July 4th-July 10th, 2020 Creator Babble Archive
The archive for the Creator Babble chat that occurred from July 4th, 2020 to July 10th, 2020. The chat focused on the following question:
What was an unexpected aspect of making webcomics you didn’t realize before making one yourself?
Krispy §[Ghost Junk Sickness]§
How much our comic and it's story we're going to change during the years of creation was the biggest and most jarring aspect for sure. There's scripts and thumbs that were all made before we ventured out to make GJS with paths completely different from what we initially thought we would take that have completely changed how we approach not only writing but reading webcomics too. Webcomics as a medium have the biggest connection to time, whether it be production or the consumption, they have this opportunity to exist and transform in the long hours it takes to enjoy and read them. It's honestly one of the biggest advantages imho. To see a story slowly unfold, listening to ur audience reactions, peer critiques, or new inspiration can make such a drastic and intense impact on a long form work- its both jaw dropping and humbling to be apart of!(edited)
Deo101 [Millennium]
For me it was the community aspect of comics. I knew a community existed on the reader side of things (comments!), but I didn't expect the creator side to be how it is! I don't know why, but for some reason I kind of always thought that all of us were sort of throwing our comics out from the void... I guess that was me looking at comics from a reader's point of view! But as soon as I started making comics, I started meeting people who made them too... and it's been incredible!
Eightfish (Puppeteer)
@deo I never really understood what an internet community or internet friends were until I started making a webcomic
Deo101 [Millennium]
Yeah, I had been in (and quickly decided to not be in 0_0) gaming communities, but nothing really as wonderful as what I've found through comics. Closest I had gotten other than that was comments on social media
Shizamura 🌟 O Sarilho
Community definitely one of the big things, much like Deo pointed. I was kinda expecting to have get connections through readers, but it's much more with other creators, which is super satisfying in it's own way. Also gonna second Krispy's comment about how time affects how you see your story's past and future. A lot of things changed in the past four years that made my comic change as well and having so much time to think each individual scene allows them to be much more complex and interesting than they would when I first thought them through. Having the time really helps. This also kinda touches the topic of personal change too, which affects how I write and what feels most important to focus on and that's interesting to think about as well
eliushi [Keyspace]
How long things will take, the longer the story goes on! I started out being able to complete a page in 2h but then I found more I wanted to try on each page (colours, layout, composition etc) and even wanted to extend certain scenes. With 500 pages planned, I definitely thought I’d be farther along by now, heading into AWT’s first year anniversary in a month. That being said, I’m also enjoying the ride and it’s all thanks to the great community here and making connections with other comics folks/readers. I never expected to get comments and so each one has been a treasure to read.
Desnik
An unexpected aspect of making webcomics is how much people respond to them. I figured I'd be creating into a void but I met so many people as a result of publishing my dinosaur comic
shadowhood {SunnyxRain}
Ditto on the webcomic community. I didn't realize how far reaching it was to have a community that supports each other. And I've enjoyed meeting so many wonderful and creative people who raised each other up. Another thing I didn't expect, however, was how invested I got into my comic.(edited)
At first I was doing it mostly for fun. But the more I delved into it, the easier it was to get sucked into my story and want to draw it out. And as a result taking it a lot more seriously.
Desnik
yeah sometimes I miss my dinosaur comic even though I had some pretty good reasons for moving on. It was created out of desperation and evolved into something that made me feel good about myself
Haruh2 (Colony Life)
How much work and time it takes to keep a weekly update going with no backlog
Deo101 [Millennium]
Yeah same
Cronaj ~{Whispers of the Past}~
For me, I didn't realize how much it would affect my life to make comics, and vice versa. In a weird way, I didn't know how interrelated the two were, or how easily life could interfere with my comic, or the inverse.
eliushi [Keyspace]
Making comics became a lifestyle for me
@Haruh2 (Colony Life) When I had no backlog I was updating every two weeks with 7 pages per update; so about 14h of work. But this is with a finished script. I am also told I work fast.
Eightfish (Puppeteer)
omg
Cronaj ~{Whispers of the Past}~
That's soooo much, Eli!
That's at least twice as much as I do (edited)
Eightfish (Puppeteer)
For me, I didn't realize how much it would affect my life to make comics, and vice versa. In a weird way, I didn't know how interrelated the two were, or how easily life could interfere with my comic, or the inverse.
I hadn't realized how much I put myself into my comic! My friends who read it have all said that it's incredibly in my voice and reflects my opinions and worldviews Before I shared it with people I hadn't thought of it in that way at all
Joichi [Hybrid Dolls]
As an artist, I didn't expect how my comic production and mindset will change. Once I started comics, it brought out my ideas from thoughts to a physical form. I start to invest more time into it. Each project evolved through each chapter. How to balance script writing to a polished piece. I put alot of time and research in my works. It makes me glad to hear other creators do the same. I'm not the crazy artist who's wasting her time. One of the positive change was meeting other creators, how we give advice and receive praise.(edited)
eliushi [Keyspace]
The support has been amazing. It makes the work less lonely
Cronaj ~{Whispers of the Past}~
Fish, oh for sure! I didn't realize until recently how much my characters are all just facets of myself!
eliushi [Keyspace]
(I don’t work that quickly anymore and I’m making big changes to the format soon so it’s going to be a Transition)
Joichi [Hybrid Dolls]
I've been in school with art students who never made comics, so when I came to CTP discord, reading comic discussions. It was comforting and fun. I enjoy the cooperation our group has, helping each other.
eliushi [Keyspace]
I like to commiserate about the unique challenges comics have
Cronaj ~{Whispers of the Past}~
Hahaha, yeahhhhh
Joichi [Hybrid Dolls]
I agree, it's different from illustrations. Different approach(edited)
eliushi [Keyspace]
I am perpetually balancing time spent on a panel vs how much time the reader will spend on it
Vs illustration: lemme make all the details
Joichi [Hybrid Dolls]
Oh I agree, each panel takes longer than it takes to read it. Hence I dislike when readers call manga creators 'lazy'
Eightfish (Puppeteer)
how much time does it take to read one of my pages?
