Sweatdrop Studios
Encyclopedia
Sweatdrop Studios are a collective of UK
Original English-language manga
creators who publish British small press comics
.
publisher and distributor, Sweatdrop Studios publish and distribute manga produced solely by creators living within the UK. Their comics are available for from their own website or at UK anime convention
s that they attend.
The majority of works published by Sweatdrop are amateur ventures; the artists/authors do not make a living through profits, and produce and sell their works in their own time. There are, however, a few exceptions to this, such as Draw Manga (ISBN 1845374169), a professional book published under the Sweatdrop Studios name and also 'Manga Life', a series of self help books for Infinite Ideas. Sweatdrop Studios is unique in the UK manga industry as an art collaborative.
Sweatdrop is frequently mentioned in the UK's only anime, manga and Asian cinema magazine, Neo
, in which members regularly produce tutorials. Members have also featured in other magazines, Hayden Scott-Baron was featured in Advanced Photoshop magazine. Joanna Zhou & Emma Vieceli have been featured artists in ImagineFX
.
The group is known for running workshops and panels at numerous events (see also workshops listed below).
, Sam Brown and Foxy, who had met via their attendance at UK manga conventions. Fehed Said, Selina Dean and Aleister Kelman had also been members when the Studio formed, although they were not present at the conventions.
Members of the Studio participate in its activities to varying degrees, depending on their personal circumstances. These activities include: publishing comics, participating in writing manga drawing tutorials in magazines, attending conventions and events, running workshops and panels and administration of their website ( http://www.sweatdrop.com/ ) and its forum.
As a collaboration, members of Sweatdrop participate in active discussion on their forum ( http://www.sweatdrop.com/forum/ ). Emoticons are unique on this forum, instead of yellow smileys, blue sweatdrops are used in keeping with the namesake.
Events external links
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Original English-language manga
Original English-language manga
Original English-language manga or OEL manga is the term commonly used to describe comic books or graphic novels in the "international manga" genre of comics whose language of original publication is English...
creators who publish British small press comics
British small press comics
British small press comics, once known as stripzines, are comic books self-published by amateur cartoonists and comic book creators, usually in short print runs, in the UK. A "small press comic" is essentially a zine composed predominantly of comic strips. The term emerged in the early 1980s to...
.
Overview
The UK's first home-based independent Original English-language mangaManga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
publisher and distributor, Sweatdrop Studios publish and distribute manga produced solely by creators living within the UK. Their comics are available for from their own website or at UK anime convention
Anime convention
An anime convention is an event or gathering with a primary focus on anime, manga and Japanese culture. Commonly, anime conventions are multi-day events hosted at convention centers, hotels or college campuses. They feature a wide variety of activities and panels...
s that they attend.
The majority of works published by Sweatdrop are amateur ventures; the artists/authors do not make a living through profits, and produce and sell their works in their own time. There are, however, a few exceptions to this, such as Draw Manga (ISBN 1845374169), a professional book published under the Sweatdrop Studios name and also 'Manga Life', a series of self help books for Infinite Ideas. Sweatdrop Studios is unique in the UK manga industry as an art collaborative.
Sweatdrop is frequently mentioned in the UK's only anime, manga and Asian cinema magazine, Neo
Neo (magazine)
NEO is a 100-page monthly magazine published in the United Kingdom and Ireland by Uncooked Media that focuses on various aspects of East Asian entertainment such as Japanese anime and manga ; Hong Kong, Korean and Japanese films; and Japanese pop, rock and visual kei music, etc.The magazine...
, in which members regularly produce tutorials. Members have also featured in other magazines, Hayden Scott-Baron was featured in Advanced Photoshop magazine. Joanna Zhou & Emma Vieceli have been featured artists in ImagineFX
ImagineFX
ImagineFX is a digital art magazine that features workshops and interviews with artists from the science fiction, fantasy, manga, anime, game and comic disciplines....
.
The group is known for running workshops and panels at numerous events (see also workshops listed below).
History
The Studio was originally founded in 2001, by a co-operative of four independent UK manga artists, who, until then, had been self-publishing at a small-press level individually. These artists were Hayden Scott-Baron, Laura WattonLaura Watton
Laura Watton is a semi-professional UK Manga artist and founding member of Sweatdrop Studios. Laura was a member since it's inception until 2010, announcing the decision to create works under 'Pinkapplejam.com'. She self-publishes her series Biomecha...
