I'll be teaching 2 cartooning classes over the course of 2 weeks this summer for RISD's Continuing Education program. The first is for children ages 9-12, which meets for 3 hours in the afternoon:
The second class is for teens, and meets for 3 hours in the morning:
Registration is already going on, so you can sign up NOW!
There are SO many great-sounding classes for kids going on at RISD this summer -- I wish I could take them!
Here are Cowboy Cooper's best friends -- rodeo clowns who help him out when he's in bull-riding competitions. Or make that: "buffalo-riding" competitions.
BTW: The buffalo (whom I've named "George Tatonka"), was a flea market purchase for $3. He's flocked and picks up any bit of dust that happens to be flying by. I learned to use Photoshop's clone stamp on pimply-faced kids (that's what the teacher had us do!), but I have to say I prefer clone-stamping out dust&debris than pustules. Guess I'm funny that way.
Remember this flea market purchase? Well, that became Sgt. Glum's jacket.There is something so cool about rodeo clowns' costumes/make-up that inspired the need to create some additional characters for Cowboy Cooper's storyline. Like, for one thing: the bandannas that hang at their waist. I'm sure they're there to distract the bull, but what an opportunity for color & pattern! I stitched these bandannas at the top so they're able to swing a bit. Movement = good.
Both clowns' hats are craft store finds -- they come in packages of 4, in white and in black. Added the zebra patterning to Clem's hat (inspired by a real rodeo clown's) with a fine point Sharpie marker. The make-up behind their eyes was felt stitched on prior to adding eyeballs. Clem's shirt is made from vintage doll pants. Flower in hat is a scrapbooking flower, with a tiny pompom as the center.
Above is my initial sketch re: what characteristics I wanted my rodeo clown to include, based on image research. Originally, I was just going to do one clown, but after I drew a happy face clown and the e'er-popular "sad face clown", I knew I had to do two.
Actually, I should have made one more clown (and might still), as now I know that rodeo clowns travel in packs of three while in the ring protecting the bull rider. The third guy I make will be what's called the "barrel man", and I want this barrel, part of a group of rodeo toys by Schylling.
I purchased their fence, barrels & timers (for barrel racing), as a birthday present to myself from toyimpact.com. There's so many other things that I want, but maybe mortgage payments should take precedence. Maybe.
This week's posts were kinda clown-related, weren't they? Not planned, but hey...
The concept & design of these puppets and their stories are the property of Megan E. Jeffery.
These images are © Megan E. Jeffery.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
This little guy was inspired by my brother Craig. Growing up, he and my other brother were HUGE fans of the Cincinnati Reds, so they had "Rally 'Round the Reds!" bumper stickers and other Reds memorabilia in their room. Their love of this team is probably the ONLY reason I know that Pete Rose used to play for the Reds.
I did this drawing in colored pencils and oil pastels and scanned it into Photoshop, monkeyed around with the color a bit, then set it to 'Multiply'. There is also a layer in here that has a piece of scanned cardboard on it. My original drawing was done in my sketchbook which has white pages, and sometimes you want a little color & texture.
I thought it'd be fun to show the different Distort filters I made Li'l C endure:
They look like his reflections in a Fun House mirror.
These images are © Megan E. Jeffery, 2007, and may not be used without obtaining written consent FIRST.
Participated in RISD's Reality Check- Illustration Portfolio Review for students today. SO MUCH FUN to see how talented these 'kids' are, to see all the media they're using; the subject matters that are floatin' their creative boats.
From RISD's website:
Open that portfolio; turn on that laptop; and show the world what you’ve been up to at RISD. This is your chance to connect with professionals outside of the studio and learn how to make the best presentation for jobs and internships. Many reviewers attending will be scouting for talent and looking to fill potential entry-level and internship positions. Even if your portfolio is in process, these reviews will help you improve your presentation, interview skills and networking savvy.
Nearly half the reviewers are alumni and understand the RISD experience.
Reviewers include art directors, publishers, illustrators and designers from studios and companies involved in the production of magazines, books, comics, animation, surface design, game design and licensed products.
Am gratified to see how many students want to take on the freelancing life and want to have their own business. Am impressed that some were thinking very practically: matters of health insurance and taxes were discussed. I like that realism mixed in with the idealism. :-)
Here are the other companies that were represented:
The day was very well-organized, everyone couldn't have been friendlier or more hospitable, PLUS: valuable prizes, a free lunch and CANDY! Thank you to the Career Services staff and to the students who came out. A real treat.
