cartoon drawing

SCHOOL OF CARTOON ARTISTRY: Cartoon Workshops Designed To Make You THINK!

In 2013 I began to synthesise a range of teaching techniques I’d been testing & refining over many years, into a process I called thINK Draw Connect Learn, or thINK for short. You can read more about thINK here. The thINK Process includes deconstructing drawing into abstract ‘Elements‘ and modelling how these simple building blocks

SCHOOL OF CARTOON ARTISTRY: Cartoon Workshops Designed To Make You THINK! Read More »

thINK Draw Connect Learn

A DIFFERENT WAY TO thINK ABOUT DRAWING thINK is an educational drawing process and a set of creative learning tools I developed as a metacognitive teaching model for my students.  It evolved over a lifetime of deep observation of my own drawing processes, and decades of teaching creative thinking via the art of cartoon drawing. 

thINK Draw Connect Learn Read More »

Creative Communication: Cartooning for Emotional Literacy

Plenty of cartoonists have offered ‘how-to-draw’ workshops on ways to capture emotion in cartoon faces.  Often the ‘workshop’ is more of a demonstration or performance – the style is quick and sketchy, a quick fix aimed at entertainment rather than learning, and usually intended to promote the cartoonist’s latest book or other product. Of course,

Creative Communication: Cartooning for Emotional Literacy Read More »

Murals & public art

It took me many years to get used to drawing on any kind of large scale, especially anything larger than A2 size. Several different experiences helped free me up in this area; in particular, when I began running cartoon workshops in schools, drawing on large blackboards (remember them?) and whiteboards in front of a class.

Murals & public art Read More »

Publishing Projects: Bruny Island PS artist residencies 2001 / 2004

Bruny Island Holiday Book:  In early 2001 I moved from Melbourne to the isolated rural community of Bruny Island in Southern Tasmania.  I quickly developed an ongoing creative relationship with the small local primary school, which averaged about 30 students.  Then-principal Gay Cumming secured funding for a Numeracy & Literacy Artist-in-Residence project – I provided

Publishing Projects: Bruny Island PS artist residencies 2001 / 2004 Read More »

Cartoon Illustration – Knox City Council (2007 – 2016)

Community arts, health & well-being and education seem to be where I gravitate in my creative work.  Over the last 20 years I’ve often been engaged by councils, usually via their Community Arts or Community Development teams, to facilitate workshops, youth or community arts projects, or provide illustration such as promotional art, logo design &

Cartoon Illustration – Knox City Council (2007 – 2016) Read More »

Cartoon Illustration – Bushfire Press (2000 – 2016)

One of my most enduring creative relationships was as in-house illustrator & creative consultant for music education publishers Bushfire Press.   Bushfire Press are a passionate team of ex-music teachers / musicians, who began writing & publishing Performing Arts resources for primary & secondary schools in the late 80s.  My work for them has included a

Cartoon Illustration – Bushfire Press (2000 – 2016) Read More »

Visual Scribe @ Relationships Australia (TAS) Conference, Hobart

In Oct 2015, Relationships Australia Tas employed me as a “visual mapper”, to illustrate in realtime the core themes and ideas that emerged from their annual 2-Day conference of 150 employees from around the state.  I stood at the back of the room, listening, observing, interpreting & translating into symbolic images & key words.  At

Visual Scribe @ Relationships Australia (TAS) Conference, Hobart Read More »

Visual Scribe @ Calvary Palliative Care schools pilot program 2016

Following my experience as visual scribe at Calvary Hospital’s Death Café in 2015, one of the organisers Belinda Clarke approached me about being involved in an innovative pilot program she had devised in partnership with Calvary Hospital & two Hobart high schools.A group of Yr 12 girls who were considering a career in nursing, were

Visual Scribe @ Calvary Palliative Care schools pilot program 2016 Read More »

April 10 & 11, 2015 – Cartooning @ Moonah Arts Centre (Tas)

Just had a great couple of cartooning workshops at the brand-spanking new Moonah Arts Centre, which opened recently.  The new MAC building is quite a departure from the old space – lots of post-modern concrete & steel, with that MONA sheen that’s become a popular aesthetic around town.  The new design offers much more space

April 10 & 11, 2015 – Cartooning @ Moonah Arts Centre (Tas) Read More »

6-WEEK CREATIVE CARTOONING COURSE / Apr 22 – May 27

DRAW YOUR WILDEST IMAGININGS! @ MOONAH ARTS CENTRE, 27 Albert St, Moonah It’s back!  I’m very pleased to be able to offer another after-school Creative Cartooning Course in Term 2, this time at the fantastic new Moonah Arts Centre!  Last year’s Courses were very well-received, with the students really extending their skills & developing their

6-WEEK CREATIVE CARTOONING COURSE / Apr 22 – May 27 Read More »

thINK DRAW CONNECT LEARN – Drawing Residency, Cygnet Primary, May 2014

“Bradfield came to Cygnet Primary much celebrated and recommended. Many of our students had been to his workshops in the past and when his name was mentioned were especially excited. The workshops explored line-making and observation. All the students were engaged by Bradfield’s guided drawing sessions and he lead them gently and respectfully through different

thINK DRAW CONNECT LEARN – Drawing Residency, Cygnet Primary, May 2014 Read More »

Melbourne Holiday Workshops, Sept 2013 – Cheltenham Community Centre

Another workshop in my whirlwind mini-tour of Glen Eira!  This one came about after a suggestion by Philippa from the Glen Eira Adult Learning Centre, where I was also running workshops this week.  Cheltenham Community Centre run a school holiday care & an activities program, and the program co-ordinator Tammy invited me in to be

Melbourne Holiday Workshops, Sept 2013 – Cheltenham Community Centre Read More »

Melbourne Holiday Workshops, Sept 2013 – Glen Eira Adult Learning Centre

These holidays I trialled a couple of holiday cartoon workshops in the cozy quarters of the Glen Eira Adult Learning Centre in Ormond.  The Centre runs fantastic life & work skills programs for adults, especially working with the local migrant community, and GEALC Manager Philippa Caris is clearly a passionate teacher who cares about her

Melbourne Holiday Workshops, Sept 2013 – Glen Eira Adult Learning Centre Read More »

Northern Tasmanian Tour, Sept 9 – 12 – pt 4: Waverley Primary School, TAS

Sept 12, 2013 After my 3 days up in Penguin, it was time to head South, halfway back down the state to Waverley, near Launceston.  Tony Brazendale, the exuberant principal of Waverley Primary, had been very excited about his students having some Creative Communication workshops.  Waverley PS works with one of the most challenging demographics

Northern Tasmanian Tour, Sept 9 – 12 – pt 4: Waverley Primary School, TAS Read More »

Northern Tasmanian Tour, Sept 9 – 12 – pt 3: Montello Primary School, TAS

Sept 9, 10 & 11, 2013 So after the morning session at Penguin High, I scooted 20 mins down the road to Burnie, to spend the rest of the day cartooning at Montello Primary School, at the request of the wonderful Josie Courto.  Josie had invited me to be artist-in-residence over 3 days, working with

Northern Tasmanian Tour, Sept 9 – 12 – pt 3: Montello Primary School, TAS Read More »

Northern Tasmanian Tour, Sept 9 – 12 – pt 2: Penguin High School, TAS

Sept 9 & 10, 2013 For the Mon & Tues of my visit up North, I began each day with a 2-hour workshop at Penguin High School.  The focus was Creative Communication, and I was working with a small group of Additional Needs students, a mix of pretty high-functioning kids with various developmental or learning

Northern Tasmanian Tour, Sept 9 – 12 – pt 2: Penguin High School, TAS Read More »