2.5 Day workshop with Teagan White! July 3-5th!

Join us for an awesome new workshop led by illustrator, Teagan White!
Registration is open to locals and travelers - full list of details or to sign up, click here.

EXPLORATION & INSPIRATION
An illustration workshop with Teagan White
http://teaganwhite.com

July 3 - 5th (Friday Night, Saturday and Sunday)
18 spots available

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THE WORKSHOP:
This workshop is open to locals and travelers! We believe that the best way to expand your creative practice is by connecting with other like-minded people in an environment that promotes exploration, innovation and discovery.

In this new 2.5 day workshop, illustrator Teagan White will share her perspective on what it’s like being an artist committed to two very distinct working styles, both influenced by her connection with the natural world, and why she makes exploration and discovery out in the wild environments of Minnesota a necessary part of her practice. Participants will be encouraged to explore their own stylistic spectrum, look to new sources of experiential inspiration to fuel a new body of work, and learn new ways of expanding their practice authentically through a series of demonstrations, discussions and studio sessions, both out in the (literal) field during a day at Lake Maria State Park and at Light Grey Art Lab.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Teagan White’s artist lecture and Q&A session on Friday Night at Light Grey Art Lab
• Meet other Twin Cities creatives at the Patches & Stitches Exhibition opening reception and Meet & Greet
• Artists wishing to diversify their practice will be prompted to engage with previously unexplored techniques, styles, or concepts
• Artists with multiple "styles” will gain insight into ways of promoting the spectrum of their capabilities and balancing a multi-faceted career.
• Travel to gorgeous Lake Maria State Park for a series of exploratory art-making sessions and time out in the field as Teagan discusses how the natural world influences our creativity.
• Participate in outdoor (and internal) exploratory sessions to help stimulate ideas for new projects and ways of working.
• Revealing the our personal authenticity and bringing our personal passions into every aspect of our practice.
• Opt in to barbecue and bike to the fireworks in Minneapolis with the Light Grey Crew and local artists on Saturday, July 4th.
• Explore alternative ways of making during demos and studio sessions.
• Chat with Teagan about your personal practice during one-on-one working sessions.

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Teagan White is a freelance illustrator specializing in intricate drawings of flora and fauna, playful watercolors of animal characters, and illustrated typography. Her clients have included Target, Papyrus, American Greetings, Penguin Random House, Disney Hyperion, Nike, Honda, Ford, Wired Magazine, and the Washington Post. She lives and works in Minnesota, where she spends her free time following tangled animal paths through forest and field, attempting to befriend gulls on rocky lakeshores, picking wildflowers, and collecting animal bones.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL DETAILS / REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Storytelling, Comics, and Creativy Workshop with Sam Bosma

STORYTELLING, COMICS + CREATIVITY An intensive illustration workshop with Sam Bosma
http://sbosma.com

May 22 - 24 (Friday Night, Saturday and Sunday)
Open to locals and individuals looking to travel for a motivating and ambitious creative workshop.


THE WORKSHOP:
Summer is just around the corner and it’s the perfect time to jump-start your creative process! Join us as we welcome celebrated comic artist and illustrator, Sam Bosma, for a two and a half day comic workshop at Light Grey Art Lab! Sam has prepared a slew of creative comic-centered sessions on storytelling, pacing, and world building, filled with in-depth process demonstrations and intimate discussions on best practices for identifying your own niche in the world of comics. Through a series of studio sessions and one-on-one feedback, Sam will coach each participant on how to use their unique voice while building the foundation of their next comic project.

Special guest Kali Ciesemier will join in discussions during the workshop, offering a unique second perspective as we discuss creating excellent work that reinforces your ideals, methods for avoiding pitfalls, and resources for enhancing your best creative traits.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Sam Bosma’s artist lecture and Q&A session on Friday Night at Light Grey Art Lab
• Meet other Twin Cities creatives at the Iceland Residency Exhibition opening reception and Meet & Greet
• Learn Sam’s preferred methods of storytelling through workshops on pacing, framing, world building.
• Strategies for engaging a supportive audience and finding outlets for your work
• Learn new processes through technical demonstrations showing Sam’s creative techniques.
• Participate in intimate discussions about creative business, marketing and self-publishing
• Learn another perspective on the creative process from guest speaker, Kali Ciesemier
• Create a strategy and schedule for your next comic project
• Receive one-on-one feedback from Sam Bosma on your next steps
• Join us for our second annual “Beer & Boardgames” meet-up at Fantasy Flight Event Center


Sam Bosma is an illustrator and comic artist working in Brooklyn, New York. Sam's work has won awards from the Society of Illustrators, Spectrum Fantastic Art, and the Ignatz Committee, as well as being nominated for an Annie Award for his work on Cartoon Network’s Steven Universe. His Ignatz-winning short comic, Fantasy Basketball, is being released by NoBrow Press in a new expanded edition called Fantasy Sports #1. Fantasy Sports #2 is due out in 2016.

