Marc Brunet’s Art School Review ⭐️

After a long hiatus, an immersive dive into Mark Bernay’s art school program revealed a refreshing blend of humor and practical teaching. The course, costing around 500 pounds with installment options, provided both value and accessibility. Robust forum support replaced live sessions, creating a collaborative space for diverse artistic insights. Emphasizing digital techniques over traditional methods, the program nurtures creative development through engaging, affordable learning.

The course utilizes an iPad and Procreate to deliver a structured introduction to digital art, featuring welcome videos and streamlined resources for community engagement. It lays out clear expectations with a focus on perspective, figure drawing, and understanding the line of action. Emphasis on anatomy and character design is achieved by using practical techniques such as drawing human forms with cylinder shapes, which builds confidence through side-by-side comparisons. This engaging curriculum is perfectly tailored for beginners and those needing a fundamentals refresher.

A structured plan of assignments paired with a flexible pacing strategy significantly shaped the learning experience. Conventional guidance recommended spending two to three months on each term, but a shorter attention span led to allocating just a few weeks per term to gauge retention. This adaptive approach allowed quick progression through topics while also revisiting challenging material when needed, ensuring effective retention of past lessons.

Term two advanced with a smooth acceleration in pace that maintained a natural flow between topics. Human anatomy was explored in meticulous detail, with an emphasis on perspective, setting it apart from the brief treatment of creature design, environment, and mech design. This clear prioritization underscores the structured focus on foundational anatomical skills over rapidly covered alternative design elements.

Investing in the course allows learners to choose between a full program or individual terms, ensuring focus on topics of genuine interest without overspending. The curriculum sharply improves foundational skills in facial drawing through engaging explanations and structured assignments. Quick forum feedback, especially in areas like Anatomy, provides timely insights and corrective tips that enhance technical accuracy. Challenging perspective assignments boost confidence as learners master complex visual techniques, leading to a richer artistic experience.

The course unfolds by guiding learners from the study of clothed figures and detailed anatomy to an introduction of ZBrush, a 3D sculpting tool that poses challenges for beginners without the proper software. Planned updates are set to enhance the course with portfolio support and additional enhancements to its various terms. Advanced lessons deepen anatomical understanding while integrating complex aspects of lighting and color, using resources like Adobe's color tool to help navigate color palettes and split complementary schemes. This integrated approach weaves technical rigor with creative exploration, empowering learners to refine both structural and aesthetic skills.

The curriculum initiated with animal and creature drawing exercises tailored for beginners, offering a challenging yet accessible entry point. It then transitioned into character design that emphasized distinct visual traits and recognizable tropes, deepening the understanding of shape and focal elements. Subsequent lessons delved into color and light theory alongside composition techniques such as the golden ratio, diagonals, and symmetry. Demonstrated examples of these methods in earlier work highlighted their practical impact on enhancing storytelling and visual appeal.

Term 6 deepens the exploration of color and light theory while integrating composition and storytelling to refine illustration skills. It builds on robust fundamentals and offers advanced insights to elevate creative visuals. By mastering these intricate concepts, learners can transform basic illustrations into dynamic visual narratives.

Term seven marked the end of regular assignments and the beginning of dedicated personal projects, prompting a rapid move through the remaining lessons. The personal project fueled eagerness, leading to an accelerated progression in learning. Among these lessons, the physics of material stood out, highlighting its importance in understanding factors like clothing weight and material differences. The narrative suggests that grouping related lessons more closely could have enhanced the learning experience.

Personal projects in terms eight and nine prove effective for retaining information by integrating creative design processes. The final project focuses on the development of character and environment concepts through structured story planning and personal inspiration. Digital illustration is addressed in term ten, though it serves as a complement rather than the core focus. The unexpected complexity of the final project transforms the course from simply earning a certificate to engaging in deep, meaningful work.

The final project presented significant challenges due to its complexity and the infrequent choice by peers to tackle it. It took about two months to complete because generating innovative ideas proved difficult given the limitations in skill level. The process of creating illustrations was particularly demanding, as a solid grasp of fundamentals did not easily translate into assembling a cohesive project. The work includes samples of illustrations and final submissions, illustrating a journey of perseverance and creative development.

Significant improvement shines through the project, reflecting a journey that started in an earlier phase, possibly January. The work exhibits a refined execution in character details and creative radiations driven by continuous learning. Completing the course enhanced technical expertise and personal satisfaction. The evolution in skills stands as a testament to persistence and meaningful progress.

With a certificate in hand, the artist submitted work via email to Market and received detailed critique. The feedback pinpointed improvements in color usage and patterns while affirming the overall quality, easing the initial nerves. After just over a week of anticipation, sharing the work on forums led to congratulatory responses that reinforced a supportive sense of community.

The program offers flexible scheduling that adapts to busy rhythms, allowing learners to progress without constant pressure. Its comprehensive focus on anatomy and permanent course access enhance its appeal, especially when supplemented by a supportive community. Inconsistencies in pacing and limited depth in topics like creature design create gaps in the learning experience, prompting careful consideration of continual engagement. A forthcoming comparison with a similar character design course hints at further evaluation of its overall value.