How Our Five Weekly Classes Work (And How to Pick One)

Parents ask me this one a lot.

"There are five live classes now. Which one is my kid supposed to be in?"

Fair question. Here is the short answer, and then the longer one.

The short answer

It is the same skill in every class.

The subject we draw changes. The skills do not.

So pick the class that fits your week, and your child has not missed a thing.

What that looks like in practice

Two weeks ago, every class learned facial expressions.

In Tuesday's Anime and Manga Club, Ms. Kaitlyn taught it on anime characters.

In the Cartoon Clubs, students worked through a range of cartoon characters.

And in Draw the World's Weirdest Creatures, we did it on a blobfish. Yes, a blob fish. (google it if you don't know 😆)

Same lesson. Different rooms. Very different drawings afterward.

This week is another good example.

On Saturday we are learning how changing the placement of facial features gives you a completely different character.

Move the eyes up. Push the mouth down. Widen the gap between them.

Suddenly your child has a character nobody has drawn before.

It is one of the most useful character design tricks there is, and it leads to endless fun, memorable characters. 

It's what character designers and concept artists do as they ideating hundreds of different versions to find their favorite for the next hit game or movie.

Here is how the same lesson works across the week:

• Ms. Maggie takes it slower, on cartoon characters, in Foundations.
• Ms. Kaitlyn takes it faster in Advanced.
• Tuesday, Ms. Kaitlyn runs it on anime characters.
• Thursday, she runs it again at an all levels/intermedia pace.
• And yes, I am doing it on a very weird real creature. 😆 (While learning fun facts about that animal along the way. Sometimes terrifying facts. Google what a dementor wasp does to a cockroach. 😱)

The five options

Draw the World's Weirdest Creatures With me, Mr. Grissom. Saturdays, 10 AM ET / 3 PM UK. For kids who love wild animals and art.

Foundations Cartoon Club With Ms. Maggie. Saturdays, 11 AM ET / 4 PM UK. For beginners building their drawing and cartooning skills.

Advanced Cartoon Club With Ms. Kaitlyn. Saturdays, 12 PM ET / 5 PM UK. For advanced artists ready for more complex techniques.

Anime and Manga Club With Ms. Kaitlyn. Tuesdays, 7 PM ET. For kids who love anime and manga.

All Levels Cartoon Club With Ms. Kaitlyn. Thursdays, 2 PM ET / 7 PM UK. For students of any level leveling up their skills.

How families actually choose

Most families choose by schedule. Whatever fits the week wins.

Some choose by teacher. Kids get attached to their teacher, and that is a good thing.

Some choose by subject. If your child only wants to draw anime right now, let them draw anime.

Any of those is the right way to do it.

Switching, and doubling up

You can switch whenever you need to.

Soccer season starts and Saturday mornings disappear? Move to Thursday.

Your child is on a tear and wants more? Come to two.

There is nothing to request and nobody to email. Just show up.

If you cannot make it live

Every class is recorded.

The replay goes into the Draw Now Library alongside 300+ other tutorials.

So a missed Saturday becomes a Sunday afternoon on the couch instead.

Stay creative,
Daniel

P.S. All five weekly classes are included in your Kids Cartoon Academy membership. Nothing extra to sign up for, and it's super easy for you to switch as your schedule, skills, or interests change. The Zoom links are where they always are: your Members Portal, the Members Calendar, and under Classes in the Community. Not a member? Join the waitlist here.