Sweatdrop Studios

Sweatdrop Studios are a collective of UK Original English-language manga creators who publish British small press comics.

Overview

The UK's first home-based independent Original English-language manga publisher and distributor, Sweatdrop Studios publish and distribute manga produced solely by creators living within the UK. Their comics are available for purchase at many UK anime conventions and through their own website where payment can be made via PayPal or credit card.

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 [ [http://comipress.com/press-release/2007/09/18/2674 Infinite Ideas and Sweatdrop Studios Pioneer Self-help Manga! | ComiPress] ] . Though not registered with Companies house, 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. [ [http://www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/ Advanced Photoshop - For Adobe Photoshop Professionals ] ] Joanna Zhou & Emma Vieceli have been featured artists in "ImagineFX". [cite book
title = ImagineFX
url =
format =
accessdate = 2008-02-01
accessyear = 2008
accessmonth = February
edition =
year = 2008
month = February
publisher = Future Publishing
language = English
pages = p4, p36, p38
quote = ]

The group is known for running workshops and panels at numerous events [cite web| title = Anime Invasion in UK | publisher = UniOrb| url = http://uniorb.com/ATREND/Japanwatch/ukanime.htm | accessdate = 2006-10-15 ] (see also workshops listed below).

History

The Studio was originally founded in 2001,cite web
title = Sweatdrop Studios forum
publisher = Sweatdrop Studios
url = http://www.sweatdrop.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32
accessdate = 2006-10-15 ] 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 aka. Dock, Laura Watton, Sam Brown aka. Subi and Foxy, who had met via their attendance at UK manga conventions. Fehed Said, Selina Dean and Aleister Kelman have also been members since 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/ http://www.sweatdrop.com/] ) and its forum.

Notable achievements of individual Sweatdrop members

*Emma Vieceli achieved a runner-up position in the 1st Rising Stars of Manga United Kingdom & Ireland competition. She recently worked on a manga adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" for Self Made Hero. [http://www.selfmadehero.com/manga_shakespeare/manga_shakespeare.html] Amongst other projects, she has worked on the art and design of the Collectable card game "Herocard Cyberspace" from Tablestar Games,http://www.tablestargames.com/artists.html] was also one of the Head Contributors to "Draw Manga Sweatdrop Studios" from New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd, [http://www.newhollandpublishers.com/catalogue/practical_art_photography/view/index.php?id=883 New Holland Publishers: Draw Manga ] ] and has published the first graphic novel volume of her ongoing manga style comic, "Dragon Heir" (ISBN 1905038143). She won the Neo magazine manga competition 2006 with her 5-page comic 'Consideration'. [cite book
title = Neo Manga Competition 2006
url =
format =
accessdate = 2006-12-28
accessyear = 2006
accessmonth = December
edition = issue 23
year = 2006
month = September
publisher = Uncooked Media
language = English
pages = p62
quote = ] Between June & November 2007 alongside T4's Stuart Claw she hosted Anime Network, a two hour daily segment licensed to Propeller TV. [ [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-05-14/anime-network-expands-into-uk-with-two-weekly-hours Anime Network Expands into UK with Two Weekly Hours - Anime News Network ] ] She has also worked on the cover to 'eV' and a short story in 'Princess Ai: Rumors From The Other Side', both published by Tokyopop. Illustrated 'Precious Things' for 'Tori Amos' "Comic Book Tattoo" a 480 page anthology published by Image Comics. She has also created "Violet" for "The DFC" which was previewed in "The Guardian Comic" on May 31, 2008. [ [http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Guardian/documents/2008/05/30/comic080531.pdf "Violet"] , "The Guardian Comic", May 31, 2008]

*Sonia Leong achieved 2nd place in TOKYOPOP's inaugural Rising Stars of Manga United Kingdom & Ireland competition.cite web
title = Past Winners Rising Stars of Manga UK & Ireland
publisher = Tokyopop
url = http://www.tokyopop.com/189.html
accessdate = 2006-10-15 ] As well as her involvement in a recent Wacom campaign (together with 'Copyright Sweatdrop Studios') has appeared in major German magazines such as Animania which used her official art to promote the wildly successful "Pimp My Character" contest. [de icon [http://www.animania.de/index.html Animania] which featured Sonia Leong] 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 Hero cite web
title = Shakespeare manga
publisher = Self Made Hero
url = http://www.selfmadehero.com/manga_shakespeare/manga_shakespeare.html
accessdate = 2006-10-15 ] , is currently the Art Director for the 'Aya. Takeo' webcomic [ [http://www.ayatakeo.com/aya/fans/page.py?ab11=5 About Aya.Takeo ] ] 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".

