I'm Dominica, an artist specialising in sequential art, animation, and printmaking. I also lecture at Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK in Illustration with Animation.

Your work has been a huge inspiration to me – thematically as well as aesthetically. I am reaching out to you with an invitation to collaborate and be a part of a new comic anthology I am launching next year: ‘In The Garden: Giggle In The Greenery’ (ITG).  

‘In The Garden’ will be a part of a series of comics ‘Anima Mundi’, focusing on the wanderings of a character called Seraphina across different kingdoms (plants, minerals, animals, fungi) with ITG focusing on the plants. As Seraphina explores, she encounters different plants and from each she receives a gift of knowledge in the form of a vision.

A visual exploration of the main character ‘Seraphina’. 7 colour riso print

 ‘In The Garden’ will be a 52-page comic book with the contribution from 12 different artists from around the world. The book will be riso-printed in 5 colours and edited and bound at Manchester Metropolitan University.

 Apart from being a comic, ‘ITG’ will also become a short animated film. All the ‘visions’ will be realised in the form of animation frames. Frames will be composed into animation sequences which will then be edited together into an approximately 2min film.

Here is a visual example from my book ‘Lovers Leap’ (2023) of a sequence created from one double-spread:

Double page spread from the ‘Lover’s Leap’ (2023). Printed in Riso Lab, New York.

Each artist was chosen for this issue because their work that felt especially fitting for such visual explorations. You don’t need to have any previous experience in comic-book making or in animation – all the guidance will be provided to artists on an individual basis in exchange for the contribution of your time.

 

What I am asking from you:

-       1 double page spread with an illustration of the character’s encounter with a chosen plant.

-       40-frame animation sequence picturing the vision received after the encounter. Each frame should be no bigger than 3 x 3.5cm (keeping the size small to keep the animating time to minimum)

 

What you will receive in return:

-       An edition of hand-printed books, posted to your home address for you to distribute as you wish.

-       A short, animated film uploaded to Vimeo with your name as a contributor.

 

This project is a labour of love, entirely self-funded, and initiated by my passion for experimental visual arts. I deeply admire all of the chosen artists and am eager to foster collaboration between them.

This is an invitation to come and play together :)

‘Giggles In The Greenery’, watercolour