Roger Mason is a DBS-checked art teacher with a range of experience teaching different age groups how to draw, often focussing on cartooning techniques. He’s worked at SAE Institute London (3D Animation and Film courses), the University of Teesside (Concept Art MA), City Lit and many schools. Roger currently teaches at Whitecliffe College in Auckland.
Participants move quickly into practical work and produce a large amount of art. Pens are preferred to pencils to boost productivity and to shift focus away from the ‘finished piece’. Subjects include fundamentals of drawing, comic art, storyboarding and character design.
Using practical demonstrations, slides of artwork and one-to-one guidance – along with a fund of anecdotes about life as a freelance artist – Roger proves that all drawings have value and that everyone can draw. References and CV available on request.
EXPERIENCE
Whitecliffe College, Auckland
March 2020 — current
I’m teaching drawing skills to students on the Certificate in Digital Media and Design. The course focuses on drawing from the imagination—cartooning—and enables participants to visualise their ideas quickly and clearly. Some topics covered include storyboarding, character design, observational drawing and comic art.
Waiheke Island Adult Learning Centre
2018 – 2020
Illustration, storyboarding and life drawing workshops.
Digital Arts Network, Auckland
September 2018
Cartooning workshop producing quick thumbnail sketches. Helpful in pitches and ideation sessions.
Long Sutton County Primary School, Lincolnshire
September 2016 – 2018
Official patron of creativity of my old primary school.
SAE Institute London
September 2008 – 2017
3D Animation, Game Art, VFX and Film courses, teaching cartooning, creative drawing skills, storyboarding, character design. Modules that I designed include Fundamentals of Drawing, Illustration, Character Design, and Storyboarding.
University of Teesside
March 2007 – 2013
Drawing techniques, storyboarding and comic art on the creative drawing course in the School of Computing. I was on the panel developing the Concept Art MA.
Working with creatives at Digital Arts Network, Samsung Design Europe & Engine Service Design
Specialist art classes for the designers, intended to boost their drawing skills and confidence when drawing for clients. Click here.
Schools
October 2006 – current
Comic book drawing workshops which improve story-telling, drawing and reading skills. Participants create their own characters and use them to tell stories. Advice on art materials and a career in art. Schools where I have taught include: Ballard School, Hampshire; Pilgrim’s Way Primary School, Southwark; Longdean School, Hertfordshire; Chestnuts Primary School, Harringay; Wharncliffe Side Primary School, Yorkshire and Haberdasher’s Askes’ Boys School, Elstree.
Below is a selection of SAE London students’ artwork:
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- Ghada Al-Dowla
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- Norik Imami
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- Aleksandra Petrova
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- Robert Smith
Testimonials:
“Your relaxed professionalism was a breath of fresh air.” — Herb Wiersma, University of Teesside.
“The workshops were expertly facilitated and my team and I really enjoyed the experience. The drawing skills have helped us with our creative process, and Roger’s teaching skills and professionalism are excellent.” — Malin Andersson, Samsung Design Europe
“The children really enjoyed your art teaching, as did the teachers.” — Patricia Chantrey, St Joseph’s RC Primary School, London.
“I found it fun and I found it helpful, he made drawing people so easy.” — Pupil at Ballard School, Hampshire.
“I learned more about drawing in this class than I did in two years at art school.” — Eddison Smith, student.
“Roger’s relationships with pupils are good. He is a friendly, firm and positive adult who relates well to a wide range of children. His teaching is purposeful and he brings a high level of skill and subject knowledge to activities… It has been a pleasure to work with him and I have no hesitation in supporting any work he may seek in a primary school.” — A C Howe, Whitmore Primary School, Hackney.
Character design by a workshop attendee at Samsung Design Europe. This image demonstrates one of the core techniques, that of using a mannikin to create a figure, and then tracing over the top.
Participant of The Art of Storyboarding interactive workshop, Watersprite Film Festival, Cambridge 2016
The Art of Storyboarding workshop, Watersprite Film Festival, Cambridge 2016.
Roger demonstrating drawing techniques during a workshop.
Drawings from Samsung Design Europe workshop.