Students will learn the basics of sketching, translating sketches into completed drawings, as well as learning how to explore new ideas and creative concepts. Techniques to learn how to draw complex subjects such as hands, the human figure and backgrounds will also be covered, drawing different faces and expressions, shading, and inking of completed drawings. Students wishing to draw multi-panel comics or cartoons will be given instruction in the process as well. The works of noteworthy artists are introduced to inspire and motivate students. Additionally, students are presented with the option of learning using a digital drawing program; Ibis Paint and Krita are two programs referenced in the class for students wishing this option.

I am a lifelong artist and art instructor with a Bachelors degree in photography and graphic design, and my first graphic novel, Dark Office, has recently been published on Amazon's Comixology platform, with another one in the works. I have taught teens how to draw in summer camps, craft schools and art centers in New York, Vermont, and most recently Florida. I teach home-schooled students at a local educational co-op, I provide art therapy to veterans to help them overcome the traumas of post traumatic stress disorder, and I mentor incarcerated at-risk teens using the arts, teaching them how to process the emotional toxic waste their experiences have given them while helping build their self esteem. I also provide lessons in Adobe Photoshop and photography, and have created a successful online Intro To Photography course.

I have a passion for teaching and love helping others,  and love sharing my art skills with students; the arts are how I maintain good mental health and alleviate stress. I emphasize  the therapeutic benefits of drawing to all my students, something most art courses do not cover at all, but I believe is the most important part of creating art. I use humor, real-world examples and the work of other artists as a way to help students build their self esteem while having fun improving their skills.

www.magnumarts.net