20 seconds?(edited)
haha
e.e
wait is that emoji supposed to be someone rolling their eyes??
i jsut looked it up
i might've been using it wrong this whole time
Cronaj ~{Whispers of the Past}~
Pacing
It's way different than in novels, and definitely came as a shock at the start
eliushi [Keyspace]
Yeah have to play to the strength of the medium. Still imagining AWT as an animated movie written from a novel, in the format of a comic
Cronaj ~{Whispers of the Past}~
Haha, same kinda
Haruh2 (Colony Life)
@eliushi [Keyspace] ah haha, that makes me feel better about my update habits, but thats a good goal for me to shoot for now that im learning a new way to make long comics specifically
cAPSLOCK (Tailslide)
I completely underestimated the amount of effort that would have to go into formatting, website design and maintenance, etc. If I got to do it again, a little more research beforehand probably would’ve saved me a lot of time and hassle.
snuffysam (Super Galaxy Knights)
I really overestimated the "if you build it they will come" aspect of webcomics lol. Like, you actually have to work to advertise your comic in order for people to read it. Nobody ever got hundreds of readers just from posting their comic onto some hosting site without doing major marketing work.(edited)
dako
yeah, I feel that
I've never really been an advertising type before my comic, im learning to just get used to it
Deo101 [Millennium]
I've not really done much advertising tbh, it makes me uncomfortable
dako
it feels kinda...embarrassing? might be too harsh of a word
i dunno
Deo101 [Millennium]
its just uncomfortable idk! i feel awkward doing it
dako
yeah, same ive done it a few times on reddit but i have to force myself
Haruh2 (Colony Life)
it does feel, odd..hell most of the time it just feels like i open the door to my house and toss a bunch of paper to the wind hoping someone can see it
Deo101 [Millennium]
yeah, I dont know if ive done anything other than posting updates on twitter and talking about it in groups like this
and twitter is mostly just me talkin to people who already read it...
idk talking about my work without being asked first makes me feel like im inserting myself where im not allowed
keii’ii (Heart of Keol)
Self promo got MUCH less intimidating for me when I started thinking of it like: "okay, so my comic is made for readers like me, people who share my tastes. That means I only need to answer one question: what can I say to get me to check out this comic? I don't need to impress anyone else. I just need to appeal to me." (since "me" is my target audience)
Deo101 [Millennium]
mhm ^^
keii’ii (Heart of Keol)
But take it with a grain of salt because I'm still not really promoing
Haruh2 (Colony Life)
exactly, thats why i find it hard to tweet about it most of the time, but i get the whole if i dont care about to talk without being asked no one else will either
Deo101 [Millennium]
yeah lmao mood im like what would get me to read... hmmm... probably exactly what im doing.... I'll keep it up then :)
Haruh2 (Colony Life)
yea i get excited to draw out certain parts..but wouldnt want to just tweet about all the little tidbits of the story ruining it for others
Deo101 [Millennium]
sweats
dako
i made a whole side twitter for my comic cuz talking about it on my main intimidated me too much
it is my containment chamber
Haruh2 (Colony Life)
hm may do that, just to say i did it and to get my mind away from the thought
snuffysam (Super Galaxy Knights)
yeah same
Deo101 [Millennium]
My main is just whatever I want it to be idk. Its kinda for all my comics, since my comics are all I want to talk about
snuffysam (Super Galaxy Knights)
though my main is mostly just retweeting from my side twitter lol
Deo101 [Millennium]
it removes a lot of the pressure of like what if my followers dont wanna see this??
cause they wouldnt be here if they didnt wanna see it
cause its all Ive been doing the whole time
dako
thats a good point
i had my main way before my comic so most of my mutuals/followers dont follow for that
Haruh2 (Colony Life)
yea, it can feel abit disorienting when there is no interaction one way or another on anything you tweet (also if twitter has messed up and causes your tweets to not show up)
Deo101 [Millennium]
but yeah I dont really advertise cause it just makes me so uncomfortable >.<
dako
understandable
Cronaj ~{Whispers of the Past}~
I'm kind of somewhere in between. I advertise my comic mostly because it is all I wanna talk about, like Deo. But I also don't think it's gotten me many readers. Most of my readers came as far as I can tell because I was making something that appealed to them. (The whole "if you build it, they will come" thing.) Although, I really don't have a big audience, I do have an audience, and I am certain most of them came from me just posting.
I think it's determined a lot by luck, and also, how big your niche's audience is to begin with (and some skill tbh).
Deo101 [Millennium]
yeah like I think "gay sci fi" is a p big niche so ive got a big amount of people I could potentially reach
which makes it much easier to draw people in
Cronaj ~{Whispers of the Past}~
I'm particularly lucky, I guess, that fantasy/romance has a lot of readers (also more competition, but...)
Deo101 [Millennium]
yeah fantasy romance is a damn big one
Haruh2 (Colony Life)
eh i think im in an awkward void with my action/drama story (since im not doing romance drama)
Cronaj ~{Whispers of the Past}~
I just go with the mindset: "what makes my fantasy/romance different from the rest" and go from there.
