Cartooning for Kids

(Portrait of me from one of the students)

So last time, I explained my summer job and the game plan. So how did it work out? Well, I'm not on the Twitter but I would give daily updates of my day for friends on my Facebook page. Some of the things that happen with the kids were very funny. And while most are kid-level drawings, we got some creative stuff. Here is how the first 4 weeks went....

Orientation went well today. Tomorrow, my first day teaching and back in the work force. Yay!

The first day went well. Just three one hour classes and both my colleague and I were nervous. But the kids were great. We are lucky that it is a good area. I had no idea San Ramon had grown so much with housing up in the hills. The only bad thing is the AC is out all week but the kids said our classroom was the LEAST hottest. My view out of the classroom overlooks the southern side of Mt. Diablo and the rolling foothills before it. Gorgeous.

Day Two of teaching......didn't happen! Heat wave + broken AC = they sent the kids home and cancelled all classes (our version of a snow day?). Upset parents. One less day to get everything in. Not sure if we'll get a make up day. They just better be fixing the AC tonight or folks are going to get cranky tomorrow.

Day 3 of teaching-No heat wave shut down (yea!) The kids responded really well to the assignments of drawing anime heads and expressions using cartoon dogs and hair. That was the fastest 5 hours ever. I haven't lost my voice yet (barely) or my legs from standing. I think I really lucked out with these nice kids.

Day 4 of teaching-Why am I more tired than last week? The heat? The kids suffered through drawing hands and different ages today. Dry stuff. I promised them it will get more exciting the next few days.

Day 5 of teaching went better than boring Tuesday. We taught the kids how to draw Bart Simpson and then they picked one other character to draw themselves from cartoons and movies. 

Most Popular Character? Pikachu! 

Least Popular Characters? Comic Book Super Heroes!! Sorry, my fellow comic fans, but we knew we are a dying breed. Out of 65 kids, not one Batman, Thor, Cap, or Spider-man picked.

Day 6 of teaching: Still more requests from the kids to draw a character from yesterday. Some kids brought back some take home ones and did a great job. Today's lesson was drawing animals. Almost had to separate two kids as they were extra chatty and rambunctious but some good drawings.

Day 7 of teaching: How to Draw Creatures Day! While we gave a demo on how to draw a baby dragon using basic shapes like a box for the rear, one little kid immediately calls it a "butt" then goes into the lyrics for Sir Mix-A-Lot's "I like Big Butts....". Too funny! Also, my colleague and I almost blew the secret to Santa today talking about characters that don't exist. Close one! Whew!

Day 8 of teaching: Finally had to separate two kids. Only two more days left with this session. The kids grow up so fast! 

Day 9 of teaching: first kid booted out for the day. Yup, mister Sir Mix-a-Lot kid. Too much goofying around, not paying attention, and doesn't want to be there and draw. So my supervisor took him away and he did his drawings in the hall way. He got a talking to and apologized at the end of class and it was AMAZING how quiet and focused the other kids got after he was removed. Fear=motivator?? lol

Day 10: Last day for these kids. Finished up our drawings. Had a slideshow of everyone's art. Watched some cartoons. Drew some characters. A good day. Oh, and our one little problem child decided to write some graffiti on the tables. Next time, kid, don't write your name as the graffiti and maybe we won't know who did it! lol

Teaching update: A new batch of kids started today. About half the class from the 2nd hour had to leave for water or to use the restroom (we had about 5 kids lineup up outside at one point). It made it tough to get anything done. Also, I don't think the AC works in the classroom.

After handing out the Head/Face drawing assignment, one precocious girl said "Oh, I already KNOW how to draw the head". Girl, the day you stop learning and practicing in art is the day you're dead. lol

Same pattern as before: First class is really quiet but, by the 3rd class, they are more chatty. Talking about next week's upcoming assignment to draw established characters in film and in TV really got them talking. And we may have FINALLY found that one superhero comics kid. 1 out of 135 isn't bad! lol

Responses I said in today's class teaching expressions and the anime head:

"Cannibalism is NOT an emotion....it is a dietary choice!"

"Do NOT rip the face off of your fellow student next to you!" 

"Do Dogs have eyebrows?"

First week of 2nd session done for teaching. Today's assignment was the driest and most time crunching of the days: Drawing Hands, Body Emotions, and Age. To quote one little girl "Drawing Hands SUCKS!!" I agree and so do most artists. But we gotta learn it!