, Sam Brown and Foxy, who had met via their attendance at UK manga conventions. Fehed Said, Selina Dean and Aleister Kelman had also been members when the Studio formed, although they were not present at the conventions.
Members of the Studio participate in its activities to varying degrees, depending on their personal circumstances. These activities include: publishing comics, participating in writing manga drawing tutorials in magazines, attending conventions and events, running workshops and panels and administration of their website ( http://www.sweatdrop.com/ ) and its forum.
Notable achievements of individual Sweatdrop members
- Emma VieceliEmma VieceliEmma Vieceli is a professional British comics artist of Italian-English heritage. She is currently a resident of a small village in Cambridgeshire, England.-Biography:...
achieved a runner-up position in the 1st Rising Stars of MangaRising Stars of MangaRising Stars of Manga was an English-language comic anthology published by TOKYOPOP from 2002 to 2008, and a contest held by the same company. It was originally semi-annual, but switched to annual beginning with the 6th volume....
United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
& IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
competition. She recently worked on a manga adaptation of William ShakespeareWilliam ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's HamletHamletThe Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
for Self Made HeroSelf Made HeroSelfMadeHero is a British graphic novel and manga publishing company, and imprint of Metro Media Ltd, who specialise in adapting works of literature.They launched with two lines in 2007:...
. Amongst other projects, she has worked on the art and design of the Collectable card game Herocard Cyberspace from Tablestar Games, was also one of the Head Contributors to Draw Manga Sweatdrop Studios from New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd, and has published the first graphic novel volume of her ongoing manga style comic, Dragon Heir (ISBN 1905038143). She won the Neo magazineNeo (magazine)NEO is a 100-page monthly magazine published in the United Kingdom and Ireland by Uncooked Media that focuses on various aspects of East Asian entertainment such as Japanese anime and manga ; Hong Kong, Korean and Japanese films; and Japanese pop, rock and visual kei music, etc.The magazine...
manga competition 2006 with her 5-page comic 'Consideration'. Between June & November 2007 alongside T4's Stuart Claw she hosted Anime NetworkAnime NetworkThe Anime Network , a former subsidiary of A.D. Vision, Inc. , is a cable and satellite digital broadcast service in North America dedicated to anime.-History:...
, a two hour daily segment licensed to Propeller TVPropeller TVPropeller TV is a free-to-air television channel broadcasting on Sky and Freewire in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Owned by the advertising company, Xiking Group.-Partners:...
. She has also worked on the cover to 'eV' and a short story in 'Princess AiPrincess Aiis a manga co-created by Courtney Love, Ai Yazawa, Misaho Kujiradou, and DJ Milky , and is published in English by Tokyopop.The story deals with an amnesiac girl named Ai who was torn from her homeland, and awakens in present-day Tokyo...
: Rumors From The Other Side', both published by TokyopopTokyopopTokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
. Illustrated 'Precious Things' for 'Tori Amos' Comic Book Tattoo a 480 page anthology published by Image ComicsImage ComicsImage Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
. She has also created Violet for The DFCThe DFCThe DFC was a weekly British children's anthology comic, published by David Fickling Books . The first issue was published at the end of May 2008...
which was previewed in The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
Comic on May 31, 2008.
- Sonia Leong achieved 2nd place in TOKYOPOPTokyopopTokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
's inaugural Rising Stars of MangaRising Stars of MangaRising Stars of Manga was an English-language comic anthology published by TOKYOPOP from 2002 to 2008, and a contest held by the same company. It was originally semi-annual, but switched to annual beginning with the 6th volume....
United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
& IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
competition. Her involvement in a Wacom campaign has appeared in major German magazines such as Animania which used her official art to promote the wildly successful Pimp My Character contest. She is also one of the Head Contributors to Draw Manga Sweatdrop Studios from New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd, has participated in the conceptual art and design of the Collectable card game Herocard Cyberspace from Tablestar Games worked on an adaptation of William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet for Self Made HeroSelf Made HeroSelfMadeHero is a British graphic novel and manga publishing company, and imprint of Metro Media Ltd, who specialise in adapting works of literature.They launched with two lines in 2007:...
