Pernan Goñi

Past May I was invited to Istanbul by Mizah Festival, to give a workshop about comics and cartoons. There should have gone Mery Cuesta, an artist from Bilbao-Barcelona who has develpoed some interesting projects with Turquish people, but she couldn’t. The workshop took place in Cervantes Institute. It was a breef workshop, so we work hard and fast. Most of students (many students!) were youngsters who want to study Graphic Design or Art School. Thanks translator, I could speak in Spanish, and she translated into Turkish.

First of all, we began creating characters, very simple. And also the “contest” of the character. I draw in a blackboard, so everybody could see it wasn’t so diofficult. I also made the translator made her own cartoon. She told me it was very funny for her! Maybe the funniest workshop she traslated in some time. From the character, the title, then a strip, and finally, some of the most corageous, show their work to others. We also talked a little about proffesional opportunities in the future, working with cartoons, stories, drawings, etc.

(Thank you, Fatma Güden, I stole these pics from your Facebook!)

Istanbul is a fantastic place. There are seas and islands here and there! It is like someplace someone could imagine for a fairy tale. I had the chance to know other big cartoon artists and illustrators as Fred Harper,  Christophe Delvallé, and Peter Kuper. And last but not least, the crew from the organization: Miguel Grajales from Cervantes Institute, Nilüfer Abdullah from Mizah Festival, all her fantastic friends, and the art students: Alparslan Başkaya, Fatma Güden, Eda Dereci… A big kiss for all!

(T-Shirt “Me gusta todo” in pic, from my friend Riot Flesh)