Did I mention that I'm teaching Cartooning for Kids again this summer for six weeks? Same deal as last year and with a view like the one above, how can I complain? Really, there are 2 three week sessions with three classes a day. Here is how the first three week session went with photos of my quickly drawn cartoons done for the kids....
DAY 1: FACULTY MEETING
Day 1 of teaching:
This summer, I'm returning to my gig teaching cartooning for kids for DVC's San Ramon campus. While teaching technically starts tuesday, we had our faculty meeting on monday and went over a few things. Many returning teachers and a few new ones.
We were assured that the AC would not go out this time like last summer since it can be blistering hot on those dry Mt. Diablo foothills. But, leaving the campus today, I saw a grass fire a couple hills over. Seems we might have a bigger problem with the heat.
Also, I got a warning parking ticket! Yay! Parking is free....but not in the faculty lot....even though I am faculty.
DAY 2: DRAWING HEADS
Day 2 of teaching:
Really, day one with the kids. Some chatty kids in the 3rd class but the first two classes are angels. Listening to Nick Pino and Steven Yu talk about their jobs and working with kids, I really lucked out. Things went smoothly. I was listening to art podcasts while driving and then met up with my artist friends after teaching for food, sketching, and talking until 1am. Crazy but a full day of living a life of Art. A good day!
DAY 3: MANGA STYLE & EXPRESSIONS
Day 3 of teaching:
The Anime/Manga style and also Showing Expressions and Emotions in cartooning. Admittedly, Manga isn't my strength but the kids still love this style even though the girl on the right looks less "manga" and more "stoned".
We also did emotions and how to SHOW what the character is feeling rather than just saying it with a word balloon. The Hulk was a good example for this.
Also, my faith in the future generations has been renewed as a bunch of kids knew who all the Avengers were and even one rattled off some non-movie Avengers.
And so far the question of the week is how are these kids knowing about Calvin and Hobbes?
DAY 4: BODY EMOTIONS, AGE, & HANDS
Day 4 of teaching:
Today was all about showing expressions and emotions that we did on the face the day before and use that with the body. (Although my sleepy dog below looks more tired).
We also covered Age and the differences and ever so briefly hands (Mickey Mouse version).
The first two classes, once again, are angels. The last class is a little more rambunctious. We are going to have to keep an eye on them. Not bad kids but just extra chatty and distracted. In general, the kids who talk and work quickly, do not get good drawings. The ones that are quiet and work slower get better drawings (better concentration but then the better artists are more introverted, right?)
First week in the books. 5 more to go!
DAY 5: ESTABLISHED CHARACTERS
Day 5 of teaching:
This is the best day of the 3 weeks. We started with a quick art demo on how to draw Patrick from Spongebob Squarepants. Then the rest of the class was spent with the kids doing grid drawings of famous cartoon characters. We took the kid's requests for characters (sorry to one child: Osama Bin Laden was rejected as a cartoon character. lol).
Last year's most popular character was Pikachu. This year, Pikachu made a strong come back in the last class but Stewie from Family Guy had the edge. Also popular: Phone Bone, Smurfs, Angry Birds (the easiest to draw), Master Chief from Halo, Tintin, and Snoopy.
Hats off to the kids that took the harder ones to draw like Spider-man, movie Thor & Iron Man, and Master Chief. We got some really nicely drawings of the Lorax, Snoopys, and Smurfettes too.
As usual, the first two class were quiet and did the best drawings. The third did okay but the chattiest kids did the worst. But we got some really great drawings out of the classes. Their best drawings yet and some really talents kids.
While I enjoy talking Avengers with the boys in the back of the class, my favorites are those quiet shy introverts who pick the more obscure characters like from Spirited Away or Black Butler rather than Pokemon and quietly do a superb drawing. If they keep drawing into their teens and later, they are going to be brilliant!
DAY 6: ANIMALS
Day 6 of teaching:
Animals Day! As usual, the first two classes were great. With the 3rd, we finally had to separate some kids who talked too much. One kid wanted a second chance. That WAS his second chance! Next stop it sitting in the hall outside of class.
We did a dog demo (my drawing posted here) and drew other animals. Surprisingly, it was a little girl and not a boy who did a drawing of a farting bird. lol
Animals Day! As usual, the first two classes were great. With the 3rd, we finally had to separate some kids who talked too much. One kid wanted a second chance. That WAS his second chance! Next stop it sitting in the hall outside of class.
