Summer Vacation?

Wow! Almost a month since the last post. I knew there would be a drop off once my class ended. My animation class really pushed me to be creative more often and, without that structure, I tend to drift.

But that isn't to say I haven't done anything creative for the past month. No, I have a summer job teaching kids cartooning at a local college.  The college where I was taking my animation course opens up their campuses during the summer months for 6 weeks to give the young kids an opportunity to take some summer school classes to keep fresh and to do some fun things during the summer. I applied for the gig months ago and I, along with another student in my animation class, got the jobs to be co-instructors.

It is something new for me. I have not taught before other than as a supervisor to other employees but I have a tougher group this time: Kids!!



Actually, most of them are surprisingly very good. It is a good area in the suburbs and the kids seem to have some parents teaching them good manners and how to be pleasant. Some of the names really throw us with such a large population of East Indian-Americans but, once I learn how to properly say it, many of them are quite beautiful.

I am liking the job though. I knew I'd have to do things like projecting my voice to be louder since I'm usually a quiet guy or taking charge of the room, being the lead, and getting the kids to focus and not chat too much. For the most part, I think we are doing good with that.

(I know. I should REALLY be bringing my sketchbook 

with me rather than using a binder paper notebook)

The biggest challenge is what we thought we would run into early on: lack of time. Really, the 6 weeks are broken into two 3-week sessions of 3 different one hour classes three times a week. So, when you break it down, we only have 9 hours with each class. Between the age (4th graders to 9th graders), we really are not going to have enough time to turn them into masters artists. But my goal was to teach them a few things and yet have enough time to draw and have fun. Sometimes we really run into a time crunch though but have adjusted to allow more drawing and creativity later in the schedule.



Here is how my colleague and I have broken down those nine sessions:

Day One: Introduction to Cartooning. Basic Head and Face constructions. Then how to bend those rules for a unique cartoon character.

Day Two: Facial Expressions & How to Draw an Anime Head. Hairstyles. How to show different emotions using different facial elements. The Anime/Manga style is very popular with the kids.

(Bad cell phone photo of facial emotions. I really liked the one on the right)

Day Three: Hands, Bodies, and Age and how to show emotion through those body elements. By far, this is the driest day, the least interesting, and the day we are the most pressed for time.

(Bad cell phone photo of body type emotions)

Day Four: How to Draw Established Characters from TV and Movies. We give them a demo on how to draw one (Bart Simpson) and then they get to pick their own favorite and draw it using a grid system. By far, the BEST day of the 9. Kids were coming back the next day to do 2nd and 3rd drawings at home.

Day Five: Animals Day. How to Draw Animals. Cats. Dogs. Sea Creatures. We do a quick demo on How to Draw a Cartoon Lion's Head and a Horse's Head.

(I found some great instructional demos online by another cartoonist 

on how to get some animal drawings through simple constructions.)

Day Six: How to Draw Creatures. Established ones from Myth and then creating their own. We do a Demo on How to Draw a Baby Dragon.

(My Baby Dragon. This was my colleague's idea and 

she took the lead but I still wanted to practice)

Day Seven: How to do Backgrounds. Word Balloons. And other Comic Elements. Explanation of the Final Project: a Comic Book Cover or Movie Poster. Start character sheets.

Day Eight: Continue character sheets: Students start drawing at least three characters to their final project: A Protagonist, an Antagonist, and a Sidekick. At least one of those has to be an animal or creature. Students can choose to draw an established character but only 1. Must have a background and a logo. Start cover.

Day Nine: Finish Cover. Watch a cartoon. Parents can visit.


We've already done the first session and the first week of the 2nd. The plan seems to be working and we adjust as need be. We've had some really nice parents and kids thank us and tell us they enjoyed it. One girl gave us thank you origamis. A couple other girls gave us their own drawings.