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Animation: Character Design & the Storytelling Pose

OAK Campus
EXMED-1503-01
Instructor: Ed Gutierrez
Thurs., 6:30-9:30 p.m., June 6-August 15 (no class 7/4 & 7/18)
9 sessions. $315. Noncredit. Prerequisite: none
At the heart of every storytelling pose is a strong gesture that captures a character’s thought, emotion, and feelings. These gestures are the crucial elements for successful animation posing and storyboarding (or even children’s story book illustrations). This class focuses on the elements of design, staging, composition, and color to achieve that telling pose.
Assignments include designing humans, animals, and objects as animatable characters. Instructor demonstrations emphasize the importance of the gesture, body attitude, dynamics of forces, and animation principles to create appealing and animated characters. Observation drawing and physical research is a key part of the class. The use of thumbnail sketching is emphasized for the purpose of exploring various concepts or ideas before coming to any final designs or poses. Through these assignments, students begin to develop a portfolio of work that illustrates their process from concept to final design, while exploring a variety of styles and mediums, both traditional and digital.
Bring to first class: a small sketchbook for observation sketching and taking notes on the first class, 4 to 8GB flash drive to save and back up assignments. A more detailed materials list will be given out at the first class.

Animation: Intro to 2D and 3D Production

OAK Campus
EXMED-1501-01
Instructor: Ed Gutierrez
Sat., 10a.m.-4p.m., June 22-August 3 (no class July 6)
6 sessions. $350. Noncredit. Prerequisite: none
This course will focus on creating an animated short film following production pipeline procedures and animation principles. Students will design and animate their own concepts. Two short animation assignments will introduce students to animation principles and software that will be used to film and edit these short films. A variety of 2d and 3D animated short films will be reviewed and analyzed in class. Animations can be done in traditional 2D methods or 3D. Instructor demonstrations will emphasize story and personality driven animation. The use of sound and color will also be introduced in the class.
Bring to first class: a sketchbook no larger than 9" x 12", pen, B or 2B pencil, and a 2-4GB flash drive to save assignments. A more detailed materials list will be given out at the first class meeting.

Communication through Graphic Design

SF Campus
EXGRP-1500-01
Instructor: Shalini Agrawal
Tues. & Thurs., 6:30-9:30 pm, July 16-August 15
10 sessions. $335. Noncredit. Prerequisite: none
Attention to graphic presentation is integral to communication of all design ideas. Communicating through graphic design is a valuable design exercise involving compositional considerations, techniques in layout, typography, and design of illustrative graphics. Through research, investigative processes, drawing from inspiration, and group critiques, students analyze images, drawings, and text arrangements for specific design problems. The design process is explored through principals of design such as repetition, balance, layering, intersection, collage, and visual hierarchy. Students use multiple methods for their explorations, such as collaging, paper cut-outs, drawing/sketching, and simple computer layouts.

Intro to Illustration

SF Campus
EXILL-1400-01
Instructor: Caitlin Kuhwald
Mon., 6:45-9:45 p.m., July 8-August 12
6 sessions. $210. Noncredit. Prerequisite: none
Illustration communicates ideas through imagery via publication. It comes in many forms and is so varied and versatile that there is something in it for everyone — from graphic novels to children’s books, concept art, character design, magazine editorials, advertising, image licensing, textile design, packaging, and books.

The class builds up slowly to allow a solid understanding of illustration and the part it plays in the media, the art world, and society as a whole. Participants work through the basic construction of an illustration assignment from sizing, bleed, surface preparation, and material choices. Demonstrations on different materials from painting to the computer are presented.

The class discusses what illustration is, the career opportunities it has to offer, and the challenges it presents. We talk about promotion techniques, reference gathering, and how to deal professionally with clients.

Students will have a few homework assignments, but a substantial amount of work is done in class.
Bring to first class: a pad of paper or sketchbook and pencils for small sketches and brainstorming.

