ACADEMY
MASTERCLASS
2027
BERLIN
10 days in May 2027
Since 2013, Pictoplasma welcomes a limited group of participants selected upon application for a unique 10-day intensive Character Development Course. Supervised by Academy professors Rilla Alexander and Nathan Jurevicius, daily hands-on workshops and exercises challenge participants to bring their artistic character skills to the next level, discover new ideas, battle procrastination, understand a diverse range of techniques and media, work out and highlight the visual essence of their creation and refine its narrational and conceptual framework.
Additionally, acclaimed international artists and professionals join the group to give inspiring incentives, act as mentors and additional critics to presentations by participants, and offer insight on aspects such as copyright, licensing, promotion and production.
Essential part of the experience is the lively exchange in the group, with further cultural programs and excursions in the evenings, all leading to the ’embedded’ participation in the Pictoplasma Conference and Festival, including all lectures, screenings, further workshops, and plenty of opportunities to network with industry professionals.
DEADLINE TO APPLY IS February 1, 2027
PARTICIPATION INCLUDES:
10 INTENSE DAYS IN BERLIN WITH THE FOCUS ON DEVELOPING YOUR OWN CHARACTERS UNDER PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE DURING DAILY WORKSHOPS, LECTURES AND EXCURSIONS!
INCLUDES A FULL TICKET FOR THE 23. PICTOPLASMA BERLIN CONFERENCE, WITH ACCESS TO ALL ARTIST TALKS, PANELS, SCREENINGS, WORKSHOPS, EXHIBITIONS, ART HAPPENINGS AND PARTIES.
ACADEMY TUTORS & TEACHERS:
Rilla Alexander
USA, AU
Academy Professor, Author, illustrator, designer and picture book maker
Nathan Jurevicius
CA, AU
Academy Professor, artist, illustrator, author and toy designer
Philip Hunt / Studio Aka
UK
Academy Teacher, director, creative director of London-based Studio AKA
MASTERCLASS
SCHEDULE:
DAY 1 – 3
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT,
BIOGRAPHY, VOLUME,
WORLDS & BIBLE
Rilla Alexander and Nathan Jurevicius introduce you to concepts on how to refine the visual essence of your characters while exploring their main graphical value. These intense four days will be a back and forth of presentations and drawing exercises, constant individual feedback and group discussions.
DAY 4 – 5
CHARACTER DRIVEN
STORY TELLING AND
NARRATION
Philip Hunt from acclaimed Studio aka throws you in the lion’s cage of story-telling: discuss your storyboard sketches, pitch your concepts and get help to refine your very own narration. The sessions are extended by practical exercises on visual storytelling, and how to set up your characters’ attributes to enable strong stories and memorable encounters.
DAY 6
COPYRIGHT,
MARKETS,
SELF-PROMOTION
Rilla and Nathan share valuable insight on aspects such as copyright, trademark, media law, licensing, promotion and production.
DAY 7 – 9
CONFERENCE
MEET-UP
AND MENTORING
As a group, you will start each day of the conference by meeting up with your main professors, Rilla and Nathan, to discuss what to expect from the day and how to benefit most from the programe and workshops.
DAY 10
POST-CONFERENCE
RECAP
On the final Sunday following the conference, you will join once again in the group for an overall recap of the experience and discussion on how to move on. The challenge lies in how to keep the energy and experience alive in your day-to-day routine. We will help you define possible milestones for your work and provide tools for how to continue to profit from another in a group.
APPLY FOR THE
PICTOPLASMA
ACADEMY 2027!
HOW TO APPLY
YOUR APPLICATION SHOULD CONSIST OF 2 PARTS:
#1: a brief CV, including:
– your full legal name,
– your nationality,
– your date of birth,
– your full current postal address,
– a URL to your online portfolio or website,
– and your degree of experience.
#2: some reference images of your previous work and general style.
Please send all above material as one PDF FILE (screen resolution) via > EMAIL > academy2027(at)pictoplasma(dot)com
APPLICATION DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 1, 2027.
All applications will be reviewed by the Academy’s tutors during the first weeks of February. Selected applicants will be notified via Email by the 10th of February.
FEES
The fee for the 10 day character development course is 1.360,00€ (incl. VAT*) per participant and includes a full ticket to the Pictoplasma Berlin Conference and Festival.
The fee will be invoiced by Pictoplasma during the last week of February, to be paid in full via international bank transfer upon receipt of acceptance within 2 weeks. All needed studio materials for the workshops and a healthy, vegetarian lunch will be provided.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
1. The minimum of participants per Academy course/group is 20 persons.
2. The maximum of participants per Academy course/group is 50 persons.
3. In the event of a cancellation made by Pictoplasma, the participant’s event fee will be fully reimbursed. We will however not be held liable for any claims over and above the reimbursement of the said participant’s event fee, except in cases of intent or gross negligence.
4. In the case of cancellation by a participant, the advance payment will be reimbursed, if we are notified before March 31. In case of later notification we won’t be able to reimburse the payment.
PICTOPLASMA
ACADEMY
CAMPUS
exRotaprint
(Projekrraum)
Gottschedstr. 4
13357 Berlin
The Pictoplasma Academy Masterclass takes place at the beautiful “Glaskiste” project room of exRotaprint, a light, sunny, transparent glass architecture from 1956, located within the area of a former print machine manufacturer – with an on-site canteen serving our daily lunch (vegetarian
The venue is not only equipped to meet all of the courses, lectures and workshop requirements, but also offers a welcome “campus” feeling and a warm, friendly atmosphere.