Deo101 [Millennium]
mhm
tbh I dont think my sci fi romance is doing anything special?
but im having fun so :) I dont rlly care about that hahahha
dako
having fun the most important thing
Deo101 [Millennium]
its not my goal to make somthing mindblowing ^^ truley im just here for a good time
Cronaj ~{Whispers of the Past}~
I mean, LGBT+-inclusive sci-fi is pretty unique
I haven't seen a lot
keii’ii (Heart of Keol)
It's clear that your characters are people, and that's special, regardless of how common/uncommon
dako
think if i didnt love my comic as much as i do id have stopped a long time ago
Deo101 [Millennium]
thats true keiiii, thank you <3
also yeah its Sad that theres not more LGBT+ sci fi cause its like youve got aliennnssssssssssssssssssss you can do whatever you waaaaaant
Cronaj ~{Whispers of the Past}~
I knooowww
Deo101 [Millennium]
guess it shows what ppl want or something
Cronaj ~{Whispers of the Past}~
yup
Deo101 [Millennium]
off topic
so to make it back on topic
I underestimated how much people would like gay sci fi GJKLAGJLAJLKAGJSLAKGJKL
keii’ii (Heart of Keol)
One thing I learned specifically with my current comic... I did not realize how much difference the reader's cultural background would make in terms of interpreting my story.
Deo101 [Millennium]
!!!!!
I actually almost mentioned you in class once tbh keiii
keii’ii (Heart of Keol)
Big oversight, in retrospect
!?
Deo101 [Millennium]
saying "someone I know makes a comic which they noticed, it's interpreted completely differently just depending on cultural backgrounds" kind of a thing
keii’ii (Heart of Keol)
like I would not have made the comic any different, but I would have approached the... presentation differently. Like, talk about it differently
Deo101 [Millennium]
cause we were talking about how narratives affect rt
Cronaj ~{Whispers of the Past}~
I guess another thing that was unexpected about making webcomics was... there are way more people with my exact tastes than I thought
Deo101 [Millennium]
and I was saying that I think the viewer's narrative affects art more than the artists narrative
I mean, the artists narrative obviously is what makes it so.
keii’ii (Heart of Keol)
In the eyes of the beholder
Deo101 [Millennium]
but interpretations and all that... yeah!!!
so. actually I might have offhandedly mentioned you I cant remember if I did or not
lemme check
I did! very like "second hand" offhandedly mentioning though ahaha
hope that doesnt make you uncomfortable GSKLGSJALGJLGK no one replied to me so e.e
in the class I mean
keii’ii (Heart of Keol)
I am super uncomfortable and offended !!!!!
j/k
Deo101 [Millennium]
hgjkghsjkagskajgdhsakgjhgjd
but... yeah idk starting out I truly just was making it cause I really love my characters a lot, the idea that other people would like them too is very unexpected :) in a good way
I also definitely didnt expect how important enviornments were e.e
didnt plan those well enough.
Cronaj ~{Whispers of the Past}~
that relatable feel
sssfrs (JOE IS DEAD)
I really desperately advertise my comic everywhere. I don't really know how to do marketing effectively though & I don't know if its working
eliushi [Keyspace]
I find what increased readership most consistently is still the feature aspect from the hosting sites. It’s really about finding the right readers/right readers finding you
Eightfish (Puppeteer)
Same, I'm basically a rounding error away from being 100% reliant on the features for subs
sssfrs (JOE IS DEAD)
I don't think my comic has ever been featured on the hosting sites. My numbers have always been low on Tapas and maybe thast why
Cronaj ~{Whispers of the Past}~
Yeah, features help a lot
I've been featured on Webtoon, but not Tapas, and you can really see the difference in readership there
Deo101 [Millennium]
Ive been featured on both, uhh in a couple of diff places, if you wanted a breakdown of how many readers i got from the diff spots and stuff ever just lmk im happy to share
keii’ii (Heart of Keol)
I've been featured on both. It certainly got people to check it out and even sub, but retaining those people (even if they've subbed!!!) is a different story. I think my story is just not the right type for the platforms, but eh, even if 99% of the platform users aren't into the kinda thing I'm making, 1% increase is still an increase.
Which is another thing I learned over the course of running this comic, specifically (since the internet has changed so much after my first two attempts). Just because the majority of your subs don't actually read the comic, doesn't mean your work sucks. Today's internet caters to casual users, and there's a bajillion factors affecting who's actually reading your stuff.
dako
i agree
my comic has never been featured on either, and webtoons doesnt have a guideline on what they pick but tapas does and my comic doesnt really meet their featuring requirements so i dont think either site ever will feature mine haha
so i gotta advertise on reddit and use twitter tags a lot
keii’ii (Heart of Keol)
Don't go too crazy with twitter tags; they can make people zone out and not look at your tweet.
dako
i try to use 5 at the most, i know too many is unpleasant to look at haha
Jib {WIP haha}
Oh huh, my rule of thumb is to use 1-2 on twitter and as many as I can on Insta but I’m no expert lol
keii’ii (Heart of Keol)
Yeah, IG seems to be where you want all the tags XD
varethane
Webtoon's algorithms are like turning a hose on and off lol
The difference between views and sub growth during periods of being featured vs not is stark(edited)
carcarchu
i've never been featured by webtoons but i've seen series grow from 100 followers to 10k overnight
not an exaggeration
varethane
I put my new comic on webtoon in november 2019, and in 1 month I crawled up to.... maybe 50 subs?(granted I only put up one episode and then paused for a bit)
Then in December I started updating it weekly and got placed in the new and hot section of the app
And bam, 6k subs
It last 2 weeks and then the section updated and all growth stopped, and subs went down by 10 or so over the next week
Krispy §[Ghost Junk Sickness]§
(Omg featured is like the new Daily Deviation goals from DA way back in the day!)
