Dates and Times:

April 15, 2008 * 10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. EST (Grades 3-5)

Description

“Express yourself and you’ll impress yourself,” says Bruce Blitz, cartoonist/illustrator/author and creator & host of the 4x Emmy-Nominated PBS Television Series “Cartooning with Blitz.” “Cartooning strikes a universal chord in children and adults,” says Blitz. Your students will love seeing a fun and easy way of changing a blank piece of paper into a wacky lion, action pose, and expressive faces that laugh, cry, look suspicious, and other zany expressions that bring your characters to life!

Most people assume that great artists are lucky because they were born with talent. Blitz says, “don’t believe it.” While it’s true that some people may have been born with a little more ability than others, anyone with a pencil, piece of paper, and a desire can learn to draw. It all adds up to the fact that art is a terrific way to express yourself, and once you see that you, too can draw… it also becomes a great way to build self esteem.

During this interactive videoconference event, Blitz will talk about his experiences as a cartoonist, lead students through drawing exercises and do interactive cartooning demonstrations. This is sure to be a highly engaging and entertaining hour and fifteen minutes!

Videoconference Outline

Materials Needed

Each participating student in this videoconference event must have a pencil and a piece of paper. Blitz will lead students through one or two drawing exercises along with his interactive demonstrations.

About Bruce Blitz

Bruce Blitz started as the boy who drew funny pictures of the principal at school, he says "somebody had to do it"! Now he appears at numerous school assembly programs demonstrating his cartooning skills to everyone to rave reviews (including from the principal)! He has been drawing professionally for more than twenty years. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and now resides in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

Blitz is the creator and host of the national and international Television Series, "Blitz on Cartooning". He was rewarded with four Emmy-nominations for his show. As the host of this unique program, he demonstrates how to draw; interviews celebrity guests like Dr. Joyce Brothers, John Cullen Murphy who draws the long running comic strip Prince Valiant, Denis Lebrun of the comic strip Blondie, takes the viewer to draw cartoons on locations such as Busch Gardens in Tampa Florida, the aquarium and much more.

Bruce, author of many art instructional books and producer of a series of instructional videos, has appeared on The Joan Rivers Show, drawn cartoons on the Discovery Channel's hit show, "Start to Finish", and the QVC Shopping Network. His formal training was spent at the Tyler Art School, a division of Temple University, Weist-Barron Television Acting School and Combs College of Music, but admits to being mostly self-taught having worked in a wide variety of artisic fields. He has operated his own animation company in Philadelphia and later in Las Vegas, where he produced cartoon television commercials and animated sequences. Blitz, an accomplished musician performing on piano and organ, also wrote and perfomed all of the music for his instructional videos as well as his Television Series. His TV music was nominated for an Emmy award. Blitz is also noted for his caricature work and has appeared at trade shows, conventions, vacation resorts and the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville Tennessee.

Resources

Bruce Blitz 's Website: A great resource for information about the author and lesson plans.

Cartooning Tips by Blitz! Check out some of Bruce Blitz's cartooning tips!