Arts and Culture

Confidence is a key part of this after school art class

Class gives social, creative outlet to students

  • A focus on teaching anime art techniques
  • Give students a place to socialize and make friends
  • Lessons use real production materials from the industry

School is over but the learning continues for one set of students in a studio at the Rotary Centre for the Arts.

These kids are ready to practice and hone their skills in the After School Anime Class.

With pencils in hand, the kids listen attentively to techniques being explained by Brock Gratz, an anime artist and class instructor. They are ready to try their hand at creating and sketching their own anime.

The class focuses on establishing the fundamentals, Gratz told Kelowna10.

He said the class starts with techniques such as basic anatomy for characters, line work, strength and control, as well as dynamism and perspective.

“Most importantly, we’re trying to impart the sense of confidence to have students follow through on something all the way from a sketch stage, to something finished,” Gratz said.

Knowing how excited the students are about working on their art helps to carry energy into other work that Gratz is doing.

“I remember what it was like when I was discovering those skills, and when I was starting out, because it was just that really incredible feeling of like, ‘wow, so this is a thing I can do,’” Gratz added..

Besides learning anime, Gratz hopes to instill confidence in the students. This, he said, comes through meeting other students with common interests and having a dedicated space to do art.

“[We are] giving an outlet, both socially and creatively, for people in this age group to find something within their niche that they're genuinely excited about being a part of,” Gratz said.

COVID-19 has made it difficult for instructors to hold in-person classes, but Gratz said students are used to the routine at this point.

“Everyone’s been living through schooling, going through all this stuff, and it's not a routine that's difficult to carry into their casual hobbies either,” Gratz added.

‘Animesque’ is an anime inspired art exhibit that Gratz has created at the RCA. It details his anime inspired work and can help give students inspiration for their own.

“I originally intended to exhibit with some of my students but it didn’t end up panning out that way, so I ended up having a solo show on my hands out of nowhere,” Gratz said.

While he enjoys where it has got to, he said the Kelowna art scene has tons of room to grow.

“There’s so many people that are working so hard in it right now, but there’s also so much room for it to expand as well, so there’s room for everybody.”

Published 2022-01-23 by Keelan Bourdon

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