sketch-a-thon
I’m kinda the Johnny Appleseed for sketching, I throw seeds for sketchers everywhere I go. Why? Sketching is an activity for everyone, a tool, a means to an end, a process, document, a story. The more you sketch, the better you will see and understand your world while your drawing becomes an ever more fluent visual language that can be read by anyone, anywhere. Currently, the Portland Museum of Art is exhibiting Fine Lines, American Drawings from the Brooklyn Museum. I’ve stopped in twice and still need more time to take in all the wonders of this show. MECA colleague and amazing...
Read MoreMECA Boston swing
Once again Maine College of Art illustration seniors visited CloudKid in Boston, an award-winning studio specializing in children’s media. Founder and Creative Director Dave Schlafman gave an entertaining presentation on his formative obsessions and artistic development. An enthusiasm for pop culture, toys, and games drives their work, and they often declare Story Jams to brainstorm ideas. Characters begin on paper, quickly fleshed out in a sketchbook, before taking a long path to the final version. Dave offered priceless advice to eager students: upon getting out of art school as an...
Read Morestudio tour
I’m always curious about illustrators’ studios. We work tucked away with our supplies, books, and collectibles, the sum of which never ceases to delight me. I brought my senior illustration students on a tour of local studios in Portland, Maine last week, beginning with Joe Rosshirt, who graduated from Maine College of Art in 2011 when my students were freshmen. He discussed how he got through the first months after graduation and his tips for hanging in there: always be working on your own thing. He brought out projects from senior year that informed his final portfolio. Joe...
Read Morelove lives!
Happy Valentines Day all you hotties! This is the day I wait for, full of doilies and sugar and kisses. I’ve been making valentines with a frenzy and a glue stick. I have cohorts in this activity: a table-full of valentine vixens gathered recently at the home of Mary Anne Lloyd. Bliss is a clutter of paper scraps and chocolates. Here are a coupla quickies of mine, things go faster with vintage letraset! I also made valentines at the Sweet ‘Art pop-up shop, in the company of fine illustration students from Maine College of Art! That First Friday was chock-a-block with wonderful...
Read Moresweet MECA semester
The lights are bright at Maine College of Art, where the arctic vortex is no match for my intrepid illustration students. Here’s Molly Steinmetz, drawing BAREHANDED in zero degrees, for eager students from the Levy Day School during their outing to Monument Square for a story-telling flash mob. Many students are performing outside the classroom in other ways. This is Molly’s piece for an exhibit, Crytpo-Fauna, Chimera- Flora that opens this evening at Sanctuary Tattoo in Portland, a brave nod to warm spring thoughts amidst the chill. Liz Long’s piece, In Bloom, suggests...
Read Morea close shave with sketchbook project 2014
I sent off my latest Sketchbook Project in the nick of time. Big exhale! I knew it was optimistic that I could complete it on top of my John Muir Wrestles a Waterfall deadline. But I couldn’t resist! I decided it would keep my pencils sharp by drawing yet more Muir and yet more beards. The more I learn about him, the more I love him. I drew a few other bearded wonders from the same century. In fact, the 19th century is apparently famous for big beards, in a complex blend of historical factors, according to this article in the Atlantic. Anybody know this man? Flash forward to the 2013...
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