animated website!

www.kilkennyanimated.com