Costumed Figure Drawing and Characterization with Bill Perkins
Instructor: Bill Perkins
Duration: 10 Sundays, Oct 2 - Dec 4, 2016
Time: 3:30pm - 6:30pm
Full Access: $599
Online Only: $399
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Difficulty: All Levels
Bill Perkins has been working in animation for 30 years as a Layout Artist and Art Director. His work has influenced many memorable animated films such as: The Little Mermaid, Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Space Jam, Shrek, Bolt, Winnie the Pooh, Tangled, and Frozen.
The Artist’s strength comes in their ability to direct the viewers eye at will through the subject and subtext of their visual message with clarity, simplicity and directness.
Whether you are a figurative painter, illustrator, story board artist, or animator, this is a great class for any artist who wants to get more feeling and expression in their figures.Capturing the expression of the pose will be at the core of this class, but we you explore quick sketch, dynamic and subtle action, weighting, rhythm, stress and folds, designing shapes, and the impact of drawing techniques.
You will analyze master drawings through history, and Bill will demonstrate how we can use these concepts to improve the clarity of our drawings' feeling and expressions.
Since we will be working from live models in various costumes and roles, there will be a lot of improvisational adaptation concentrating our focus on the immediate expression and needs of our drawings.
Full Access Participants will be working alongside Bill from weekly rotating models. Bill’s work will be recorded live, as well as broadcast to large displays so you can follow along no matter where you're positioned in the studio. The recordings from each class will be published within 48 hours of class ending so that you can review all material, including material you may have missed. Participants will benefit from Bill’s generous teaching style with one-on-one critiques of your classwork.
Participants attending the class with the Online Streaming Only pass will also get access to the full video recordings from class as well as critiques. Online participants will work from high quality model photos that will be provided on the class page each week. You can upload photos of your weekly work into the class chatroom and get a full critique from Bill during the following week's class. You can watch the recordings on your own time, and you do not have to participate in the critiques if you don't want to.
All students will receive online access to the class recording and reference images for one year. This is helpful to reinforce the principles of each week, and to catch any concepts you may have missed the first time around.
Also included with your enrollment in this class is FREE access to our Drink and Draw sessions! Drop in during any Sunday session to draw world-class models while enjoying great wine, snacks and music. Practice your drawing skills, and mingle with fellow students and the Art Mentors staff.
See below for more information, including the instructor’s bio, a materials list, and a tentative class syllabus.
Week 1:
Introduction to action analysis breaking down the pose
Short pose ballpoint pen/copy paper
Week 2:
Acting, improve and feeling the pose
Short pose ballpoint pen/copy paper
Week 3:
Weighting, dynamic forces
Short pose ballpoint pen/copy paper
Week 4:
The costume, shapes and design
Medium length poses, charcoal pencil and marker/animation paper or ballpoint pen/copy paper
Week 5:
Folds, Stress
Medium length poses, charcoal pencil and marker/animation paper
Week 6:
Rhythm, seeing it and building on it
Working from master works, charcoal pencil and marker/animation paper
Week 7:
Primaries of design
Medium length poses, charcoal pencil and marker/animation paper
Week 8:
Harmonizing your design
Medium length poses, charcoal pencil and marker/animation paper
Week 9:
Expressive drawing techniques
Short to medium pose Any materials
Week 10:
The marks we make and design grouping
Short to medium pose Any materials
After graduating Art Center College of Design with honors in illustration, Bill began his fine art career in 1980 painting for galleries in Redondo and Laguna Beach, California, Taos, New Mexico and Tucson, Arizona. His work has been exhibited at the Springfield Museum in Utah, and the Monterey Peninsula Museum of Art. He was one of the first members of the Plein Air Painters of America. In 1983, Bill began teaching, first at Art Center, and later at Associates in Art, LAAFA, Cal Arts, and Concept Design Academy. In 1986 he joined Walt Disney Animation Studio as a layout artist and later Art Director during their boom years, through 1994. After his first tour at Disney Bill continued to Art Direct and do visual development for Warner Bros, DreamWorks, ILM, Character Builders, and his own High St. Studio. During his film career, Bill’s work has influenced many memorable animated films such as: the Little Mermaid, Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Space Jam, Shrek, Bolt, Winnie the Pooh, and Tangled, and Frozen. He is currently an art director for Disneytoons Studio and continues teaching at Los Angeles Academy of Art, Cal Arts, and CDA.
Ballpoint pen
8.5X11 Copy paper
Charcoal pencil
Sepia or any color Carbothello pencil
Marker pads 14X17 (50 sheets per pad) or 11X17 animation paper (17 fld)
Optional:
Charcoal paper
Various pens, markers
Tombo brush pen black
Ink and brush or pen
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Q.Is this class online or in-person?
A.This 10 week class takes place live and in-person in our Huntington Beach studio. We will be recording the class and students will get online access to the recording for a full year. We also sell a online-only option for students who can’t make it in person.
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Q.As an Online-only student, can I watch the class happen live?
A.The class is not streamed live. It is recorded and then published with in 48 hours of class ending. You submit your drawings for critique the week before each class. Students will have access for one whole year after the release date.
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Q.How advanced do I need to be to take this class?
A.This class is intended for intermediate to advanced students; It assumes you already have the skills to make your image representational and accurate, and goes on to the next step of understanding art as a language to excavate more meaning.
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Q.Is there an age limit on who can attend this class?
A.Because we will be working with nude models, students must be 18 years of age or attend with a consenting parent.
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Q.Is the Online-only option of the class interactive?
A.Yes. Online-only students will get access to each class recording the day following the class and have access to all videos for one full year. Students can also get critiques and feedback from the instructor. Critiques are recorded during the live class and can be viewed on the following week.
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Q.I live in California. Should I attend in person or Online-only?
A.Students attending in person will get the most out of this class, including one-on-one feedback and critique with Bill.
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Q.What's the maximum class size?
A.We’re capping the in-person class at 20 students to ensure that everyone gets enough personal attention. There is no limit to online-only sign ups.
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Q.$599 is a lot for me to pay at once. Are there payment plans?
A.Yes, we offer a payment plan. Contact us for details.
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