Do you know what to look for in an animation school?
In my capacity as Director of Animation Portfolio Workshop, the question I get asked the most by students and parents is, “How do I know if an animation school is good?” When checking out animation schools, treat the experience as if you are shopping for a very expensive item. Make a list of the qualities […]
Is It Possible To Really Learn How To Draw Online? – Part Two
A lot has happened in the world since February 2019 when I wrote my blog post on the pros and cons of studying observational drawing online. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced students from their classrooms and onto online learning platforms in order to finish up their 2019/20 school year. The same phenomenon has occurred for […]
Sheridan Art Fundamentals and Animation Portfolio Workshop – What’s the Difference?
Guest post by Bernadette Peets AOCA I am in the unique position of having taught in the Sheridan College Art Fundamental’s Program for over 10 years, worked on the original committee that developed the Sheridan College VCA Program, taught Life Drawing For Animation in the APW program and am currently the acting Administrative Director […]
APW Celebrates 20 years with a Scholarship!
On Friday, September 27th at Hashtag Gallery in Toronto the Animation Portfolio Workshop community was out in full force to celebrate 20 years with a bash and an art show. Drawings and artwork by past and present instructors and TA’s who have taught at APW over the years were on display. APW grads who have […]
Drawing is Back.
Actually, it never really went anywhere. We know because at Animation Portfolio Workshop drawing is all we do. Artists and animators have never stopped learning and using the immense heft and power of visual language that is revealed in drawing. Ask any animator. Drawing has been the chosen method for developing ideas, building worlds, telling […]
APW grad – stop-motion storyteller – Dani Elizondo
Originally from Monterey Mexico, Dani Elizondo is pursuing her animation dream. At the time of this post, Dani is working toward getting her BAA in animation at Sheridan College. Adding a thorough knowlege of traditional animation to her own love of stop-motion animation, puppet building, characters, stories and comic writing/illustration. Dani’s refreshing and personal sense […]
APW grad Patrick O’Keefe – Academy Award winner
The entire Animation Portfolio Workshop team is over-the-moon excited for the 2019 Best Animated Feature film Oscar success of APW grad Patrick O’Keefe and his wonderful Art Direction on Sony Pictures Animation’s ground-breaking Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse. Sony’s take on the Marvel Spider-Man story is creative twist signalling a very clear break from the […]
Brilliant article on artist and Seneca professor Werner Zimmermann
Werner Zimmermann’s central role in the training of young animation students in figure drawing and artistic anatomy for decades is well known by anyone in animation circles in Canada, USA and abroad.
Avoid Stylistic Appropriation at the Expense of Learning How to Draw
In Bertrand Tavenier’s iconic film Round Midnight, (1986) the films main character Dale Turner, played by the great Saxophonist Dexter Gordon, says these very wise words at one point in the film while speaking about the development of a musician: ”You just don’t go out and pick a style off a tree one day -the […]
Is It Possible To Really Learn How To Draw Online?
Yes and No. With the advent of the Internet and new technologies, (hardware and software) the platforms existing for teaching the language of observational drawing seem to be expanding…. for better or for worse, one can’t quite tell – yet. By that we mean that the jury is still out on whether the online offerings […]