After a break for a couple of years, I decided to offer a non-credit illustration course. Here is the skinny on it:
Illustrating Books & Products for Fun or Profit
Instructor: Nancy White Cassidy
Sept. 8th to November 3rd (8 Mondays, no class on Oct. 13th)
6:30 – 9pm
Tuition: $189
Place: Naugatuck Valley Community College, 750 Chase Parkway, Waterbury, CT 06708
This course is designed for both beginners and experienced illustration students. During these eight weeks, the students will develop solid techniques in creating illustrations for various markets: children’s, editorial, book and licensing. You will learn how to get your art seen by the illustration-buying industry. For the first class, bring your ideas, sketches or stories as well as a sketchpad, tracing paper, pencils and erasers. Be sure to bring a notebook to take copious notes. If you work digitally, bring your laptop and any related peripherals to class. A materials list will be provided upon registration. For information or questions, please contact the instructor at nancy@nancycassidy.com or call 860-350-3423.
Here's NVCTC's website: http://www.nvctc.commnet.edu/admissions/catalogs.shtml (The Fall 2008 Non Credit Course Catalog will be out July 31st, so check this site after August 1st.)
__________________________________________________________
See you soon!
Nancy
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Keeping Skills Sharp
Wow...I just finished up a marathon illustration job! I'm not yet at liberty to discuss it publicly, but I can give some of the details without giving the whole thing away....
This was a 30-chapter book, chock full of pen and ink illustrations: about 125 in all. The job started at the end of January and just wrapped up on April 2nd. 125 illustrations in a little more than two months. (I'll probably receive permission to post them on my website in a few months. Until then, I can't divulge much about them without risking a breach of contract).
These drawings were very detailed, with lots of people doing lots of things in lots of different situations. Jobs like the one I just completed happen without much notice. You have to be able to meet this type of a challenge without too much thought and just plow through it.
I draw every single day....even if it's just a doodle while I'm talking on the telephone. This keeps my hand flexible and my mind always alert for what my pen is about to do. And equally as important, it keeps my eye trained to see the very subtle nuances in my line.
This brings me to the point of this post: For anyone considering children's illustration, let me stress one very important thing: you MUST know how to draw! And you MUST keep your drawing skills sharp (I have actually had people ask if they need to know how to draw to illustrate children's books....). You MUST also ENJOY drawing. This is something that you will do a LOT, and if you don't enjoy drawing, this career can be sheer torture for you. Of course, you can create your illustrations digitally, but remember that you still need to know how to draw in order for the computer to do what you want it to do. So draw and draw some more!
And another very important point (which is often missed by a lot of art schools): LEARN ONE, TWO and THREE POINT PERSPECTIVE. I use it ALL THE TIME with these illustrations.
I recommend a very good, inexpensive, and concise book on learning perspective: Perspective by William F. Powell, published by Walter Foster. I've seen this book at all art stores, including Michael's Crafts. This book cuts to the chase, and gives you the nuts and bolts on how to draw in perspective.
Recently, I returned to figure drawing sessions at my local art association. This is drawing from the nude model...a must for anyone who wants to be an illustrator. Even if you are doing kids' books, you still need to understand how the body works, how the arms and legs are connected, how muscles operate, what fingers and toes look like. I've seen a lot of really bad illustration....and I can say with great certainty that these people do not understand the body. And probably have never drawn a model.
So I go once a week and draw for two and a half hours with other illustrators and artists. Besides giving my skills a big boost, it also connects me with others in my field, gives me the opportunity to make new friends, and provides me with some greatly needed time away from my studio. It's generally inexpensive.
If you can't get to a model session, consider drawing the statues in your park or at the museum. I used to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC to draw in the European Sculpture Garden regularly. You do sometimes attract attention, especially from the groups of school kids, but, in general, people find this fascinating and will usually watch for a little while from a respectful distance. Just ignore them and do your work! I have done this at many museums now, including the Louvre in Paris and the Glyptotheque in Munich, Germany (home of Bernini's Sleeping Faun....any art major knows THIS one!).
So sharpen your pencils and get drawing! And have fun with it!
Nancy
This was a 30-chapter book, chock full of pen and ink illustrations: about 125 in all. The job started at the end of January and just wrapped up on April 2nd. 125 illustrations in a little more than two months. (I'll probably receive permission to post them on my website in a few months. Until then, I can't divulge much about them without risking a breach of contract).
These drawings were very detailed, with lots of people doing lots of things in lots of different situations. Jobs like the one I just completed happen without much notice. You have to be able to meet this type of a challenge without too much thought and just plow through it.
I draw every single day....even if it's just a doodle while I'm talking on the telephone. This keeps my hand flexible and my mind always alert for what my pen is about to do. And equally as important, it keeps my eye trained to see the very subtle nuances in my line.
This brings me to the point of this post: For anyone considering children's illustration, let me stress one very important thing: you MUST know how to draw! And you MUST keep your drawing skills sharp (I have actually had people ask if they need to know how to draw to illustrate children's books....). You MUST also ENJOY drawing. This is something that you will do a LOT, and if you don't enjoy drawing, this career can be sheer torture for you. Of course, you can create your illustrations digitally, but remember that you still need to know how to draw in order for the computer to do what you want it to do. So draw and draw some more!
And another very important point (which is often missed by a lot of art schools): LEARN ONE, TWO and THREE POINT PERSPECTIVE. I use it ALL THE TIME with these illustrations.
I recommend a very good, inexpensive, and concise book on learning perspective: Perspective by William F. Powell, published by Walter Foster. I've seen this book at all art stores, including Michael's Crafts. This book cuts to the chase, and gives you the nuts and bolts on how to draw in perspective.
Recently, I returned to figure drawing sessions at my local art association. This is drawing from the nude model...a must for anyone who wants to be an illustrator. Even if you are doing kids' books, you still need to understand how the body works, how the arms and legs are connected, how muscles operate, what fingers and toes look like. I've seen a lot of really bad illustration....and I can say with great certainty that these people do not understand the body. And probably have never drawn a model.
So I go once a week and draw for two and a half hours with other illustrators and artists. Besides giving my skills a big boost, it also connects me with others in my field, gives me the opportunity to make new friends, and provides me with some greatly needed time away from my studio. It's generally inexpensive.
If you can't get to a model session, consider drawing the statues in your park or at the museum. I used to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC to draw in the European Sculpture Garden regularly. You do sometimes attract attention, especially from the groups of school kids, but, in general, people find this fascinating and will usually watch for a little while from a respectful distance. Just ignore them and do your work! I have done this at many museums now, including the Louvre in Paris and the Glyptotheque in Munich, Germany (home of Bernini's Sleeping Faun....any art major knows THIS one!).
So sharpen your pencils and get drawing! And have fun with it!
Nancy
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