Month: December 2017

Lesson Planning

The time consuming art of lesson planning. I am working during the break because one of my 3 quarter classes is going to create their own board game to incorporate game development. Did I mention I don’t play board games or video games? This is a real struggle for me and I am binge watching youtube videos for designing board games. Here are some sites if you are interested in making your own.

Board Game Geek https://boardgamegeek.com

The Dice Tower Youtube Channel

Cardboard Edison

https://cardboardedison.com

Jamey Stegmaier Youtube channel

I also really liked the HomeMadeGameGuru’s youtube channel. He shows you step-by-step how to prototype your own professional looking games. He is a cardboard craftsman.

HomeMadeGameGuru

Practice, practice, and more practice

My students even my own child think there is some magic tip to drawing well. That I am hiding the secret. All I can say it takes practice. It is muscle memory and hand eye coordination. Not just 10 min but 1,000 of hours. I would say I started picking up drawing when I was 9 yrs old. I am now 42. I still have issues with my drawing but things are easier knowing when I need to make adjustments. I still acknowledge I make mistakes.

I am surprised that so many people think I just woke up and knew how to draw well. Granted there are those that are born gifted and have natural ability that comes at a young age. There are only so many Motzarts and Picassos. Most it is a lot of effort and long term growth.

I wish it was like the Matrix. You became a master just by downloading the information into our brains but we aren’t at that point yet. Until that time we just have to practice, practice, practice.

“Those that can do, those that can’t teach

It is funny when I think of this phrase as a teacher. I was reading it got popular because of Annie Hall the movie. My high school students are surprised that I can draw. I try and take it as a complement. I guessed they figure the old adage is true. It is a constant force of will on my part to make time for it. I miss my younger years of hours drawing and sketching on whatever project I wanted. Those were the days.

Teaching is a very time consuming profession. It takes hours of prep for lessons. I have a few video tutorials, looming overhead, I need to work on as I type. I will say my students’ enjoyment of drawing has spurned me to find the time and the projects I want to work on. Some of them are very good. The 1000 of hours and muscle memory has already paid off for them. It is inspiring at times.

But there are always ways one can enhance and work at their craft to make it stronger and better. I have been trying to go back to that student mindset. When I was freelancing a part of me was always trying to cater to what I thought would help me get the next job. The pieces I have truly enjoyed has been the projects that were for me and exploring something I wanted to do. I am trying to keep that mindset as I work along.

That is why I don’t discourage the fan art in my class. The students do some amazing work from the things the find interesting in their popular culture. I had this idea in my head that real drawing should show more of the stuff that art schools and colleges are expecting in portfolios. I had to be honest to myself the idea of drawing another still life has never “WOW” me. I rather draw something cute and fuzzy.

Most of my Drawing 1 and 2 classes I spent drawing piles of junk. Teachers are generally hoarders, amd I am no exception. It did teach me composition, value, and space etc. I was never thrilled or excited about what I made. I would rather have students that are excited about their work and make the fan art and teach the principles of art within those contexts. Plus, I like the fan art too.

Sick

It is hard teaching and being sick at the same time. I think it is the worst. I felt it coming on 2 days ago. Yesterday I knew I was exhausted. My morning students I think felt some pity for me and tried. I took today to rest and recoup. Nearly forgot things I need to take care of for tomorrow. I hope am not forgetting anything else.

Finishing things

Finishing things means a lot to me. At least that was the mantra I claimed as a teacher. I was so neglectful of my own art and family. I could always blame it on teaching. Teaching is an all consuming profession for many of us. I spend nights and weekend researching content, lessons, and creating my own content. When I originally got hired for my job as an animation and game development instructor there wasn’t a text book there for pacing amd guidance. I am creating it all by the seat of my pants. It takes so much out of you. I just can’t see myself continuing at this pace. It should be a doozy the next 9 weeks when we get into game development and 3D modeling.

All this energy I have been vesting hasn’t brought me the joy I thought it would. I watched a video from Jake Parker, an illustrator based out of Utah. He started the Inktober initiative. Love his work and watched his video. Things may not be perfect but reaching a level of mastery can only be achieved by completion. You never know what you might miss out on by not finishing something. I hope it inspires you. https://youtu.be/lRtV-ugIT0k

My first post

I am posting this because I did’t want to vlog and wanted to learn how to use WordPress. So many bloggers are using it, and so far it gets high marks from me since the apps is working. Better then my other experiences with blogger. Since beginning of August I went ahead and applied for graduate school. I had been an elementary art teacher for the past 8 years and this year I decided to teach high school. I have mixed feelings about all of this, and it has been incredibly stressful and challenging. I miss my awesome sauce students, faculty and staff. They are the best. I know everyone probably says that but I really believe mine are. I did some serious evaluating of my career and decided this new path is for me. I applied to the art school that I attended for my BFA in Illustration. I applied for the animation program and it was taking some serious time to hear back. Like a month and a half. I have no shame I knew why, my demo reel “SUCKED.” That is putting it kindly.

I am really an illustrator at heart and reapplied and heard back in a week and half that I was accepted into their MFA for Illustration. I did hear back from admissions about the animation program. I got accepted but I think it was probably based on the fact that I was a former grad of the school.

I had been taking so much time learning how to teach high school and get a curriculum together I am burned out. I started getting back into my art and boy does it make me a better person to be around. I will keep you posted family and friends on this change.