Portprep

Meet The Animation Tutor

Garth is a seasoned animation professional with a background in Animation from Sheridan College, where he successfully completed the 4-year Bachelor of Animation Program. Since then, Garth has been actively engaged in various artistic pursuits, including working as an animator, children's book and cover illustrator, and landscape painter. Additionally, Garth has been serving as a portfolio tutor with The Animation Tutors’ sister company, PortPrep.

With a genuine passion for supporting young artists, Garth finds immense joy in helping students bring their bold stories to life. Having experienced a similar journey himself, he deeply understands the challenges of aspiring artists and enjoys reflecting on the transformative process of students becoming the artists they were destined to be.

Teaching Philosophy

For the past decade, Garth has served as a dedicated mentor to students worldwide, guiding them on their journey to mastering the demanding discipline of animation. Through his experience, he has recognized two key modes of study that are crucial to cultivate from an early age: classical studies and creative studies.

Classical studies are centered around enhancing technical drawing skills and often draw inspiration from external sources, be it observations or references. These exercises are not dependent on a written story or context but rather serve to expand knowledge and build muscle memory. For instance, drawing a building from observation exemplifies classical studies.

Creative studies encourage students to apply what they have learned from classical studies and channel their imagination into their artistic practice. In the context of animation, creative studies might involve creating storyboards or designing a lineup of characters for a narrative. An example of this would be taking the building previously drawn and placing it in a new world, accentuating its personality to imbue it with a captivating story.

While classical art schools prioritize classical studies, Garth firmly believes in placing equal importance on both classical and creative studies simultaneously. He understands the significant synergy that emerges when students absorb new knowledge and immediately apply it to their imaginative creations, especially in the realm of animation.