Watercolor Workshop Class at RISD-CE, 2017
Read moreBook Dummy Class is Complete
Every time I teach The Book Dummy, I am amazed to find another group of creative, talented, and driven students ready to put their ideas into words and art, and create a prototype for a children's book. This year we had stories from a classic Thumbelina, re-written, through a non-fiction book about the moon, and it's importance to earth.
Each student took their story from written word (edited more times than you can imagine) through storyboarding, character development, one finished spread (sketch, color studies, finish), full size sketches, cover letter, client search, and all the way to constructing a finished dummy.
I was blessed to share this creation process with these talented women.
RISD Weekend Watercolor Intensive Workshop, June, 2015
It's hard to think of something that's more fun than spending a weekend with motivated, talented students who want to learn new stuff!
Last weekend was one of those good times, with a roomful of folks ready to learn watercolor techniques, beginning on Saturday morning with simple exercises, like using a round or a flat brush, and spending the afternoon doing more complex techniques, such as laying washes and using frisket.
On Sunday, each participant put their new skills to use and did a painting or two of their own choice.
Thanks to all of you for making my weekend so much fun! (I invited student to send me jpegs of paintings that they finish up out of class, so maybe I'll have more to post later!)
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Weekend Watercolor Intensive at RISD
I had a grand time with 13 fabulous students last weekend. They were all ready to spend a weekend learning more about watercolor. After a full day of exercises on Saturday, they painted their own pieces on Sunday. Here is one of the student paintings, a class portrait.
Below are pictures of most of the students, with their work in progress.
Susan and Whitney came for some artistic mom-daughter together time.
The students had a wide range of backgrounds... from total beginners, to people who had some experience with watercolor but wanted to learn more, to experienced artists who were looking to learn another media.
Ben (how did I miss getting a picture of Ben!) drove up from DC for the weekend. He experimented with wet-on-wet and Yupo paper, and Miyoung created textured backgrounds with salt. Anne did a floral still life from a blooming kalanchoe. Lois worked on letterforms with delicate colors that she later planned to layer, overpaint, and even stitch into art pieces.
Several of the students enjoyed Waterfires after class on Saturday evening.
We had a photographer spend a few hours with us, so pictures of the class will probably show up in future RISD CE catalogs.
Thanks to all of the students for your creativity and enthusiasm! It was an exciting and fun weekend for me!
Another Book Dummy Class is Done
I love teaching "The Book Dummy" at RISD CE. Every class is as exciting as the last, with students bringing in their own manuscripts and creating prototypes of their own children's book, called a "dummy" in the industry.
We begin with storyboards, small thumbnail sketches that help to create the design and pace of the book. Manuscripts are reworked (ie: slashed, revised, honed, refined, and on and on and on!!!)
Alison shared a quote she'd heard that summarized the class for her.
The difference between a dream and a goal...
is a deadline.
Twelve weeks passes quickly when you are turning a story into reality, with character development, color studies, layout, design, manuscript revision, and finished art.
It was a joy for me to watch each student bring their ideas into reality.
Lori Surdat Weinberg's Illustration I class joined us, and I look forward to
seeing many of them in a future Book Dummy class.
Watercolor Workshop Class at RISD-CE, 2017