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Course

Animal Illustration

ART-40162

10 Weeks | Live Online

Learn how to capture the spirit of animals in your artwork with a focus on using watercolor.  This course will introduce the fundamental skills of depicting animals, including preliminary composition, sketching, finding good reference materials, and realistic rendering.

Basic concepts of animal anatomy including how to depict fur, feathers, facial features, motion and personality will be taught. Students will learn how to use and resource photographs of animals and how to combine them in a composition.  Basic watercolor techniques (like mixing colors), color theory, value, backgrounds and materials will be taught through engaging live online-demonstrations.  Students will have access to the instructor’s YouTube videos and have an option to interact and critique work with other classmates through private social media.

Quarters Offered: Winter, Summer | Live Online
Course Fee: $325
Course Length: 10 weeks
Prerequisite: Recommended prerequisite: Drawing I: Focus on Perception (ART-40166).
Note: Elective course for Art and the Creative Process professional certificate and Children's Book Illustration professional certificate. 

Materials: The updated list can be found on the right side of this webpage under "Related Documents".

Course Information

Live Online
3.00 units
$325.00

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Related Documents

This course applies to these programs

Art and the Creative Process Children’s Book Illustration

Course sessions

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Section ID:

186148

Class type:

Synchronous web-based class meetings that are scheduled to meet online at published times (time/date).

Textbooks:

No textbook required.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 1/16/2025
  • Early Enrollment Discount: $300 ($325 if enrolled after 12/9/2024)
  • Early enrollment advised
  • No visitors permitted
  • Prerequisite required

Note:

SCBWI/MOPA/SDMA members can receive our $25 Early Enrollment discount prior to course start date. The max discount a member can receive for one class is $25. It is applied upon course enrollment over the phone or in person with proof of membership. This is a live online course; all class sessions are taught via Zoom. Course materials like the syllabus and handouts are delivered online. Login on your MyExtension account, select My Courses and click the link under LOCATION.

Schedule:

Date Day Start End
1/9/2025 Thu 6:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m.
1/16/2025 Thu 6:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m.
1/23/2025 Thu 6:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m.
1/30/2025 Thu 6:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m.
2/6/2025 Thu 6:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m.
2/13/2025 Thu 6:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m.
2/20/2025 Thu 6:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m.
2/27/2025 Thu 6:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m.
3/6/2025 Thu 6:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m.
3/13/2025 Thu 6:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m.
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Instructor: Michelle McCunney

Michelle McCunney

Michelle received a master's in visual arts from the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (UNAM) in Mexico City and bachelor's in visual arts from the University of California San Diego. She has taught painting, drawing and illustration for university programs in Mexico and the US since 1988. Michelle´s art revolves mainly around the animals she observes, and their stories of habitat loss.  

She teaches the following courses for the Professional Certificate in Art and the Creative Process:

- Drawing I: Focus on Perception
- Drawing II: Refining Technique
- Watercolor I: Basic Techniques and Materials
- Intermediate Watercolor
- Introduction to Painting 

When Michelle is not teaching she enjoys playing blues and hiking with her family, always keeping an eye out for wildlife. She is working on a book about animal scientists.

Full Bio