Comic artist inspiring others through inking at Imagine Museum

Comic book workshop at Imagine Museum

The St. Petersburg museum is offering a workshop called "Master the Art of Inking." Participants can learn how to create comic books.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - At a workshop at the Imagine Museum, local comic book artist Josh T. Rodriguez hopes to inspire others like comics inspired him. After a brief introduction to 15 participants, Rodriguez puts up a slide with a variety of his comics artwork.

"Everything in here is fully done just through ink," he explained.

The workshop is called "Master the Art of Inking", and Rodriguez describes inking as "the art form of solidifying pencil illustrations for artistic expression, reproduction, or just for going in and solidifying that work".

The experience level of the participants varied, but each started the two-hour workshop with the same tools and a blank-ish canvas. They began with a drawing meant to mimic what a comic book pencil artist would have drawn. Most times in the world of comics, the pencil and inking artist are different people.

"We start with the same foundation. What I really love about the medium is you'll see everyone's a little individuality in their approach to the process," Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez breaks down inking into four foundations: line work, rendering, blacks/whites and grays.

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"Starting with our line within outlining the piece, understanding where to put thick to thin lines will determine the mass and your light source," he said.

Rendering involves understanding what marks tools can make, and deciding where to use black and white ink determines the mood and emotions of a scene.

"Can use gray to add more detailed depth, context," Rodriguez said.

Rodriquez spent the two hours alternating between teaching and walking around having conversations with participants about their own work.

"For me, it's inspiring because it makes me want to create more," he said. "I find it's like a feedback loop, that you see someone's creativity and inspires you, and then maybe your creativity inspires them, and for me, it's just awesome."

This inking workshop is one of many workshops and special events that the Imagine Museum offers on top of exhibitions.

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