Workshops

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Workshops

Join Us for a Colossal Workshop on Stop-Motion Animation with Clifford Beddy

We’re excited to welcome animator Clifford Beddy on April 22 for a virtual workshop on the basics of stop-motion animation. In this two-hour session, participants will follow a playful storyline about a mouse and its quest to obtain a hunk of cheese, using everyday materials. Clifford will teach the necessary techniques for planning, lighting, tools, movement, textures, characters, and sound that will allow participants to create a variety of stop-motion creations.

All previous Colossal Workshops have sold out, so register today to reserve your seat. If you’re a Colossal Member, be sure to use the code in your account for $10 off. 10 percent of the proceeds for this workshop will benefit the Syrian American Medical Society Foundation, which is working on the front lines of medical crises in Syria.

Workshops

Join Us for A Colossal Workshop on Playful Character Drawings with Mattias Adolfsson

Image © Mattias Adolfsson, shared with permission

Grab a pen and paper, and join artist Mattias Adolfsson (previously) and Colossal on March 11 for a virtual workshop on small character illustrations. In this one-hour session, Adolfsson will teach students how to draw a few of his signature quirky characters in ink and color and how to utilize those principles to keep sketching.

Register here, and if you’re a Colossal Member, be sure to use the code in your account for $5 off. Ten percent of the proceeds for this workshop will benefit Chicago Books to Women in Prison.

Workshops

Join Us for A Colossal Workshop on Embroidered Botanical Sculptures with Amanda McCavour

All images © Amanda McCavour

We’re thrilled to welcome Canadian artist Amanda McCavour (previously) for our next Colossal Workshop. During our live two-hour session, McCavour will teach students her process for creating delicately embroidered sculptures using one of her own botanical drawings. Attendees will work with water-soluble stabilizers and learn to hand-embroider texture, pattern, and line with running stitches, chain stitches, couching stitches, french knots, and seed stitches to create a vibrant textile work with collaged threads.

Register here and gather your supplies for the January 14, 2023, session, and if you’re a Colossal Member, be sure to use the code in your account for $5 off. Ten percent of the proceeds for this workshop will benefit Plant Chicago.

Workshops

Join Us for A Colossal Workshop on Miniature Macramé with Agnes Hansella

All images © Agnes Hansella, shared with permission

Since her stunning trio of installations in Bali, artist Agnes Hansella has continued to delight us with her elaborate and organic macramé works. We’re thrilled that she’s joining us live from her home in Jakarta this fall for a virtual workshop on miniature macramé. During our hour-long session, she’ll teach techniques for crafting the miniature piece shown above using the larks head knot, alternating half hitch, square knot, wrap knot, and diamond stitch. She will also share tips for utilizing the same methods to create a larger-scale work.

Registration is open now for the October 29 workshop, and if you’re a Colossal Member, be sure to use the code in your account for $5 off. Ten percent of all proceeds from this workshop will benefit Refugee One.

Workshops

Make, Learn, and Share Creative Skills in Colossal’s Monthly Virtual Workshops

Image courtesy of Hollie Chastain, shared with permission

We’re thrilled to announce our monthly series of workshops that explore incredible creativity from leading visual artists. We even have a shiny, new way to stay in the loop about upcoming events with our Colossal Workshops newsletter. Following the remarkable response to our forthcoming session with Hollie Chastain—which is now sold out—we look forward to inviting you to a new class next month! Colossal Members always receive a discount on registration and have access to a growing library of recordings.

Workshops

Join Us for A Colossal Workshop on Paper Scaling with Hollie Chastain

All images © Hollie Chastain, shared with permission

Chattanooga, Tennessee-based artist Hollie Chastain is known for layering found photographs, book pages, and other ephemera into textured, mixed-media collages. This month, Chastain joins Colossal for a virtual workshop on paper scaling, or the process of cutting small, rounded forms from the humble material. In our session, we will spend an hour learning how to add shadow and dimension to both a solid color and portrait, and attendees will leave with a few additional tips and tricks for future projects.

Registration is open now for the August 20 workshop, and if you’re a Colossal Member, be sure to use the code in your account for $5 off. Ten percent of all proceeds will be donated to the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless.