Give the power of perspective to your images without 3D modeling or math. Perspective drawing is one of the most highly-sought after (yet under-developed) skills in entertainment artists today, and is an imperative tool for modern visual storytelling. But learning it doesn’t have to be painful.

Welcome to approachable perspective – taught from a design and storytelling point of view, for artists who want to go from avoiding it as an intimidating and technical subject, to mastering it as an invaluable and intuitive skill.

In this class I share the perspective tools and techniques that I use every day as a professional background designer and Art Director. I distill down intimidating topics like 3 point perspective, elipses, and reflections into bitesize concepts that artists can apply to their work immediately.

Through engaging examples from all areas of entertainment (including storyboarding, film, background design, comics, theme park design, and urban sketching), students learn the shortcuts to using perspective as a visual storytelling tool. They gain a broad understanding of the basics, how to use camera positioning and lens choices, and also how to imply perspective through common principles like like eye paths, scale, graphic simplification, and atmosphere.

Course Dates: April 2, (no class Easter Sunday, 9) 16, 23, 30 – May, 7, 14 from 3:00 -4:30 EDT (please  note: May 14th is Mother’s Day (recording of live classes available the next day) Homework is due Wednesday night at midnight. Video critiques are posted on Fridays by midnight. Zoom links in ZOOM TAB the night before the live class. Live class available as replays 24 hours after class. 

Cynthia Halley is an LA based Art Director, Designer, & Visual Development artist for the entertainment industry. She was trained in traditional illustration as well as the entertainment arts, and both disciplines continue to influence her life-long passions of world building, visual communication, fantasy, and fun.

Cynthia graduated from Art Center College of Design in 2013, and has since worked for many of the major studios including Marvel Studios, Sony Pictures Animation, Disney, DreamWorks TV, Titmouse Animation, and Nickelodeon.

She enjoys sharing her experiences, and is dedicated to inspiring future artists through teaching, art direction, and lectures and workshops.

Outside of the studios and teaching, Cynthia is always looking for new creative outlets and enjoys dabbling in everything from industrial design to fashion and costumes. She can often be found reorganizing and decorating her home, watching documentaries, sketching outside, or napping with the cat.

Students may choose to work in Photoshop, Procreate or any drawing medium they prefer.