Children's author holding workshop with kids on creating comics

As a P.E.I. children's author, Dave Atkinson said he enjoys going to schools and speaking with kids about writing and the creative process.

Comic-Con

On Friday, April 28, Atkinson is going to be speaking with kids about another creative activity he's involved with — comics — at the Comic-Con workshop at the Confederation Centre Public Children's Library.

"Some of my earliest memories are finding the newspaper, bringing it inside the house, ripping it apart so I could read the comics page. And, I absolutely loved them … like Calvin and Hobbes," said Atkinson on CBC P.E.I.'s Mainstreet.

Atkinson, known for his books Wereduck and Cure for Wereduck, got involved with creating comics when he noticed them popping up online around 2005.

At first, Atkinson said he only read online comics, but then decided to give creating them a try one year on Hourly Comic Day. The event, which occurs on Feb. 1 each year, asks participants to create a short comic about what they do during hours of the day and post them online.

"I can draw stick figures. I can do that. So, I did," he said.

Atkinson said the experience turned into a passion. Creating comics allowed him to apply the art of storytelling in a visual way.

'It's a thing that I do and I love it'

"I'm not a professional comics guy. I'm not anything like that. I post some comics on the internet and people seem to like them. But, it's a thing that I do and I love it."

The workshop is on April 28 and begins at 2 p.m. It is free and intended for children ages five to 11. An adult and teen Island Comic-Con event begins at 6 p.m.

At the children's version, Atkinson said it doesn't matter if the participants already know how to draw.

"I'm going to give them some simple tricks to help them tell some simple stories [and] make them funny," he said.

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