FANTASY CHARACTER DESIGN

Week 3 (July 11th -15th)
Instructors: Alyssa Winans and Dennis Chan
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Have you ever dreamed of magical creatures? Come make them in this camp week. In Fantasy Character Design week we will explore process and visual development in both 2D and 3D media. Artists will be drawing from personal experience as we work with character silhouette studies, basic pattern design, orthogonal drawings, as well as inspiration/research strategies. The 3D portion will focus on exploration and elaboration of ideas through material and construction methods.

Week Schedule
Day 1:

• Exquisite Corpse (collaborative animal drawing)
• How to research and brainstorm the design of characters
• Character Shape Collage
• (camp day photos) (additional photos)

Day 2:

• Pattern/Texture/Structure Exploration
  
          -Texture creation using available wet media, applicator materials
  
          -Quick Paper folding demo for 3D Paper Character assignment
  
          -Research & Brainstorming time
• 3D Paper Character Making
• (camp day photos)

Day 3:

• Collaborative Towering Creature: a note card building challenge
• Skeletal Structures: An exploration in pipe cleaners to make armature
• Adding volume: Air dry clay adding to armature
• (camp day photos) (additional photos)

Day 4:

• Evolution Project: Design of a creature that evolves over time-Campers begin day conceptualizing future forms of existing animals, extrapolating from known physical characteristics
  
  -Peer discussions will also take place, requiring the students to consider several questions about the behavior of their creatures
• From Sketch to Substance: Campers will create a dimensional creature
• A Natural Progression (enrichment)  -For faster campers who finish early, they can elaborate upon their designs creating a secondary iteration of the first creature; Has the species flourished? Is it in decline? Have there been environmental changes that influence its form?
• (camp day photos) (additional photos)

Day 5:

• Fast Silhouette Iteration: A quick and dirty brainstorm session for a free-form character
• Free-form Creation Jam: Using skills from previous characters and 3D explorations, campers use their favorite process and techniques to conceptualize and build (either 2D or 3D) their second character.
• Guest Speaker: Mark Holmes, a Google Doodler and artist with a background in the animation industry.
• End of camp week Showcase from 3:30-4:30pm
• (camp day photos) (additional photos) (Showcase)