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Alright Dakkites (Dakkans?), I've been presented with an opportunity that is also a challenge. (MODS, if this is in the wrong topic, by all means, please move it!)
My FLGS owner has been commissioning me to paint things for the shop, mostly the display case, and for himself, since before they opened in early September, and I'm currently on my fourth project for him (the Death Masque box set). Painting has a special place in his heart, and he really is doing everything he can to support it. However, this has now come to include asking me to teach what I'm gathering is a "beginner's" painting class, covering the basics, techniques, etc.
While I'm perfectly fine with this and am more than happy to share what I know, I don't consider myself a pro-painter by a long shot, although I like to try and paint to higher than a tabletop standard. Honestly, I am worried that hosting a class will make me appear...cocky, I guess? I don't know the correct adjective I'm looking for...arrogant, maybe?
Regardless, I'll still do the class, but my main concern is: how? Do I do like an example class, where everybody gets something cheap like a Reaper Bones miniature to paint, so that everyone practices on the same mini and can help each other as well? Would it be better to do a purely discussion class, possibly with pictures for reference? Like a PowerPoint? I've never taught anyone anything, really, and would definitely like some advice.
I think the best advice would be from people who would be interested in taking such a class (whether you can or not) and what you would like to see in said class. I like things to be fun, while informative, and I prefer relaxed settings myself, so I would imagine it would be more like a friendly painting group than an actual "class". That said, I have no objections to anyone who has experience with different techniques or products than I use, or has more experience doing something than I do, etc. I'm happy to learn as much as anyone else.
I also have every intention of integrating DakkaDakka rules into the class so that everyone can enjoy, assuming anybody signs up for the class. There is quite a community of high-quality painters in the Kansas City area, but I believe most of them are too far north of my FLGS and me to want anything to do with a store that is an hour or more farther than the others (this is purely speculation; I haven't talked to any of them, and there is a Games Workshop actually in the city).
Any advice?
10,000+ points Death Guard, Traitor Guard, and Nurgle Daemons;
Sylvaneth
Firstly, congrats for your job opportunity. If you have been commissioned and have been painting for a long time, its because your painting skills are good. I mean, we can all improve them, as all the skills there's a point when you can start giving advices, teaching if you want to call it like that, but that does not mean you're perfect, or that your "students" have to think of you like that. Remember in the school. Was your teacher perfect? He had mistakes, as we all have. That's the first think you have to take in mind.
Being a professor, does not mean you have to know all the techniques, all the ways to paint or even be the best. Of course you'll need a good level, but that has been proved with your work already in the shop, so believe in your skills and you'll be able to help people to improve theirs.
Having said that, the best way to learn is to DO things. Theory is good, but as things as the thickness of the paint, the pressure of the brush or the intensity of the drybrush cant be "felt" without doing them, I'd strongly suggest you to go with the idea of having all your students with, at least, a mini that has the same requisites in order to be completed (For example, a rocky base, same texture of cloths or even the same ambientation) so you can help them all in once. Take a nurgle warrior from GW and an skeleton from bones. They cannot be approached in the same way, right? The techniques are different, so it would be difficult to explain a drybrush tech for making an skull highlight (for example) with another student wanting to make a corrosion effect. So the best and the easiest way to avoid this is to choose minis that will require more or less the same effects, like mages, skeletons, standard plate warriors or so.
About the ways, there're a lot of good examples on the internet with people explaining how to paint, but i strongly recommend Duncan from GW and Doctor Faust clinic, both in youtube. They give you a good approach and they're easy to understand, so probably watching how another person teaches successfully will help you with your own "way of teaching". The key is to feel comfortable and think in all the things you would have liked to know when you started. What brushes should we take at the beginning? How much paint should we put in a miniature? How do the glaze/shades work? How should we take care of our brushes? Is there any way to make cool and easy bases? What about the transfers, how can we put them?
Think in your own experiences and how would you have liked to be instructed. With that, and humility -which you have already proved you have, doubting about your own "preparation" to teach- you'll only need time and patience.
There is no image in your gallery to determine the level of a miniature painter you currently are at; having the painting space setup is essential, such as lighting, cup of water, brushes, paper towel, palette, perhaps starter set models.
I also highly suggest isopropyl alcohol 91% proof to strip the models painted when necessary.
Having a specific lesson plan for each session is also a good idea, but prepare to switch subject when the students ask; such as prepping a model prior to painting(clean mold lines, pinning, drilling gun barrels, magnetizing, sub assembly for easy access, filling gaps and model lost details with green stuff).