We did a dog demo (my drawing posted here) and drew other animals. Surprisingly, it was a little girl and not a boy who did a drawing of a farting bird. lol
DAY 7: CREATURES
Day 7 of teaching:
Creatures Day! Thursday, the kids got to draw both known creatures from mythology, TV, and movies (Cyclops, Unicorn, vampires, etc) and unknown ones of their own creation. We also did a Baby Dragon demo.
I also showed the kids some of my monster drawings from my sketchbook and artist cards and told then how I plan on selling them. I said, "...because your teacher isn't just an artist, he's a Capitalist too!!" lol One kid wanted to wheel and deal for some cards by making me a website.
We also had a request for an 8-eyed Mutant Ariel the Little Mermaid. I was up for the challenge!! (See photo below)
Only two days left with this group next week. They grow up so fast! :)
Creatures Day! Thursday, the kids got to draw both known creatures from mythology, TV, and movies (Cyclops, Unicorn, vampires, etc) and unknown ones of their own creation. We also did a Baby Dragon demo.
I also showed the kids some of my monster drawings from my sketchbook and artist cards and told then how I plan on selling them. I said, "...because your teacher isn't just an artist, he's a Capitalist too!!" lol One kid wanted to wheel and deal for some cards by making me a website.
We also had a request for an 8-eyed Mutant Ariel the Little Mermaid. I was up for the challenge!! (See photo below)
Only two days left with this group next week. They grow up so fast! :)
DAY 8: CHARACTER SHEETS
Day 8 of teaching:
From Tuesday, a brief talk about word balloons and other comic elements, props, and backgrounds. Then we gave a run down for the final project for the class which involves doing three character sheets for a Protagonist, Antagonist, and a Sidekick for a comic book cover on the last day. I did my own version on the board with Anna/Hannah Banana, her nemesis Erik the Viking and a sidekick Sparky the Dragon (changing it to the villain's sidekick in the last class, Combat Ant).
Then, after class, it was meeting up with friends at Panera's for more art, food, and talk. As expected, we closed the place out, moved to the tables outside the place many hours after closing, and then went to Denny's, arriving home at sunrise/5am. Thank goodness for the holiday the day after.
Some people party to sunrise. Me and my art friends? We talk about art, movies, and draw. My goal was to get six pages of rough pencils done for my comic project and that is mostly finished.
From Tuesday, a brief talk about word balloons and other comic elements, props, and backgrounds. Then we gave a run down for the final project for the class which involves doing three character sheets for a Protagonist, Antagonist, and a Sidekick for a comic book cover on the last day. I did my own version on the board with Anna/Hannah Banana, her nemesis Erik the Viking and a sidekick Sparky the Dragon (changing it to the villain's sidekick in the last class, Combat Ant).
Then, after class, it was meeting up with friends at Panera's for more art, food, and talk. As expected, we closed the place out, moved to the tables outside the place many hours after closing, and then went to Denny's, arriving home at sunrise/5am. Thank goodness for the holiday the day after.
Some people party to sunrise. Me and my art friends? We talk about art, movies, and draw. My goal was to get six pages of rough pencils done for my comic project and that is mostly finished.
DAY 9: COMIC COVER OR STRIP
Day 9 of teaching:
The last day of this session. The kids took the three character drawings they did on Tuesday and made either a comic book cover or a comic strip with them. There were other criteria like having a background, a word balloon, a prop, a logo, at least one character be an animal or creature and at least one be a human character. Basically, I tried to tie in all the previous day's lessons into this.
Most of the kids did well except for some chatty ones at the end. There were some funny names like "Waffle Comics", "Animals vs. Abusers", and "Animal Crimes".
I myself made a strip and two versions of a comic cover with the characters I created on Tuesday with Anna Banana, Erik the Viking, Sparky the dragon sidekick, and Combat Ant. I think the covers came out well considering they were done quickly. You Dr. Freuds out there keep the comments to yourselves, okay? Sometimes a Banana is just a Banana!! :)
The last day of this session. The kids took the three character drawings they did on Tuesday and made either a comic book cover or a comic strip with them. There were other criteria like having a background, a word balloon, a prop, a logo, at least one character be an animal or creature and at least one be a human character. Basically, I tried to tie in all the previous day's lessons into this.
Most of the kids did well except for some chatty ones at the end. There were some funny names like "Waffle Comics", "Animals vs. Abusers", and "Animal Crimes".
I myself made a strip and two versions of a comic cover with the characters I created on Tuesday with Anna Banana, Erik the Viking, Sparky the dragon sidekick, and Combat Ant. I think the covers came out well considering they were done quickly. You Dr. Freuds out there keep the comments to yourselves, okay? Sometimes a Banana is just a Banana!! :)
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