bio
Barry Deutsch is best known for his “Hereville” series of graphic novels, about “yet another troll-fighting 11-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl.” Barry is also part of the creative team behind the best-selling “Wings of Fire” series of graphic novels. His work has won the Sydney Taylor Award, the Oregon Book Award, the Charles Schulz Award, and has been nominated for Eisner, Harvey, Ignatz, and Nebula Awards. He lives in Portland, Oregon, in a bright blue house with pink trim, and sees musicals as often as he can.
Website: Hereville.com
Contact: barry.deutsch@gmail.com
Workshop Topics
Subject
Author’s Visit
Barry’s author presentation includes live drawing demonstrations, working from audience suggestions; a sped-up timelapse video showing the drawing process from beginning to end; a reading from Barry’s work; a discussion of how Barry became a cartoonist, with emphasis on the importance of practice; and Q&A time. Barry has made author visits to groups as small as 15 and as large as 600.
Audience
For grades 2-9
Subject
Cartooning Workshop
I demonstrate, working with suggestions from students, a character design exercise, which the students then try out on their own. Then I present a short (10 minute) slideshow in which I explain and demonstrate the basics of story structure in a four-panel comic strip (including an animated film of the process). After that, the students create their own comic strip for the remainder of the class period, while I walk around the class and give students feedback on their work.
Audience
This presentation is best with 10-20 students from grades 5-9.
Subject
Author’s Visit for Little Kids
My presentation is designed for grades 2-8. But I also love talking to younger kids, adapting my presentation to be shorter and have more of the “fun stuff’ that keeps smaller children engaged. I’d recommend having some blank paper handy — after talking to me, kids are eager to draw!
