Rebecca Quay, Greg Ruth and Scott Fischer were just a couple of several in studio demonstrations given throughout the week. All the teachers brought personal pieces to work on during the week. Students and teachers often were elbow to elbow almost as they worked.

In June of this year I traveled to Amherst, Massachusetts to attend 7 fabulous days on my very first IMC (Illustration Masterclass). I had been following the IMC for several years thinking this is a dream I would never be able to realise. Alongside that was a deep desire to experience working with Rebecca Quay as a mentor. I’ve been very lucky to have been in the mentorship programme with Rebecca at Smartschool for the last 2 years, and in her art for exhibition group at this 7 day intensive. The faculty read like dream team covering a range of work from exhibition, concept art, storyboarding, book cover and most important, career development. As visual artists, whether we call ourselves illustrators, artists, storyboard artists, animators, or comic artists, we know the importance of continued development through personal work.

I didn’t manage to get photographs of everyone on the faculty, but here is the line up: Rebecca Leveille Guay, Greg Manchess, Donato Giancola, Brad Kunkle, Mike Mignola, Ian McCaig, Julia Bell, Bruce Vallejo, Dan dos Santos, James Guerney, Scott Fischer, Matthew Kalamides, Greg Ruth, Irene Gallo, and more...! One thing they all had in common was their willingness to share their time and expertise and great sense of fun and love for art making.

The following is a photo montage of the week that began with a day one critiques in your groups, through demonstrations, studio time (a lot of studio time) talks, more critiques, lots of encouragement and work suggestions, portfolio reviews, late nights, early mornings, laughter and fun, all culminating on emotional last day with an open studio.

The dorm I stayed in on the ground floor.

Day one we spend all day in critique, very important to setting the work for the week. We were asked to bring our thumbnails and examples of our work in response to briefs sent before IMC began.

On campus is an amazing art museum with exhibitions going through year round.

My spot in the studio. I shared a table with two other wonderful artists. We got to know each other fairly well throughout the week!

The studio and lecture hall was across the square from my dorm. My day began at 6 am in the studio (yes I ate meals) and ended usually around 9 or 10 pm.

We shared our studio space with Ian McCaig’s group. In the studio was a mixture of digital work in progress alongside traditional painting. Upstairs were the other group studios and a chill out area where you still worked but it was just quieter when you needed it.

The week started with talks on composition, light-boxing, shooting reference and mounting paper on board.

Baptism, gift of the River, my work in progress. This is only to the final pencil underpainting.

From left: Irene Gallo, art director Tor Books, Greg Manchess, Brad Kunkle, Mike Mignola, Dan dos Santos, Scott Fischer, Julie Bell, Bruce Vallejo and Ian McCaig, not shown is Rebecca Guay.