Composite Art is a technique of creating a sketch of an unknown subject from individually described parts to create a single graphic image. It is intended to be a likeness or similarity of a victim or witness's perception of the subject at the time the subject was seen. Two approaches include a cognitive interview relying only on the witnesses memory and ability to describe. The second is a Composite witness interview using the Steinberg Ethnicities Catalog. 

Samantha Steinberg, a forensic artist from Florida, made a catalog of faces of real criminals from around the United states, to help forensic artists work with witness's in 2010. This catalog of over 1000 faces is now used internationally to help guide a witness through facial features; to help them explain similarities to the suspect they saw. This includes different ethnicities, ages, and perceived sex. The catalog narrows down facial hair, hair types, face shape, eye shape, mouth size and shape, different looks of the nose, jaw, forehead, and many other features that are difficult for a witness to describe. 

I am a trained forensic artist who has left the field but looks to inspire students to see where art and science over lap. Forensic art is a growing career field connected with law enforcement and government positions. There are many parts to forensic art including image analysis, two dimensional and three dimensional reconstruction, age progressions, and composite art. This class focuses only on one part = Composite art. To learn more about all sectors please see my course on Forensic Art. 

This course is designed as a fun way for students to practice drawing faces, learn basic interview techniques, and to learn about composite art and its use by law enforcement. Each week enrolled students will receive a file of images from the Steinberg catalog including a Composite Interview Form. They can use this information to draw the "suspect". They can work before and after the class but in our lesson students will be able to ask questions from the "witness" Teacher. What did the suspect look like, how did they act, all in an effort to come up with a visual likeness of the "suspect." In the final few minutes of class students will be able to share the likeness they have created and see if they can guess the celebrity "suspect" based on likeness. 

"Suspect" = Famous celebrities
"Witness" = Teacher

Monday Class
Week 1- May 23, 2022
Week 2- June 6, 2022
Week 3- June 13, 2022
Week 4- June 20, 2022
Week 5- July 4, 2022
Week 6- July 11, 2022
Week 7- July 18, 2022
Week 8- July 25, 2022
Week - August 1, 2022 
Week 9- August 8, 2022
Week 3- August 15, 2022 
Week 10- August 22, 2022
Week 12- August 
Week 13- August 29, 2022
Week 14- September 5, 2022
Week 15- September 12, 2022
Week 16- September 19, 2022
Week 17- September 26, 2022


Saturday  Class 

Week 1- August 13, 2022
Week 2- August 20, 2022
Week 3- August 27, 2022
Week 4- September 3, 2022
Week 5- September 10, 2022
Week 6- September 17, 2022
Week 7- September 24, 2022
Week 8- October 1, 2022
Week 9- October 8, 2022
Week 10- October 15, 2022
Week 11- October 22, 2022

Each Week will have a new Suspect-
Week 1- Caucasian Male
Week 2- African American Female
Week 3- Asian Male 
Week 4- Mixed African American Male
Week 5- Caucasian Female 
Week 6- Hispanic Male 
Week 7- African American Male
Week 8- Caucasian Male
Week 9- Hispanic Male
Week 10- Non-Binary Individual
Week 11- Native American Male
Week 12- Franken Suspect
Week 13- Non-Binary Individual
Week 14- Caucasian Male
Week 15- African American Female
Week 16- Asian Male
Week 17- 

*Note* This class is not teaching how to draw. Students will be expected to already know line, shading, and basic drawing techniques. All drawing levels and abilities are open to join because everyone needs to start somewhere. We learn with practice, and we can't practice if we are too scared to start somewhere. Composite artists styes range from cartoon to hyper realism. A composite sketch is not about getting exact reality but about creating a likeness that can lead to identification of the suspect.