Seeking advice on how to select a good art tutor

Pumpkin Pie · Post by **Pumpkin Pie** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 11:58 am

Currently, I have two companies wanting to hire me. One is in Dallas and the other in New York City. No, it isn't as a cartoonist or anything along those lines. It is as a marketer/top management. But when I make the move (I'm in Madison, WI right now), I thought about how I would like to set up my new life in these new cities. One change I am thinking about is...

Every Sunday morning having an art tutor come to my apartment and give me instruction on how to be a better artist. I am single and plan to have a spacious three-bedroom apartment and converting one of them into a computer/drawing room. Being a realist (we're just animals), I don't go to church then and there's really nothing else to do on Sunday mornings. Most people then either sleep in or go to church. I thought three to four hours of art instruction would be a good idea for that time period. I would initially want to be tutored in classical human and animal anatomy, perspective, and observational technique. My end goal being to create a professional-quality webcomic.

My question is how to go about finding a good art tutor in either of those cities. What to look for in one. Where to look and/or advertise for one. What to expect. What kind of money are we talking about to hire one for three to four hours on Sunday mornings. Etc.

Also, I want to hire art models from local modeling agencies to come and pose for such sessions. They arriving and leaving with the art tutor. Saying I'm still mentally up for it and have nothing else planned for the day, they possibly staying past when the art tutor is done so I can continue to use them to draw with. Since I want to do human anatomy, I would want them to be nude for some sessions. What is the best way to go about doing so? What can I expect? How much are they likely to cost per hour? Then again, is this even a good idea?

Additionally, I am seriously thinking of starting off with a 21" Wacom Cintiq ( http://www.wacom.com/lcdtablets/index_21UX.cfm ) built into a drawing table. No, not me with a hammer and saw but hiring an experienced carpenter to do so. Now if it is a good idea, I would be up for having two of them made so the art tutor and I can draw side by side so I can see how they'd do the scene or certain elements. Compare and contrast sort of thing. They showing me on theirs and I trying to do likewise on mine. Good idea? And will it be hard to find an art tutor that knows how to even use one of these things?

Any words of advice, suggestions, cautions, and so forth would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Eric F Myers · Post by **Eric F Myers** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 9:30 pm

That seems like it could get expensive. Have you thought about just joining an studio artist community. Most have introduction classes to help you on the basics. Some also have models that will come in once or twice a week for people to paint/draw/sculpt. Here's one of many that is located in Chicago. I'm sure New York and Dallas have similar communities. If you are bound and determined to do this all out of your place, you could always check the listings or post one of your own on http://www.craigslist.org/

Pumpkin Pie · Post by **Pumpkin Pie** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 2:14 pm

The money I'll be making from either of the jobs enables me to pamper myself in this regard.

Instead of making my schedule match such an art studio and the commuting time that would eat up, I'd rather pay more to have it fit my schedule and save me commute time.

Thanks for the suggestion of Craiglist. I haven't had a lot of good results using that list but I will keep it in mind for this if no better suggestion is given.