A masterclass in
art and
art education
Introduction: Business partners Will Terry and Jake Parker are model examples of professional working illustrators. Not only do they pour countless hours into their own personal artwork, but they also have a strong desire to teach and share their expertise with both professional and aspiring artists. The Society of Visual Storytelling is a company that provides a variety of online art courses covering a diverse range of art topics that are pertinent to every type of illustrative artist. Will and Jake, and all of the other instructors, have built a school that provides a steady source of content for all interested parties, and I know that they are extraordinarily proud of all that SVS offers and stands for.
As an art teacher, I have found myself trying to absorb all that SVS has to offer, and with such a prestigious staff there is no shortage of material to appreciate. Over the course of this article I will discuss my experience with the classes, the prospect of the flipped classroom, and the future of art education. Before we get too far into these topics, I would like to say that if you are considering taking a class at SVS you definitely should. There is a lot to love about this program, and I would attest to the fact that these classes are well worth the price of admission.
As an art teacher, I have found myself trying to absorb all that SVS has to offer, and with such a prestigious staff there is no shortage of material to appreciate. Over the course of this article I will discuss my experience with the classes, the prospect of the flipped classroom, and the future of art education. Before we get too far into these topics, I would like to say that if you are considering taking a class at SVS you definitely should. There is a lot to love about this program, and I would attest to the fact that these classes are well worth the price of admission.
Classes - Where to Begin?: I have taken these five classes at SVS, and the first one I would recommend to any student or artist would be “How to Draw Everything.” I was taken aback by the aggressive course title, and initially dismissed the plausibility of such a course existing. With a price tag of $30, I thought that there was no way that someone could possibly cover “How to Draw Everything.” Much to my shock and delight, I was utterly wrong.
The content covered in this class should be implemented as a structural foundation of any basic drawing curriculum. The logical flow of the lecture takes us on a journey from the inception of a drawing, all the way to a finished product. Having a working professional explain their train of thought is fascinating, and we are able to watch Jake Parker effortlessly construct a variety of objects in an approachable fashion. Great artists, of any variety, make what they do look effortless to the casual observer, and Jake Parker is no exception to this truth. When you watch Jake draw you are granted a sense of self-confidence that makes you believe that you can replicate these actions to create your own artwork. Skillful demonstrations like these are the fibers woven into the fabric of SVS, and under the guidance of artists like Jake Parker, you are given all of the tools to learn “How to Draw Everything.” I have no doubt that any boldly stated course title at SVS will be backed up by a team of experts, dedicated to giving you comprehensive coverage of the topic at hand.
While I can assure you that I enjoyed the “How to Draw Everything” course, I would have to say that my personal favorite was “How to Ink.” Inking is a lost art to some, and yet inking has provided us with some of the most exceptional illustrations ever conceived.
It is not my intention for this article to become a fan piece about Jake Parker, but he should be commended for the content he provides in this course. As the originator of Inktober, Jake is one of the most credible sources from which to learn about inking from, and if this media interests you at all the class will not disappoint. My personal affinity for inking has a lot to do with my praise of this course, but I feel like this interest gives me an even stronger ability to speak on the legitimacy of the content. I can unequivocally say that there was an instant jump in the quality of my inking after taking this course, and I use the lessons provided as a constant point of reference. One of the best things about this class was the diversity it provided. We are not instructed on how to ink the “Jake Parker” way, we are given the tools to learn inking in a format that best suits our own needs and abilities as artists. It was through my experience with this class that I came to a very important realization. I am not teaching young artists how to copy my artistic abilities, I am teaching them how to excavate their own. These light-bulb moments are added benefits of reflecting on time spent at SVS, and I would imagine that anyone who has taken a class here would have a similar style of story to tell.
The Flipped Classroom: Being an art teacher, I knew that there was a lot that I could learn from SVS about how to improve my own technical skills, but I also had a second agenda for taking these courses. I wanted to use this as an opportunity to learn about how to teach in a flipped classroom environment.
While there is certainly a lot of buzz surrounding the prospect of the flipped classroom in the field of education, I did not want to find myself jumping into a fad that I was not prepared to follow through on. After taking the courses at SVS, I now understand the importance of constructing a library of resources from which to draw upon. Without this you cannot have a fully function flipped classroom experience. Your digital classroom environment will only be as functional as the quality of the content that you are providing. I want to build up my own video library that students can have access to at any given time. The ability to watch, re-watch, and refer to art demonstrations and lectures is an invaluable resource for students, and it can enhance the learning environment of any traditional classroom.
