School of Visual Storytelling

Ideas are pursued, shaped, refined and crafted. The world of commercial art requires the professional visual artist, illustrator, animator and designer to work within the confines of time, space, audience and story. 

IDEATION LAB Part O1 introduces specific methodologies for generating authentic ideas within the limitations of commercial projects.

Discovered and put to use through my 20 + career as an illustrator, artist, writer, Professor and as Founder of Legendeer, this program outlines an explanation of the problems that we face, and delivers a specific process by which to solve them. I have shared and refined the principles of this course over years of teaching professionals and students across disciplines as varied as illustration, animation, design, painting, gaming, comics, science fiction, fantasy, fashion, business, dance, advertising, editorial, and illustrated books.

Course Overview:

Learn to generate unique ideas that communicate powerful messages. Ideation Lab Part O1 is dedicated to understanding how to work within the confines of client projects and to use those limitations as powerful tools in shaping a unique ideas.

Receive twice a week video lessons, assignments, demonstrations, case studies and relevant course materials. 

Course Outcomes:

Students completing this 4 week course will have a clear understanding in how to approach client problem solving and limitations and how to use those limitations to produce intelligent and thoughtful solutions. Students will leave this course having identified the next steps required to move them forward in their creative development.

Course Goals:

Over the past twenty years working as a professional commercial artist and Professor, I have developed a specific methodology to teaching that is designed to make efficient use of student time and to shorten the time it takes to develop more advanced, professional level skills. Students will have three types of assignments listed as:

Primary, Secondary and a Final Project. Each type focuses on different levels of skill, idea, process and completion.

Learn how to:

• Break down complex stories into simple elements.
• Develop your own creative way of shaping and sharing ideas.
• Generate creative solutions within client constraints.
• Give yourself relevant assignments for your own  professional development.
• Better understand when ideas working.
• Use specific tools and materials to amplify your concepts.

This course is made up of three types of videos:

1: Lessons- Videos that address specific topics each week.

2: Demos- Video lessons that demonstrate specific techniques, processes and applications

3: Case Studies- Videos that feature projects from inception to completion across a wide range of project types.

Course Level:

Beginning to Intermediate. 

Course Requirements:

Commitment, Time, Computer access, Quality internet connection.

Materials:

To be listed.

Course Delivery:

This 4 week course consists of twice a week classes in the form of videos, assignments, demonstrations and/or handouts.

In each lesson, the Instructor will present a new topic related to Idea Development. This will consist of video lectures, demos, pdf handouts, and related materials.

Included with the class:

• Access to all class materials during your enrollment
• Discussion area to ask work with other students in a peer-to-peer format
• Downloadable homework and resource files
• Written assignments and visual assignments

Details:

• Cost is $99 for non-members of SVSLearn and $89 for SVSLearn members. To subscribe, enroll in the monthly or annual plan.
• There will be weekly assignments (plan for this!)

Student Output:

9 fully realized value thumbnails and related process work 

3 fully realized grayscale drawings, 

3 media studies, 

1 fully realized final complete portfolio pieces.

Assignments:

• Primary- 1 Per week at (2-3 hours+). Ideation and Design process work
• Secondary- 1 Per week (1 hour). Skill development through media experiments
• FINAL- 1 Fully realized finished illustration/image the last week of the course.

Refund Policy:
* cancellation up to 14 days before class starts: full refund
* cancellation 1 - 13 days before class starts: 75% refund
* cancellation during the first week of class: 50% refund
* cancellation during the second week of class and after: 0%

Please Note: When you enroll, we are reserving your seat, and others are not able to sign up. Because it can be challenging to fill seats when there are last minute cancellations, we only offer partial refunds once we are within 13 days of the class start date. However, if you are able to sell your seat to another student, we are happy to give a full refund 😀