More Workshops as the Deadline Approaches!

We've posted three more workshops to the 30 Classes in 30 Days calendar!

First up, we have An Introduction to the Super Rad World of Color by Kevin Cross! In this live presentation you'll get an overview on the basics of color theory followed by some cool tricks to create mood and focus in your illustrations.

Then we have two workshops on using software in your comics work:

Coloring with Adobe Photoshop Elements will show you how to use Adobe's inexpensive image editor to do professional-grade coloring.

Lettering with Adobe Illustrator will provide you with some practical techniques in creating sound elements in your comics, along with some philosophical meditations on sound design! Anyone who enjoyed the Art & Story episode where Jerzy Drozd spent nearly two hours talking about sound effect design will enjoy this workshop.

Don't forget! You've got until this Friday to take advantage of early bird discounted pricing for 30 Classes in 30 Days registration!

Workshop Schedule Filling Up!

We're beginning to fill November's calendar for the big 30 Classes in 30 Days event! Here are some of the great workshops you'll get by signing up:

Comics Fundamentals with Jerzy Drozd
A four-part series of workshops taking you from blank page to a developed comics story.

Creating Crazy Characters! with Krishna Sadasivam
A four-part series of workshops where you'll learn how to use line, pose, and silhouettes to create memorable and dynamic characters.

Foundations of Dynamic Linework with Brandon Dayton
Get a top-to-bottom understanding of how you can use lines to create focus and structure in your illustrations.

Creating Compelling Characters with Tyler James
The creator of the 30 Characters Challenge shares some advanced techniques on how to create characters readers will care about. 

We've also scheduled some Lab sessions on the calendar. Like a lab in school, these will be informal sessions led by an instructor with a proposed topic, though you're welcome to bring your own wonderings or questions to discuss in a roundtable format.

You can subscribe to our public calendar using the following links to stay informed on what workshops are being added to our schedule as we drop them in: 

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And don't forget! Only a few more days to take advantage of the early bird discounted registration for the event! After this coming Friday, registration fees will increase. So sign up soon!

Fabulous Secrets 04 - Something to Show for It

I'm about to start a new session of my Graphic Novel Academy series at the Ann Arbor Art Center, and I'm going to try a new experimental lesson plan for this one. My goal is to both give the kids something to show for their time in the class and to provide them with some real hands-on experience in regards to working for a client.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• 30 Classes in 30 Days - Early Bird Registration ends September 23!
• My Teen and Youth Graphic Novel Academy classes at the Ann Arbor Art Center
• My Hey Comics! series at the Brighton District Library
• My comics workshops this November at 826 Michigan
• Ka-Blam Digital Printing
• PDF of the lesson plan I refer to in this episode

fs04.mp3 Listen on Posterous

Lean Into Art Poll: When Do You Get Your Best Work Done?

As we've said before, polls can be a great way to get a conversation going! With this one we're curious to hear if there's a specific time when creative types can complete the work with which they're most satisfied. Are you the kind of person who can start with the sunrise? Does your creative "zone" exist only in the hours slated for infomercials? Let us know! Sign up for a workshop to get forum access, and you can join in on the next part of the conversation: When Do You Get Your Best Work Done, And Why?.

Polytechnicast - Building on a Hunch

In this episode I reflect on how I started out making an experiment in HTML, CSS, JS, and jQuery just out of curiosity. I was wondering if it would feel fun to have a gallery style User Interface for browsing the art posted at 30 Characters. Also: How much time and effort it would take? With a little time and curiosity I set out both to see if it was feasible or if it’d be a giant project in itself. After a bit of exploration, coding, and playing I found out the answer and discovered that it would be a rather handy bit of code for a couple other projects on my list.

Links Mentioned

• My Portfolio. Image slides in a gallery w/thumbnails (HTML,CSS,JS,jQuery)
• Earlier Draft 1 and Earlier Draft 2 - Deciding if if was feasible
• Kevin Cross’s Illustration Portfolio
• Lean Into Art and 30 Classes in 30 Days
• 30 Characters Challenge
• SuperSize jQuery plugin
• Thumbs jQuery plugin
• ZRssFeed jQuery plugin

Follow Rob on Twitter or his blog at Interactive-Storyteller.com

Polytechnicast_-_Building_on_a_Hunch.mp3 Listen on Posterous