KARACHI: An exhibition was organised by the German Consulate on Thursday showcasing the talent and hard work of 19 art and design students who took part in a week-long workshop held last October under the direction of Berlin-based comic artist Klaus Schleiter.

The aim of the workshop was to teach the technical and organisational aspects of drawing comics, and the final product — the first-ever graphic novel on vocational training — was launched to celebrate their artwork.

Unveiled at Fomma, the exhibition introduced several stages of the comic book, from the conceptualisation to the sketching and then playing with colours.

For German Consul General Rainer Schmiedchen, the project is part of an official government-to-government cooperation between Germany and Pakistan. “The comic is all about vocational training in Pakistan, a country where parents invest in their children’s education for them to settle down in a white-collar job. That’s different in Germany,” he said.

Chances for your Future charts the life of Rabia and Kalim and their struggle to better their lives by acquiring vocational skills such as becoming an auto mechanic or a windmill mechanic respectively.

“The comic book is the fruit of the workshop these students were part of. We want to reach out to the younger ones in Pakistan, making the idea of ‘German-style’ vocational training more popular,” said Mr Schmiedchen.

Klaus Schleiter sent a special video message from Berlin, from the office of MOSAIK, and the audience was rewarded with an insight into the process of several graphic artists’ working. He also congratulated all the participants of the workshop on being part of this achievement.

Schleiter is currently running the German monthly magazine MOSAIK, a 36-page comic story, which was founded in 1955 in East Berlin, with the characters of Abrax, Brabax and Califax travelling the world and narrating their different experiences.

Many of the participants of the workshop were present to see their designs displayed and their eagerness at being part of the project was clearly apparent.

Ayesha Jamal shared her excitement at her work being valued and appreciated. A final-year student at Karachi University studying

graphic design, Jamal worked on the comic, and in particular focused on backgrounds. This included perspectives and details of things such as walls, the soil, etc. Little details were taken care of to make the comic more realistic.

“There is a lot of talent amongst artists in this city, but it is not being utilised properly and is wasted. This workshop allowed us an opportunity to learn and apply new skills. Mr Schleiter also introduced different German artists and how they work. The experience was amazing.”

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2017