Class Act! So along with showing work at the Fashion Illustration Exhibition at the Brooklyn Public Library, I was asked to teach a few fashion drawing classes. The first one last week was fantastic fun, and I think the students got a lot out of it- I know I did!
The class was open to the public, so kids of all ages & levels of skill could attend. My teaching style is laid-back & interactive- I love going around the class & helping the young students with their individual drawings & questions.
The theme of this class was 80s New Wave (go figure, right?). I’m obviously a huge fan, but I felt like the silhouettes & attitude of the 80s would be fun for them to learn from. And an upbeat playlist set the tone for the session since I always have to paint in a happy place.
I started the class with demos showing the students basic techniques, like how I do a light action line as a base to every painting & how to really observe the shapes & angles of what you’re looking at. I also talked about movement from head to toe & proportion of the body- the 9-heads rule.
Models Dayna & Monica struck some rad poses throughout the session. I kept the poses to under ten minutes so the students could warm up, loosen up & capture the essence of the models without being too literal. I wanted them to break out of their outline drawings & erasing what they think doesn’t work. I’m not sure they believed me when I told them that I never erase or try to fix my work- If a painting isn’t coming together for me, I literally rip it up & use it for scrap paper!
During each pose I did a quick 2-3 minute gesture painting, then went around the class seeing who had questions or wanted some assistance. I loved when they allowed me to draw directly over or next to their sketches- it’s a great way to point out proportion & angles from each of their views.
So I had a blast, and I hope they did too! I remember being their ages with the same interest in art and fashion, so it was really rewarding being able to give back a little of what I’ve learned over the years. I’m looking forward to the next session on October 4th- would love to see you there! Many thanks to Brandon of Would You Rock This?, Barbara of the BPL, teaching assistant Aliona & models Dayna & Monica. xo
