Week One: OVERVIEW OF ENTERTAINMENT ADVERTISING AND ILLUSTRATION—From concept strategy and design to finished art with examples, starting with Art Director thumbnails
Week Two: MATERIALS—From 1st stage comprehensive sketch work to color comp
Week Three: FILM GENRES— Suspense, romance, film noir, science fiction, comedy, documentary, and others. Select one to advertise
Week Four: DESIGN YOUR OWN FILM (Genre, Story Outline, Casting)—Prepare 8-10 thumbnail compositions with cast of two of more characters, montage, high concept, action or scene, bird’s eye camera angle, worm’s eye camera angle, two-shots, etc.
Week Five: PROCEDURES FOR COMPLETING MULTIPLE FIRST STAGE COMP’S TO MEET A DEADLINE—Actor likeness, environment, vehicles, props. REFERENCE PHOTOGRAPHY AND RESEARCH; Formatting and sizing elements.
Week Six: “BUILDING” THE ILLUSTRATIONS—Demonstrations, presentation to the production studio.
Week Seven: CHANGES AND ADDITIONS—Demonstration
Week Eight: LATE STAGE COMP’S—Techniques; Demonstration with wax pencil, turpenoid, and vellum.
Week Nine: LATE STAGE COMP’S, TECHNIQUES—Demonstration with gray paper, black and white Prismacolor and Verithin pencils, highlighted in gouache.
Week Ten: LATE STAGE AND FINISHED KEY ART—Airbrush, colored wax pencils, other mediums.

Mark Westermoe is one of the giants of figure drawing in Southern California. Along with his stunning drawings, paintings, and illustrations, he is also a world-class instructor. After graduating from Stanford, Mark returned to L.A. and began studying with his mentor, the great Fred Fixler, who was a student of legendary teacher Frank Reilly. Mark quickly became Fixler’s top student and protege. After Fixler’s death, Mark continued in the tradition of his mentor; handing down the knowledge of the Reilly Method to his students. Mark’s professional illustration career rose to prominence when he worked for some of the top advertising houses in Hollywood, including BLT Communications and Seiniger Advertising. You can see his work on many feature film posters such as Braveheart, Total Recall, and Home Alone. Along with his film and figurative work, Mark founded Associates in Art in Sherman Oaks, California, which became one of the top private art schools in the country. Many world-class artists and illustrators taught at Associates along with Mark, and many students and alumni became a “who’s who” of figurative art. Great artists such as Kevin Chen, Sergio Sanchez, and Paul Wee are just a few of Mark’s outstanding former students. Mark has revived his love and passion for drawing, painting, and teaching. Mark continues to master figurative art, and teach privately in Claremont, California.

Drawing board

18 x 24 smooth newsprint (must be smooth)

18 x 24 tracing paper

Charcoal pencils:

-Conté à Paris, B black or 2B black or…

-STABILO CarbOthello Pastel Pencil, Neutral Black or Lamp Black

Kneaded eraser

Razor blades

Sanding pad or sandpaper

Masking tape

Sales are non-refundable, but in some cases we can switch a student’s enrollment in a class that has not yet started to another class of equal or lesser value. Art Mentors reserves the right to cancel, limit enrollment, substitute instructors or models, reschedule or modify a class with notice to enrolled students. If a class is canceled, enrolled students will be given a refund. If an instructor is unable to finish a class term, a refund will be given to students at a pro-rated amount.