CLICK HERE FOR SCHEDULE DETAILS AND REGISTRATION

The 24 Hour Comic Lock-in!

Get ready for an overnight, comic making extravaganza! Light Grey Art Lab is hosting a creative lock-in in correlation with the worldwide 24 Hour Comic Challenge, October 4th and 5th!



In 1990, Scott McCloud began the 24 hour Comic Challenge. The challenge originated as a creative dare between friends, has now become a worldwide phenomenon! On October 4th, tens of thousands of comic artists, illustrators, playwrights, fine artists, and animators will pull out their ink and paper and begin an all night challenge to complete a 24-page comic in 24 hours. You can read about the origin of this project here.



We invite you to join us for this unique overnight lock-in, hosted here at Light Grey Art Lab. We are inviting all types of designers, comic artists, animators, and all creatives to participate, ideate, and take on the comic challenge! Starting at 9PM and working our way through the night, we hope to create a cozy and productive atmosphere for you to create your most productive, spontaneous and inspired work. We will provide tons of coffee, tea, conversation, and workspace to make these challenge more enjoyable!



Space is limited, so please register for the lock-in on the Light Grey Shop here! If you have any questions about materials or registration, send us a note: hello@lightgreyartlab.com.

Studio Self Indulgence with Sam Wolfe Connelly - Weekend Recap!

Studio Self Indulgence with Sam Wolfe Connelly

We just finished a set of huge and inspiring weeks at Light Grey Art Lab! In coordination with the opening reception for Great Personality, we invited freelance, editorial, and exhibiting illustrator Sam Wolfe Connelly to teach a three-day workshop called Studio Self Indulgence!

The weekend workshop included a public artist lecture at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, a series of studio-intensive sessions, advice on practicing and professional illustration, locational brainstorming, business talks, and a guest lecture by Teagan White. Overall, the weekend was full of dynamic conversations, ideating, and a focus on each individual's art practice and aspirations.



The weekend began with the visiting artist lecture at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. In the artist talk, Sam walked through his recent work, motivations, and voice in illustration. He shared his thoughts about promoting work, navigating the line between client-based and personal work, and some of the stories and history that make their way into his pieces- creating eery, interesting, and voyeuristic narratives.

It was an informative and very entertaining start to the night! If you missed the artist talk, we just posted it to the Light Grey Podcast. You can find an audio recording of the lecture here.



After the talk, we made our way to Light Grey Art Lab for the opening reception of Great Personality, the release of the Great Personality Dating Games, and an All Creatives Meet & Greet. It was an unbelievable turnout with artists, locals, and friends, who were all gathered for the big unveil! Guests were able to mingle and meet one another while looking at all of the pinups and environments on the surrounding walls. You can see more information about the opening reception here or see all of the photographs on the Great Personality flickr set here.



The studio workshops began on Saturday morning with bagels, coffee, and tea. We gathered around the big tables to meet all of the workshop participants, get to know one another, and discus our goals and focus for the workshop and thereafter.



After a few brainstorming exercises and individual reflections, we broke into teams and began idea generating and comparing interests. Each group was given prompts to expand upon and use throughout the afternoon field trips and locational workshops.

American Swedish Institute

Our first group trip was to the American Swedish Institute. There, students were invited to gather source images, sketch, and wonder through the halls of the Turnblad Mansion. The entire mansion is covered in gilded statues, giant bay windows, lookout points, bannisters, and hand-carved ornaments. It was a perfect place to sketch and work out some drawings!

Students sketching throughout the museum.



We then made our way to Midtown Global Market for a lunch break and conversation. Midtown is a colorful and diverse marketplace for all types of food and goods- It is one of our favorite places for people watching and grabbing a bite to eat.