varethane
Until it got another feature on a different part of the website and went up another 2k. It was like playing with the handle on a faucet lol
dako
I got some pretty good growth during canvas week, but beyond that not really
I get 1-2 subs after an update if I'm lucky
varethane
I feel like their algorithms are very reliant on the regular rotation of features that staff have to do manuallt
Outside of that, discoverability is quite weak
Mostly because of the volume of comics on there
boogeymadam
same boat as vare. the only thing i know about webtoons features is they have stated a couple times one of their recquirements is consistant updating, so if u skip a week that disqualifies u for a lil while i imagine
varethane
I wonder what they count as consistent. I was doing every 2 weeks for awhile, but this month I'm gonna try weekly to see if it helps me earn more $$ from ads :U
dako
I wish there was more incentive for readers to check out the new section on webtoons and tapas
carcarchu
i have found some amazing gems in the new section
i swear i've seen stuff in featured that were not at all updated consistently
dako
I have too, there's a ton of good comics that get overlooked because they're not in the front page
some featured comics havent updated in months sometimes
varethane
I definitely would not have considered myself consistent at the time of the first feature, considering there was a gap of a month between episode 1 and 2 lpl
carcarchu
the consistently updating thing is more of a recommendation than a requirement i feel?(edited)
boogeymadam
ooohh good to know!!
varethane
I'm sure it cant be a hard rule, especially for comics that have just launched
boogeymadam
im just going off their canvas qna's from last year
dako
if it's actually a hard rule for staff to feature comics that regularly update they break that rule a lot
i also heard a bot picks up comics too
carcarchu
well i at least think the staff or bots or whatever at webtoons are doing a better job with features than tapas is
tapas is always pushing their premium comics way more than their indie stuff
boogeymadam
tapas needs to bring new comics onto the frontpage more often than it does, yeah
dako
yeah I agree
keii’ii (Heart of Keol)
I mean, I get why they put premium on the front page. But I feel more variety would help them because it's more interesting for the readers?
dako
I can't tell whats premium or not with tapas sometimes
boogeymadam
i do like that they've been asking stuff like this in the forums tho
carcarchu
more distinction would be helpful to me too dako
i don't think its as clear as it could be
dako
yeah, webtoons at least it's clear what is and what isnt featured or canvas
Jib {WIP haha}
Huh, anyone remember that really popular writing podcast? I forgot the name
Or have any recommendations I guess
Moral_Gutpunch
Terrible writing advice? It's sarcastic
snuffysam (Super Galaxy Knights)
is this related to the topic?
Moral_Gutpunch
It's a podcast about writing, so I'm going to say yes.
keii’ii (Heart of Keol)
I think snuffysam meant the weekly topic for the channel
Moral_Gutpunch
Oh
Just for this channel, no. I'm too new to know that.
Cronaj ~{Whispers of the Past}~
Please check #rules
Moral_Gutpunch
Sound more like someone forgot context than the rules
That's why I'm hardly here. I don't know stuff people who've been here for a long time know like podcasts or older comics(edited)
keii’ii (Heart of Keol)
Basically each of the channels under "CTP Activities" on this server has its own topic of the week.
Cronaj ~{Whispers of the Past}~
It's not a matter of being here for a long time or not. This channel is used solely for discussing the weekly topics, and such information can be found in #rules
Moral_Gutpunch
Kudos then. I came for creator babble only.
keii’ii (Heart of Keol)
For general webcomic creation-related advice (either seeking or giving) and such, #shop_talk usually is the place!
creator_babble is for answering the topic of the week
It's not actually for generalized "creator babble" despite the name.
dako
looks like they left
Jib {WIP haha}
Oh my bad, it’s been a while since I read the rules, I brought up the new subject
keii’ii (Heart of Keol)
Happens!
Cronaj ~{Whispers of the Past}~
No problem, we were just reminding you all :)
Jib {WIP haha}
Ty for that then haha
dako
I think one unexpected thing for me is that no one tells you how crazy the highs and lows can be
well I guess people do but you really don't know until the highs and lows happen to you if that makes sense
Cronaj ~{Whispers of the Past}~
Oh God, that's so true
Burnout is way more dreadful than I could ever guess prior to experiencing it
Feather J. Fern
One unexpected thing for me was how many people I would meet because of my comic. It surprised me greatly that I found so many cool people through the comic community and made the friends I have made now. Love you all
rajmews
The unexpected thing for me was just how much you have to just...predict...what the market will want to read. Like even if you research a whole lot, and you draw really well, and have been doing art professionally, you can still strike out. It's a humbling experience, but being able to just let go of poorly received pages and move on and try things differently is a lot of the battle for doing a webcomic. It teaches you how to fail gracefully because...it's all a process of learning your readers better. Even if they're few at first.
LadyLazuli (Phantomarine)
My major unexpected thing was how much my initial ideas change as I work through a page. Everything from the expressions, dialogue, and layout can change as I look at it and 'solve' it more closely than I did in thumbnails. There are pages I look back on and realize they are ENTIRELY different than what I had first sketched. And they're better for it. Allowing myself the freedom to edit during the artwork... it's created some majorly awesome opportunities.
Deo101 [Millennium]
Yes!!!!! Me too!!!
It's exciting thoufh
Eightfish (Puppeteer)
Absolutely same
Could plan something out meticulously but then change it in the last 2 secs before uploading
Deo101 [Millennium]
Yup... I don't thumbnail much ahead of where I'm at cause of this(edited)
I thumbnail a scene at a time, and then usually I end up changing stuff halfway through ahahfjjdkskdkss
varethane
Same hat, haha. I often make changes at every stage-- even the thumbnails will often depart from the script. If anything, I wish I made even more changes-- I feel like my page layouts tend to be pretty standard, I do a lot of pages with the 3 rows of 2 panels each, and I want to break out of that more. But... well, that's a work in progress.
