Finalizing with narration and begin using ink

After a weekend planning for the final stage of the project, I head off in the glaring sun to return to An-Najah University, excited to see the students final products in the pencil stage before ink is applied. At this point, they have grasped the concepts and are on a roll. It’s easier to communicate ideas and brainstorm text and narration. My student Nasreen from Qalqilya was inspired to draw about the incursion between Hamas and Fatah the previous week and express her family’s own fear while gunshots were heard in the streets outside her home. Before the last week had ended, there was another gunfight in Qalqilya, shutting her into the town for another two days. I was afraid she wouldn’t be able to complete her story and would be deprived of the chance to express her frustrations and experience to the world. I arrived to the class and not only was she in attendance, but also had all five pages completed. I thanked her for making such a valiant effort and not allowing the internal conflict to set her back. We began the final stage with reviewing changes and introducing ink techniques using Indian ink and ink pens liners.