the Renaissance
SUPERHERO!
"Mr. DeCaire´s ability to seamlessly connect mathematics education to the world of comic book art kept the students engaged and interested and opened their eyes to connections between disciplines they didn´t think existed.
His injections of humor and honesty about comic book art and the life of an illustrator kept the students at ease and having a good time.
Most of all, Mr. deCaire’s ability to share and discuss his talents and experiences while constantly drawing popular comic book heroes for the students, left them mesmerized and eager to apply their new knowledge to their own drawings!”
Amy Powney / 6th Grade Math Teacher / Harrison Middle School,
Grand Rapids Public Schools /
"I am writing this letter to highly recommend Jerry deCaire as a guest artist to your classroom. Jerry spent an afternoon working with my 6th and 7th grade art students. Comic book heroes and villains are of great interest to my middle school students and Jerry´s skill level amazed them all. The kids were able to see the steps he goes through to create a drawing. Using Jerry´s 1/2 method and his way of incorporating math, the students were constructing their own drawings in no time. They were amazed at how his formula simplified the proportions of the characters".
"Jerry was absolutely candid about how he developed as an artist and what steps he took to become the success he is today. The kids loved hearing about his early days and how even he struggled with his art in the beginning. He had an easy rapport with the kids that made them connect and feel comfortable asking him questions. He gave the kids his drawings at the end of his presentation which really impressed them.
The following day at school the art room was being filled with drawings of super heroes that the kids had done at home. When the kids go home to draw, you know they are excited. They were enchanted with these new skills; they could not wait to share them. I saw my students eyes light up when they learned that math could be used in art to help your drawings look more realistic. It was a unique experience having an artist that could show kids how other disciplines are important and necessary for artists. I feel he really stressed the importance of learning across the curriculum."
Holly Lampen
Art Teacher for East Grand Rapids Public Schools
East Grand Rapids Middle School
2425 Lake Drive SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49506
"What an awesome program you presented at Seymour Library! We really appreciated it Jerry...but more importantly, 50-60 other people enjoyed it thoroughly! Stay in touch!"
Jeanne Clemo
Grand Rapids Public Libraries Seymour Branch
"Jerry’s programs were a hit at our schools. His art work is outstanding, and for many of the children in his workshops, it was a first to meet a professional artist. They were engaged and inspired."
Jay Lamar
Center for the Arts & Humanities
Alabama Center for the Book
Pebble Hill
Auburn University, AL 36849
334-844-4946
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Jerry deCaire performed for an assembly at Gregory Middle School in Naperville Illinois and entertained and educated several
classes including math and art students. You can see from the endorsements below there was a general consensus as to how he was recieved:
"Jerry´s performance was outstanding. He relates the art world to many school subjects. He was so well received by the students. They want to know how to keep in touch with him and share their artwork".
Tom Martin-Gregory Middle School
"An inspiring speaker who interested kids in his passion for art".
Tim-Kill-Gregory Middle School
"I never saw kids make so many connections to their world, their studies and art"!
Lon Lademann-Gregory Middle School
"We would love to have Mr. DeCaire´s presentation become an annual event. Students related to his sense of humor, his connection to the superheroes they love, and to his artistic talent".
Joan Mayotte-Gregory Middle School Naperville, Illinois
October 31, 2007 Comics add up BIRMINGHAM - Before comic book illustrator Jerry deCaire´s visit to Groves High School, many students thought math had nothing to do with art. While visiting the school on Oct. 24, deCaire admitted that he too was at one time fully convinced that there was a huge gulf between mathematics and art and said he didn´t learn to value math until much later in life.
Birmingham-Bloomfield Eagle (MI)
Cartoonist visits Groves to illustrate connection between core subjects and art
MARY BETH ALMOND; C & G Staff Writer
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"You can get creative with math. You can get inventive with math. That´s one of the things I love about it, but I hated math when I was your age. ? I only fell in love with it later in life, especially when I saw the connections between math and what I was doing as an artist," he told the students. The comic book illustrator went on to show students that many core subjects merge with art in the creation of a comic book. First, he noted that a comic artist must understand human anatomy - a blend of science and art. "It is said that Leonardo DaVinci studied science to become a better artist. I would also like to make that plea to you as well," he said. He stressed that good draftsmanship entails the application of mathematics, including mathematical topics such as linear perspective. The artist showed how he uses cubes, cylinders and other geometric shapes to begin his sketches and said that he uses the same formula - along with some simple arithmetic - to identically re-create the character each time he draws it. When thinking about composition, deCaire said he uses percentages to figure out how much negative and positive space to put in each comic book panel. "For those who think they hate math, I thought that too, but you might get a little more interested in it if what I´m doing today is anything like what you want to achieve in the future," he said at the assembly. Next, he explained that the most obvious interdisciplinary aspect to comic art - the combination of the written word and accompanying visuals - is the coupling of literature and art. He also pointed out that the making of a comic requires the contributions of many professionals, so teamwork and social corroboration are necessary for success in his field. "I always argue that it would be a very thorough education indeed if the only thing you learned was how to put a comic book together. All kinds of implications of different academic areas are integrated within a comic book," he said. After talking about how math, literature, science, and art work synergistically in the creation of a comic book, deCaire revealed their application with a series of drawing demonstrations. Projecting a blank sheet of paper onto a screen in Groves´ Little Theatre, deCaire turned an ordinary drawing of a square into a superhero. Using his "1/2 method" to determine where features are placed on the human head from any angle, Wolverine materialized right before students´ eyes. "My wild imagination will want to go off and do things that it ought not to when I´m trying to render something in a realistic fashion. ? Math at least gives me a starting point and strong-arms me into doing the right thing to put features in the correct place - and not only that - to make body parts the correct size to the background body depending upon where my eye is located in reference to that body part," he said. The presentation was funded and sponsored by Groves Community Service Coordinator Sheila Brice, math department head Stuart Kane and National Honor Society and art teacher Susan Chapman. Chapman said many of her art students dream that they will become an artist and therefore don´t think they need to know their core subjects. "They can´t see where their whole curriculum is important. Yet, in the math department they are struggling with getting kids to perform because they don´t see the practical application. We thought this presentation would be perfect to get our kids in to see how important all of their education is, no matter what field they choose to go on and pursue," she said. You can reach Staff Writer Mary Beth Almond at malmond@candgnews.com or at (58... . |
Comic book artist teaches how to draw action figures DeCaire has drawn for Marvel Comics and Tekno Comics. Some titles DeCaire has drawn are X-Men, Wolverine, Iron Man, and others. VMT art instructor Jassie Rios was the person responsible for him coming to the school. She thought it was good for the students to see a professional artist. “He taught different ways of drawing figures,” Rios said. Rios said she liked the new technique she learned. She liked how he would turn a cube into a three dimensional head, and said she now uses that technique. Art student Abigail Buentello, a freshman, described what she thought of DeCaire. “Wow,” exclaimed Buentello as the artist made a cube into a head. “I was amazed because he could do a lot with a simple cube.” She said she learned different ways of drawing faces with new approaches.
By Nidia Gomez
Comic book artist Jerry DeCaire demonstrated making human figures using a special technique during a visit to VMT on Oct. 4.
