Acclaimed independent Toronto college of animation, art and design, celebrating its 2016 graduates, gives the public a behind-the-scenes look at popular annual ‘Year-end Exhibition and Weekend Open House’ on May 21 and 22 – includes free workshops with top industry pros (detailed open house schedule below)!

VIDEO (2015 Year-end/graduate interviews): https://youtu.be/lbAZAFIDGmA

FACEBOOK EVENT (Open House): https://www.facebook.com/events/588134991343350/

MORE INFO: http://maxthemutt.com.

Max the Mutt founder/director Maxine Schacker states, “Our year-end events are almost here! We're happy to hear from so many companies that they will attend our Industry Event – it seems every year gets bigger! And we also look forward to welcoming the public to our weekend Open House, where we’re again providing free workshops on both Saturday and Sunday!”

Note: Image enclosed; 2016 ‘Concept art’ graduate Nick Kester (Cave).

OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULE:

Open to the public Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22. The main reception is on the second floor (enter through the side door, elevator is available). Year-end student and graduate exhibition, curriculum information, school tours and free one-hour workshops on both days.

 Saturday, May 21:

10:30 a.m. – Doors open.

11:00 a.m. – Information Session; school philosophy, the curriculum for the three diploma programs, workshops and certificate programs. Followed by group school tours.

1:30 p.m. – Free workshop; ‘Comic Book Layout’ with head of Max the Mutt's Illustration for Sequential Arts diploma program Kent Burles. Burles has worked with Malibu Comics on creating a series of Planet of the Apes comic books, and a series called The Adventurers. He also worked on many role playing games by Fasa, Steve Jackson, White Wolf, and recently on Anvil Galaxy and Rifts for Palladium Books.

5:00 p.m. – Doors close.

 Sunday, May 22:

11:00 a.m. – Doors open.

11:30 a.m. – Free workshop; ‘Cartooning’ with MTM’s animation director Tina Seemann. Seemann is the head of classical and computer animation, and a cartoonist. Her work has appeared on TVO’s children’s shows including Polka Dot Door and Bookmice, she designed the ‘Max the Mutt’ mascot and is currently working on a children’s book. Seemann has also taught animation at Sheridan College and the Bell Centre for Creative Communication.

2:00 p.m. – Free workshop; ‘Character Design’ with MTM instructor Greg Beettam. He is a veteran comic book/graphic novel artist, freelance illustrator, graphic designer, writer and visual storytelling expert with more than 20 years experience. In addition to his work in comics, graphic novels and cartooning, he has worked in advertising as a concept artist, specializing in storyboards, story development, scriptwriting and presentation design.

3:30 p.m. – Doors close.

Summer Programming: Workshops and Camps

Max the Mutt summer programming offers students an opportunity to upgrade skills or develop new ones. There are workshops and camps in drawing, painting, computer animation, cartooning and comic books and a new certificate program for Fine Art Skills & Portfolio Development. They are taught by the same industry professionals who teach in the diploma programs and they run on different dates starting from June 25 to August 2, 2016. See the website for full schedule: http://maxthemutt.com/workshops-camps/.

ABOUT:

Founded in 1996 in Toronto, Max the Mutt College of Animation, Art and Design provides in-depth training via workshops and three programs of study; Classical and Computer Animation and Production diploma, Concept Art for Animation and Video Games diploma (only of its kind in Canada) and Illustration for Sequential Arts: Comic Books and Graphic Novels diploma (only of its kind in Canada). Max the Mutt prepares students for careers in animation, concept design, advertising, art direction, comic books and graphic novels.