Digital Art - Anime Workshop: Chibi Original Characters

This class is an ongoing format. Students will draw an original character digitally every week. Each week is charged as a subscription on Sunday mornings. Students can join or leave the series any week. Students are required to have some digital art experience and basic understanding of digital tools already. 

In this class, students will explore how to adapt universal anime archetypes into their own original chibi anime characters. We will go over how to break down a chibi drawing into simple shapes on a sketch layer before getting more detailed on a line art layer and then we will delve into coloring using different brushes, the paint bucket tool, the stamp tool, and a mask layer. Students are encouraged to use their creative freedom to modify the chibi characters to their liking, add accessories and different clothing. At the end of each class they can present their drawing along with the story/inspiration of their character. 

PLEASE NOTE: This is not an absolute beginner’s class. Students should already be skilled in the use of basic computer skills like typing, opening and closing programs, saving files, and hand control. Students who are complete beginners to the digital approach are welcomed to follow along with traditional pencil sketching while familiarizing with the basic control of the program and ready themselves to start drawing digitally. 

Each class will follow the below structure:

Step 1: Set up 
Each student will learn how to create a canvas on the program. They will then learn how to create new layers. 
Step 2: Sketch 
Taking reference from the original image, the students will learn to break down the complex shapes down to simpler ones in a sketch layer. They will learn how to use the layer opacity to lower the opacity of the sketch to make it easier to see the upcoming line art layer. 
Step 3: Line Art 
Using the undersketch, students will make their line art in another layer. Students will learn how to use the stability function in the program to get smoother and cleaner lines. 
Step 4: Coloring 
Students will learn how to use the bucket tool and experiment with different brushes to their liking to color in the cartoon character on another layer. Also, they will learn how to use clipping masks as another method of coloring. 
Step 5: Background (optional for more advanced students)
Students will explore how to utilize the bucket tool to get a solid background color quickly and then the stamp tool for some decorations.

These basics will form a foundation in any further digital art to prepare their portfolio. Once they have built a solid foundation and keep practicing, they will be able to design a multitude of characters of their own. Classes are highly interactive and students will have the opportunity to socialize and share their ideas in a fun and upbeat environment.

Schedule

March
Week Starting 2/27 - Ninja
Week Starting 3/6 - Maid 
Week Starting 3/13 - Swordsman 
Week Starting 3/20 - Elf 
Week Starting 3/27 - Archer 

April
Week Starting 4/3 - Magician
Week Starting 4/10 - Knight
Week Starting 4/17 - Cat Girl
Week Starting 4/24 - Engineer