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Things to Do in Vancouver this Weekend: September 28, 2017
The Vancouver International Film Festival begins! Plan your upcoming weeks wisely to make sure and catch a few of the 300+ films from around the world. Also opening is a photography show about Vancouver activism, a Canadian painting exhibit, and there’s a whole bunch of music in town.
Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Ongoing
Friday September 29
Vancouver International Film Festival
Vancouver International Film Festival
Where: Various locations
What: In addition to over 300 of the best films from around the world, VIFF expands the frame to incorporate and celebrate some of the exciting new aspects of visual story telling. This includes events such as the world’s largest showcase of elevated YouTube content by digital-first creators and the Kronos Quartet performing a live score to renowned filmmaker Guy Maddin’s latest film The Green Fog – A San Francisco Fantasia.
Runs until: Friday October 13, 2017
City on the Edge: A Century of Vancouver Activism
Where: Museum of Vancouver
What: A photo-based exhibition exploring how protest demonstrations have shaped Vancouver’s identity from the Vancouver Sun and The Province newspapers’ photo collection. These photographs are exceptional historical records of intense and transformative moments in the lives of Vancouverites.
Runs until: February 18, 2017
Coldplay
Coldplay
Where: BC Place Stadium
What: Since March of this 2016, the “A Head Full Of Dreams Tour,” produced by Live Nation Entertainment, has played to 2.5 million people across Latin America, the U.S. and Europe. The show was created by the band alongside celebrated production designers Misty Buckley and Paul Normandale.
James Danderfer on Jazz Clarinet
James Danderfer on Jazz Clarinet
Where: The Labyrinth at St. Paul’s (1130 Jervis )
What: As the seasons change and fall approaches, the cooler, darker evenings invite reflection. walk the labyrinth to the soothing, gentle melodies of jazz clarinet musician James Danderfer. Free admission.
IDS Vancouver
Where: Vancouver Convention Centre
What: The Pacific platform for all things design. Individual designers, artists, makers and design-centric brands have come together in Vancouver to showcase their current works, concepts and products. In addition to experiencing installations and features, there will also be opportunities to hear from some of the design world’s most notable and talented personalities and connect with a long list of world-class designers that either call Vancouver home, or call on Vancouver for inspiration.
Runs until: Sunday October 1, 2017
Austra
Where: The Imperial
What: Fun, dreamy Canadian electro.
Record Club: OK Computer
Where: HR McMillan Space Centre
What: The Record Club is a storytelling night that hits repeat on some of the best personal stories inspired by this essential album, told live. From stories of alienation, informational overload, to creativity on the road, and musical melancholy.
13: The Musical
13: The Musical
Where: The Waterfront Theatre
What: Yanked from his New York City life after his parents’ divorce, 12-year-old Evan Goldman has a lot going on: he’s navigating the popularity pecking order at his new small-town school, and planning his epic Bar Mitzvah – all the while trying to fix his family left in disarray since his parents’ break up.
Runs until: Sunday October 1, 2017
Threads
Where: Chan Centre of the Performing Arts
What: Revealing accounts of hope and hardship, Kate Evans will recall her experiences at France’s Calais refugee camp as told in her acclaimed 2017 graphic novel Threads: From the Refugee Crisis. With projected images from her book as the backdrop, and live musical accompaniment by Iranian-Canadian hand drummer Hamin Honari, Evans will share a compelling reading. The evening will conclude with a thought-provoking moderated panel discussion on the power of art, both as a response to crisis and a means to inspire political and social movements.
Tanks and the Bangas
Tanks and the Bangas
Where: The Fox
What: With guests, Breaks and Swells.
The New Pornographers
Where: The Commodore
What: Canadian indie rock who started up in the 90s.
Lush Gorilla Volume IV
Where: 536 Seymour
What: 14 interactive installations, including a life-size water tank-turned-hidden home and botanical-inspired room with scratch and sniff wallpaper, guests will be treated to an unparalleled sensory experience as they are taken on a journey through the stories that inspired these unique fragrances.
Runs until: Saturday September 30, 2017
Saturday September 30
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Entangled: Two Views on Contemporary Canadian Painting | John Kissick
burning the houses of cool man, yeah No.5 (hang the DJ), 2016 (cropped)
Entangled: Two Views on Contemporary Canadian Painting
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: An insight into two distinctly different modes of painting that have come to dominate contemporary painting in this country. The origins of both can be effectively traced back to the 1970s, to a moment when the continued existence of painting was hotly debated.
Runs until: January 1, 2018
Water’s Edge Day
Where: Vancouver Maritime Museum
What: A full day of activities for the entire family that explore the shoreline including guided dragon boat tours, kayaking, First Nations canoe tours, arts and crafts workshops, touch tanks, children’s entertainers, and live music.
Knit City, a Modern Fibre Event
Where: PNE Forum
What: A fibre arts festival and marketplace.
Runs until: Sunday October 1, 2017
Billy Bragg
Billy Bragg
Where: The Commodore
What: An English singer, songwriter and left-wing activist.
BC Culture Days: Free Guided Outdoor Tours
Where: Museum of Anthropology
What: This 30-minute tour features the museum’s outdoor sculpture complex, including two Haida Houses and totem poles by some of the finest contemporary First Nations artists of the Northwest Coast.
Ben Folds
Ben Folds
Where: The Vogue
What: Throughout his career, Folds has created a body of genre-blending music that includes pop albums as the front man for Ben Folds Five, multiple solo rock albums, as well as unique collaborative records with artists from Sara Bareilles and Regina Spektor, to Weird Al and William Shatner.
