-APPRENTICE-
STUDY AND LEARN :
• Read How to Seduce a Sasquatch pg. 38-60 (Sections 21- 40)
• Read What is Character Design? : Tom Bancroft
• Read Seven Steps to Great Character Design by Aaron Blaise- Included in this article is a 45 minute video of Aaron's process- you can watch if you want but it is not necessary.
• Watch Character Design and the Illusion of Life : Chris Oatley
• Go to a store, Walmart, or the Mall. Spend some time people watching.
• Read Walk Cycles : Thinking Animation
• Watch 100 Different Ways To Walk
• Watch Mary Poppins (Disney1964)
• Read or listen to What Do You Really Want to Be When You Grow Up? Robert H. Todd
KNOW AND UNDERSTAND :
• While reading How to Seduce a Sasquatch write some thoughts in your common place book. What are some things you'd like to change about yourself? What kind of person do you want to be? What things can you do different?
• Reading What is Character Design? and Seven Steps to Great Character Design - This will give you an idea of what goes into Character Design from the visual art perspective. What is important in designing a character? What is more important- the drawing or the character traits and backstory?
• While watching Character Design and the Illusion of Life - Record any thoughts you have about what they discuss. How can you put "soul" into a character? They talk a lot about drawing people they observe in coffee shops or stores etc. What can you learn about someone by observing them?
• At Walmart or the Mall - go somewhere with lots of different people. Spend 1/2 hour to 1 hour watching them. No need to draw them (though you are welcome to)--- Look at their shapes, sizes, colors, etc. What can you tell about their character? What do their clothes say about them? What makes them unique? How do they walk? Take some notes about interesting characters. Who was the most unique person you saw? Write down everything you can about them.
• Read about Walk Cycles and watch 100 Different Ways to Walk- This talks about walk cycles in animation and how they tell you much about a character. Think about someone who is confident, shy, brave, etc. How do they walk?
• Watch Mary Poppins (1964) Pay attention to the unique characters. What makes them unique? How have the actors, writer, director etc. made the characters interesting? Which is your favorite character and why? What about them fascinates you? Do any of the characters have a ridiculous characteristic? How does it effect them as a character? How do they walk?
BECOME AND SERVE :
• Look for ways to lift others up. “Cease to find fault.” Ask our Heavenly Father how you might help someone feel more loved, more trusted, more understood, and more valued and appreciated for their efforts.
• What kind of person do you want to be? Go and do that.
-JOURNEYMAN-
STUDY AND LEARN, KNOW AND UNDERSTAND:
• Design a character- Given what you have learned-- now design a character. What questions do you need to answer? Name? Age? Height? Weight? Build? Hair? Human? Real? Fantasy? Personality? Past? Motivation? Faults? etc. etc. etc. --- Come to class with an image of your character that you have created (drawing, collage, photograph) also be prepared to tell us about your character and show us how they walk(this will take some practice on your part to develop a walk.) You will do this walk in front of the class.
1. Image of Character
2. A paragraph about your character (name, talents, desires, etc.)
3. A character walk
All 3 should work together.
BECOME AND SERVE:
• Who do you want to be today? Become a character. Stay in character as long as you can. Walk and talk like that character all day. Don't break character. Bonus points if you dress up.
-MASTERS-
STUDY AND LEARN:
• Read Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers 1934
KNOW AND UNDERSTAND:
• Read Mary Poppins -- Compare to the film version. How are characters similar? What characteristics did the characters in the film share with those in the book? How were they different? Who was your favorite character int he book? Why? How did they differ from the movie? How does the author describe the characters?
BECOME AND SERVE :
• Change something about you. Which of your own characteristics bothers you? Can you change it? Can you choose to do or be different?
**** YEAR PROJECT UPDATE ****
Hey friends- I've decided to change the big project for the end of year. If you have been working on a children's book or ad campaign I am impressed and I apologize. We are instead going to design a t-shirt that you will get to print at the end of the year. We will spend some time during imaginative arts apprentice time the next 2 months looking at ideas and working on a great idea for each of you. We will talk more about it soon but for now start thinking about what you would want to put on a t-shirt.