Some paper & fabric possibilities for the finger puppet theaters I'm planning...
Saturday was a puppet-y kind of day. After working all day on puppets no bigger than my finger (hence the term: finger. puppet.), I went to go see GIANT puppets at the RISD Auditiorium, put on by Big Nazo, an international performance group based right here in Providence. It is the brainchild of RISD alum, Erminio Pinque, the founder and director. This show, Creature Creations, was the culmination of a Wintersession semester offered to RISD Film & Video majors.
Was really intrigued with the way the creatures were created; how the human body was considered in that fabrication. For instance: in the way that an arm can bend, an eyeball was "revealed" at the elbow. Fascinating. And fun to see all these students perform: so excited beforehand & afterwards. Nice.
For my money, the best part of last night's Oscars were the performance pieces by the dance troupe, Pilobolus. They employed a shadow puppet theater technique when forming their human sculptures of 2006 movie logos. Really inventive and delightfully surprising.
Also for my money: Jennifer Lopez's whole look was just plain gorgeous-- the hair, the dress, the jewels that were a part of the dress: Pow! Nice going, JLo's stylist!
Ahh, the first page of a new sketchbook, is there anything as lovely? Or as intimidating?
Drawn today, sketchbook purchased yesterday after a day of seeing the Wunderground: Providence, 1995 to the Present exhibit at the RISD Museum. Some really fantastic pieces: silk-screened, xeroxed, hand-markered, etc., and to think that most of this art was the type that you see stapled to telephone poles.
This exhibit is at the museum until January 7th, 2007 (Sorry, wasn't allowed to take photos), so if you're in Providence and a fan of the music/art scene, you'll be happy you saw this show.
Went to have lunch downtown at The Cuban Revolution. Viva La Pressed Pork Sandwich! I wanna go back for a dinner with yellow rice.
Also went to a couple of stores downtown, The Bowl & Board, a housewares store, and DCI 275, that had fun, modern gifts.
Onto risdworks, where we heard some music that I. MUST. OWN. (Max Raab and the Palast Orchestra, a sort of roarin' 20s band, doing covers of Britney Spears' Oops, I Did It Again, Prince's Kiss, ABBA's Super Trouper, etc., etc.) and then on to our sketchbook destination: the RISD Store. Where more Americans get their Sketchbooks than from any other source.
Click on the cowboy to see him larger.
Is it time for another post about the Adobe Illustrator class I'm taking?
Why yes, yes, YES it is!
Working on type this past week: type-on-a-path, columns-n-rowz, make-with-warp (sounds like a threat), glyphs, etc.etc...
To sum up: all sorts of fun things!
Now my little Beetlegrass beetle will have a pal to talk to...
Monday night, went to the RISD Auditorium to see three documentaries by Les Blank: The Blues Accordin' to Lightin' Hopkins (1969), Sprout Wings and Fly (1983), and The Maestro: King of the Cowboy Artists (1994). Really interesting and insightful Q & A sessions with the filmmaker-- you gotta love questions from actual film students! Like, let's-cut-to-the-chase: "How do you divvy up the money?"; "Let's talk more about fund-raising"; "Do you ever have days where you don't feel like insinuating yourself into your subject's life?"; "What impact have your films had on the communities you shot in?"
Today, was an 'exhibitor' at the Attleboro (MA) Area Chamber of Commerce's WOMEN IN BUSINESS EXPO... Here is my table-- I showed my 'kids' portfolio, my 'business' portfolio, a book, a few pillows, and had postcards and Picturebook reprints on hand to give away. (I was the lucky recipient of the floral display, as the 'special card' was under my coffee cup at lunch. Woo-hoo!)
Our keynote speaker at lunch was Shannon O'Brien, President & CEO of the Girl Scouts- Patriots' Trail Council. She was the former State Treasurer and Receiver General of Massachusetts, as well as an investigative and consumer reporter for the WB56 News. There was an award ceremony, too, with lotza clapping and certificate-reading.
My first foray into actually going to a Chamber event; met quite a few fun & friendly folks. I might actually attend something else! (Scandalous, I know!)