The Vancouver Cheese and Meat Festival
Where: Roundhouse Community Centre
What: With the recent boom in artisan shops across the Pacific Northwest, the Cheese and Meat Festival will exhibit both international and local cheese and meat in an experiential tasting format.
Ravine Moon Festival
Where: Renfrew Park Community Centre
What: A festival that celebrates the full moon and harvest abundance, while honouring diverse cultural traditions. The festival will highlight art, music, environmental stewardship, and community participation.
Sunday October 1
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Feist
Feist
Where: The Vogue
What: A Canadian indie pop singer-songwriter and guitarist, performing solo artist today, though she is also a member of the indie rock group Broken Social Scene.
Steve Earle and the Dukes
Steve Earle and the Dukes
Where: The Commodore
What: American rock, country and folk singer-songwriter, record producer, author and actor.
Nickleback
Nickleback
Where: Rogers Arena
What: Love them, hate them, or love-to-hate them, these divisive dudes are touring with Cheap Trick.
BC Culture Days: Free Guided Outdoor Tours
Where: Museum of Anthropology
What: This 30-minute tour features the museum’s outdoor sculpture complex, including two Haida Houses and totem poles by some of the finest contemporary First Nations artists of the Northwest Coast.
Ongoing
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Shipyards Night Marlet
Shipyards Night Market
Where: Lonsdale, North Vancouver
What: Food, art, music, entertainment, shopping, a beer garden, and you can bring your dog!
Runs until: September 29, 2017
Japanese Problem at Hastings Park
Japanese Problem at Hastings Park
Where: Hastings Racecourse
What: A performance about the time of WWII that invites an audience into a stall, which residents have turned into a temporary home and place of wonder, as they are filled with the uncertainty of their next destination. The piece exists in the contemporary moment simultaneously, where evidence of Hastings Parks’s former tenants has been erased, where survivors are uncertain if they want their names included in a memorial; and where refugees to North America are being treated in a fashion that is terrifyingly familiar.
Runs until: Saturday September 30, 2017
Interrupting the Interface | David Wilson
Where: Kimoto Gallery
What: In building this body of work, Wilson scanned thousands of photographs on Instagram and selected the images he felt compelled to work with. Then it was a matter of copying, pasting, further filtering for his own painting references. Most of the selected images identified with water or fluidity, a pervasive theme throughout Wilson’s work.
Runs until: Saturday September 30, 2017
ZimCarvings
Where: VanDusen Botanical Garden
What: Patrick Sephani along with visiting artist Peter Kananji will be showcasing works from over 30 Zimbabwean stone sculptors on the beautiful garden grounds and carving stone sculptures on site. All works will be available for purchase.
Runs until: Saturday September 30, 2017
Downtown Eastside Women’s Summer Fair
Where: Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre
What: Over twenty-five vendors and artisans from within the community, entertainment from local performers, an area for children to play, information booths about the different resources available in the community, and a wide variety of goods and services for purchase.
Runs until: Saturday September 30, 2017 (Saturdays)
Lush Gorilla Volume IV
Where: 536 Seymour
What: 14 interactive installations, including a life-size water tank-turned-hidden home and botanical-inspired room with scratch and sniff wallpaper, guests will be treated to an unparalleled sensory experience as they are taken on a journey through the stories that inspired these unique fragrances.
Runs until: Saturday September 30, 2017
Claude Monet’s Secret Garden
Claude Monet’s Secret Garden
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: The most comprehensive exhibition of French painter Claude Monet’s work in Canada in two decades, Claude Monet’s Secret Garden will trace the career of this pivotal figure in Western art history. This exhibition will present thirty-eight paintings spanning the course of Monet’s long career from the unparalleled collection of the Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris.
Runs until: Sunday October 1, 2017
Stephen Shore: The Giverny Portfolio
Stephen Shore: The Giverny Portfolio
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: Twenty-five photographs by contemporary American photographer Stephen Shore produced during several visits to Impressionist painter Claude Monet’s famous gardens at Giverny, France. Showing concurrently with the exhibition Claude Monet’s Secret Garden, Stephen Shore: The Giverny Portfolio offers a contemporary perspective on the tranquility originally captured in Monet’s iconic paintings.
Runs until: Sunday October 1, 2017
Feast on the Fraser
Where: Various Locations, New Westminster
What: 10 days of signature culinary experiences from tastings and cocktail parties to neighbourhood food tours and long table dinners, the menu includes a Mad Men Mixer at the retro-cool Mid-Century Modern Home store, a Speakeasy Prohibition Gala, a Beauty and the Beast Tea Party and a Canada 150-themed dinner on the Fraser River.
Runs until: Sunday October 1, 2017
Knit City, a Modern Fibre Event
Where: PNE Forum
What: A fibre arts festival and marketplace.
Runs until: Sunday October 1, 2017
Persistence
Persistence
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: Persistence draws together three recent contemporary installations to explore the surprising and creative ways that technologies, physical objects and natural processes endure and transform.
Runs until: October 1, 2017
Definitely Dali
Where: Oakridge Centre’s West Gallery
What: A public Salvador Dali exhibition highlighting Dali’s original seven-foot tall bronze sculpture called the Dance of Time l. The installation will also include 12 gallery-sized Dali sculptures, and 10 Dali artworks on the walls.
Runs until: Sunday October 1, 2017
Elad Lassry
Elad Lassry
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: Investigating the nature of perception with a special focus on the photographic image within the digital era, the exhibition includes more than seventy works—films, photographs and sculpture—produced by Lassry over the last decade.