*Joanna Zhou has been a contributor to ImagineFX 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. [cite book
title = ImagineFX
url =
format =
accessdate = 2006-10-15
accessyear = 2006
accessmonth = October
edition = issue 001
year = 2006
month = January
publisher = Future Publishing
language = English
pages =
quote = ] She is a featured artist for Tokyotoys, [cite web| title = Tokyotoys Featured Artists| publisher = Tokyotoys| url = http://tokyotoys.com/index.php?main_page=featured_artists| accessdate = 2006-10-15 ] her short comic "Cybercrush" won the Children's Storyboard Competition at The International Manga and Anime Festival in 2005, [cite web
title = IMAF Winners 2005
publisher = IMAF
url = http://www.imaf.co.uk/content.php?page=winners2005
accessdate = 2006-10-15 ] she also created the mascot for Japan EX London. [ [http://www.japanexlondon.com/ Japan EX London site] ] Her 5-page comic "Karma" [cite book
title = Neo Manga Competition 2006
url =
format =
accessdate = 2006-12-28
accessyear = 2006
accessmonth = December
edition = issue 27
year = 2007
month = January
publisher = Uncooked Media
language = English
pages = p63
quote = ] won the Neo magazine manga competition 2006, she achieved a runner-up position in the 2nd Rising Stars of Manga United Kingdom & Ireland competition,cite web
title = Rising Stars of Manga UK & Ireland
publisher = Tokyopop
url = http://www.tokyopop.com/C-92/
accessdate = 2006-12-18 ] 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 [cite web
title = News in Pictures
publisher = Design Week
url = http://www.designweek.co.uk/Articles/135847/News+in+Pictures.html
accessdate = 2007-09-08 ] as well as a designing a set of Momiji Zakka, a collection of little gifts based on her friendship Dolls.

*Fehed Said often collaborates with mangaka Shari Chankhamma, formerly known as Shari Hes, on a number of projects, most notably "The Clarence Principle" published by Slave Labor Graphics, as well as "The Healing" and "The Forgotten Incident of San Sabian" in the "Mammoth Book of Best New Manga".

*Morag Lewis (aka. Sun Kitten) 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 magazine [cite book
title = Fanzine of the month
url =
format =
accessdate = 2006-10-15
accessyear = 2006
accessmonth = October
edition = issue 144
year = 2006
month = June
publisher =
language = English
pages = p10
quote = ] She won first prize in the Character Brief Category at The International Manga and Anime Festival in 2006. [cite web
title = IMAF Winners 2006
publisher = IMAF
url = http://www.imaf.co.uk/content.php?page=winners2006
accessdate = 2006-11-13 ] She also achieved a runner-up position in the 2nd Rising Stars of Manga United Kingdom & Ireland competition. Her story 'Reya' which originated in the 'Stardust' Anthology, has been picked up for publication by Markosia Enterprises.

*Laura Watton was one of the winners of the Neo magazine manga competition in 2006, with her short comic "Sea Bream Dream". [cite book
title = Neo Manga Competition 2006
url =
format =
accessdate = 2006-12-28
accessyear = 2006
accessmonth = December
edition = issue 24
year = 2006
month = October
publisher = Uncooked Media
language = English
pages = p62
quote = ] She has also published a graphic novel volume of "Biomecha" (ISBN 1905038121), her ongoing manga style comic. In 2007 she achieved a runner-up position in the 3rd Rising Stars of Manga United Kingdom & Ireland competition.cite web
title = Rising Stars of Manga UK & Ireland
publisher = Tokyopop
url = http://www.tokyopop.com/RSOM_PeoplesChoice/tp_article/1023144.html
accessdate = 2008-01-28 ]

*Selina Dean achieved 2nd place in the 2nd Rising Stars of Manga United Kingdom & Ireland competition. She has also published a graphic novel volume of her ongoing manga style comic, "Fantastic Cat" (ISBN 1905038011), she is the author of "Drawing Manga" (ISBN 0007231784), published by Collins in 2006. She also contributed "Bad Luck" and "Snails Don't Have Friends" to the first "Mammoth Book of Best New Manga" published by Robinson in 2006.

*Hayden Scott-Baron (aka. Dock) 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 Manga United Kingdom & Ireland competition.

*Faye Yong achieved both 3rd Place position as well as People's Choice award in the 3rd Rising Stars of Manga United Kingdom & Ireland competition. in 2007.

Notable achievements of Sweatdrop Studios as a group

*The group run a monthly manga tutorial section in Neo magazine, featuring several of their members.