Extra steps dealing with resin, GW crapcast is another good session; painting certain details such as leather, wood, eyes, hair, horses, muzzles, skin tone, lens, jewels, etc; a how to apply decals is another good session; basing could be another session.
Ryuhoshi wrote: Firstly, congrats for your job opportunity. If you have been commissioned and have been painting for a long time, its because your painting skills are good. I mean, we can all improve them, as all the skills there's a point when you can start giving advices, teaching if you want to call it like that, but that does not mean you're perfect, or that your "students" have to think of you like that. Remember in the school. Was your teacher perfect? He had mistakes, as we all have. That's the first think you have to take in mind.
Being a professor, does not mean you have to know all the techniques, all the ways to paint or even be the best. Of course you'll need a good level, but that has been proved with your work already in the shop, so believe in your skills and you'll be able to help people to improve theirs.
Having said that, the best way to learn is to DO things. Theory is good, but as things as the thickness of the paint, the pressure of the brush or the intensity of the drybrush cant be "felt" without doing them, I'd strongly suggest you to go with the idea of having all your students with, at least, a mini that has the same requisites in order to be completed (For example, a rocky base, same texture of cloths or even the same ambientation) so you can help them all in once. Take a nurgle warrior from GW and an skeleton from bones. They cannot be approached in the same way, right? The techniques are different, so it would be difficult to explain a drybrush tech for making an skull highlight (for example) with another student wanting to make a corrosion effect. So the best and the easiest way to avoid this is to choose minis that will require more or less the same effects, like mages, skeletons, standard plate warriors or so.
About the ways, there're a lot of good examples on the internet with people explaining how to paint, but i strongly recommend Duncan from GW and Doctor Faust clinic, both in youtube. They give you a good approach and they're easy to understand, so probably watching how another person teaches successfully will help you with your own "way of teaching". The key is to feel comfortable and think in all the things you would have liked to know when you started. What brushes should we take at the beginning? How much paint should we put in a miniature? How do the glaze/shades work? How should we take care of our brushes? Is there any way to make cool and easy bases? What about the transfers, how can we put them?
Think in your own experiences and how would you have liked to be instructed. With that, and humility -which you have already proved you have, doubting about your own "preparation" to teach- you'll only need time and patience.
Good luck in your journey!
Oh wow! Thank you! Definitely more than I was expecting, and that's not a complaint. I'm a fan of Duncan's seeming hospitality, and Dr. Faust was one of the first channels I began following when I started painting. It's become apparent while reading and thinking about this, that the basics will not fit in any class shorter than a full day, meaning multiple smaller classes, which is fine and actually would be much easier to plan. Honestly, it wouldn't be too hard to budget for a small collection Bones miniatures for the class, with some replacements for the inevitable mess up. I've been thinking it wouldn't hurt for participants to bring specific miniatures they are curious about or having problems with. For example, if someone is painting an entirely Tzeentchian army, they will probably have lots of questions about metals and fire, or be more interested in lenses and armor for Tau, or other faction/game specific stuff.
Thank you for the advice! Will definitely be taking it to heart
Automatically Appended Next Post:
Big Mac wrote: There is no image in your gallery to determine the level of a miniature painter you currently are at; having the painting space setup is essential, such as lighting, cup of water, brushes, paper towel, palette, perhaps starter set models.
I also highly suggest isopropyl alcohol 91% proof to strip the models painted when necessary.
Having a specific lesson plan for each session is also a good idea, but prepare to switch subject when the students ask; such as prepping a model prior to painting(clean mold lines, pinning, drilling gun barrels, magnetizing, sub assembly for easy access, filling gaps and model lost details with green stuff).
Extra steps dealing with resin, GW crapcast is another good session; painting certain details such as leather, wood, eyes, hair, horses, muzzles, skin tone, lens, jewels, etc; a how to apply decals is another good session; basing could be another session.
We don't speak of the finecrap in anything but hushed whispers and occasionally as a substitute curse word...haha
Honestly, I don't have a home computer, so all my Dakka adventures are done at work, and the firewalls aren't friendly with photos...but if I can figure out how to upload my photos from my phone, then by the Emprah I will get them into my gallery
I really appreciate your advice for subject matter during the classes, and I'm sorry if I mentioned anything without crediting you in my last reply; I was typing when you posted! I am naturally scatterbrained, and my job requires me to be scatterbrained, so I would love a class that just jumped from subject to subject, following the participants' interests, rather than holding strictly to a lesson plan.
