IMC Report -The Teachers

Finally posting about IMC 2011. Rather than break this down day by day, I will summarize with a post on the teachers, then the students, and finally, the assignment. So here goes:

The League of Extraordinary Artists

IMC 2011 Faculty

This is the last day...teachers are as exhausted as the students. Starting from the right and working back, Dan Dos Santos, Donato Giancola, Boris Vallejo, Julie Bell, Adam Rex, Scott Allie, Scott Fischer, Greg Manchess, Irene Gallo, Jeff Mack, Rebecca Guay, and Iain McCaig.

Here's Rebecca, working on her demo. Her lecture about creating an emotional impact with your painting was a highlight for me. Always ask yourself, "what's your point". "If you don't know what emotion you want to convey in your work, your viewer will feel....NOTHING".

I didn't interact with Jeff Mack much on a one on one level. That's okay. You tend to gravitate to those teachers you feel a connection with. I love this painting of Jeff''s and he was a tremendous help with those students who had a book dummy with them.

Iain McCaig did a spontaneous watercolor demo at midnight during the week. Using two of our UK students, he came up with this version of Gandalf. He gets these wonderful colors using only two colors, ultramarine and Indian red. He didn't get to finish it but from what I understand, you apply transparent glazes to either warm or cool the planes of the face.

Didn't get to see a whole lot of Scott Fischer but his lecture(s) were very informative. He's such an imaginative and versatile artist. Just a few points he stressed: Understanding connective lines in your drawing. Utilizing computer along with traditional, such as scanning in a sliced cabbage for awesome texture in a ruffly sleeve on a woman. Also talked about having ownership of your painting.

Here's Irene Gallo, the Art Director at Tor.

"Be in control of your style"; "Label your images online...embed your name"; "She hires artists to think for her. Not the other way around".

This guy with the wacky ringlets (all natural) is Scott Allie. He was the comic book artist and though I didn't have any one on one interaction with him, he was extremely helpful to those who selected that assignment. His lecture was very informative, especially about the importance of "tracking" throughout the page with an object or color.

Here's Dave Palumbo (helped with the portfolio review with Night Shade AD) along with Greg Manchess. Greg presented his "Talent is Crud" lecture and as usual, wowed us with his "secret" painting demo. Always so motivating and positive. "Thumbnails...do more than you need. Overlap something. Don't hesitate to show your influences in your work"

This is Peter de Seve at the bottom of the stairs. Hilarious lecture and slightly evasive afterwards. There were a lucky few who got sketches in their books by Peter.

The very energetic, Mo Willem. Even Trixie was there from "Knuffle Bunny". His lecture had so much info and I forgot my sketchbook. I gave up trying to write on a grocery receipt from my purse. Waiting for my friend (hi Tara) to pass them on to me. I did learn how to draw a pigeon with sound effects.

Julie Bell and Boris Vallejo were there and I regret that I missed their lecture, which was fantastic from all reports.

Donato Giancola's Joan of Arc. His work ethic is so exemplary. "Do it well until you get it right. No matter who your client is, knock them dead with the quality of your work".

Here's our critique group (Julie, Greg, Rebecca, and Iain) having too much fun while we're shaking in our shoes.

Here's James Gurney. He presented two lectures. One on Color and Light and the other on Composition which concentrated on how people actually look at pictures. He encouraged us to "invite and delight, be clear of intentions, and write down the word you want to convey".

Dan Dos Santos's Wheel of Time painting.

Dan: "Have clear goals. Without a specific destination, you will waste a lot of time taking detours. Being passionate is critical to success"

Adam Rex....funny man. His lecture was so entertaining, as well as touching. His reasons for illustrating children's books was so tender. Plus he GAVE me one of his books, "Pssst!" which is quickly becoming a new favorite here with the grandkids. Watching him paint this octopus was mind blowing. It went from flat paint to 3-D-about-to-jump-off-paper-it's-so-alive. The painting is from a book he is illustrating for Neil Gaiman. Adam read my story (gulp) and gave me some great advise (start over) and helpful suggestions.

How, oh how do I try to condense this man...Iain McCaig? Gave two lectures. Basic Drawing and then Storyboarding 101 where he gave us the 7 Deadly Skills. He compared art to any language we must first learn through copying. (I've often compared this process to that of the language of music). He talked alot about living in your drawing. Living the story. During my critique he talked about the rhythm of my drawing and the problem of breaking that rhythm with her legs. He fixed the issue so quickly with a few strokes of his pencil. He also did a spontaneous Creature demo that I missed. This man doesn't stop. EN ER GY! and he really liked my flying pig.

So there you have it. Little tidbits from each teacher. Next: The Students.