I tend to provide general guidelines for my students and then address specific questions based on the route a student takes. This can be a rather cumbersome way of doing things, because I often end up providing up to 30 separate sets of instruction. It is not that I mind individualizing instruction to the needs of my students, but I knew the prospect of a flipped classroom could be advantageous for my situation as a teacher. SVS provided me with an example of the structural framework necessary for a flipped classroom.
It is not my intention for this article to become a fan piece about Jake Parker, but he should be commended for the content he provides in this course. As the originator of Inktober, Jake is one of the most credible sources from which to learn about inking from, and if this media interests you at all the class will not disappoint. My personal affinity for inking has a lot to do with my praise of this course, but I feel like this interest gives me an even stronger ability to speak on the legitimacy of the content. I can unequivocally say that there was an instant jump in the quality of my inking after taking this course, and I use the lessons provided as a constant point of reference. One of the best things about this class was the diversity it provided. We are not instructed on how to ink the “Jake Parker” way, we are given the tools to learn inking in a format that best suits our own needs and abilities as artists. It was through my experience with this class that I came to a very important realization. I am not teaching young artists how to copy my artistic abilities, I am teaching them how to excavate their own. These light-bulb moments are added benefits of reflecting on time spent at SVS, and I would imagine that anyone who has taken a class here would have a similar style of story to tell.
The Flipped Classroom: Being an art teacher, I knew that there was a lot that I could learn from SVS about how to improve my own technical skills, but I also had a second agenda for taking these courses. I wanted to use this as an opportunity to learn about how to teach in a flipped classroom environment.
While there is certainly a lot of buzz surrounding the prospect of the flipped classroom in the field of education, I did not want to find myself jumping into a fad that I was not prepared to follow through on. After taking the courses at SVS, I now understand the importance of constructing a library of resources from which to draw upon. Without this you cannot have a fully function flipped classroom experience. Your digital classroom environment will only be as functional as the quality of the content that you are providing. I want to build up my own video library that students can have access to at any given time. The ability to watch, re-watch, and refer to art demonstrations and lectures is an invaluable resource for students, and it can enhance the learning environment of any traditional classroom.
I tend to provide general guidelines for my students and then address specific questions based on the route a student takes. This can be a rather cumbersome way of doing things, because I often end up providing up to 30 separate sets of instruction. It is not that I mind individualizing instruction to the needs of my students, but I knew the prospect of a flipped classroom could be advantageous for my situation as a teacher. SVS provided me with an example of the structural framework necessary for a flipped classroom.
SVS has students from all over the world taking their courses. In an entirely digital format, there is an inherent need for things to be done a little differently than that of a traditional classroom. Referring to the image above, SVS focuses on steps 1 and 3 of the flipped classroom process, and encourages you to work on step 2 at your own pace on your own time. Step 1 represents the traditional lecture component in a video format, and step 3 manifests itself in the form of live critiques for submitted artwork. It is my contention, that if I am able to focus on step 2 during class it will ultimately lead to a more successful artwork and work habits for my students.
While I have not made the switch to a fully flipped art classroom at the time of this article, I am excited by the possibilities of this prospect. I have no doubt that maximizing individual instruction during class time will be the ideal format for an art class. I will be proceeding with all that I have learned from SVS about digital art instruction, and do my best to emulate that for my students.
The Future of Art Education: SVS is ahead of the curve, and while there may never be a true substitute for the traditional academic experience of art school, I do believe that with resources like this available it is possible for any artist to truly embrace the stigma of being “self-taught.” These video courses not only teach you the specific skill listed in the title, but also show you how to teach yourself and implement a perspective switch. You may have spent hours trying to learn something of your own volition, but with little to no success. SVS can provide the change of perspective needed to fully comprehend those problem. This is a trait that is often egregiously overlooked in art education today, and when emphasis is placed on the learning how to introduce a perspective switch, instead of on content regurgitation, the students will yield their highest rate of retention.
Content is important, and while I highly value all the subtle nuances that drawing and illustration has to offer, there are even larger lessons to be learned. In short, art is no exception to the age old student question of “when am I ever going to use this?” Students want to know what long-term benefit will come from breaking down the planes of the face, and (for some) the simple answer is that it will not have any. Some students will take their elective art courses, graduate, and then never pick up a pencil to draw again. Yet, it is in this sobering truth that we can see the true value of art education.
