Alcott’s Cartooniversity has many interesting characters
November 10, 2009
By Christopher Huber
By Christopher Huber
Alcott fifth-grader Sebastian Chai finished drawing an alien insect for warm-ups and immediately switched over to another project Nov. 2 in the school’s library. He and his sister, second-grader Gabrielle Chai, sat side-by-side and outlined their cartoon characters on 11×17 paper as instructor Jeff Johnson coached other students in various drawing methods.
Nine students gathered to work on their character’s profiles. The atmosphere was calm, quiet and focused. The students sat at their tables engaged, the creative juices flowing.
Sebastian Chai, in his third eight-week session of the Cartooniversity class at Alcott, still likes developing new characters. This time, he’s creating an animal-type figure with pointy ears.
“I like doing this character because I think I made some new characters this year,” Sebastian Chai said. “The expressions really help me because that’s how you make a comic funny.”
In the before-school Cartooniversity class, Johnson, a career editorial cartoonist from Redmond, teaches the students basic drawing techniques to help them tell stories without words, he said. Through a variety of projects, such as making a cartoon character trading card, a flip-book animation, a comic book and a 28-piece puzzle, Johnson teaches the children to think outside their perceptions of popular cartoons.
They learn shading, expressions, action and movement and perspective.
“When they get done… they should be able to make a character out of anything.”
The Alcott students are able to study former students’ cartoons to get ideas as they develop their own characters, but Johnson said he encourages them to use their imagination. He said students often get frustrated when their drawing doesn’t look just like Sponge Bob.
“I want them to develop their own style,” Johnson said.
Johnson said he published his first editorial cartoon in the Issaquah Press in 1989. He teaches numerous classes, summer camps and workshops around the state, but has taught the Alcott Cartooniversity for about five years. He said teaching helps him maintain a balance between the political and fun sides of cartooning.
“I like everything, it’s really fun,” said fifth-grader Saransh Kacharia.
Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or chuber@isspress.com. Comment on this story at www.sammamishreview.com.
Alcott fifth-grader Sebastian Chai finished drawing an alien insect for warm-ups and immediately switched over to another project Nov. 2 in the school’s library. He and his sister, second-grader Gabrielle Chai, sat side-by-side and outlined their cartoon characters on 11×17 paper as instructor Jeff Johnson coached other students in various drawing methods.
Alcott third-grader Justin Pittenger polishes his drawings during Cartooniversity. Photo by Christopher Huber
Nine students gathered to work on their character’s profiles. The atmosphere was calm, quiet and focused. The students sat at their tables engaged, the creative juices flowing.
Sebastian Chai, in his third eight-week session of the Cartooniversity class at Alcott, still likes developing new characters. This time, he’s creating an animal-type figure with pointy ears.
“I like doing this character because I think I made some new characters this year,” Sebastian Chai said. “The expressions really help me because that’s how you make a comic funny.”
In the before-school Cartooniversity class, Johnson, a career editorial cartoonist from Redmond, teaches the students basic drawing techniques to help them tell stories without words, he said. Through a variety of projects, such as making a cartoon character trading card, a flip-book animation, a comic book and a 28-piece puzzle, Johnson teaches the children to think outside their perceptions of popular cartoons.
They learn shading, expressions, action and movement and perspective.
“When they get done… they should be able to make a character out of anything.”
The Alcott students are able to study former students’ cartoons to get ideas as they develop their own characters, but Johnson said he encourages them to use their imagination. He said students often get frustrated when their drawing doesn’t look just like Sponge Bob.
“I want them to develop their own style,” Johnson said.
Johnson said he published his first editorial cartoon in the Issaquah Press in 1989. He teaches numerous classes, summer camps and workshops around the state, but has taught the Alcott Cartooniversity for about five years. He said teaching helps him maintain a balance between the political and fun sides of cartooning.
“I like everything, it’s really fun,” said fifth-grader Saransh Kacharia.
Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or chuber@isspress.com.
Other Stories of Interest: Louisa May Alcott Elementary School
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