Runs until: Sunday October 1, 2017
IDS Vancouver
Where: Vancouver Convention Centre
What: The Pacific platform for all things design. Individual designers, artists, makers and design-centric brands have come together in Vancouver to showcase their current works, concepts and products. In addition to experiencing installations and features, there will also be opportunities to hear from some of the design world’s most notable and talented personalities and connect with a long list of world-class designers that either call Vancouver home, or call on Vancouver for inspiration.
Runs until: Sunday October 1, 2017
13: The Musical
13: The Musical
Where: The Waterfront Theatre
What: Yanked from his New York City life after his parents’ divorce, 12-year-old Evan Goldman has a lot going on: he’s navigating the popularity pecking order at his new small-town school, and planning his epic Bar Mitzvah – all the while trying to fix his family left in disarray since his parents’ break up.
Runs until: Sunday October 1, 2017
The Christians
Where: Pacific Theatre
What: After taking his church from a meager storefront to gleaming megachurch, Pastor Paul overturns one of the most sacred tenents of his congregation’s beliefs, sending them reeling towards schism. As they grapple with the mysteries of faith, certainty, and what happens after we die, they must also face the reality of loving those whose beliefs have made them into sudden strangers.
Runs until: Saturday October 7, 2017
Mount Pleasant Farmers Market
Where: Dude Chilling Park
What: Amble over and pick up some afternoon picnic supplies, groceries for the week, and Sunday dinner fixings from 25+ farms and producers. Each week you’ll find a fresh selection of just-picked seasonal fruits & veggies, ethically-raised meats & sustainable seafood, artisanal bread & prepared foods, craft beer, wine, & spirits, handmade craft, and coffee & food trucks.
Runs until: Sunday October 8, 2017
Angels in America
Where: Arts Club Theatre
What: Witness the soaring conclusion to the acclaimed play that asks us what we do for those we love. Perestroika is a revolution against the politics and prejudice in the 1980s as the AIDS epidemic rages on, and the characters wrestle with their ideologies and an angel looking for an answer. In the centre of it all is Prior Walter, a man in a world of peril who chooses to live in his light.
Runs until: Sunday October 8, 2017
Traces of Words: Art and Calligraphy from Asia
Traces of Words: Art and Calligraphy from Asia
Where: UBC Museum of Anthropology
What: Words and their physical manifestations are explored in this insightful exhibition, which will honour the special significance that written forms. Varied forms of expression associated with writing throughout Asia is shown over the span of different time periods: from Sumerian cuneiform inscriptions, Qu’ranic manuscripts, Southeast Asian palm leaf manuscripts and Chinese calligraphy from MOA’s Asian collection to graffiti art from Afghanistan and contemporary artworks using Japanese calligraphy, and Tibetan and Thai scripts.
Runs until: Monday October 9, 2017
Richmond Night Market
Richmond Night Market
Where: Richmond, BC
What: There’s a dinosaur park! Anamatronic dinosaurs! Also – live performances, carnival games, over 200 retail stalls and over 500 food choices from around the world.
Runs until: October 9, 2017
Vancouver International Film Festival
Vancouver International Film Festival
Where: Various locations
What: In addition to over 300 of the best films from around the world, VIFF expands the frame to incorporate and celebrate some of the exciting new aspects of visual story telling. This includes events such as the world’s largest showcase of elevated YouTube content by digital-first creators and the Kronos Quartet performing a live score to renowned filmmaker Guy Maddin’s latest film The Green Fog – A San Francisco Fantasia.
Runs until: Friday October 13, 2017
Aileen Bahmanipour: Technical Problem
Aileen Bahmanipour: Technical Problem
Where: Grunt Gallery
What: An exhibition of mixed media drawings by Vancouver-based, Iranian-born artist Aileen Bahmanipour that explores cyclical political power and cultural identity.
Runs until: Saturday October 14, 2017
Amphibia
Amphibia
Where: Centre A
What: Amphibia, Tromarama’s first solo exhibition in Canada, will transform Centre A into a hybrid physical and digital space using five newly commissioned works, ranging from site-specific pieces to pulse-sensing technologies that interact with our own physical, individual bodies.
Runs until: Saturday October 14, 2017
Onsite / Offsite Tsang Kin-Wah
Onsite / Offsite Tsang Kin-Wah
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: This large-scale composition transforms English texts to form intricate floral and animal patterns. The work draws from discriminatory language that appeared in newspapers and political campaigns in Vancouver during the 1887 anti-Chinese riots, the mid-1980s immigration influx from Hong Kong and most recently, the heated exchanges around the foreign buyers and the local housing market.
Runs until: Sunday October 15, 2017
West End Farmers Market
Where: 1100 Comox St
What: Located in the heart of Vancouver’s busy West End, this laid-back Saturday market looks onto beautiful Nelson Park and adjacent community gardens. Each week, shop for the best in local, seasonal produce, artisanal bread & prepared foods, craft beer, wine, & spirits, ethically raised meat, eggs, & dairy, sustainable seafood, wild crafted product, and handmade craft. Hot food & coffee on-site as well.
Runs until: Saturday October 21, 2017 (Saturdays)
Trout Lake Farmers Market
Where: Trout Lake
What: This is where you’ll find the vendors who have been doing it since the beginning; what started as 14 farmers ‘squatting’ at the Croatian Cultural Centre back in 1995 has grown into Vancouver’s most well-known and beloved market. Visitors come from near and far to sample artisan breads & preserves, stock up on free-range and organic eggs & meats, get the freshest, hard-to-find heirloom vegetables and taste the first Okanagan cherries and peaches of the season.
