That’s right folks, Your Creative Mentor is moving to the Big Apple!  We’re already in contact with the Vancouver School Board and expect a new line of exciting workshops in September!

A little late, but Happy Easter everyone!

- art credit, Jadeynn, 2012

Here it is folks!  Our learners over at Greendale Elementary had another workshop with YCM.  This time, since the group had previous experience, we planned and created an animation that had a little something for everyone… robots…. horses…. spaceships etc hahaha!

Without further ado, please enjoy!

Great work guys!

Start the year off right by giving your youngster the gift of 3D animation!

$75.00, 5 weeks, 1.5 hrs each week; afterschool, 3:30 – 5:00

Promontory:  Wednesdays Jan 25th – Feb 22nd

Greendale: Thursdays Jan 19th to Feb 16th

Due to the ever expansive nature of 3D Animation, we do encourage return mentees!

We’ll be accepting payments the week before, please let me know if you’d like to save a seat!

We’ll need around 5-10 confirmed spots to run!

Any questions?  Reserve your spots today:
matthew@yourcreativementor.com
(stay animated)

Just a quick heads up!  A week today, Greendale 3D Animation lessons start up!  They’ve been pushed back one week as the computer lab is being worked on. Those of you I talked with about this, thanks for your understanding!

• From:  Wednesdays Sept 21st – Oct -19th
• To:       Wednesdays Sept 28th – Oct -26th (5 sessions)

We almost have room left in both sessions:

• 2:00 – 3:30 (great for Greendale students and homeschoolers)
• 3:30 – 5:00 (rest of Chilliwack!  After school)

5 sessions, 1.5 hours each, $75.00.  Can’t beat it!

Payment required to save a seat for your young learners.:
http://www.yourcreativementor.com/pay/

Expect similar courses at Central Elementary come mid October!

Any questions, interest, or comments please call or email me
(reply to this)!  Thanks for all your comments and support!

Thanks everyone,
Stay Animated,
Matthew Vogt
604-799-1213

Passed the new after school poster around to the Chilliwack elementary schools last week! 

Greendale workshop up next, newsletter’s coming!

We’re moving forward! School starts on Tuesday!  3D Animation in Chilliwack – shortly thereafter!

(art by Derek, August 2011)

Now Announcing a new workshop in a high quality facility – Greendale Elementary!  Complete with giant computer lecture hall and projection screen!  Woohoo!

• Ages 8-18
• $75.00
• Time:  2:00-3:30 and 3:30-5:00 (2:00 for Greendale students, 3:30 for the rest of Chilliwack!)
• Every Wednesday for 5 times!  September 21st – October 19th 2011.

(Jayden’s cityscape – August 2011)

5 sessions:

1. Introduction, UI (user interface) = snowman assignment, nav
2. Modeling, (making things in 3D) = spaceships, characters, etc
3. Materials, Lights, Shadows (rendering)
4. Animation I = project work
5. Animation II = project work cont’

As you’ll see by our student work, we cover the basics and build upon our unique interests as the course ensues.  This allows for return students who wish to further their creative work.  Additionally, since we use Blender 3D, an open-source 3D animation software package, learners will be able to continue their exploration and studies at home for years to come! See you there!

Reserve your seat today! Payment in full is required, you may do so cash, cheque or credit/paypal:
( http://www.yourcreativementor.com/pay/ )

(Liam’s monkey head ball simulation – August 2011)

Further Information:

• I gave the creators of Blender 3D a warm message.
• Central Elementary, August Highlights now posted.

We will also be having workshops in the Fall with Promontory Elem, more at Central’s (Octoberish) and maybe even Cultus.  Details to come!

Thanks everyone!  Hope your long weekend is great and don’t forget your animation survival kits for back to school supplies!

Stay Animated,
Matthew Vogt
(ps: you can reply to this email if you’d like to)
(ps v2: tell a friend about these courses! please forward the emails!)

That’s all folks!  Thanks everyone, the young learners (Liam too), Tamera at Central, and all the parents who made this workshop a success!  We had 7 students for the month of August, once a week for 5 weeks!

Below check out the highlights of what went on and if your young learners would like to participate!

(ps:  you can download your work here to keep animating at home)

Thanks again!  More classes to come!

Thanks right folks!  This summer’s been great!  Besides teaching Blender (open source 3D animation software) to kids in Chilliwack (July – Promontory, August – Central Elementary), we were able to visit Siggraph ("Special Interest Group in Computer Graphics").  Siggraph is essentially the worlds biggest traveling expo for computer graphics – games and film and it hit Vancouver this year! Next year it’s in Singapore! 

Besides hanging with Pixar and all these 3D printers, training institutes etc – we got to hang with the creators of Blender!

I told Ton Roosendaal (head of Blender Foundation, history here) that the kids love Blender 3D.  We talked about the interface, what you little guys are up to and how Blender, being open-source, community driven, is impacting the lives of kids in Chilliwack!  It was a heartwarming experience as well as exciting as the conference focused on the bright future of Blender and how it improves every open-source movie project.  Amazing! Every single person was growing Blender one way or another and it’s uses expands!

More information- http://www.Blender.org

Another Your Creative Mentor update – - Chilliwack’s community based, digital arts, creative revolution with Matthew Vogt!

Today Thursday July 21st, I visited Central Elementary and it looks like we have 12 spots open for creative learning with 3D animation (using Blender 3D software).  It will be close quarters but nothing we can’t handle to lay a foundation, light years ahead of one’s formal education!  Remember, the software we’re using is open-source (free to download at home) and is very similar to industry standard tool-sets.  For example, Big Buck Bunny, was created entirely using Blender. 

This week, we’re deep into the workshop at Promontory elementary.  17 kidlets (ages 7-18), all creative, all the time.  It’s going really well – we were not sure of such big #’s, but everyone seems very eager, well behaved, and excited to learn something that’s recognizable in a variety of mediums: film, video games and VFX!  And to think, I didn’t find my introduction until grade 10…..  great for them! 

(Attack of the Giant Monkey – Sebastian, 2011)

So Central Elementary in August is a go!  We already have a seat taken, as our first down-payment was received yesterday (thanks Marilyn).  Also, we found out the ‘Paypal / Credit Card’ wasn’t working (thanks Rhonda) – well it sure is now!

Central Elementary – 10:00-11:30, August 3rd-31st Every Wednesday.  $75.00 http://yourcreativementor.com/pay

So reserve your young learner’s seat(s) today!  (if you would prefer to pay in cash or cheque I can meet you at the school – please reply to this email or call @ 604-799-1213)

(Battle in the Sky – Linden, 2010)

And what if your summer plans don’t fit?  We’re finalizing the details with Greendale Elementary for a weekly workshop, Wednesdays,  starting mid September.  Promontory Elementary? Mid October as well!

Hope you’re all enjoying your summer!

Matthew Vogt
- don’t hate, just animate -