Testimonials

After doing the great stickman course, I had totally trust in the course and in Alison.

I learned a lot. Things like this:

• "In cartoonland is everything possible"
• Out of mess you get the most beautiful drawings. When I not think before what I wanna draw exact, it just coming out of your pencil.
• Directly drawing on the iPad.

What I liked best about the course

The last week, I was so surprised about the things coming out of my pencil. Before I would look to my white paper, look again… and take a lot of time before starting. Now, all over the day, idea’s popping up in my head and sometimes just sitting on the bank with the iPad or with a piece of paper, [ideas] just coming out of my pencil.

I would recommend the course for ...

...everybody who wants to build up more drawing skills.

Instead, I learned valuable skills, and I've increased my confidence that I will learn to draw to a level that pleases me. (I'm not there yet, but I've made great progress).

The feature I liked best about the course

I liked the "decoding" aspect, how Alison taught us how to see circles and other shapes in familiar images (and in negative space as well).

I liked the specific homework assignments, though I sometimes struggled to do them daily.

About other benefits of the course:

• The videos allowed me to see [Alison] do the work [she] was asking me to attempt.
• Having both written and video instructions was helpful.
• The circley-circle pigs assignment created early success. And early success can be a big factor in helping people stay motivated, so that was terrific.

I'd recommend the course for anyone who'd like to improve their cartooning skills

The skills build upon each other, so you'll keep applying the insights from earlier lessons as you learn new concepts, but the guidelines are specific and clear so it doesn't feel like you have a million things you need to remember for every assignment.

I think this is a course for people with more than a passing interest in cartooning. It is not a long course and you really need to be willing to carve out a little time each day. It is easy to feel like you are falling behind. It helps to make the decision at the beginning that you are not going to let that bother you when you do.

I thought the process was very good. Alison didn't try to stuff too much in and overload. And I liked the pacing. The first day of really doing nothing but reading what you should be doing for the week was a great way for me to start.

I didn't really know what I was buying, if I'm honest - the name of the course confused me at first! Now, I think it's a very accurate name ("decoding" really is what I have learned) and I know I can figure out any cartoon, given a bit of time and a few attempts to refine what I'm doing.

I used to dread art class at school and felt utterly hopeless with paint, pens, pencils or anything else arty. Doing this course has given me the confidence to tackle and even pose more complex cartoon characters than I imagined I'd be able to do.

I liked [learning] quite quickly how to draw resemblances of admired cartoons. And knowing this skill can be used on any cartoon illustration and eventually used in creative ways to explore coming up with your own stuff.

I'd recommend this course to any beginner cartoonists. A great way to get basic building blocks to see how cartoon characters are put together and to start making your own. I'd say to expect structure and method. No experience necessary.

I was concerned that I would not find enough time within my current full schedule, but I took one day at a time and often worked just 15 to 20 minute sessions, where I could fit them in my plan. 

In the very first painting video I realised that I'd been using the wrong brush to erase with. This saves me lots of time because it is more accurate.

As I became fluent with Fast Colour's workflow, I was shaving minutes off the time it took to create my daily cartoons.

The follow-along instructional videos were the highlight of the course. 

The videos were excellent, they made me excited to keep coming back tomorrow to practice this new work flow.

I still go back over them while working on an element that I've not attempted recently. The videos give specific opacities and brush sizes to achieve the best results.

• The ability to work at my own pace was a massive benefit for my life right now. 
• Going through videos a second and third time as I worked it out on the iPad was helpful. 
• And learning to use the Power of Three with Colour helped me create the perfect colour palette for my cartoons.

I would recommend the course to everyone that uses Procreate for illustrations.

I feel confident now that I'm using the right colours for my cartoons, so I'm not wasting time second-guessing my work. I think artists of all skill levels would benefit from taking this course.

I don’t mind spending time on my cartoons as long as the end product looks good. But mine did not.

My colors seemed pale and lifeless. I didn’t know how to get the effects that I wanted. I was using so many small brushstrokes and when I made the brush bigger, things seemed to spiral out of control. I had so many questions and all of this was just making me crazy.

My cartoons look so much better now

From the first few lessons I could see a big difference in the way I was approaching the process of coloring. Reducing the time it took to color. But more importantly the colors were beautiful. Vibrant. Lively. And had texture. This course was amazing.

The specific feature that I like most is...

Alison has a portion in the course where she teaches about how to color hair. It’s fantastic. Hair can be very difficult to figure out how to do. The process she walks us through can be adapted to almost any type of hairstyle and it makes a huge difference in the look of your finished cartoon.

Three other benefits of the course would be:

Alison does not take for granted that you know what she knows. She gives background on color and how she approaches it. Starting at the beginning is so important.
A person can get lost just trying to find the right brush. Alison picks a handful that she uses most and teaches how to use them. These can be difficult to control but she demonstrates how to control each one so that you can work faster and with more confidence.
Alison also shows how you can set up the layers to be more efficient.  Having a reliable system saves time and mental energy.

