One never thinks you will see a time when you can start a sentence with, “Children these days have it so easy,” yet here we are. I would, however, like to amend the statement to “Self-taught Comic Artists these days have it so easy,” what with so many Artists graciously sharing their Skill and Knowledge far and wide across the Internet.
As a Child and Teenager, I had a Passion for Drawing, a Fondness for Comics, an overactive Imagination and the Desire to bring the three together on Paper. Back then, the words “Art” and “Career” were seldom used in the same conversations -not at my house, anyway- and taking Art as a Subject at School was not even an option. Therefore, I turned to the Art and Worlds of Archie, Asterix, Richie Rich, Andy Capp and eventually the Simpsons. I taught myself to Draw Cartoons through Observation, Trial and Error and Repetition.
This Process of Teaching oneself to Draw hasn’t changed at all over the Decades, but the Support for Young Comic Artists has improved significantly. Apart from multiple noteworthy Publications on the Art of Drawing a mere Online Shopping experience away, the Internet also offers a plethora of Platforms, Tutorials, How-to-draws and other ways for Artists to improve their Skills.
The staggering absence of these Resources when I started, brought forth a Desire to one day try to make it easier for others setting out on their Creative Journeys, to give them the Artistic Support Young Artists need, as well as an outlet for their Skill, their Sense of Humour and their Imagination.
As a full-time Artist, Cartoonist, Illustrator, and former Graphic Design Lecturer, I saw the need for Art Classes focusing primarily on Cartooning and Illustration. With the increasing popularity of Animation, Gaming and Anime -to name but a few- more and more Young Artists are drawing their Creative Inspiration from these Disciplines and do not always identify with the Subject Matter presented in Fine Art Classes.
At ToonSchool, we cover the same Drawing Fundamentals one would expect from your Friendly Neighbourhood Art Class -your Anatomy, Perspective, Tonal Value, and whatnot- but entirely from a Comic Art point of view. Subject Matter ranges from Animals and Robots to Bringing Inanimate Objects to Life, from Dialogue Balloons and Editorial Cartoons to the Art of Inking. A Landscape may include a Fantasy Tower or be set on an Alien Planet, a Still Life is likely to comprise of Thor’s Hammer, Gaming Insignia and an unexpected Tentacle, and Art History delves into the Origins of popular Cartoon Characters and Superheroes.
Each Session consists of a Drawing Project, Cartoon Theory and a How-to-Draw Segment. All Material presented is aimed at both the Novice and the more Proficient, and always with the intent of Developing and Supporting the individual’s Drawing Style.
ToonSchool Sessions are presented live via Zoom and take place every Thursday Morning from 10:00-11:30 CAT, Thursday Evening from 18:00-19:30 CAT, and every Saturday Morning from 10:00-11:30 CAT. The weekly content is the same for all three Sessions allowing ToonSchoolers to swap Sessions within a week in case of “Life Happening.” Sessions are not Sequential as far as Content is concerned and can be joined at any time.
All Ages are Welcome. The Sessions are currently mainly attended by Teenagers with a couple of Adults favouring the Thursday Evening Sessions. I want to extend an invitation to those Adults who have “Always Wanted to Draw,” those who haven’t Drawn since they were Children, but who remember it fondly, and those who blissfully Draw and Doodle away during long Phone Conversations, Zoom Meetings and Team-building Workshops.
We live in a remarkable World where Technology enables Artists both young and old to Explore, Improve and Express their Creativity and truly Live their Imagination. However, this may sometimes prove a rather Solitary Route and often Creative Conundrums may arise that no amount of Googling can solve and one needs to speak to a fellow Artist Face to Face, or in this case, Screen to Screen.
ToonSchool is there for all young or new Self-taught Artists who wish to Learn from Scratch or Improve their Skill, who prefer to Draw from the Imagination using Reference, are inspired by Fandom Communities and -to use a crude generalization- who prefer to Draw using Outlines as opposed to using Tonal Value, i.e. Shading.
I look forward to meeting you, your Young Artist and your/their Talent on screen.
May the Creative Force be with you!V.
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For Information about Dates, Fees and Bundle Discounts for Monthly and Quarterly Bookings, visit:
For Information on How to Book, visit https://toonschoolsa.wixsite.com/toonschool/how-to-book and Contact Vernon Fourie at +2776 078 3272 (W/App) or v@vernonfourie.co.za.
Visit the ToonSchoolers’ Gallery at https://toonschoolsa.wixsite.com/toonschool/gallery
Check out my Resumé-Portfolio at https://toonschoolsa.wixsite.com/toonschool/resum%C3%A9.
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