Leila offers in-school and after-school animation, cartooning and graphic novel creation classes and workshops for students in grades 2-12, both in person and virtually. Her residencies have been approved by the Superintendent’s Committee for Performances in Montgomery County Public Schools. She is on the Maryland State Arts Council’s Teaching Artists Roster. Leila also teaches young people at Glen Echo Park and young people and adults through Montgomery County Public Libraries. Her classes and workshops have been supported by numerous grants from the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County and the Maryland State Arts Council. Contact Leila for her current class schedule.
Students in Leila’s school residencies have created graphic novel pages on a variety of themes, among them fairy tales, key events in the Civil Rights Movement, and personal identity and relationships. Their award-winning animated videos have focused on the importance of recycling, the meaning of African adinkra symbols, the ethnic diversity of their school and the health benefits of walking. Students have also created and performed the musical and spoken soundtracks of their animated videos. Leila tailors her residencies to each school’s needs and time frame. She furnishes her specialized animation equipment for her classes.
Hands-on History of Animation
(one-hour workshop for young people and adults or one-day school residency working with an entire grade, grades 3-12)
Through the creation of three 19th-century optical toys—thaumatropes, zoetrope strips and flip-books—students will learn about the history, science and creative possibilities of two-dimensional animation.
Animation
(five-day residency working with an entire grade, grades 3-12, or five-session extracurricular class, two hours per session)
As students bring their drawings to life in their own collaborative video, they will learn about the history, science and art of two-dimensional animation. The school residency video typically focuses on a chosen curriculum topic and may connect to language arts, science, social studies or visual art. Watch “Take a Peek at the Chesapeake,” an animated video about the flora and fauna of the Chesapeake Bay created by 101 fifth graders at Clarksville Elementary School.
During the five-session extracurricular class, students explore various animation techniques, including flip-books and cut-paper animation. Watch “Animation at Glen Echo Park.”
Other student-created videos may be viewed on Leila’s YouTube Channel.
Graphic Novel Creation
(five-day residency working with an entire grade, grades 2-12, or five-session extracurricular class, two hours per session)
Students will write and illustrate their own graphic novel pages, using all the conventions of graphic novel storytelling: narration, dialogue, character design, dynamic page layouts and cinematic techniques. They will refine their rough pencil drawings into finished art with pen and ink and watercolor pencils. The subject of the story may be personal or may address a subject they are studying.
Cartooning
(five-session extracurricular class, ages 10-adult, two hours per session)
In this exploration of cartoon drawing, students will create their own original characters, caricatures, one–panel gag cartoons and comic strips, experiment with pen–and–ink techniques, create flip–books and play around with all the elements of a cartoon: figure and background drawing, perspective, lighting, lettering, composition and dialogue.
Community-based Illustration Residency or after-school class
(number of sessions will depend on the project)
Through their participation in this real-world project, students will learn the process and techniques of the professional illustrator as they create artwork that benefits their community. For example, students at A. Mario Loiederman Middle School and Wheaton High School created bilingual bookmarks that promote literacy and publicize the resources of Montgomery County Public Libraries, which printed and distributed the bookmarks to all of its branches. Watch the audio slide show “The Multicultural Bookmarks Project.”