Workshop overview

I have been teaching workshops to children between the ages of 6 and 18 for three years now. My primary customers are town libraries, but I have also been employed by art studios and community centers.

In my workshops, I start off with an introduction of Anime and Manga: what they are, where they came from, and what's popular right now. I watch and am familiar with a vast number of shows currently and formerly on television so I can use shows and books that the kids are familiar with as examples to help them learn. I even know enough anime to make references suitable for grade school children, teens, and adults, meaning i can change and adapt the class to my audience.  I also, in my introduction, throw in some general rules of illustration, explain some simple anatomy, and even teach them a few Japanese words.

Next, we start drawing. Starting with the face, I detail the process of drawing a head-on face, and a profile, explaining "rules" of measurement as I go along.

The I show them how to draw a body. The system I use doesn't just teach how to draw a body in one position, but actually is meant to give the students an understanding of how the body is formed out of simple 3D shapes. With this understanding, and an understanding of stick figures, students will be able to move the body into whatever position fits their illustration needs. They won't have to copy every position that the body takes because they'll now understand how it moves and exists in space.

Then using the same technique that I use to teach the body, I show students how to draw hands and feet--thought to be the most difficult part of the body to draw.

Lastly, I give a quick lesson on clothing and balance.

This all probably sounds pretty complicated, but learning with pictures is a lot easier than learning with words. I have had 2nd graders walk away from my class with a whole new understanding of how the body and face of an anime character looks and is drawn in a story, where the poses are dynamic and require an understanding of space and proportion.



photo of Library set-up BEFORE students arrive.


If you are interested in having me teach a class at your library or community center, please send me an email.