, is currently the Art Director for the 'Aya. Takeo' webcomic has illustrated a series of children's books for Franklin Watts Ltd. as well as 'Manga Life', a series of self help books for Infinite Ideas. Leong also illustrated 'Siren' for 'Tori Amos' Comic Book Tattoo and recently contributed a chapter to TokyopopTokyopopTokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
's Domo: The Manga.
- Joanna Zhou has been a contributor to ImagineFXImagineFXImagineFX is a digital art magazine that features workshops and interviews with artists from the science fiction, fantasy, manga, anime, game and comic disciplines....
magazine, covering manga related topics in the Artist Q&A section since the magazine began. Her step-by-step workshops from issues 001 & 004 were also included on the ImagineFX tutorial DVD that is available with each issue. She is a featured artist for Tokyotoys, her short comic Cybercrush won the Children's Storyboard Competition at The International Manga and Anime Festival in 2005, she also created the mascot for Japan EX London. Her 5-page comic Karma won the Neo magazineNeo (magazine)NEO is a 100-page monthly magazine published in the United Kingdom and Ireland by Uncooked Media that focuses on various aspects of East Asian entertainment such as Japanese anime and manga ; Hong Kong, Korean and Japanese films; and Japanese pop, rock and visual kei music, etc.The magazine...
manga competition 2006, she achieved a runner-up position in the 2nd Rising Stars of MangaRising Stars of MangaRising Stars of Manga was an English-language comic anthology published by TOKYOPOP from 2002 to 2008, and a contest held by the same company. It was originally semi-annual, but switched to annual beginning with the 6th volume....
United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
& IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
competition, her satirical strip Carlos & Sakura featured in the Mammoth Book of Best New Manga. She has also worked with Momiji designing a set of six friendship Dolls as well as a designing a set of Momiji ZakkaZakkaZakka is a fashion and design phenomenon that has spread from Japan throughout Asia. The term refers to everything and anything that improves your home, life and appearance...
, a collection of little gifts based on her friendship Dolls.
- Morag Lewis has published four graphic novel volumes of her completed manga style comic, Looking for the Sun (ISBN 1905038038, ISBN 1905038046, ISBN 1905038119, ISBN 1905038135), issue 15 of which was reviewed in SFX magazineSFX magazineSFX is a British magazine covering the topics of science fiction and fantasy.-Description:SFX magazine is published every four weeks by Future Publishing and was founded in 1995. The magazine covers topics in the genres of popular science fiction, fantasy and horror, within the media of films,...
She won first prize in the Character Brief Category at The International Manga and Anime Festival in 2006. She also achieved a runner-up position in the 2nd Rising Stars of MangaRising Stars of MangaRising Stars of Manga was an English-language comic anthology published by TOKYOPOP from 2002 to 2008, and a contest held by the same company. It was originally semi-annual, but switched to annual beginning with the 6th volume....
United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
& IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
competition. Her story 'Reya' which originated in the 'Stardust' Anthology, has been picked up for publication by Markosia Enterprises.
- Hayden Scott-Baron has published Digital Manga Techniques (ISBN 071367475X, 2005), and Manga Clip Art (ISBN 1904705839, 2006) and has been involved in the production of Making Anime: Create mesmerising manga-style animation with pencils, paint and pixels (ISBN 0240520459). In 2007, he achieved 2nd Place position in the 3rd Rising Stars of MangaRising Stars of MangaRising Stars of Manga was an English-language comic anthology published by TOKYOPOP from 2002 to 2008, and a contest held by the same company. It was originally semi-annual, but switched to annual beginning with the 6th volume....
United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
& IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
competition.
Notable achievements of Sweatdrop Studios as a group
- Sweatdrop had a noticeable presence in the Anime/Comic Village of the London MCM Expo - London's Comic ConLondon MCM ExpoThe London MCM Expo is a multi-genre fan convention held in the London Borough of Newham twice yearly, usually on the last weekend in May and October...