This course is for you if: you’ve been struggling with a coloring process, brush thickness, brush opacity or just are unhappy with the way your cartoons look after spending time coloring them.

I think even if you’ve been coloring for a while using Procreate some of the tips that Alison shares may help you. There may be things you have forgotten or never used properly. I highly recommend this course.

Previously I used more solid colours because I didn't know what I was doing with the watercolour-type painting.

I already feel more confident with the dabbing, swirling and building up colours gradually.

This is such a useful course.

Before I started, my palettes were too numerous and chaotic, way too many to be able to use and track with any sort of efficiency.

The training about organizing for usefulness and consistency was exactly what I needed.

Simplification! 

Before I would use a lot of black and white cartoons because colouring was very time consuming. With these new techniques, I'm colouring a lot faster and enjoying it more.

When I compare my [old vs. new] colour schemes side by side, the old ones just look bland now.

… but the potential is so much greater and the ability to adjust through the process is perfect for me.

I specifically bought an iPad and Apple pen for this course and use them multiple times daily. Going digital expanded everything for me! As well as not having to get watercolors out and having my cat sit on wet paint!

I found free videos [on YouTube] that were so fast that although I could duplicate the image, I didn't learn the fine points or the reasons for doing things.

The YouTube videos actually underlined the value of Alison's course by what they lacked... in the Procreate Parachute she has the whole package, with solid teaching and exercises.

and delaying solved my husband's problem of what to buy me for Christmas!

Looking back, the early exercises I did to get going with cartooning would also have been a great way to practise with Procreate. Switching [from pencil and paper, later] did throw a huge learning curve-ball into an already-busy time.

And you will also have a quite precise idea on how to get there! In a week you can get a more systematic approach to your drawings.

It’s many little things, but all together they put you on a right track to plan better layers and colours.

So for the “professional” look of my drawings, I strongly suggest Ali’s course on Procreate.

I tried out all the practical tips, watched the videos and decided I wanted more of the same.

I finished this short course in one day.

It worked out fabulously well.

I created a little character and I have the template for creating more. It’s so exciting because I can see immediate results! I’m now creating cartoon characters for the whole family.

What I liked most was that it felt really personalised ...

… not just a cookie-cutter course where I might not even have existed.

Other benefits:

I bought the Premium version so I received a wonderfully detailed video presentation from Alison explaining ways to improve my character, as well as areas where I had done well. She gave me great feedback — much more than I expected.

I have already created my first full cartoon scene which I have shared with family and friends and I now have the confidence to explore and create in an area of expression which I have always wanted to try.

Anyone can do this — as long as they can draw a stick figure.

I’m so happy I did it, this is something that I have wanted to do for many years.

The course way exceeded my expectations

Alison offers a wonderful, professional and friendly service.

I worked through the course a few weeks ago and was astounded at what I learned in a short amount of time; Alison expertly walks you through the essentials you need for cartooning.
And even though I’m not ‘there’ yet with coloring, I loved the watercolor sections.
Anyway, if you want to use Procreate for cartooning (and it is the best app) then I heartily recommend Alison’s course, it will save you loads of time and trouble.

She totally demystifies the software, especially given that I’ve never used Photoshop. I love it that these videos are bite sized and very clear. The video about how many layers to use was really a winner for me, as it has made quite a few things "uncomplicated"

The color palette from a reference is also a huge eyeopener. I'm doing this by eye all the time. And I can see in the video with the choosing that a human eye is not very accurate. This helps A LOT!!

There’s a big difference in what I produced on my own just playing around compared to what I’ve learned and created with this in a short period of time. Major improvements! The videos were extraordinarily helpful in understanding the basics and making getting started painless. I appreciate that the videos are short...no overwhelm ????

Before each section he explains the purpose of the exercise and the importance of the small details.

He takes time to listen and address each question.

Even though I’m not the most talented artist I could gain confidence in my drawings.

I loved how Rob broke everything down into simple blocks. I tend to spend all my time concentrating on getting technically good {at cartooning} so coming up with ideas was just another (hard) thing to do. Rob made it much easier.

I gained a new skill involving creativity. I now have some techniques I can use whenever I’m stuck for ideas — and not just in cartooning, but everything. It also meant I kept drawing, because when I’m busy, that’s the first thing to slide. Then I miss it.

I’d recommend this course to anyone who does anything creative, for fun or for business. Especially artists and cartoonists, but writers and musicians too, would benefit. Because idea generation is incredibly important, but it’s not something we tend to focus on without a push.

Everything is creative, even the most mundane-seeming stuff. But coming up with ideas is super-difficult…

I have been learning and reflecting a lot on Alison’s teaching methods and how I can implement some of it in my language teaching. She is an excellent teacher!

Always crystal-clear assignments, great observations. She's able to make you a better cartoonist, fast.

I would describe her as exceptionally grounded, focused, insightful, committed, informed, and articulate. She helped me to connect with my vision, take chances, and grow as an artist. To say that I feel lucky to be her student is an understatement.

Some of my attempts were desperately poor. So what. That's all OK, a simple tiny correction indicated by Ali, and shockingly it really was so much better.