Illustration: Visual Storytelling

OAK Campus
EXILL-1503-01
Instructor: Arden Petrov
Tues. & Thurs., 6:30-9:30 p.m., June 4-July 9 (no class 7/4)
10 sessions. $335. Noncredit. Prerequisite: none
Spiderman began as a comic. Where the Wild Things Are started with a book. Both morphed into movies and licensed characters. This course focuses on the methods and tools of sequential, visual storytelling (storyboarding), as it is applied to children's books, comics, graphic novels, commercials, and movies.

This studio also covers pacing, character development, thumbnails, dummies, preliminary sketches, and finished portfolio pieces. Students create visual story images from written and spoken ideas.

In the first few classes, students develop a black and white storyboard for a 10-second commercial, exploring how to stage a scene/shot with angles, P.O.V, perspective, and lighting. Guest speakers include a successful freelance illustrator in the field of storyboarding commercials and movies and an art director from Pixar Animation Studios. Please note that all guest speakers are subject to change.

Ideation Sketching and Visual Notation

SF Campus
EXGRP-1504-01
Instructor: Lewis Bangham
Tues. & Thurs., 6:45-9:45 p.m., July 9-August 8
10 sessions. $335. Noncredit. Prerequisite: one previous drawing class or equivalent experience
Whether you are a designer, artist, or filmmaker, what inspires you to create art and design are the pre-visual concepts that arise in your mind. These pre-visualized concepts may potentially become the foundation of a great painting, product, movie, or advertisement.
In this course, students learn how to form and evolve ideas through the use of images, as well as to communicate them clearly and effectively with clients, art directors, or in meetings, using sketch techniques. Class time is divided between demos, short lectures, and in class studio time. Students should expect to have at least a few hours of homework each week.
Students begin by learning the fundamentals of translating 3D space and objects onto 2D drawn space. Topics covered include using 1, 2, and 3 point perspective, laying out your ideas, using backgrounds, and finding your style. Various types of notation (arrows, typography) are explored to help clarify your drawn ideas.
Bring to first class: 14" x 17" pad of layout paper and a pad of tracing paper, a variety of drawing pencils (2H, HB, 2B), a ballpoint pen or sharpie.

Intro to Interior Design

SF Campus
EXINT-1500-01
Instructor: Briggs MacDonald
Tues. & Thurs., 6:45-9:45 p.m., June 4-July 9 (no class 7/4)
10 sessions. $335. Noncredit. Prerequisite: none
In this studio-based overview of the practice of interior design, students review the history and current applications of the practice. Participants explore the multifaceted technical and aesthetic principles of design. Students also examine concepts of programming, planning, and three-dimensional form. Principals of light and lighting, color, materiality, furniture overview and layouts are covered through hands-on exercises.

Students develop one long-term project of their choice from conception through presentation.
Bring to first class: one roll of 12" tracing paper, one black-ink Uni ball roller ball pen (or equal), and an architectural scale.

Intro to Machine Knitting

SF Campus
EXFAS-1503-01
Instructor: Hanne Behrend
Mon. & Wed., 6:45-9:45 p.m., June 3-July 8 (no class 7/3)
10 sessions. $335; $25 lab fee payable at registration; $25 materials fee payable to instructor at first session. Noncredit. Prerequisite: none
This hands-on course in machine knitting is open to beginners and knitters with some experience in either hand or machine knitting.

Students begin by learning to set up the machine and knit a variety of stitch structures, starting with simple jersey (stockinette) and stripes. Participants then move on to learn pointelle lace and ladders, basic cables, and fully fashioning (shaping) through increases and decreases.

The final project is to create a simple sleeveless top. Written instructions are provided and the instructor demonstrates knitting the garment panels, blocking and steaming, joining seams and finishing techniques.

A lab fee of $25 covers yarn for the initial projects, though students may need/wish to purchase additional yarns during the course. One machine per student.