Edit: I've started putting my images into my gallery from my phone, and I apologize for the quality of my phone's camera, but it's all I have for now, and my painting is mostly portable, so I haven't gotten around to making a light box yet, even though I really should
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2016/09/29 08:30:32
10,000+ points Death Guard, Traitor Guard, and Nurgle Daemons;
Sylvaneth
Upon looking at your gallery, you're definitely good enough to teach all that you know. One advice from me, a former professor, is to be encouraging, like pointing out the progress over time, their painting speed over time, how many models they can handle in a batch without going nutz.
Forgot to mention weathering as another possible subject; the FW masterclass painting books are a great resource to have as well.
Big Mac wrote: Upon looking at your gallery, you're definitely good enough to teach all that you know. One advice from me, a former professor, is to be encouraging, like pointing out the progress over time, their painting speed over time, how many models they can handle in a batch without going nutz.
Forgot to mention weathering as another possible subject; the FW masterclass painting books are a great resource to have as well.
Thank you! I'm taking the advice so far and compiling a list of things that would be covered overall, most likely in multiple classes, and what Bones miniature would be the easiest to cover a wide range of subjects on (they would be cheap enough for me to provide if the class was small, or have the store owner charge the 3$ per mini as a class fee or something. I'm not looking to profit from this, just to have fun and help some newer painters
Automatically Appended Next Post:
kb_lock wrote: An intermediate painter can teach a beginners class.
A cursory glance at your gallery says you are much better than intermediate.
Thanks for checking it out!
Automatically Appended Next Post: So this is a preliminary list that I've come up with....
Basics: Model and station prep, paint and brush selection, paint thinning (biggie), painting process, color choice, varnish/sealant, basing, and brush care
Technical: Transfers, glazes, stripping models, optional prep (magnets, pinning, drilling gun barrels), different cast materials (resin, plastic, metal), batch painting, weathering/damage/special effects, underpainting/zenithal priming, using drying retarders and flow improvers, wet palettes, blending, etc.
Mental: Progress in ability, progress in speed, confidence, reason for painting (display vs. tournament/game requirements), motivation to paint, using illusions to mimic reality, etc.
Some of these may be unnecessary, but I listed what I could think of right off the bat. It will need streamlining and improvement, and is most definitely subject to completely change in the middle of class because I have the attention span as long as a grot's life.
I'm also looking at possible models to use as a basic practice model for each participant...
From Reaper Bones, my final options are:
Sir Conlan
Seelah, Iconic Paladin
Duke Gerard
Aina, Female Valkyrie
Barnabus Frost, Pirate Captain
Honestly, I'm really digging the Barnabus Frost sculpt, because he has metal, cloth, leather, skin, hair, and other stuff all on one miniature, but the style he is sculpted in doesn't make all those details super tiny and hard to make out (like some other Bones miniatures...)
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2016/09/29 10:13:56
10,000+ points Death Guard, Traitor Guard, and Nurgle Daemons;
Sylvaneth
So the store owner has suggested that maybe a paint demo/session involving everyone that's interested. The way I'm reading it, is that I would paint my own things, and everyone else would paint their own things, but it would mainly be a large exchange of information and experience between all of us, with me being a pseudo-leader, I suppose.
Has anyone done something like this before? Any advice on how to "run" something like that?
The plan is that if there is enough interest after the first couple painting sessions/demos, that a full-on class, like discussed above, could then be arranged (he also suggested a practice mini and even a syllabus!)
10,000+ points Death Guard, Traitor Guard, and Nurgle Daemons;
Sylvaneth
Well, I'll agree that painters want to DO stuff. And unless you're painting a bust or something, students can't see you as you paint your miniature. Also, if you charge a fee (or, rather, buy from the store the paint kit you will use in the class), you'll get students who are more serious about painting (and the store gets some cash to boot!).
Grab the GW Battle for Vedros miniatures set and paint kit. Each student should buy his own kit from the store. Assemble and zenithal prime the figures. The paint kit has a step-by-step instructions. Photocopy them. Tell students to watch this video not religiously. Have everyone go step by step and add your own tips. The paint needs to dry, so, at that point, have everyone take a break and give them some theory, such as brush buying and maintenance, priming miniatures, basecoating, how to search for tutorials on the net, whatever the students were just working on, etc.. Remember that everyone has a smartphone, so you can also help students find tutorials to bookmark later. Personally, I would also teach washes, including washing after priming and before painting. Army Painter has a good set of Quickshade Inks that match these GW miniatures. Not sure, but if you have only a few painters who can multi-paint, you can have them start to paint another miniature (the ork) while the first miniature is drying (the space marine).
One warning about this paint set is that mine came as a thick sludge. Bring along some medium and eye droppers, so students can learn the fine art of rescuing dried out paint pots!
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2016/10/01 09:44:00
10,000+ points Death Guard, Traitor Guard, and Nurgle Daemons;
