back to school
“By teaching others, we teach ourselves”. There are countless quotes about teaching (entire sites full, go look. I’ll wait) – but I’ve found this one to be particularly true. I had the opportunity last September to begin teaching Illustration at my alma mater, Sheridan College. It’s been great so far. I graduated from the BAA Animation program in the mid 00’s, and returned to complete a BAA in Illustration shortly after. In the years since, I’ve learned SO much more; about the industry, about adjacent industries, and about my own practice. In fact, there have been occasions where I’ve wondered what it would be like to have another crack at my thesis year. Hindsight, right?
Well, it turns out that teaching students Illustration goes a long way towards scratching that itch. On the one hand, seeing the effort, volume of work, and the exhaustion that comes with it brings me back down to earth. But on the other, it’s an entirely new learning process for me. Discovering how to best explain concepts or pushing students to explore ideas outside of their comfort zone puts you squarely back in education mode. How do I evaluate? What can a new generation of young creatives teach me? And this is only after one semester! It’s been pretty great to see my professors (and my fellow grads) teaching alongside me. The support system reminds me a bit of the camaraderie I remember so fondly from my days in class – albeit on a more professional level.
new old lessons
Not only is it inspiring to see how students approach each project and arrive at solutions, but it kicks you out of automatic gear. I make no claim to being a figure drawing expert, but I remember moments tutoring where things clicked. By explaining why something should be drawn a certain way, it helped me to understand why I should draw things a certain way. The same applies here. Rules regarding composition, contrast, colour, things that have become routine take on additional weight. When you can see someone else’s work turn a corner, sometimes a light bulb goes off in your head too.
This whole experience has me determined to really apply myself to my personal practice this year. Seeing some fresh talent has been reinvigorating! I may not be returning to re-do my final year, but there’s nothing stopping me from exploring on my own. I’m also taking on an additional class – and I couldn’t be more excited to see what they can teach me.
