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Monday, April 17, 2006

Gesture Class notes 08-" Have Fun"

In teaching gesture class one of the many things that become repititous in my vocabulary is "Have Fun". We have been bleesed with the opportunity of working in a field where we get to draw all day. I don't know about you but, I am completely excited about that, all the time. I understand we have to work for others and draw what they need us to draw but it beats digging ditches. Unless you've been blessed with a digging ditches passion.

Once a few years back my brother wanted to save a couple of bucks by laying his own cement in his back yard. He asked me if I wanted to help him out and of couse I said yes. So there we where with a huge cement truck in his front yard and the driver wanted to charge to pour it in the back yard. As you can imagine my brother wanted to save a bit more he decided that we were going to wheel barrel it back barrel by barrel. That was a lot of cement and NOT FUN! I almost died that day and I told him, "This is why I'm going to stay in school and draw for the rest of my life"

It's tuff sometines to consider this having fun attitude becuase we have tons of drawing theory and lessons in our heads trying to come out into one sketch. My opinion is to try and let go of these theories while in the moment and let them become second nature. Relax and consider the challenges given to us. If we drudge on through our work and miss moments of inspiration along the way I think we might be going down pesimistic roads. In the class we play music that the model may bring or whatever is on the radio. Everyone chats as well as the model sometimes, and I constantly try to encourage a fun and free atmosphere becuase who wants to make what we love to do, a Chore and a Bore! So loosen up,"Have Fun" and enjoy these nice pieces of art.

9 comments:

J said...

Exciting stuff Dave. Just out of curiousity, how often do you host these classes?

Jenny Lerew said...

I'll answer!

We had one today; they're every two weeks. : )

And now, onto my comment--what great drawings. Of course I missed this class! Bad me! I love posts like this as it's so fascinating to see the different styles, often of the same poses.

Lee-Roy said...

These are great! Sounds like a great class, as well. I've enjoyed drawing the figure for a long time and the short poses are very beneficial. So how does one go about enrolling in this class? I see you're in Valencia. Is this part of CalArts or something else? Thanks in advance for any info.

Dave Pimentel said...

I would love to teach this class to more people but unfortunately it's held at the studio I work for.
I believe there might be a similar class held at the animation union {mpsc local839} but thank you all for the interest and comments.

Lee-Roy said...

Funny that you mention the Animation Guild. I'm actually taking classes there now. I don't think there is a clothed gesture class right now. I could be wrong. Maybe those are coming up next "semester." Plenty of really great classes there, though. Anyway, thanks for the response. Which studio are you at?

Dave Pimentel said...

Hey lee-roy,

Im at Dreamworks, I thought diana coco was teaching there at the union. No?

Lee-Roy said...

I'll have to look into it. I see she's mentioned on the site, but that's for 2004. I'm taking a couple classes from Karl Gnass and am pretty consumed with those, so I don't know a whole lot about the other classes offered. Thanks for the reply. By the way, Kathy Altieri came and talked to our Storyboards class a few weeks back. That was a nice surprise.

Keep up the good work. I'll be visiting.

Jenny Lerew said...

Hah--Wilbert--YOU could have taught a class! : )
I would still like to attend that one, too!
Actually, if not for Dave there likely wouldn't be any such class...he had an idea for a gesture(clothes/costumed)class, and got it going...I believe that before there was a nude/uninstructed class, wasn't there? Maybe not.
I wish this current class was at least a half day or every week--but "deadlines", you know. : (

torahmann said...

Heavy D!
Wut up man!? Give me a message and let's chat. I lost your phone number and email address. Hope you still remember your cube mate! Will be trying my hand back in the animation business and would like to hook up.
mann4torah@comcast.net is my address.
Stephen Mann