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 7-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 Mentors
Ekaterina “Rin” Shapovalova, Associate Art Director
Rin has played a pivotal role in Mooncolony's evolution since becoming the studio’s first ever full-time artist five years ago. With over a decade of art experience, she now leads Lunar Academy’s mentorship program aimed at nurturing the talents of budding artists.
As a specialist in stylized illustration, Rin's expertise combines with her knowledge and passion for the World of Warcraft universe. In her time at Mooncolony, Rin has seamlessly transitioned from artist to art director, working on many Hearthstone assets including card art, game boards, and cinematics.
Fluent in both Russian and English, Rin's skill set, extensive background and nurturing attitude make her an outstanding mentor for those seeking to thrive as a stylized artist.
Alexandre Leoni, Senior Concept Artist
With over 14 years of artistry under his belt, Alexandre "leoniarte" Leoni, is a notable figure in Brazil’s creative community. Since graduating from the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul in 2009, Leoni has left a significant mark across the world of illustration, concept art, advertisement, animation, and comics.
Leoni’s involvement with the YouTube channel "Bate-papo Ilustrado" earned him a substantial following in Brazil's digital art community. During the years he spent freelancing Leoni worked with many notable clients including Garena, Wild Life, Wizards of the Coast and Riot Games.
Since joining Mooncolony in 2022, Leoni has been an invaluable asset to the Hearthstone art team and often showcases his artistic excellence on Mooncolony’s live streams. Leoni is fluent in both Portuguese and English.
Mentorship aims
By the end of this mentorship, you will:
Have a new stylized illustration to boost your portfolio
Develop your overall stylized 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 stylized 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 feedback and start to add the polishing touches. You will also be cleaning up the file to the industry standard.
Week Six - Polishing Continued
Week six continues the content covered in week five, dedicated to any final feedback from your mentor and the polishing of your masterpeice. This will be your final opportunity to ask any questions about your work and feedback, so come prepared!
Week Seven - Final Call
In week seven we say our final farewells in a group call and reflect on our mentorship journey. At this stage you should have a finished illustration that you can proudly add to your portfolio, in addition to a deeper understanding of professional studio practices. Now you're ready for your next adventure.
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 4th Dec 2023 |
| Applications Close | Wed 3rd Jan 2024 |
| Mentees Notified | Friday 12th Jan 2024 |
| Mentoring Starts | Monday 5th Feb 2024 |
Pricing
| Mentorship fee (including tax) | $899 |
Payments will be made via bank transfer.
For any other enquiries please email info@lunaracademy.co
Applications are closed