Midtown Global Market

And after lunch we made our way to Northeast Minneapolis to the Bell Museum of Natural History. Here, there are tons of beautiful landscapes, dioramas, taxidermy, and carefully placed scenes for sketching and observing.

Bell Museum of Natural History

In the afternoon, we returned to Light Grey Art Lab for a lecture, presentation, and work time. And after a productive day, we settled down for a family style dinner and game night! It was a mystery themed game night that included Clue, Pandemic, Rolemodels, Who Killed Doctor Lucky, and more!

Mystery Game Night!

Breakfast and Business Discussion

The second day of the workshop began with a Breakfast and Business Talk. We all gathered around the big tables to pool our resources! The business talk included topics of promotionals, art directors, conventions, art reps, and more. It is a content heavy and incredibly important part of the workshop!

Then Sam gave two technique-based demos. We watched Sam create a small drawing in charcoal, and then how he translated and colored his work digitally. He talked through his techniques and tips for keeping material qualities and setting certain moods.

Digital Demo by Sam Wolfe Connelly

Artist Talk with Teagan White

Then we had an artist presentation by local illustrator, Teagan White. Teagan is an expert in her craft, style, and application. She shared information about what techniques and promotions have worked best for her, finding the right kind of work for her style, and her thoughts on illustration. It was an thoughtful and informative talk! You can see more of Teagan White's work here.



After our artist talks and demos, we had a full afternoon including one-on-one critiques, portfolio reviews with Sam, and group brainstorming for future projects. During the one-on-one meetings, Sam talked with each participant with their individual art goals, current projects, and questions. It was a chance to ask all of the specifics about their personal illustration work.



Groups met to talk about zine, exhibition, and project possibilities! Each group came up with a unique solution that brought together their common goals, inspirations, community, and resources.

Farewell dinner at Fuji Ya

And after a productive, inspiring, and collaborative weekend, we gathered around around for our final, farewell dinner! We had a great time talking with all of the artists and about new things on the horizon! I think we all left with a sense of possibilities and good things to come!

Thanks to everyone that participated in this weekend, attended the lecture at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, or came to the opening reception of Great Personality- this was an extremely special and community driven weekend!

Studio Self Indulgence, 2014

Join us for a Moonlit Tarot Workshop!

If you are interested in tarot cards, want to learn to read, or just curious, we have a great class coming up at Light Grey Art Lab. This Thursday, January 16th from 6-9PM, Lindsay Nohl will be teaching a free workshop on reading and understanding the art of tarot.



Through this class you will learn about some of the symbolism and relationships in the cards, different structures and ways of reading, and the stories of the minor and major arcana. By the end of the class you will be able to start your own mini readings!
You can see more information about this event on the Moonlit Tarot Event Page here! If you have a deck, feel free to bring your own to follow along!



In 2012, Light Grey Art Lab published a collaborative artist deck, including the works of illustrators, designers, and fine artists from around the world. Each artist was given a card at random (to the luck of the draw) and ask to redesign and interpret the meaning and symbolism of the card. As a result, this unique tarot deck is full of beautiful color illustrations, storytelling imagery, and a very readable and comprehensive deck. Along with the cards, there is a 32-page guidebook that will help you along as you learn to read tarot! This is a limited edition publication. You can see the full details of this project here.

We will have several of these decks available for practice and learning during the course! We would love to teach your all of our mystical knowledge- hope to see you here!

Winter Workshop with Sam Wolfe Connelly! STUDIO SELF_INDULGENCE! JAN 24 - 26

Great news! This January we've invited artist and illustrator Sam Wolfe Connelly to join us for a 2.5 day workshop called STUDIO SELF_INDULGENCE!

When we were thinking about who might be the perfect person to lead a workshop during the Great Personality exhibition, our minds immediately went to Sam! Sam's work skirts the border between sensual and mysterious -- dark and voyeuristic.

During the month of January will be talking about how ambiance and attitude make or break our perceptions of people and places, and we'll be taking a deeper look inside how we can add these things into our work and indulge ourselves in the process!

So if you're an artist that's looking to bridge the gap between your illustration work and your gallery practice, or if you've been more and more interested in finding ways of including the subjects you love in your professional work, this workshop is for you!



THE WORKSHOP:
Sam has a series of really self-indulgent, challenging, and mysterious assignments to help focus on the important aspects of defining the essential moments, language and content of your work. As we begin to define the most compelling concepts and themes for ourselves, we'll analyze the question of "How do I do more of what I love."

