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Learn to draw cartoons with the legendary cartoonist
John R. "Jack" Cassady...
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Message from
Jack…
I’ve always loved cartooning and nearly
everything involved with it. It’s great fun! I can’t remember a
time in my life when I didn’t enjoy drawing or looking at
cartoons, it was like magic. As a child, I quickly found that my
drawings could attract attention, entertain friends and family.
It gave me good feelings when relatives and friends enjoyed my
drawings. However, teachers frequently sent me to the
Principal’s office for disrupting classes. Those experiences
eventually led to an appreciation for teaching. Throughout my
life cartooning has steadfastly provided me with enjoyment and a
unique way of communicating and entertaining. Today it’s part
of my personality and something I’m compelled to do.
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"Scribbles" |
Years ago when people asked me, “How can they learn cartooning?”
the question initially caught me off guard. It was something
I’ve always done. However, after great consideration, intensive
research and consultation with wizards and other professional
cartoonists, I developed a stock answer. It involved three
possible solutions. First, one could enroll in one of our
nation’s fine institutions of higher education specializing in
cartoon art courses. Next, one might become an assistant and/or
understudy to a professional cartoonist whose work they admire.
Finally, one could make a personal and time consuming
commitment to, as they say, “learn it on their own…” |
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Thanks to modern technology and communications,
this section of my website offers an alternative method for
learning cartooning. Now you can learn cartooning with me by
enrolling in a ToonMaker.com cartooning course.
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Some of the benefits of this approach are that it
combines a little of all three solutions mentioned earlier, it’s
comparatively inexpensive, it allows study from home or work,
it’s individualized and conducted at a relaxed pace. No
matter what your ultimate goal in cartooning is, you’ll find its
great fun getting there with ToonMaker.com courses. |
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Program Overview
This program was designed to take advantage of
benefits offered by personal computer technology. In other
words, you must be able to send and receive email, and as a
minimum, be able to open image files. If you have access to a
scanner, that method might be used in lieu of the US Mail at
times to send completed assignments to ToonMaker.com for
evaluation. You must also have a valid mailing address.
The ToonMaker.com cartooning courses are
divided into a specific number of lessons. Each lesson has
a number of performance or behavioral objectives to be
accomplished by the student. |
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When all lessons have been successfully
accomplished and goals addressed, the course is complete.
Students are then ready to proceed to another course or level.
Courses are classified into three levels of difficulty,
basic, intermediate and advanced. Course costs and lengths
are determined by the level and number of lessons.
For example, a basic level course consisting of twelve lessons
might be finished by a student at the rate of one lesson per
month over a year. While the course could take up to a year to
complete, it’s possible for some students, working at their own
pace, to finish all lessons in less time. The cost or
tuition for a course like that would be $300.U.S. Other
variable personal costs associated with the program are for
equipment, materials, postage and mailers, optional books,
copies, etc. depending on the student’s needs and desires.
Please see Tuition, Fees and Payment.
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How to Start
Interested in getting started? First, consider
your art experience and background. Imagine what level you
might enter the program. Then review and note the course
offerings that match your interests. As you come up with logical
questions, review the FAQ section of the website. Many times
answers to your questions will be found here. Once you’ve taken
these preliminary steps, contact Jack through email. He’ll
guide you through the process to become enrolled as an official
ToonMaker.com cartooning student. Every applicant is unique.
When the level you’ll enter the program is decided, full payment
for your course will need to be made in order to become
officially enrolled.
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Placement
A logical question asked is, “At what level will
I be able to start?” The answer is, it depends on one’s
experience. In other words, if one has absolutely no art
background or experience, he or she would start at the most
basic level and progress upwards in terms of difficulty and
challenge. However, a person with art and design background
experience would receive advanced placement. Advanced
placement is determined by an informal interview and
portfolio review process. There is a slight one time fee
for this process.
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Tuition, Fees and Payment
The portfolio review process fee is a one time
cost normally incurred by applicants desiring to be considered
for advanced placement. The fee for this service is $35. plus
postage or shipping, if required.
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Tuition is the total course cost and must be paid
in advance in order to be officially enrolled. It is calculated
by the number of lessons times the rate for the level. The
rates for the different levels are: Basic courses (Level 1)=
$25., Intermediate courses (Level 2)= $35., and finally Advanced
courses (Level 3)= $50.
Normally, the number of lessons will
range from ten to twelve per course. For example, a basic level
1 course consisting of 12 lessons would be $300.00, while an
intermediate level 2 course consisting of 10 lessons would be
$350.00 etc. Normally one course is taken at a time in a
building block approach.
Payment may be made by using the Pay Pal on this
site.
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Face to face or on site instruction with Jack
is possible for ToonMaker.com students. Jack
periodically teaches a week long class at the world renown
John C. Campbell Folk
School nestled in the beautiful mountains of
western NC. Individuals who have already completed a Basic Cartooning Class
with Jack at the John C. Campbell Folk School are automatically
entitled to advanced placement in the ToonMaker.com Cartooning
Program. Students desiring to start their ToonMaker.com
Cartooning Program by first attending the Folk School class in NC
should contact Jack for more information.
For upcoming classes at the John C. Campbell Folk
School,
see Jack's
teaching schedule here. |
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Showcase of ToonMaker.com
Cartoonist’s Work
Periodically samples of ToonMaker.com student
work will be selected by Jack and displayed on “Just For Fun”
Gallery page of this website. Tell the world to be on the
lookout for your cartoon art!
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Course Descriptions
Basic Courses (Level 1)
Courses
(click link for detailed description):
Intermediate Courses (Level 2)
Courses:
Advanced Courses (Level 3)
Courses:
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