The May 2019 course is sold out. Email Alison if you’d like to be considered for a place if someone else drops out before the start.
The Idea-Nator Cartoon Ideas Course
Learn how to generate an endless stream of cartoon drawing ideas.
There are books about this but instead of giving you actionable advice they seem to ramble. They show you clever cartoons, but they don’t really explain the mental leaps involved in coming up with the ideas.
Your first cartoon idea is unlikely to be ‘the’ one
You need to come up with LOTS of ideas so that the good ones have time to float up from your subconscious. But when you sit down and sharpen your pencil, it’s like trying to scale a smooth wall. (And sadly there’s no writing appearing on it).
What if you could find a foolproof way to generate oodles of inspiration, daily?
Using a systematic way to churn out ideas would be such a relief. And because idea generation is a muscle you can strengthen through the right practice, you can release a growing snowball of possibilities once you start.
Introducing the Idea-Nator Cartoon Ideas Course
(Making sure you never again run short of cartooning inspiration)
The Idea-Nator Course is an opportunity to dive into systems you can use to generate many, many cartoon ideas, even if you’re just getting started on this path.
Once you master the first steps you’ll be amazed at how one simple idea gives rise to more (and better) ideas. You’ll generate lists of ideas in a surprisingly short space of time. And seeing the ideas of the people around will you add even more fuel to your creative fire.
How the Idea-Nator course works
The Idea-Nator Course is based on three things: using systematic approaches to stimulate creative thought, riffing off old ideas in innovative ways, and daily practice.
Using systematic approaches to stimulate creative thought
Different brains work in different ways, but all human brains are wired to identify patterns and connections. The Idea-Nator introduces you to a number of ways to get your first ideas, so that you can find the method that works for you to generate more and more (or mix the methods up and create a new one that works specially for you).
Using classic ideas in new ways
A Hollywood director once said that there are only seven possible storylines for a movie, and they have all been done before. Similarly there are classic gag cartoon scenarios (such as those set on desert islands or psychologists’ couches!) and yet it’s still possible, even advisable, to reinvent them. The Idea-Nator course gets you started on this entertaining path.
Supervised daily practice
You can read about stuff and think about stuff, but in the end, it’s doing stuff for yourself that builds skill. The Idea-Nator course enables you to practice cartoon drawing ideas five days a week, and put what you are learning to good use. The encouraging eye of tutor Rob Middleton will keep you on track.
What if you can’t draw like a pro?
Gerald the Goat is the Teacher’s Pet on the course. He’ll show you how simple drawings + good ideas are enough to get people laughing.
If your drawing skills are stagnating because you don’t have enough cartoon drawing ideas to keep them growing, well then, exercising your idea-generating muscles is the smart thing to do, right?
What’s inside & how does it work?
1) When does it begin and what is the duration?
The course starts 6 May 2019 and runs till 14 June 2019. Four solid weeks of teaching, with a week at the start to ramp up to speed, and a week at the end to clear up any lingering problems and (very important) map your way forward.
2) What materials will I need?
Whatever you normally draw with. It can be pencil and paper, pen and ink, watercolours, digital devices. As long as you can take a photo or save an image and upload it to the forum, you are golden.
3) How is the course conducted?
Assignments are a combination of notes, examples and exercises in our private forum, and feedback is provided daily by tutor Rob Middleton. No need to be available at any particular time, simply show up in your own time zone and post your work for Rob’s feedback. Then take a look at your team mates’ work each day to amp up your own learning and inspiration.
4) How much time will I need each day?
15-30 minutes to think and draw, Monday to Friday. Plus time to visit 3 or more of your 10 team-mates, to absorb inspiration and learn subconsciously from their efforts. So ideally, 30 minutes. Interestingly, having a time limit actually makes you more creative, not less. Handy! You’ll be surprised.
5) Is there a money-back guarantee?
Rob works 1:1 with every participant daily and we limit the numbers to a maximum of 10. If you show up and do the work, we know you’ll make superb progress. So no, there’s no money-back guarantee on this one.
6) How do I join? Where do I pay?
There are TWO options, Basic and Premium.
| Basic | Premium | |
|---|---|---|
| 6 weeks supervised coursework, Mon-Fri | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cartoon Ideas Generator e-book | – | ✓ |
| Rob’s ‘exit output’ — individual guidance about ‘where to from here’ to ensure your skills keep growing beyond the course. | – | ✓ |
| Special Price | $180 | $200 |
That’s me, Alison, at the Tintin Museum in Belgium!
I’ve worked with Rob since 2016 (daily, for a lot of that time) and I know you are in safe hands with him when it comes to cartooning ideas.
This is me, Alison, at the Tintin Museum in Belgium!
I’ve worked with Rob since 2016 (daily, for a lot of that time) and I know you are in safe hands with him when it comes to cartooning ideas.
Meet Rob
What do other people say about Rob and this course?
I’d recommend this course to anyone who does anything creative
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…
Rob creates an atmosphere that is both fun and relaxing
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.