Participants will be guided through the refinement and development of goals for 2014 through some incredible demonstrations on technique, ideation and practice, discussions on the creative industry, portfolio development and refining one's creative identity, and a chance to learn through a guest panel of illustrators (including guest artist Teagan White!) that have been able to bridge the gap between their commercial work and their personal interests.

All of this, of course, has been curated to be a very special experience and boy, do we have fun things in store for you. The Light Grey Team has curated our dinners, extracurriculars and events with a nod to the mysterious side of art making. We'll visit incredible history-filled mansions, explore ancient relics from the past, and get absorbed in the nuances of a time long past. (Did you know Minneapolis has a speak-easy?)

Plus, Sam will be doing an incredible public lecture on the first night, followed by the opening reception of the Great Personality Exhibition!

So get ready for an incredible time!
Details about the event can be found on our shop here!
The event is open to 18 participants and is OPEN TO LOCALS AND TRAVELERS!
So let us know if you have any questions and get ready for an incredible start to 2014!

Questions?
hello@lightgreyartlab.com


ADDITIONAL DETAILS: (for a full list of details click HERE)
The workshop will include:
• Admission & Priority Seating for Sam Wolfe Connelly's Artist Lecture
• Workshop admission.
• A Light Grey Art Lab workbook and gift bag filled with creative materials for the weekend.
• Painting and Drawing technique demonstrations by Sam Wolfe Connelly
• Roundtable discussions on building recognition, reputation and defining your artistic identity
• A personalized workshop on assessing creative goals and developing personal practice including building a schedule for pursuing creative endeavors.
• Working alongside Sam during in-studio creative sessions.
• In-Studio collaborative exercises in developing character and environmental assets.
• An inside look at Sam's creative universe including insight into his gallery and illustration practice.

BONUS:
• Participation in the Opening Night mixer and reception of the Great Personality Exhibition!
• Admission fees to our off-site locations are included!
• Breakfast and morning coffee / tea is included both days.
• A behind-the-scenes look at how Great Personality, the interactive visual novel was created.
• Lunches & Dinners at some of Minneapolis's best mysterious eateries.
• Saturday night Mystery-filled Dinner (with Special Guest, Teagan White!)

World Building Workshop With Claire Hummel and Colin Foran- Weekend Recap!

Wow! Well, we just got done with a fantastic and exhilarating weekend here at Light Grey Art Lab! We had the honor of inviting Claire Hummel and Colin Foran from Microsoft Studios to teach a three-day intensive studio workshop filled with world building, brainstorming, and critical conversation!

Overall, the weekend was an informative and challenging introduction into concept art and the gaming industry, with expert advice in promoting yourself, working on a production team, working practice, and portfolio tips, as well as tons of studio time for the participants to build and develop worlds of their own!



The weekend began with a free public lecture here at Light Grey, where Claire and Colin were able to share and talk about their past, current, and in process projects for Microsoft Studios. They described their pre and post production work and talk a little about the industry, collaboration, and the art of concepting. It was wonderful to see and celebrate all of their work! We had a packed house full of students and creatives from around the community who were eager to hear about their process and meet Claire and Colin in person!

Immediately following the artist talk, was our All Creatives Meet & Greet! Tons of local creatives, traveling artists, students, and neighbors stopped by for a chance to say hello, exchange business cards, and talk about their work- such an energetic and fun evening!

Saturday morning began with a large pot of coffee, tea, and bagels as we settled in for an ambitious weekend. During this time, all of the participants were able to introduce themselves, their objectives, and backgrounds.

Then, Claire and Colin gave an in-depth presentation of their background, where they came from creatively, and influences along the way. They both come from a rich background of freelance illustration, digital and traditional mediums, concept art, and art direction- all informing what they do today.

The morning presentation of world building concepts was a great way to kick off the workshop! Students were ignited, full of ideas, and ready to start sketching! Students grouped with their teams to begin researching and rapid brainstorming for developing new worlds! A giant, collaborative ideating session which took us to on a journey through high functioning societies, underground dwellers, decorative and magical people, and refugee island inhabitants. All ideas were put on the table!

After the first studio session, we made our way to Common Roots Cafe for a lunch break. It was definitely time for brain food!

