Character Design Class at MassArt, Summer 2014

I will be teaching Character Design  class (Continuing Education, open to the public) this summer. 

Here’s the info:

Massachusetts College of Art and Design

Character Design

Instructor: Katia Wish

June 3-July 17

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2pm-6pm

http://pcecatalog.massart.edu/summer/

Course Description: Through a variety of observational exercises (drawing from children and adult models, trips to the Museum of Natural History to draw animals), students learn basic anatomy and movements of children, adults and animals. The students develop one or more characters and the environments that they live in that could work with either children’s books, video games, graphic novels, animation or comic books.  The emphasis is on creating strong, believable characters who are consistent through a variety of facial expressions and movements. 

Few points regarding the class:

1. The class will be structured in such a way that the students will be able to create work that is necessary for their portfolio. After observational drawing, the students can take their character development in any direction you need – realistic, stylized, simplified, cute, scary, mythical animals, people, hybrid creatures, etc, etc. Whatever the students need for their portfolio – character development for a children’s book, animation, video games, comic books, they’ll go in that direction.

2. In this class the students will have an opportunity to draw not only from adult models, but also from children models.  Children’s anatomy, movements, body proportions are very different from adults, so it’s a really valuable drawing practice, especially if you are interested in children’s books and animation.

3. The students will develop unique characters in different poses, facial expressions. They will also design the attire, any props and objects that character uses, and develop the environment the character lives in. 

4. This class could be a starting point for a bigger project that the students might want to develop later – children’s book, animation project, graphic novel, etc.

It should be a really fun and open class where students can develop work they are really excited about.

Work-in-Progress: Character Studies for "Sophie's Animal Parade", written by Amy Dixon, Sky Pony Press, Spring 2015

Having a lot of fun with this book so far! These are some character studies and reference materials to help me visualize things from different angles. I enjoy changing perspective/point of view in my illustrations, so a little doll table + chairs will definitely make my drawing life so much easier!

TWO CHILDREN'S BOOK CONTRACTS SIGNED!

I am excited to announce that I have finally signed not one, but two children’s book contracts. I am illustrating books for Sky Pony Press (“Sophie’s Animal Parade", written by Amy Dixon) and Boys Town Press, both to be released in Spring 2015.

It took 4 years of constant work developing my portfolio, characters, and stories, networking, trips to NY to see publishers, trips to conferences, desperation, inspiration, taking paid illustration projects that weren’t necessarily fulfilling or moving my work forward, being both encouraged and discouraged by the success of my fellow illustrators, finding mentors, art directors/editors and illustrators who believed in my work and urged me to continue, frustration, leaving an agent who didn’t have the same vision for the direction of my work and artistic development, almost quitting many times, but coming back to the drawing board because of the pure love of illustration and story-telling even when it was hard to have any hope.

It feels good to finally be here.

Stuffed Animals + Kids

Planes

A Little Bit of Gossip

Not-so-Ballet-Behavior

Fabriano, 140 lbs soft press watercolor paper 

Snow Fight, 3 sequantial illustrations

Walk to School

Study # 2. Walk to School. For this one I tried SOFT PRESS watercolor paper (Fabriano). Less texture than cold press, white of the paper is brighter, as well as colors. So far, no problems, pretty happy with it. More experimentation is required.

Lost Dog

 I used hot-press watercolor paper, I usually use only cold-press.  I might explore hot-press direction more.

Illustration for Ladybug Magazine November/December 2013

Museum Sketches - Harvard Museum of Natural History

Raccoon Character Design - Part 2

Raccoon Character Design - Part 1

I'm leaning towards the first one with the red hat, less cute, more personality.

Sketches below were done first, I tried to figure out the colors and textures for this character, but I didn't like his softness and cuteness. So I decided to do some more studies. 

Museum Sketches