Art education should strive not only to teach you how to break down the planes of the face, but also how to think about things from a different perspective. When students can start to comprehend how to apply perspective shifts in their problem solving, their day-to-day lives, and their future careers they become the well-rounded person that schools strive to cultivate. Art is another avenue in the field of education for this type of cultivation, and when it is taught in this manner I have found that the overall experience is more successful.
I want my classroom to mirror that of which SVS stands for, and that is teaching not just for skill, but for perspective and ideas. Creative problem solving is something that will always have tangible and intrinsic value in our society, and an art class is the perfect catalyst for learning that lesson. Every career and job field benefits from having employees who are prepared to dissect an unfamiliar problem and find an innovative solution for it.
I love teaching art, and I love the impact that an art class can have on a person’s life. I sincerely hope, through the inspiration that SVS has provided me, that I can become a better art teacher. There is something to be said of an instructor who is dedicated to their content area, and who makes the effort to contribute to the professional community. I want to teach my students that whatever they choose to do, they have an obligation to themselves to do it well. The road to artistic success is long and arduous, but it can serve the higher purpose of teaching others how to work hard. I would like to thank SVS for all that they do in the illustration community, and for inspiring me to find a way to make my own contribution, one step at a time.
While I have not made the switch to a fully flipped art classroom at the time of this article, I am excited by the possibilities of this prospect. I have no doubt that maximizing individual instruction during class time will be the ideal format for an art class. I will be proceeding with all that I have learned from SVS about digital art instruction, and do my best to emulate that for my students.
The Future of Art Education: SVS is ahead of the curve, and while there may never be a true substitute for the traditional academic experience of art school, I do believe that with resources like this available it is possible for any artist to truly embrace the stigma of being “self-taught.” These video courses not only teach you the specific skill listed in the title, but also show you how to teach yourself and implement a perspective switch. You may have spent hours trying to learn something of your own volition, but with little to no success. SVS can provide the change of perspective needed to fully comprehend those problem. This is a trait that is often egregiously overlooked in art education today, and when emphasis is placed on the learning how to introduce a perspective switch, instead of on content regurgitation, the students will yield their highest rate of retention.
Content is important, and while I highly value all the subtle nuances that drawing and illustration has to offer, there are even larger lessons to be learned. In short, art is no exception to the age old student question of “when am I ever going to use this?” Students want to know what long-term benefit will come from breaking down the planes of the face, and (for some) the simple answer is that it will not have any. Some students will take their elective art courses, graduate, and then never pick up a pencil to draw again. Yet, it is in this sobering truth that we can see the true value of art education.
Art education should strive not only to teach you how to break down the planes of the face, but also how to think about things from a different perspective. When students can start to comprehend how to apply perspective shifts in their problem solving, their day-to-day lives, and their future careers they become the well-rounded person that schools strive to cultivate. Art is another avenue in the field of education for this type of cultivation, and when it is taught in this manner I have found that the overall experience is more successful.
I want my classroom to mirror that of which SVS stands for, and that is teaching not just for skill, but for perspective and ideas. Creative problem solving is something that will always have tangible and intrinsic value in our society, and an art class is the perfect catalyst for learning that lesson. Every career and job field benefits from having employees who are prepared to dissect an unfamiliar problem and find an innovative solution for it.
I love teaching art, and I love the impact that an art class can have on a person’s life. I sincerely hope, through the inspiration that SVS has provided me, that I can become a better art teacher. There is something to be said of an instructor who is dedicated to their content area, and who makes the effort to contribute to the professional community. I want to teach my students that whatever they choose to do, they have an obligation to themselves to do it well. The road to artistic success is long and arduous, but it can serve the higher purpose of teaching others how to work hard. I would like to thank SVS for all that they do in the illustration community, and for inspiring me to find a way to make my own contribution, one step at a time.
A special thanks to all the instructors at Svs
Will Terry, Jake Parker, Lee White
Brandon Jeffords, Guy Francis, James Yang
Jim Madsen, Jose Cua, Marco Bucci
Therese Larsson, David Malan, Ty Carter
Click any of the images above to be take directly to the instructor's personal website. Click the SVS logo at the beginning of the article to check out all of their course offerings.
Brandon Jeffords, Guy Francis, James Yang
Jim Madsen, Jose Cua, Marco Bucci
Therese Larsson, David Malan, Ty Carter
Click any of the images above to be take directly to the instructor's personal website. Click the SVS logo at the beginning of the article to check out all of their course offerings.