Course Description:
Over three classes Improve your face drawing skills, especially for the graphic novel media. Become confident in drawing human faces by following the industry-proven five step method.
Step 1: setting up the pencil sketch.
Step 2: adding details and plan for shading.
Step 3: inking and outlines.
Step 4: shading.
Step 5 colouring and highlighting.

In the first session students will follow along and complete a general face drawing. In the second session students
will design and build a backstory for his/her/their character and start on the drawing of this character’s face. In the
third session students will complete the face drawing followed by a round table critiquing session and discussion
of the artwork. Finally, there will be a discussion about other things to consider in the graphic novel character
design such as: wardrobe, lighting, mood, hairstyles, facial expressions, perspectives, genres, etc. Various
examples will be shown and discussed and an extra resources list will be available for the students to support further
learning.

Material List:
Sketching Pencils (HB, 2B, etc.)
Watercolour brushes (Various sizes) 
Calligraphy brush 
Black ink 
Watercolour paint set 
Watercolour paper or drawing pad

Course Fee: $165
TOTAL FEE: $165
Registration Deadline: Sept. 19

Course Description:
Drawing sessions will provide the opportunity to draw from a model with poses ranging from 1 minute to 20 minutes. No instruction is offered. Students are expected to provide the drawing materials of their choice.
TOTAL FEE: $100
Registration Deadline: Sept. 9

Course Description:
In this class we will use the reduction technique to make a small print with two colours. Each participant will carve on a 4”x4.5” lino block, print in one colour, and then carve more before printing the second colour. In this way we will make two-coloured prints that are a perfect size for experimenting with new techniques and can be made into handmade greeting cards. No previous lino printmaking experience required.
Material Fee: $10      
Course Fee: $65
TOTAL FEE: $75
Registration Deadline: Sept. 14

Course Description:
You have a body of work, new poems or stories, and it’s starting to look like a book manuscript. The next step is to submit to literary periodicals so book publishers will take you seriously. Learn how to edit, research magazines and competitions, write a bio, the importance of a headshot, make friends with Submittable, use a submission tracker, and most importantly, not give up! It’s a numbers game and not that difficult to learn, especially together. There is an additional opportunity to sign up for a submission review following the completion of the course with one-on-one feedback (facilitated on Zoom)
TOTAL FEE: $190
TOTAL FEE with Submission Review + One-On-One Feedback by Zoom (optional and scheduled after the course): $260
Registration Deadline: Sept. 17

Course Description:
This course is perfect for anyone and everyone–from those interested with no prior experience, to the veteran printmaker. Over the four-week class, the group will take on a self directed screen printing project with the support and prompts needed from the instructor, and become familiar with every step of this process heavy medium. All the medium specific materials are included.
Material Fee: $60
Course Fee: $215
TOTAL FEE: $275
Registration Deadline: Sept. 11

Course Description:
Artists of all disciplines (professional or not) are invited to share their work in a safe space and engage in contemporary art dialogue with other open-minded art loving individuals. Themes will be proposed as a potential starting point for exchanges and artistic practices to grow collectively. The objective for this workshop is for artists to make, share, discuss, and learn together. 
TOTAL FEE: $85
Registration Deadline: Sept. 19

Course Description:
Participants will have the opportunity to work from a model holding a single pose for an extended session (3.5 hours).  No instruction is offered. Participants will be asked to bring their own materials in their preferred medium.
TOTAL FEE: $55
Registration Deadline: Sept. 20

Course Description:
Join poet and writer Rayya Liebich to write letters to your departed. In a safe space, explore your grief through private writing and take some time to honour your loved ones. These letters can be delivered to the magical mailbox at the Remember The Dead event organized by the Polka Dot Dragon Arts Society on Sunday November 3.
www.polkadotdragon.ca
TOTAL FEE: $10/$15/$20 
Registration Deadline: Oct. 25

Course Description:
In this workshop, visual artist Myra Rasmussen invites participants to remember their loved ones by making a lantern or paper altar in their honour. We will provide a paper box, materials and guidance to add collage, text, and line drawings. We encourage you to bring a black and white photocopy of your loved one(s) to incorporate into the piece. This will be a mostly silent, introspective class with live music accompaniment to set the mood. All participants are encouraged to bring their luminaria to the Polka Dot Dragon Arts Society’s Remember the Dead event on Sunday November, 3rd. www.polkadotdragon.ca
TOTAL FEE: $10/$15/$20
Registration Deadline: Oct. 25

Course Description: Come explore the subtle art of embossing and debossing (raised and recessed images) onto paper. Embossing can be traced back to the 15th century and its applications are very versatile – think stationery, cards, fine art, book covers. The first half of the class we will use found objects and get to understand the process. In the second half of the class you will create your own custom emboss. No prior experience necessary. Feel free to bring objects from home such as coins or doilies, anything relatively flat that has texture, no more than 2-3mm in thickness and it must be able to withstand a lot of pressure. 
Material Fee: $30 (all materials provided)      
Course Fee: $90
TOTAL FEE: $120
Registration Deadline: Oct. 25

Course Description:
Do people tell you you’re funny? Do you have a dark, absurd sense of humour? Are you opinionated about how humans live in 2024? You’ll be a natural at satire and humour writing! Learn to write short satirical stories in the style of The Onion, McSweeney’s, The Beaverton, and The New Yorker’s Shouts and Murmurs. We’ll explore what makes powerful, smart, memorable satire, and then you’ll write several stories that we’ll workshop as a group.

Students who opt for the extra two weeks will get to write an additional piece of satire using a different format from their first story. They will then participate in an additional group workshop where they’ll receive feedback on their piece. They can also expect to delve a bit deeper into character development, voice, and tone. 

* NOTE sufficient registration will be required to be able to run the 8 week option

TOTAL FEE:
6 Week Course: $158
8 Week Course: $208
Registration Deadline: Oct. 10

Course Description:
Memories can be written and recorded out of sequence and can stand alone. They can also be part of a larger collection (a memoir) that doesn’t follow a linear arc. By borrowing the safety of craft structures, we can express our life stories in authentic and innovative ways. Each week we will take a deep-dive into a different literary form (Flash Nonfiction, Micro Memoir, the List Essay, and the Decentered Hermit Crab Essay). Each class will include a study of the craft, guided writing prompts, and readings by authors who push the boundaries of creative non-fiction. Come ready to experiment with form and structure and discover how constraints can create both safety and freedom. 
(Magic of Memory 1 is not a prerequisite)
TOTAL FEE: $105
Registration Deadline: Oct. 29

Course Description:
This series of classes provides an opportunity to draw from a model from the comfort of your own home via Zoom . No instruction is offered and poses will range from 1 minute to 20 minutes.  
TOTAL FEE: $95
Registration Deadline: Oct. 30