Kutztown Univiverity got a $750 federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The SAMSA grant was meant to create a “town hall” for students on the subject of substance abuse. Let’s be honest. –How many students would actually show up for a Substance Abuse Town Hall? Fran Cortez Funk is theContinue reading “Creative Royale at K.U.”
Category Archives: Kutztown University
John Steven Gurney at Work
“Is it true you have illustrated 100 books?” “150!,” replied John Steven Gurney. He quickly explained these were series chapter books which entailed a color cover and a handful of interior black and white illustrations. Even so, that’s a lot of books! The A to Z Mysteries, Bailey School Kids, and The Calendar Mysteries seriesContinue reading “John Steven Gurney at Work”
Illustration Summer.
Illustration student? Want to advance you career? If I was a young illustration student in college or high school here’s what I’d do this summer. Make business cards. This cost very little. Identify yourself as an illustrator or illustrator/designer. Don’t think of yourself as a student of illustration, but as a beginning illustrator. Postcards don’t cost much moreContinue reading “Illustration Summer.”
Great Illustrators coming to Kutztown
Exceptional illustrators are coming to the Kutztown University campus this week. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Kutztown University Children’s Literature Conference. I’ve been on the conference committee from the beginning and met some stellar writers and illustrators. This year’s line-up is amazing. Peter Sís came to the U.S. as a political refugeeContinue reading “Great Illustrators coming to Kutztown”
Straight Outta’ Kutztown to MoCCA, NYC.
Kutztown University illustration students will have a table at the 2018 MoCCAfest in NYC. We will be among a select group of colleges at MoCCAfest, the indie comic showcase in New York City. Most of the other tables will be small presses, large presses, distributors, and independent comics creators. The fest is held April 7 and 8Continue reading “Straight Outta’ Kutztown to MoCCA, NYC.”
Q & A with Jennifer Hansen Rolli
Jennifer Hansen Rolli, author, illustrator, and Kutztown University grad will return to campus for the Kutztown University’s Children’s Literature Conference. The conference, 4/21/18, celebrates its 20th year with keynote speakers: Peter Sís, Raúl Colón, Lee Harper and Sharon Draper. Kutztown University students can attend the conference for $10. Jennifer will take part in our “Author Chat”Continue reading “Q & A with Jennifer Hansen Rolli”
Brian Martin and Our Cartoon President.
Last year Brian Martin got an amazing job, but had to keep it secret from even his close friends. Animation projects are kept hush-hush so other studios don’t get wind of a great idea. Now he can share that he’s been working on Steven Colbert’s Our Cartoon President. The half-hour cartoon show premieres Feb. 11 on Showtime. BrianContinue reading “Brian Martin and Our Cartoon President.”
Angels & Demons in Red and Blue
Searching the web I came across this archive of mugshots taken by Australian police in the 1920’s. Love this dude’s rockabilly haircut.. I used his likeness for painting demos in my sophomore illustration class. I drew his likeness twice on gessoed masonite. Then I painted monochromatic studies using blue, black, and white and red, black,Continue reading “Angels & Demons in Red and Blue”
Illustrations Get Moving with Gifs
In Illustration 1 class, we added a bit of motion to our art using Photoshop gifs. Shout out to Prof. Dannell MacIlwraith for teaching me how to make a gif loop. Amanda Collins, artwork above, sits alongside Mia Clark, artwork below. Both focused on nostrils, oddly enough. Ashley Ferguson animated one of her 3 icons,Continue reading “Illustrations Get Moving with Gifs”
More Wild Animal Heads
Subject matter: Animals heads on human bodies. For this colored pencil project I suggest students use ordinary marker layout bond. Some prefer smooth bristol board. Recommended pencils brands are Prismacolor or Derwent. I have been on tour with my kid’s books, so I haven’t been posting much. These images speak for themselves. All done byContinue reading “More Wild Animal Heads”
Illustration Concentration 