Take your skills to the next level in this exclusive one-to-one mentorship where you'll create refined, stylised illustrations utilising professional studio practices.
Introduction to the Mentorship
Mooncolony’s Lunar Academy introduces you to this exclusive 5-week one-to-one mentorship, where you will create refined stylised illustrations utilising professional studio practices.
Mentees should be intermediate to advanced-level artists who hold a solid understanding of the basics and want to take their stylised art skills to the next level with professional studio-style experience. The mentorship has been developed around Mooncolony’s process as a studio, following the structure of real-life client projects. By the end of the mentorship, you should have not only a polished stylized portfolio piece but also a better understanding of what it takes to work in a premium art studio.
This is your opportunity to get the ultimate customised learning experience with direct access to an industry expert. Each week, your mentor will assess and help develop your skills in relation to your personal goals, positioning yourself for creative and professional success. Get guidance, receive feedback, ask questions and gain life-long skills that will push your art abilities across your future digital illustrations.
Meet your Mentor
Ekaterina “Rin” Shapovalova, Associate Art Director.
With over 10 years of experience, Rin has been integral to Mooncolony’s growth since she became the studio's first full-time artist. She will now lead a mentorship program to help other aspiring artists develop their skills.
Rin is an expert in stylised illustration. Her talent for art and passion for World of Warcraft came together as she worked on several projects for Hearthstone. Over the last 5 years, Rin has worked as both an artist and art director across card art, game boards, and cinematics.
Rin is fluent in Russian and English, and her incredible talents and wealth of experience make her an ideal mentor for anyone looking to grow as an artist in the gaming industry.
Mentorship aims
By the end of this mentorship, you will:
Have a new stylized illustration to boost your portfolio
Develop your overall stylised illustration skills
Gain a new understanding of the client/studio relationship with a mock-studio experience
Is this mentorship for you?
This mentorship is right for you if:
You are an intermediate or advanced-level artist with a solid understanding of the basics
You are interested in pushing your stylised illustration skills further
You are keen to understand the studio process and client expectations
You require professional input on your work to take your career forward
Mentorship Structure
Week One - Introduction
Week one is your introduction to the mentorship. Here you will meet with your mentor and establish your goals, exploring any desired topics. Your mentor will also review your portfolio with you. The task for this week is gathering references, organising mood and reference boards, and sketching out the subject of your illustration such as a character, creature or location.
Week Two - Composition
In week two we will enter the sketching phase. Here we will explore composition and framing; discuss how you can approach the sketches; how to know when the sketch is done and good to go. The task for this week is to produce three rough sketches that will begin your final piece.
Week Three - Refinement
After reviewing and refining your rough sketches from week two, week three will focus on your rough colour options. Your mentor will discuss the use of colour and light in greater detail. The task for the week will be to provide three rough colour options for your illustration.
Week Four - Rendering
Week four is when we move on to rendering. With your mentor, you will discuss your rough colour options before selecting a final option. This week, you will explore the art of balancing the scale of details, and how to approach rendering efficiently within a deadline. The task for the week is to take your chosen rough colour and push it to the final stages.
Week Five - Polishing
Week five will focus on polishing your final illustration and file prep. The task for this week is to apply any final feedback and add the polishing touches. You will also be cleaning up the file to the industry standard. This will be your final opportunity to ask any questions about your work.
Week one is your introduction to the mentorship. Here you will meet with your mentor and establish your goals, exploring any desired topics. Your mentor will also review your portfolio with you. The task for this week is gathering references, organising mood and reference boards, and sketching out the subject of your illustration such as a character, creature or location.
How the Mentorship Runs
This mentorship runs exclusively through Discord. This is where you will communicate with your mentor, through chat and video calls.
Monday is review day. You will have a 1-hour call with the mentor (the exact time will be discussed with you beforehand). Sunday evening is the cut-off day for posting updates for your review the next week. If you miss these deadlines it will put your mentorship completion at risk.
You will also have access to a private Discord channel, where you can discuss and share your work in progress with your fellow mentees.
| Key Dates | |
|---|---|
| Applications Open | Monday 3rd July 2023 |
| Applications Close |
Friday 28th July 2023 |
| Mentees Notified | Friday 11th August |
| Mentoring Starts | Monday 4th September |
Pricing
| Mentorship fee (including tax) | 599 USD |
Payments will be made via PayPal or bank transfer.
For any other enquiries please email info@lunaracademy.co
Applications are closed!