, a Bi-annual event held at the ExCeL Centre, Royal Victoria Dock, London, where they ran the art competition that has been sponsored by Future PublishingFuture PublishingFuture plc is a media company; in 2006, it was the sixth-largest in the United Kingdom. It publishes more than 150 magazines in fields such as video games, technology, automotive, cycling, films and photography. Future is the official magazine company of all three major games console manufacturers...
s ImagineFXImagineFXImagineFX is a digital art magazine that features workshops and interviews with artists from the science fiction, fantasy, manga, anime, game and comic disciplines....
magazine WacomWacomin Krefeld, Germany. Wacom is a Japanese portmanteau: Wa for "harmony" or "circle", and Komu for "computer". Wacom tablets are notable for their use of a patented cordless, battery-free, and pressure-sensitive stylus or digital pen...
, e-frontierE Frontierwas founded in 1999 and is a major developer and publisher of graphic design and consumer entertainment titles. E Frontier is based in Tokyo, Japan. E Frontier develops Shade 3D, a modeling, rendering and animation software on Windows and Mac OS X....
, LetrasetLetrasetLetraset is a company based in the Kingsnorth Industrial Estate in Ashford, Kent, UK.It is known mainly for manufacturing sheets of artwork elements which can be transferred to artwork being prepared. The name Letraset was often used to refer generically to sheets of dry transferrable lettering of...
, Momiji and Ambient Design Ltd.
- The group has published a handful of manga style comic anthologies: 'Sugardrops' (2004), 'Stardust' (2006), which has been reviewed in Neo magazineNeo (magazine)NEO is a 100-page monthly magazine published in the United Kingdom and Ireland by Uncooked Media that focuses on various aspects of East Asian entertainment such as Japanese anime and manga ; Hong Kong, Korean and Japanese films; and Japanese pop, rock and visual kei music, etc.The magazine...
as well as 'Pink is for Girls' (2006), 'Blue is for Boys' (2006) 'Cold Sweat & Tears' (2007), 'Drop Dead Monstrous' (2008), 'Talking to Strangers' (2009) and 'Telling Tales' (2010).
- The group also attends UK manga/anime conventions such as Amecon and Ayacon on a regular basis. They run the Artist's Alley, take panel discussions on how to produce manga styled comics, and hold a table in the Dealer's Room. They have also been to numerous smaller events to take part in workshops and panels.
- Sweatdrop members have attended promotional events run by publisher Tokyopop, in UK bookstores, to give advice on manga styled drawing.
- Some members of the group have participated in the art and design of the Collectable card game Herocard Cyberspace.
- The group ran a monthly manga tutorial section in Neo magazineNeo (magazine)NEO is a 100-page monthly magazine published in the United Kingdom and Ireland by Uncooked Media that focuses on various aspects of East Asian entertainment such as Japanese anime and manga ; Hong Kong, Korean and Japanese films; and Japanese pop, rock and visual kei music, etc.The magazine...
, featuring several of their members.
- The group ran numerous workshops and seminars at the huge Artists and Illustrators Exhibition in London in 2005, and have also had a tutorial published in Artists and Illustrators Magazine.
List of current Sweatdrop members
| Pen name | Real name | Profile |
|---|---|---|
| Bex | Rebecca Burgess | http://www.sweatdrop.com/about-us/bex |
| Dock Dock (Hayden Scott-Baron) Hayden Scott-Baron , is an English professional illustrator and graphic designer. In 2001 he joined up with other comic creators Laura Watton, Sam Brown/Subi and Foxy in founding one of the largest UK Manga Studios, Sweatdrop Studios where he is better known as Dock.He is also a prominent games... |
Hayden Scott-Baron | http://www.sweatdrop.com/about-us/dock |
| Emma Vieceli Emma Vieceli Emma Vieceli is a professional British comics artist of Italian-English heritage. She is currently a resident of a small village in Cambridgeshire, England.-Biography:... |
http://www.sweatdrop.com/about-us/emma-vieceli | |
| Irina Richards | http://www.sweatdrop.com/about-us/irina-richards | |
| Morag Lewis | http://www.sweatdrop.com/about-us/morag-lewis | |
| Ruth Keattch | http://www.sweatdrop.com/about-us/ruth-keattch | |
| Sonia Leong | http://www.sweatdrop.com/about-us/sonia-leong | |
As a collaboration, members of Sweatdrop participate in active discussion on their forum ( http://www.sweatdrop.com/forum/ ). Emoticons are unique on this forum, instead of yellow smileys, blue sweatdrops are used in keeping with the namesake.
External links
Events external links