When it comes to young readers, one might think doodling to be the arch nemesis for teachers. But one local library is taking a more graphic approach to getting kids interested in books.
Elementary students were creating their own characters instead of reading about them Friday, March 15, at Voorheesville Public Library. Matthew Laiosa gave the children a crash course in drawing and developing characters and before long, young imaginations were bringing zany characters to life. A few kids even developed their own comic strips and shared their tales.
Matthew Laiosa, a 26-year-old Slingerlands native, presented the first workshop in the library’s Comics Connect programs, which features three programs about character development and creation for graphic novels and comics. The program is a collaborative project of the Mohawk Valley Library System and the Upper Hudson Library System, with the library and school district receiving funds through the state Library’s Family Literacy Library services grant program.
Comics might not be a parent’s first choice when thinking of reading material for beginning readers, but Joyce Laiosa, head of the library’s Youth and Family Services and Matthew Laiosa’s mother, said it could spur interest in reading.
“What we are really about is trying to get parents that don’t believe comic books are reading, that this is really reading,” Joyce Laiosa said. “The visual use of pictures and words together helps with reading comprehension. Kids get more excited about reading, because they are getting to choose what they like.”
She said many early reader books have jokes that can fall flat with kids, but comics tend to be funnier to them.
“There isn’t a lot that gets them excited for the jokes,” she said. “The comics are more in line with where the children are.”
The Comic Character Quick Draw workshop was more popular with boys than girls, with 15 boys and three girls in attendance. Joyce Laiosa wasn’t surprised with the gender difference, because the grant is aimed at getting boys interested in reading. They are typically the gender least interested in reading.
“Between Lego building and technology, boys come to the library … and the comics do hook them,” she said. “There is a lot of comics for girls nowadays.”
Comics can also lead to kids enhancing their own creative expression.
“So many young people that read comics love to draw comics,” Joyce Laiosa said. “They don’t have an idea of how to get started, how to make their characters do things.”
Matthew Laiosa said he was always interested drawing and illustration, which led him to study it in college. Since graduating with a bachelor’s degree, he has been working on building his portfolio and has applied for grad school. He also wants to instill his love for the medium on a new generation.
“I wanted to focus on a step-by-step approach on how I create characters and once they have those basic tools then you can write any story because you can just keep on inventing characters,” he said.
He started off by showing the kids how to draw six main facial expressions and then gave a few examples on how to combine two expressions to make others, such as how disgust and sadness can combine to show pain.
Then, kids went through the process of developing a character, which involved picking an emotion, animal and occupation — leading to a confused, crocodile farmer for the example. This led him to show the various levels of illustration, starting with the “skeleton” to finished character.
The children then picked a conflict and basic storyline, with Matthew showing the process of creating panels to tell the story.
Two more workshops will be held at the library in the beginning of April, during students’ spring break from school.
Author and illustrator Sylvie Kantorovitz will read from “Go to Bed, Monster!” Wednesday, April 3, at 10:30 a.m., and have drawing games teaching about faces, expressions and characters in motion. No registration is necessary.
Then on Thursday, April 4, at 1:30 p.m., George O’Connor will share how he draws his characters and discuss his creative process. In his “Olympians” series he retells Greek myths through comics. Registration is required.
For information on upcoming programs and how to register visit the library’s website voorheesvillelibrary.org or call 765-2791. The library supplies any needed drawing materials for programs.