About
With an exclusive faculty and advisory board made up by the world’s most talented and leading character creators and producers, the Pictoplasma Academy offers unique programs for further education and exchange.
Since 2013 a series of annual masterclasses, short courses and summer schools invite a selected group of international graduate students and young professionals to kick-start their careers as character designers in close collaboration with industry leading artists, filmmakers and producers.
FREQUENTLY
ASKED
QUESTIONS …
… and a hand full of answers:
TESTIMONIALS
Roberto Fantauzzi, USA
“The Academy was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It was an intense, productive, challenging and eye-opening week that was up to par with my higher education. I reached a new level of understanding and design in my work. The professional and personal bonds we created between the 40 other attendees, tutors and artists was unparalleled. I discovered something amazing. I felt at home.”
Kami Goertz, Canada, Alumna 2016
Syl Hillier, Switzerland
“If the Pictoplasma Conference & Festival feels like watching a crazy colorful train packed with amazingly inspiring characters riding through a psychedelic wonderland like landscape, imagine the Pictoplasma Academy like getting on that train and riding it through your own head – in a good way. So I suggest you brace yourself for the treat of your life and make sure you get a ticket to that train!”
Kevin Hamon, France, Alumnus 2015
ParraToro, Argentina
“The Pictoplasma Academy has been one of my best life experiences, the main asset I got, is that they really encouraged me to trust myself, and now I am making a career on contemporary character design and arts…
I recommend to any artist interested on developing character design experimentation to join the academy as a must-be for their career.”
Swantje Wenz, UK
“The Pictoplasma Academy is an amazing opportunity to share your ideas, develop new skills and to deepen your understanding for character design. The workshops are a wonderful playground to try out different things. The Academy experience pushed me creatively and personally to a new level, making me believe in my ideas and myself as an artist, truly changing my life. Peter and Lars, the tutors Rilla and Nathan, as well as all the mentors and everyone who helped organising the Academy were simply amazing! Above all, there was a true sense of community between all participants. So much love, so many hugs!”
Monika Mitkute, Ireland, Alumna 2015
Rodrigo Aguilar, Guatemala
“… I received advice from people who I admire and never thought I could get to know in person. Now I’m exhibiting with a group of amazing international artists who inspire me and motivate me to keep creating. Also here in Guatemala I have the opportunity to encourage more illustrators and introduce to them what is Pictoplasma. And I’m very very happy about that, because each of us in every corner of the world became ambassadors of the characters thanks to this incredible academy”
Tartaruga Feliz, Brasil
“… Pictoplasma Academy is amazing because its not just about bringing new information and the best people close to you – it sublimates the knowledge you already have. It’s a wild and profound one-week trip that highlights the path to creating characters that are full of the most important ingredient: you.”
Muxxi, Guatemala, Alumna 2013
Pabs aka Pablo Fernández del Castillo, Spain
“Sharing my passion for characters with 40 colleagues from all over the world, talking one-to-one with my tutor about my work and receiving the knowledge from amazing world-renowned artists made Pictoplasma Academy one of the best experiences of my life.”
Claudia Six, Austria
“For almost thirty years I’ve been in love with characters, fantasies and everything that comes with it, and I felt like a bit of an odd one out. But then I discovered Pictoplasma and now I know that I am not alone, and with the Pictoplasma Academy, I found a family.”
Garry Buckley, New Zealand, Alumnus 2014
Lalalaura, Sweden
“The academy was an epic and intense week where my mind was blown numerous times, daily, and I left super exhausted but so excited to make things. It was ace to share this passion with a ridiculously talented and different bunch of people …”
Diego Cumplido, Chile
“Going to the Pictoplasma Academy was a life-changing and tremendously enjoyable experience, the tutors and teachers where first-rate, as also were my fellow students: very talented people from all around the world, with a wide range of variety between their approaches to character art and design. The feedback I got from sharing with all this guys was crazy valuable and I wouldn’t change it for anything. Great classes, great morning talks, great conversation at lunch, great everything: it felt perfect. And the autumn in Berlin was beautiful, I’ll miss those yellow leaves all around.”
Fabio Tonetto, Italy, Alumnus 2013
Yasmin Sheikh, The Netherlands
“I’ve been working as an illustrator for a few years now, but I really felt the need to push myself to the next level. So I applied to the Pictoplasma Academy in 2013. It was the best choice I ever made. You learn so soooo much about character design from your teachers… which happened to be people you admire too! They give you a lot of personal attention and are really helping you to see things in a different light to push you and your work further.
Keep in mind that this course is intense; you’ll have to work your butt off for 8 really long days and after that for months to finish your piece for the group show. But it’s worth every minute you put into it. On top of that; you get to work alongside your classmates who are also really talented and inspiring. I made friends for life here.
Attending the Pictoplasma Academy was a live changer for me. I recommend it to anyone who is willing to work hard to better their character design skills.”
Pictoplasma
“After 10 years of closely collaborating with the world’s most innovative and outstanding artists, designers and character creators, we are thrilled to bring the experience, knowledge and expertise of our conferences and festivals to a new level of inspiration and intensity at the Pictoplasma Academy.”
Esra Gülmen, Turkey, Alumna 2015