Supplies: Small pair of scissors, notebook, pen/pencil

Intermediate/Advanced Machine Knitting

SF Campus
EXFAS-1503-02
Instructor: Hanne Behrend
Mon. & Wed., 6:45-9:45 p.m., July 15-August 14
10 sessions. $335; $25 lab fee payable at registration; $25 materials fee payable to instructor at first session. Noncredit. Prerequisite: Intro to Machine Knitting or equivalent experience
This intermediate/advanced course in single-bed machine knitting covers tuck stitches, ripple and welt effects, holding/short row knitting, and punch-card jacquard knitting.

In addition, students become familiar with the principles of building and calculating garment patterns for knitwear. Depending on their individual skill level, students have the option to knit a 3D item of their own design or work from a template to create a cap sleeve top.

A materials fee of $25 covers yarn for the initial projects.

Bring to first class: Scissors, small notebook, pencil, 18 or 24 inch C-Thru ruler (optional), tape-measure, darning needle

Color Theory for Fine Artists and Designers

OAK Campus
EXGRP-1400-01
Instructor: Sian Oblak
Mon., 6:30-9:30 p.m., June 17-August 12
9 sessions. $300. Noncredit. Prerequisite: none
Color is a versatile tool for creating depth, evoking emotion, telling a story. In this studio-based class, artists and designers of all stripes discover how to unlock its magic. Using straightforward design projects, students explore color harmony (dyads, triads, tetrads, split compliments, value-based harmony etc.), investigate color effects by comparing and contrasting different color combinations, and discuss color and its narrative use. By focusing on color mixing with paint (and paper), the class learns how successful color use is always based on context.
Please bring to first class: pad of 11" x 14" smooth finish Bristol paper, paint brushes suitable for detailed work (such as Blick Scholastic Wonder White Round #0 or #1 and Blick Scholastic Fitch Bright #6), 2B pencil and eraser, tubes of acrylic paint in the following colors: mars black, cadmium yellow medium or hansa yellow medium, primary cobalt blue or equivalent (please do not get pthalocyanine blue), cadmium red medium, cadmium red deep, large tube of titanium white.

Digital Drawing and Painting: Wacom Tablet Intensive

OAK Campus
EXMED-1200-01
Instructor: Eugene Young
Sun., 10 a.m.-4 p.m., July 14, 21, 28, Aug. 4
4 sessions. $315. Noncredit. Prerequisite: Photoshop Basics or equivalent. Previous drawing, painting, or illustration experience recommended.
An ever-growing number of animators, illustrators, graphic designers, and architects are choosing the convenience and versatility of the Wacom tablet for the creation of illustrations, concept art, and storyboards. This hands-on workshop introduces the Wacom tablet as a digital drawing and painting tool using Photoshop. The first half of the course emphasizes the tablet itself, how it works, proper set up, handling and care of the tablet and stylus, and setting up an efficient digital workspace. Students build hand-eye coordination, confidence, and spontaneity with the tablet through mark-making, gesture studies, and methods for building value, texture and form. Techniques for creating custom brushes, coloring existing line art, and grayscale images are also covered.

During the second half of the course, students work on an assignment using photographs and scanned drawings to give a greater context to the skill-building exercises, while emphasizing creativity and problem solving.
Bring to first class: Digital images of your own that you would like to work with, USB flash drive or CD-R/RW for saving exercises, sketchbook, and pen or pencil. One student per Macintosh computer.

Website Design

OAK Campus
EXCOM-1501-01
Instructor: Taro Hattori
Mon., Wed., Thurs., 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., July 22-Aug. 14
11 sessions. $550. Noncredit. Prerequisite: Mac skills, Photoshop, Illustrator
Website visitors expect, not only information, but a rich visual and participatory experience. Using modern web standards as the framework, students investigate what makes design for the online environment user-friendly and elegant. Focusing mainly on Adobe Dreamweaver, students are introduced to the core of website technology and formats such as HTML, CSS, Javascript, and blogs, as well as efficient workflow for website design. By the end of the class, students are expected to build their own website and register for a domain name and web hosting services.
This fast-paced course is geared only for those who feel confident in their computer skills. One student per Macintosh computer.