Mad Shacks takes a deep dive into basic architectural construction. Students learn to draw architectural features like doors, windows, steps, porches, a variety of building materials, and proportion. We use shacks because they have a lot of character, allowing for fun design, and don’t require that students know a lot about architectural history or style while allowing students to design believable multi-room structures for use in illustration, animation and game design. Mad Shacks also addresses ground planes, bushes, rocks, and overlapping planes so your shacks can be placed in environments.

Each student will get a video critique each week on their work.

Live Class Schedule (Zoom): September 10, 17, 24, October 1, 15, 22nd. All classes take place from 2:00 – 3:30 pm EST. Homework is due Thursday night at midnight. Video critiques are posted on Saturdays by midnight. Zoom links in ZOOM TAB the night before the live class. Live class available as replays 24 hours after class.

I was originally an advertising illustrator with agents in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. I eventually entered the entertainment field, where I was trained in Walt Disney Studio’s excellent Feature Animation training program. In the following years, I worked as a layout artist, background painter, and a visual development artist for Disney Feature and TV Animation, Nickelodeon Animation, Warner Bros., and Sony Feature Animation.

I have an MFA from the Claremont Graduate University in California. I am retired from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, where I taught in the Entertainment Arts and Entertainment Design programs. I won ArtCenter’s Great Teacher Award in 2012, an award granted by student vote.

I teach workshops internationally on figure drawing, costumed figure drawing, drawing on location (plants, architecture, furniture, vehicles, etc.), landscape drawing & film composition. Also, Photoshop painting, composition for animation & film, and style development for animation.

I teach professional workshops for Dreamworks Animation, Blizzard Entertainment and other professional organizations as well as offering online courses through Drawing America.

– Will @willwestonstudio

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