I made a video of how to get more gesture in your drawing, so your figures are so stiff when you draw them. I have problems with it in my own artwork. This video shows what I did to improve it. Happy teaching and drawing.
Category: Illustration Lessons
Illustration Lessons by the Messy Art Teacher
Kyles Brushes Munch
Just found this video from Adobe. Kyle Webster has created an amazing set of brushes that mimic the look of Munch’s brush strokes. I’ve been playing around with creating my own brushes for my graduate class in illustration. It’s been a lot of fun. These are FREE! Here is the link to the Kyles Munch Brushes video, and in the description box is the link to download the brushes. Happy Painting!
Podcast Episode 13 – Interview Nikita Prokhorov, Graphic Designer
My next interview is with Nikita Prokhorov. I met Nikita, 13 yrs ago at Scuba Diving Magazine. He filled in for me while I was on maternity leave. He had just finished his MFA in Graphic Design from Savannah College of Art and Design. Nikita has some beautiful design work and I’ve been watching is an evolution of his work on his Instagram TypebyNikita.
Here is a link to the podcast on My Creative Life Episode 13.
Below is a little bit more about him.
Nikita is an NYC-based lettering artist, graphic designer, and design professor. His minimalist style reflects an admiration for work such as pure marks by Stefan Kanchev and beautiful typography of Doyald Young. As one happy client put it, ‘his work is conceptual, clean, and the reasoning behind every design decision is crystal clear.’ Focusing mainly on logotypes and lettering, Nikita has worked on a variety of design projects for local and international clients. He is an ambigram expert that has taught several ambigram workshops–in addition to having written a book about ambigrams. Nikita’s work has been featured in multiple design books and websites.
His love of bad puns and jokes is second only to his love of type. To pass the time between projects, he reads, scuba dives, skydives, wingwalks, skis (not very gracefully), and travels. He thinks that writing about himself in third person is a bit strange, but he has gotten used to it.
Disney Launchpad & Podcast Update
Disney is providing 6 lucky directors with the opportunity to bring their stories and visions to the screen. Here is a link to to Disney Launchpad. Application deadline is July 2nd at 12 pm. This is from their site:
The Disney Launchpad: Shorts Incubator is a brand-new opportunity for up to six (6) directors from underrepresented backgrounds to present diverse perspectives, through the production of original, live-action shorts for the proposed initial exhibition on the upcoming streaming service, Disney+.
My podcast with Travis Falligant is live on My Creative Life.
My plans for this summer are to attend some webinars online. One is for Adobe CC to learn more about the changes for student logins and possible savings. Then I’ve got a webinar for e-Sports. It is sponsored by Dell. Free to sign up. I’m gathering there may be a tie into selling you some computer equipment to compete with e-Sports. Link Esports for Education by Dell.
I’m teaching a night class for Lightroom and Photoshop for the local university continuing education program. Then I’m starting graduate school this summer. Lots of things going and I plan to post some of the photos that students color correct on my blog. I’m thinking when I teach my drawing class next time to include my students in the podcast. They were so amazing my drawing students. They are a great group of people. Amazing stories to share. Super excited to teach that class in the Fall. Maybe Sept. 2019.
Georgia Southern University Cont. Edu
I’m excited to announce I’ll be teaching a Lightroom and Photoshop course in June for the Georgia Southern University Continuing Education Program. It’s a night class that runs twice a week for 2 weeks. I love teaching the night classes and enjoy spending time with students who are older. It’s been a wonderful experience.
Here is a link to the site for my class. Introduction to Lightroom and Photoshop.
After my high school classes are over I’ll be posting what I’m working on with my Lightroom and Photoshop course. Looking forward to it.
I’m also trying to get some work together for an art show Aug 1-31. Then I’ve got a workshop that I’m going to be teaching to art teachers about art and technology. I’m very excited about everything that is going on. Then I signed up for 3 graduate classes at SCAD. I’m back to trying to get my MFA in Illustration. I’ll be posting along as I go. I also started a Youtube channel for Nancy Miller Illustration.
I finally got a custom URL for my Messy Art Teacher Youtube channel. I’ve gone past 102,000 views. http://youtube.com/c/MessyArtTeacher
This has been all the effort I’ve been making while working full time.
History of Animation Tex Avery
Tex Avery was the opposite of Walt Disney. Great video on the history of Tex Avery.
Artivive APP
I’m super excited to try this with my animation class. I could do this with my graphics/photography class as well. About 4 months ago this app came out called Artivive. I think it takes art into a whole new realm. Animation and video bring a new dimension to the work. The app is available for android or iOS. Free!!! Every art teacher on a budget has got to love it. I’m thinking I’ve taught my animation students how to creating animations in Photoshop and then export as MP4 files. They we print out a frame from the animation then print out the symbol that activates the animation/video when you focus it with the app it plays. Sweet! Their animation will actually play on someone’s phone as long as they have the app. Also with my graphics/photography students we will make cinemagraphs. We print out a frame and then people can actually watch their cinemagraphs. How cool would that be? They are using this in major museums and galleries through out the world. #1 downloaded app in Singapore.
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. 
Mrs. Miller - Messy Art Teacher Blog 