*The group has published a handful of manga style comic anthologies: 'Sugardrops' (2004), [cite web
title = Sugardrops
publisher = Amazon UK
url = http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sugardrops-Fifteen-Japanese-United-Kingdom/dp/1905038003/ref=sr_11_1/202-5115165-0103033?ie=UTF8
accessdate = 2006-10-15 ] 'Stardust' (2006), [cite web
title = Stardust
publisher = Amazon UK
url = http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stardust-Laura-Watton/dp/1905038062/sr=1-3/qid=1160825945/ref=sr_1_3/202-5115165-0103033?ie=UTF8&s=books
accessdate = 2006-10-15 ] which has been reviewed in Neo magazine [cite book
title = Neo magazine
url = http://www.neomag.co.uk/
format =
accessdate = 2006-10-15
accessyear = 2006
accessmonth = October
edition = issue 22
year = 2006
month = August
publisher = Uncooked Media
language = English
pages = page 73
quote = ] as well as 'Pink is for Girls' (2006), 'Blue is for Boys' (2006) and 'Cold Sweat & Tears' (2007).

*Sweatdrop has a noticeable presence in the Artists Alley at the London MCM Expo, a Bi-annual event held at the ExCeL Centre, Royal Victoria Dock, where they run the art competition sponsored by Future Publishings ImagineFX magazine, as well as Wacom, Letraset & e-frontier. [cite web| title = Manga Alley| publisher = London MCM Expo| url = http://www.londonexpo.com/mangaalley.shtml| accessdate = 2006-10-14 ]

*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. [cite web| title = LGC Manga Day | publisher = London Graphics Centre| url = http://www.londongraphics.co.uk/| accessdate = 2006-10-15 ] [cite web| title = Manga not made in Japan | publisher = Institute of Contemporary Arts| url = http://www.ica.org.uk/?lid=12146| accessdate = 2006-10-15 ]

*Sweatdrop members have recently been attending promotional events run by publisher Tokyopop, in UK bookstores, to give advice on manga styled drawing. [cite web| title = Talks and Workshops | publisher = Russell Cotes Art Gallery and Museum| url = http://www.russell-cotes.bournemouth.gov.uk/Whats_On_Summer.pdf| accessdate = 2006-10-15 ]

*Some members of the group have participated in the art and design of the Collectable card game Herocard Cyberspace. [cite web| title = Tablestar Games - artists | publisher = Tablestar Games| url = http://www.tablestargames.com/artists.html | accessdate = 2006-10-15 ]

*The group ran numerous workshops and seminars at the huge Artists and Illustrators Exhibition [cite web| title = Artists and Illustrators Exhibition | publisher = Exploring.co.uk| url = http://www.exploring.co.uk/artists_illustrators/index2.htm | accessdate = 2006-10-15 ] in London in 2005, [cite web| title = The Show | publisher = Quarto Magazines| url = http://www.quarto.com/AIM/new%20site/aiexshow.html | accessdate = 2006-10-15 ] and have also had a tutorial published in Artists and Illustrators Magazine. [cite book
title = Artists and Illustrators Magazine
url =
format =
accessdate = 2006-10-16
accessyear = 2006
accessmonth = October
edition = issue 242
year = 2006
month = November
publisher = Quarto Publishing
language = English
pages =
quote = ]

List of current Sweatdrop members

As a collaboration, members of Sweatdrop participate in active discussion on their forum ( [http://www.sweatdrop.com/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.

List of books published by Sweatdrop Studios

* Sugardrops (multiple artists; ISBN 1-905038-00-3)
* Fantastic Cat (Selina Dean; Volume 1: ISBN 1-905038-01-1)
* Cold Sweat & Tears (multiple artists; ISBN 978-1-905038-02-2)
* Looking for the Sun (Morag Lewis; Volume 1: ISBN 1-905038-03-8; Volume 2: ISBN 1-905038-04-6; Volume 3: ISBN 978-1-905038-11-4; Volume 4: ISBN 978-1-90503-813-5)
* Revolution Baby (Sam Brown; Volume 1: ISBN 1-905038-05-4)
* Stardust (multiple artists; ISBN 1-905038-06-2)
* Pink is for Girls (multiple artists; ISBN 978-1-905038-07-7)
* Blue is for Boys (multiple artists; ISBN 978-1-905038-08-4)
* Duel Class (Ken Hoang; ISBN 1-905038-09-7)
* Biomecha (Laura Watton; Book 1: ISBN 978-1-905038-12-1)
* Dragon Heir (Emma Vieceli; Volume 1: ISBN 978-1-905038-14-3)
* Draw Manga (multiple artists; ISBN 1-84537-416-9)
* 500 Manga Characters (Sweatdrop Studios; ISBN 0-061256-52-8)

References

External links

* [http://www.sweatdrop.com/ Sweatdrop Studios Homepage]

Events external links

* [http://www.auchinawa.org.uk/ Auchinawa]
* [http://www.comicexpo.net/home.html Bristol International Comic Expo]
* [http://www.mcmexpo.net/japanexlondon/index.shtml JapanEX London]
* [http://www.londonexpo.com/ London MCM Expo]
* [http://www.tomo-dachi.co.uk/ Tomo-Dachi]

Other Sites Links
* [http://www.gifts-thatlittleshop.co.uk That Little Shop - Seller of Momiji Dolls]