I think I was about 27 when I first started teaching. A Staff Development job in a big OR suite at "Charlies" where I had the pleasure of maintaining clinical standards, writing the procedure books and calming the nerves of pimply med' students and wanna be "diva" OR queens. At least in those days it was all Science based, fact influenced practice and standards that were not to be ignored. It was easy to create clinical manuals, how-to's and what not-to do's because again, the Science supported it all.
Where then to begin teaching folk how to use Photoshop (or Elements)? and create in an environment where there are no rules, 50 ways to skin a cat, or create a digital collage, manipulate the variables and oh so many buttons to tweak!
To find the answer, I've looked back at how I taught my hospital students. Many of them were in awe of the grand surgical consultants. Almost all afraid to open their mouths or move a foot forward for fear of being berated for a faux pas. In those days, my advice was - always be respectful, but bear in mind these guys, eat lunch, they eat dinner, wash laundry and buy milk - just like you do! I can't say that my advice always bore fruit, but it did make everyone think for a moment and wonder about the incredible/credible factor.
How does that translate into teaching students how to work with Photoshop (et al)? Well I think you have to start by recognizing that there are some very good digital artists who's work you love but will never teach you, ever, about how they create it - even thought they might want to. I've tried following some of the fabulous tutorials you can find in Photoshop magazines, written by incredible artists and after reading the blurb, looking at the screen shots, I just roll my eyes and go and make a cup of tea, head out to the garden and pull weeds.
So really it's all about connecting, being able to translate your vision into the path of someone else's eyes and help them see the things that you do! It's not easy. In fact I think that running an OR teaching programme is way easier that constructing one to teach folk Photoshop! For sure.
Science allows for slim borders of interpretation, ARTdoes not. Have at it, manipulate the variables and see what comes out the other end. It does not work like that for people, variables and strange endings are usually not good ones............. but in the case of Digital Art, the more variables and the stranger the ending............ usually the better!
Proof will be be in the pudding as they say. No-one mugged me in Virginia after taking my classes at Art N Soul which is a good thing! ......... I guess the jury will be out on the Online Class for a few weeks :-)
Wish me Luck!
As one of your current online students, I just want to say how much I love the class. You are my 4th or 5th instructor, so I know just how difficult it must be putting the program together for Photoshop. I personally don't consider Photoshop an intuitive software. It takes an instructor who can see it from all angles and with the eyes of the uninitiated as well as the experienced. The screen shots alone would be daunting. I have to say your PDF's, screen shots, examples, videos are all OUTSTANDING! You have a very unique skill set to be able to convey your knowledge of this software to you students. Thank you, Marie.
Posted by: Marilyn | June 24, 2010 at 11:28 AM
Marie, this is so fascinating. Do the technical aspects of digital manipulation make for easier training? They seem to be more on the 'scientific' side, at least to me.
Some art instructors keep it loosy goosy and some go the other way. I like the in-between! And I bet you're fabulous at it.
Posted by: Chris | June 16, 2010 at 02:47 PM
I know it will rock!!!
Posted by: Maija Lepore | June 13, 2010 at 04:49 PM
I know the class is going to be great and in the end you can only show and teach so much and then it is up to the students to fly or well you know! I found that teaching an abstract painting class was very difficult - I could talk theroy, composition, famous artists as examples, demo but in the end the students held the brush and their own vision and quirks came out in their painting and you know what, that was all right for me because their vision was different from mine. I can't wait to get started!!!!
Posted by: Jean Hutter | June 13, 2010 at 11:42 AM
Just from your post, it's obvious you are an excellent teacher, you have an understanding of where your students are, how we might be thinking/feeling and you are finding ways to get past those 'head blocks.'
One day I hope to be one of your students on-line, it's on my big wish list :-)
Posted by: Bren | June 13, 2010 at 08:37 AM
marie, you are the best teacher,
talented, kind and patience.
i know this will be a wonderful class that will set the standards for future classes!!
you can never know "it all" in ps and there is always something to learn and being able to see into your mind will be worth it!!!
i'm so excited about tomorrow!!
Posted by: nancy donaldson | June 13, 2010 at 08:32 AM
I have full faith that my journey with you
will be exciting, not nerve wracking. The best teachers do blaze a path for others while showing all sorts of attractive ways to wander off it as well....
Posted by: grrl+dog | June 12, 2010 at 07:20 PM
"Teaching" art is a hard, hard thing, typically because there are very few hard and fast rights and wrongs. People want to know how to do the "right" thing and it almost sounds like a cop-out when the answer to a technique question is "it depends" :-)
But in photoshop, it truly DOES "depend", as there are so many different ways to accomplish something based on what you want as a final outcome .... even so many different ways to do the same thing. But there are some basics that can be learned and I'm sure your class is going to create a whole bunch of talented photoshop enthusiasts! :-)
Posted by: Lennie | June 12, 2010 at 06:41 PM
I love this image. I actually missed HER at first glance. Brilliant. I think that it is so wonderful of you to want to share and teach. So many people like to keep their own secrets of success. **clapping of many hands** Deb
Posted by: Deborah | June 12, 2010 at 03:41 PM
Good Luck. It is true, some of the most fabulous painters I have know can't teach for sh_t. I did not find this with you at Art and Soul and I came in very green. Thanks for all your thoughts and obsessing on all this.
Posted by: irene | June 12, 2010 at 09:04 AM