Runs until: Saturday October 21, 2017 (Saturdays)
Kitsilano Farmers Market
Kitsilano Farmers Market
Where: Kitsilano Community Centre parking lot
What: A great selection of just-picked, seasonal fruits & vegetables, ethically raised and grass fed meat, eggs, & dairy, sustainable seafood, fresh baked bread & artisanal food, local beer, wine, & spirits, and beautiful, handmade craft. Kids and parents alike can enjoy entertainment by market musicians, a nearby playground and splash park, and coffee and food truck offerings each week.
Runs until: Sunday October 22, 2017 (Sundays)
Contemporary Iranian Cinema Series
Where: The Cinematheque
What: Acclaimed and accomplished new films from Iran are in the spotlight in this new monthly showcase.
Runs until:Thursday October 25, 2017
The Lost Fleet Exhibit
Where: Vancouver Maritime Museum
What: On December 7, 1941 the world was shocked when Japan bombed Pearl Harbour, launching the United States into the war. This action also resulted in the confiscation of nearly 1,200 Japanese-Canadian owned fishing boats by Canadian officials on the British Columbia coast, which were eventually sold off to canneries and other non-Japanese fishermen. The Lost Fleet looks at the world of the Japanese-Canadian fishermen in BC and how deep-seated racism played a major role in the seizure, and sale, of Japanese-Canadian property and the internment of an entire people.
Runs until: Winter 2017
Circle Craft Christmas Market Preview Exhibit
Circle Craft Christmas Market Preview Exhibit
Where: Net Loft building on Granville Island
What: Circle Craft Gallery’s Fall exhibit will give Circle Craft Christmas Market lovers a sneak peek. Exhibitors in the Preview exhibition are: East Van Jam, G Ceramic & Co, Ludviks Designs, Lulu Fiedler, Market Canvas Leather, Misheo, Rosewell Woodworking, Susie Benes, and Yifat Jovani.
Runs until: Thursday November 2, 2017
Intangible
Where: Bill Reid Gallery
What: Contemporary Coast Salish art is embedded within a traditional cultural framework that includes community, ceremonial life, territory, history and innovation. Six artists challenge our expectations and illustrate Coast Salish art as a thriving art tradition – a dynamic one that demonstrates both continuity with the past and exploration of new ideas and technologies.
Runs until: Sunday December 10, 2017
Bill Reid Creative Journeys | Image via the Canadian Museum of History
Bill Reid Creative Journeys
Where: The Bill Reid Gallery
What: Celebrating the many creative journeys of acclaimed master goldsmith and sculptor Bill Reid (1920–1998), this exhibition provides a comprehensive introduction to his life and work.
Runs until: Sunday December 10, 2017
Entangled: Two Views on Contemporary Canadian Painting | John Kissick
burning the houses of cool man, yeah No.5 (hang the DJ), 2016 (cropped)
Entangled: Two Views on Contemporary Canadian Painting
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: An insight into two distinctly different modes of painting that have come to dominate contemporary painting in this country. The origins of both can be effectively traced back to the 1970s, to a moment when the continued existence of painting was hotly debated.
Runs until: January 1, 2018
Amazonia: The Rights of Nature
Amazonia: The Rights of Nature
Where: UBC Museum of Anthropology
What: MOA will showcase its Amazonian collections in a significant exploration of socially and environmentally-conscious notions intrinsic to indigenous South American cultures, which have recently become innovations in International Law. These are foundational to the notions of Rights of Nature, and they have been consolidating in the nine countries that share responsibilities over the Amazonian basin.
Runs until: January 28, 2018
Tin and Gold: A 10 Year Anniversary Show
Where: The Fall
What: Celebrate 10 years of alternative music, tattoo artistry, and multimedia events. The art show includes artists Megan Majewski, Jenn Brisson, Alison Woodward and more.
Runs until: February 1, 2018
City on the Edge: A Century of Vancouver Activism
Where: Museum of Vancouver
What: A photo-based exhibition exploring how protest demonstrations have shaped Vancouver’s identity from the Vancouver Sun and The Province newspapers’ photo collection. These photographs are exceptional historical records of intense and transformative moments in the lives of Vancouverites.
Runs until: February 18, 2017
Tasting History: The Traveling Tales of Tea
Where: Roedde House Museum
What: Tea is one of the most consumed liquids in the world, second only to water. But the beverage that brings much pleasure and calm to our 21st century senses is steeped in a turbulent history of politics and society. The exhibit will also feature stories from Vancouver’s modern-day tea community.
Runs until: March 2018
Emily Carr: Into the Forest
Emily Carr: Into the Forest
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: Far from feeling that the forests of the West Coast were a difficult subject matter, Carr exulted in the symphonies of greens and browns found in the natural world. With oil on paper as her primary medium, Carr was free to work outdoors in close proximity to the landscape. She went into the forest to paint and saw nature in ways unlike her fellow British Columbians, who perceived it as either untamed wilderness or a plentiful source of lumber.
Runs until: March 4, 2018
Chief Dan George: Actor and Activist
Where: North Vancouver Museum
What: An exhibition exploring the life and legacy of Tsleil-Waututh Chief Dan George (1899- 1981) and his influence as an Indigenous rights advocate and his career as an actor. The exhibition was developed in close collaboration with the George family.
Runs until: April 2018
In a Different Light
In a Different Light
Where: Museum of Anthropology
What: More than 110 historical Indigenous artworks and marks the return of many important works to British Columbia. These objects are amazing artistic achievements. Yet they also transcend the idea of ‘art’ or ‘artifact’. Through the voices of contemporary First Nations artists and community members, this exhibition reflects on the roles historical artworks have today. Featuring immersive storytelling and innovative design, it explores what we can learn from these works and how they relate to Indigenous peoples’ relationships to their lands.
Runs until: Spring 2019
What are you up to this weekend? Tell me and the rest of Vancouver in the comments below or tweet me directly at @lextacular
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