Thursday, February 14, 2013

Meet the Instructor: Melanie Reim (New York City, USA)


Melanie Reim
New York City, USA

Melanie Reim is an award-winning illustrator with a sketchbook never far from her side. Since earning her MFA in Illustration from Syracuse University, she has illustrated for book publishers, advertising agencies, museums, magazines and major corporations.

Melanie has taught drawing and illustration on both graduate and undergraduate levels both in the US and abroad for over 15 years. She is the chairperson of the MFA in Illustration program at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, and Special Projects Coordinator, Interdisciplinary, for the Dean of the School of Art and Design, where she also teaches in the undergraduate illustration department. Her visual journals have been the subject of articles published out of London, UK, as well as Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic, her documentary work is part of the US Air Force Art Collection in the Pentagon in Washington, DC and is also featured in several books about drawing and illustration. Her work has appeared in many solo and group exhibitions.

Melanie is a 2006 Fulbright Scholar and is the recipient of a 2010 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Faculty Service and 2012 FIT President’s award for Student Centeredness. Melanie is on the Board of Directors at The Society of Illustrators in New York City as Education Chair, has served on the Board of Directors for ICON: The Illustration Conference 6, 7, and soon to be ICON 8, where she advocates for the rich and well-rounded education of illustration students everywhere, as they are the future of the industry.

You can see her drawings at sketchbookseduction.blogspot.com

Workshop D: Channeling Picasso

Channeling Picasso (Workshop D)


Instructor: Melanie Reim (New York City)
Location: Pla de la Boqueria, Rambla

Mention Pablo Picasso and the variety of reactions to his art is as varied as his art is. One could hardly think of being anywhere in Barcelona without having the aura of 
Mr. P surrounding us. It is a city where he spent much time making art.

This workshop will use the unique mark-making, compositions, effusiveness of character and moody values of Picasso’s more graphic works to emulate and integrate those aspects of his works to capture the great light of the city as well as the intricate markings of the architecture and animated characters of Barcelona.

Learning goals

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • utilize a variety of new and varied marks to create reportage drawings.
  • execute with black ink and brush with enough control to create
  • well-designed silhouettes.
  • create a reportage drawing that infuses life and character into capturing people in an animated setting.
  • design a reportage drawing with astute composition.


Supply list

Black waterproof ink, dip pen and/or cartridge pen, felt- tip, two- three cups for water, watercolor brushes, (numbers 1-3 or 4), paper towels or rag