Some, I thought were fabulous. So what. A simple tiny correction indicated by Ali and I realised that attention to detail could be a little more important.

Ali gives a gentle nudge and an encouraging word with practical tips - sometimes a video, sometimes a correction on your own drawing. She's looking out for you (and everyone) and drips feeds us with little learnings to take us one more step forward.

So timely, helpful and always encouraging. Her commitment is amazing - how she manages to review everyones work so well every day is a miracle and I want to thank her from the bottom of my heart. She has made me believe in myself - because of her I might even be close to taming my inner perfectionist dickhead!

The guidance was always specific and actionable. The regular learnings, rants and videos were always succinct and revealing. I didn't miss one as far as I know. Alison was there especially when students were struggling to get the work done or slacking off a bit. Always kind and welcoming I feel like Alison excels at creating a safe space for each and every student.

Supportive and open minded human (which really helps when you have to bring out your inner fears and emotions).

In today’s marketing and didactic often praising the customer/student is the first point. So we are used of being over praised, even when it is not necessary. Like “good question, thanks for the observation, wonderful comment, however... great! Awesome! Gorgeous!”. Alison is always kind and always thankful for questions and observations, but she doesn’t over-do this. She encourage and praise, but not as a rule to be applied first that everything else. So at first the conversation seems a bit dry, different from what we are used online. Then we realize that it is very human and natural. Kind and supportive without exceeding and feeling false. This is very important to build the relationship and make you feel in good hands.

Alison is patient and candid. She is supportive and encouraging, but as expected of a great coach and instructor, she shows you what you are doing wrong and/or how you can improve your drawings. This was particularly important as we began to create our own images, rather than copying others’ cartoons.

I especially enjoyed when she was able to comment or “redraw” directly on our drawings. I would think someone’s cartoon was great, and then it was interesting to see how the smallest thing could make a big improvement to it. It is especially impressive that she was able to offer meaningful and supportive feedback across the many different styles that we were developing individually.

Before I started I was of the opinion, that at the most I can copy some easy drawings in acrylic if the process is shown step by step. I never thought, I could draw cartoons or I could have my own ideas.

Therefore I would say: don’t worry if you think you are not good at drawing. If you are interested in it, that’s enough. Trust the process. Make mistakes and learn from them. I never would have thought, that mistakes are that important.

I nearly forgot to mention that I started using my own cartoons much earlier than I ever thought for my blog.

I can’t describe Alison as a teacher because a great teacher cannot be described in words. Their mentoring has to be experienced. Alison’s teaching methods and feedback loops are outstanding. She’s very precise to point out where and how you can improve, but you don’t feel judged. She is highly encouraging and adept at advancing you from one stage to the next.

Alison is flat-out amazing as a teacher. I would describe her as exceptionally focused, insightful, committed, informed, and articulate. She helped me to connect with my vision, take chances, and grow as an artist. To say that I feel lucky to be her student is an understatement.

Alison has the balance spot-on when it comes to creating a course. The instructions are specific enough that you're in no doubt what you need to do, but with enough leeway to allow you to interpret the assignment in your own way.

Alison is a fantastic teacher. She gives you the exact feedback you need. It's extraordinary how quick she sees what you need. Not only technically but also mentally. When there is something people struggle with, she creates an insightful video which helps you go on. She's a great and skillfull mentor!

To anyone who thinks he or she can't draw I would say that they just forgot how to draw. That I experienced in a group of about 20 people (on the Da Vinci course), everyone made huge steps. Drawing is a skill that can be (re)learned without any doubt.

That course is great if you want to illustrate your own ebooks and blog articles. If you want to help your customers 'see' what you mean instead of only saying or writing it. It's also great for people who want to experience the feeling they used to have while drawing as a child. It's kind of meditative. A wonderful break in the day.

Alison is not only an excellent teacher but a great coach. She creates video, provides examples and has a wealth of cartooning knowledge and techniques to share. She is super positive and approachable.

Drawing is not a magical gift only some people possess. Drawing is a skill anyone can learn. You only become good through practice and consistent effort. But like any course or new endeavour, you have to make time to do the work.

I really struggled with creating my own characters. I was afraid I had no imagination, and that I would end up being totally derivative and just copying forever.

But the turning point came for me when I started illustrating my daily emails and that was a game changer. It meant I never ran out of ideas and I developed deeper, more interesting characters.

Everyone learns at a different pace, and some are better at some things than others — but everyone alongside me has learned to draw good cartoons in their own style.

First when I looked at her website before booking the course I was a bit disappointed because her style was not mine and I had the fear that she could influence us to draw in her style. But that didn't turn out that way. She accepted every style and gave individual advice.

As my character was ‘born’ all my preconceptions gave way, and I experienced (creative) freedom.

There was a part of me that still felt “Max” (my character) was too simple and two-dimensional but I took that feeling and channelled it to making him a really animated and experiential character. He has evolved a lot and will continue to do so.

The process of making him gave me the experience of being a creator.