Advice please

I am so excited! I registered for the Connecticut convention. Now I have to decide which classes I am taking. Some names I recognize, others not. I was hoping some of the experienced painters could offer feedback on the instructors. The choices are: Nick Wolfe, Gary Cole, Pashur, Jay Bautista (I know these names but what if I have to choose between them?), and Nora Susko, Kristi Darby, Christina Kerr Davison, Roberta Mandella, Kerry Ann, Sean Avram, Alison Kenyan, and Ezia Leach. Thank you!

wow--that sounds amazing---have FUN!
don't know anyu of hte names you didn't know---I guess google them and see who you like (could learn their style) from the best!

WOW!!!!
if your choice would be "Christina Davison" , i would take her!!! blinded....she was a student of Mark Reid whom i love everything he does.
i am so sorry to intrude i am certainly not an experienced painter but really really love her work. Please don't take me blindly, check her site.....google "amadazzle" or see her at silly farm on video.
I also like Kerry Ann she is from Philly i think.
not sure about the rest.

look at the fabatv previews to get an idea of their work

I LOVE Pashur and he's a very good instructor. Covers a lot of material and keeps good control of the classroom (so you can cover the material) Kerry Ann is the same way and I like her style (you have to see her kit to see that you CAN do fabulous with a small kit.) Christina is very talented and had a good way of breaking down designs so they are understandable. Nick is really good but might be a little overwhelming for a newbie but if you want boy designs he's really a must and actually has some fabulous swirly girl designs if you can catch that. Jay is a sweetheart but he kind of let the class lead him around a bit but I bet a year with Pashur has fixed that! He's fabulous at tribals and again, very kind. I don't know the rest. Gary taught also but I didn't hear any raves about his classes so they might be a little introductory.

Keep your ears open for "raves" about classes because an newer instructor might be sharing some FABULOUS stuff and no one will expect it until they go so don't be afraid to shift (I hope they'll let you) if you need to. Like Amy Medina taught a fabulous flower class that I'm kicking myself for missing because she was too new and didn't have a rep yet so I went somewhere else (even though I love flowers).

When I choose an instructor/class...
I try to choose something that I am weak at in face painting.
I took the Wolfe Brothers to widen my "boys and monster" faces. Turns out that Nick Wolfe changed the way I do my line work.

I wanted to take Pashur's Tribal class with Jay Bautista as I am not good at spontaneously creating tribal designs. I can copy anything I can see. It is a struggle for me to extemporize a tribal design. I luckily got a hugh 18 day booking, and unluckily, had to miss the Tribal class in Syracuse. I ended up being delighted to take Pashur's Kick Butt Design in Detroit. He covered a LOT of different faces, techniques, with a minimalist kit and a lot of glitter. LOVED it.

I will still be looking for filling in more of my weaknesses.

Happy Painting!

xoxox

Rebecca, I'm no help with the classes...but I am sooooo excited for you!!! and wish I could go too.

That's good advice. My first conference I didn't know anyone and there were only two classes I regretted. The majority of the instructors are there for a reason and being new I was so happy to learn whatever they had to offer.

I think that is the key, be open to what they are telling you and make sure you bring enough paints to try the design so it sinks in or at least sketch it out and take pictures so you can practice at home.

My suggestions:

Christina Davison
Nick Wolfe
Pashur
Kerry Ann

Gary Cole ... only if you are TOTAL beginner. But if you have basic skills and some ability - skip it.

The others are all good too. I don't think you can really go wrong but it will depend on how much ability you have going it how much you will absorb.

Read the class descriptions as they will specify the level of painters that they are designed for - and try to go to the ones that suit your level.

I second, third, and fourth:

Kerry Ann,
Pashur,
Wolfe Brothers,
Christina Davison/Mark Reid

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate the advice!

Lisa, where do you take classes?

I took a my first class last November with Lynn McKay. I met Barb Ruggaburg (Ruggabug) on our Forum there. It was for beginners. It was at Adventure Valley North of Toronto.

I took the Wolfe Brothers, sponsored by Dotsy the Clown in February, Family Day. I showed up at Nathan Phillips Square with the family's skates in the van, so we could go for a family skate. My husband did not recognize me. It was in Mississauga at the Delta.

I took the Pashur class in Detroit in September at a member's condo party room.

I was looking forward to the FABAIC event in May. I was tentatively planning breast reduction surgery in May. Oh, Schnitzel, the choices I have to make.
In the meantime, I make myself busy and happy by pushing myself to paint. I try to create a jam for my team and myself once a month. There is usually one person who wants to know a particular face.... masks, boy stuff, zombies, so we all learn together.

I am looking forward to the day you can come and jam with Jessica and me.

xoxo

Lisa, I would LOVE to meet up with you and Jessica! That would be soooo awesome

If you happen to see any class listings in our neck of the woods, can you give me a heads up?

Of course!
I always look forward to a reason for playing in the paint.

xoxxo

So I've pretty much decided on the classes, but I'm stuck on one... the Wednesday pre class. Do I take Christina Davison "Fur, Fins & Feathers" or Pashur & Jay "Wicked Wings"? Aaaaah! I've literally made up my mind 50 times and then changed it again! PLEASE HELP ME

Which do you think you need more instruction in? Just from watching FABATV,I'd go with Pashur and Jay. But I'm easily swayed by handsome men.

I would give my eye teeth to work with Pashur and Jay!! (well, maybe not give up my teeth, but if I had a choice.......)

You could see a bit of both painters at Sillyfarm.com
In their site on the left end side they list all their items. At the end of the list you will see the faba items. If you click there you will be able to see the dvd previews for few minutes of all artist. That might help you a little in making a decision. Hopefully...

That's a really tough decision. I have taken a couple of classes from Pashur and no classes other than FABATv with Christina. Both have benefits, both are good teachers, both have a good sense of what sells at PPF events.

I would say that Christina's style is amazingly crisp and she tends towards being able to easily capture the "essence" of whatever she is painting very well. She can do amazing realism as well as a more cartoony style. She is good at presenting techniques that you can use to develop into your own designs or enhance the ones you already have.

Pashur has an amazing eye for color, for breaking down a design, and for talking you up about how to present your work. He's very good at encouraging the painters in his class. Jay obviously has exquisite linework, balance, and he's learning how to be a great teacher. Pashur and Jay are good at presenting their designs as something you can use as-is.

I would go with Christina at this point since I've already taken a few of Pashur's classes but honestly, I don't think you can go wrong with either class. That doesn't help you, though.

Use facebook to peruse their accounts and see who has a style that more closely fits with how you see your art. Then, it's up to you to decide if you want to better develop your current style through the instructor or push and challenge yourself in a different direction by choosing the style that contrasts yours.

LOL Jenny! (handsome men... between my husband and two sons I have enough in my life!)
Thanks everyone... I still can't decide.
Julie, thank you for your detailed advice. Sadly, I'm not sure I have a definitive style yet so...
Uggh! Why can't I take both?!?!