After our break, Claire, Colin, and our two guest artists, Victor Mosquera and Sidharth Chaturvedi, joined us for a skype interview and Q & A. All of these artists work in the concept art industry, but with various specialities and kinds of games/concepts. This was a chance to compare and contrast mobile games verses video production, and illustration- it was a chance to ask the tough questions about pace, expectations, and standards. The conversation was eye opening for all of us!

Colin is definitely a master of his craft! During his digital demonstration, we watched in awe as he developed one of his robot sketches. It quickly went from a rough sketch to a well-lit, colorful, and believable image. He made a point to emphasized the importance of knowing your materials- the visual differences between types of metals and leathers and how to render them. Wow!

For the afternoon, it was back to world building! The morning studio session got us off to a great start in defining our kingdoms, and now it was time to solidify ideas and concepts. This session was all about research, combining ideas, and challenging others. Students worked right alongside Claire and Colin to lay out the ways of their lands.

At the end of the first day, we transitioned from world builders for our Boardgames, Beer, and Pizza Night! Players joined in to learn Rolemodels: The Battle For Vyk'Tornaahl, D & D, Tarot Readings, Labyrinth, and other awesome games. It was a fun, competitive and nerdy night!

Here we are- in the midst of an epic quest!

Sunday began with breakfast and business. Claire and Colin led a roundtable discussion about conventions, portfolio building, and the business side of the gaming industry. It is always useful to hear first hand experience of what to expect in portfolios, what to include on your website, media resources, and more. The workshop participants had tons to share on social media and resource topics!

The, Claire led a digital demo on developing characters. She is fantastic person to share information about research in characters, constructing costumes, and personality! I think everyone was blown away by her attention to detail and intricate line work!

After a few hours of concepting time for our lands, we headed off to lunch! This was a chance to catch up with the other teams, exchange ideas, and relax!

For the final working session of the day, we got right to work! It was about putting ideas to paper, being able to present on our ideas, make a case and logic for the ways of the land, finishing thoughts, and critique.

Each group did a great job of representing many parts of their world. By the end of the weekend they had a goods understanding of developing an entire world, all the parts, and considerations that go into it. Students had interesting cultural garbs, city centers, good, food, and weapons for trading at the market, and more! It was impressive and thoughtful work!

And here is the whole group! A fantastic group of creators!


You can see more artwork and information about Claire Hummel and Colin Foran here.
You can also see the entire collection of photos from the weekend on our Light Grey Flickr Page here.

Podcast: Visual Development For Video Games

Download the MP3 or Subscribe via iTunes!

Visual Development for Video Games
Length: 01:04:39
Synopsis: Microsoft Studios Associate Production Designer Claire Hummel and Associate Art Director Colin Foran visited Minneapolis this week to host our weekend workshop dedicated to world building in video games. To kick off the event, we hosted a public artist talk where Claire and Colin spoke about how they approach the challenging work of visual development for AAA video games, what it's like to work on a high-caliber team of talent like Microsoft Studios, where they started as artists, and how they got to where they are now. And of course, lots, lots more. Claire and Colin are incredibly talented and knowledgeable (and super nice, too!) so we thought it would be a great conversation to share on the podcast!


NOTES:
You can see Claire Hummel's art and follow what she's up to next on her website, Tumblr, Deviant Art, or on twitter @shoomlah.

You can see Colin Foran's art and follow what he's up to next on his Tumblr, CG Hub, Deviant Art, or on twitter @colin_foran.

Big events this weekend!

We want to welcome everyone for an exciting series of events here at Light Grey Art Lab this Friday Night!

We have invited Claire Hummel and Colin Foran from Microsoft Studios for an entire weekend of World Building, character development, and art making! To kick of their weekend of gaming art and development, Claire and Colin are holding a free public artist talk here at Light Grey Art Lab! The lecture begins at 7pm, where Claire on Colin will share their work for Microsoft, their in-depth process, and stages of creating, as well as their personal work and illustrations. There will be time for a Q& A to ask questions!



Then, we will begin our All Creatives Meet & Greet! Grab your notebooks, business cards, giveaways, and information, as you will have the chance to meet tons of other creatives from around the cities, travelers for the workshop, and Claire and Colin! You can also bring cash for our coffee truck that will have fresh lattes, cappuccinos, blended drinks, smoothies and more! It will be the perfect chance to warm up on a cold night and get energized for great conversations! Bring you friends and colleagues- All are welcome!

You can read more about this event on our facebook page here.



Hope to see you here!