Comics can be both about the creator and the audience—and, at this year’s Medford Comic Con, people will have the opportunity to create their very own cartoon.

Curt Evans’ workshop, “Anyone Can Draw Cartoons,” are geared to instill confidence, creativity, and fun. “Since I work with lots of skill levels, I emphasize shapes, creativity, and try to convince people not to worry about their work,” he says. “Cartoons are supposed be fun and entertaining, so being goofy is encouraged.”

He especially hopes to give kids confidence in their creativity so they can create what they want without any insecurities. Those who attend the workshop will be provided copious amounts of paper and pencils and he’ll demonstrate his own cartoons on a dry erase board. “I focus on the theme that cartoons are basically symbols, and how to get audiences to understand what you’re drawing,” he explains. “I also explain the parallel between cartooning and moviemaking, and then I have everybody do the final drawing on their own using the things we talked about, and coming up with their own character.”

Evans’ passion for motocross as a teenager was put on hold when an injury kept him from riding. While he was kept from his favorite sport, he turned to drawing cartoons for a local motocross newspaper. He says, “Once I started seeing my work published and started getting paid, I was hooked.” He’s been influenced by classic comics throughout his life, like Far Side, Calvin and Hobbes, Charlie Brown, and Motocross Cat. While doing cartoons hasn’t become a full-time job for him, he’s always had fun creating and having his work published.

“I guess the best thing about cartoons in the community is you have the opportunity to make people laugh,” he says. “Cartoons have the ability to change social ideas and people’s opinions. They can be very powerful to express your views on political and current events.”  

More than anything, he wants people to leave his workshop with confidence in what they created, and to know one doesn’t need to be talented at are to create cartoons. He adds, “Most importantly, never be embarrassed about their artwork.”

Anyone Can Draw Cartoons Workshop
12:30 pm, Sunday, April 28
Medford Comic Con, Medford Library, 205 S. Central Avenue, Medford