In case you haven’t heard, Tenlegs has announced five new online art classes for our Spring semester starting April 29th.  Registration is now open and is highly limited!  These classes are at 25% of the cost they would normally be listed and offer students direct interaction with industry pros!

Over the next few days we’re going to introduce you to all five of the teaching artists running these classes.  Today we’d like you to meet Mike Fillon, who is teaching Navigating the Nonfiction Book Publishing Minefield.

Tenlegs:  Tell us a little about yourself and you background as a teacher.

I’ve been a science and health writer for more than 25 years. I didn’t start out as a writer.  While working on my thesis in graduate school, I realized I enjoyed translating and writing about complex topics so the average person could understand what made things tick. I realized I enjoyed doing this more than learning about the subjects in my major.  As John Lennon sang, “Life is what happens when you’re making other plans.”

After  complaining to my wife about how much I had to pay the university to write the thesis, she shrugged and suggested I try to get it published.  I knew nothing about publishing, literary agents and the lingo of their industry. When I came across insider expressions such as “trade books,” SASEs, slush piles and query letters I drew blanks; I had no idea what they meant. I stumbled, sweated, and failed many times as I figured things out . But, I  persevered.

Since those early bleak days, I have written 11 books – most of them on health – but also a book about identity theft, and a biography about Venus and Serena Williams. I’m also the founding Editor-in-Chief of Breakthroughs In HEALTH (BIH), a 100-page national newsstand magazine launched in 2006 featuring the latest scientific research on disease prevention and wellness.  I also have extensive consumer magazine, newsletter and Web-based experience writing for consumers and professionals. I was one of WebMD’s first contract writers for consumers, contributing over 150 articles that helped build WebMD’s brand and library. I was under contract for over 20 years with Popular Mechanics, writing hundreds of articles including six cover stories.

I have been more than happy to share the secrets of my successes. I have been interviewed on TV and radio many times, and lectured about  writing non-fiction and publishing to advanced/placement high school students and college students.

Tell us about your plans for the content of your course.  What will be covered in the class?

How a book gets published is a mystery to most people, and there are many great books stuffed in drawers and getting moldy by authors who gave up trying to get them published. There are countless other books in people’s brains that haven’t even been typed yet because it’s so difficult to figure out whether they should stick a few toes in first or make a swan dive or cannon ball and hope for the best.

Every person has at least one non-fiction books in them, waiting to be told. Fiction? probably dozens! But that’s not the purpose of this course.

Everyone has an interesting life story. And I mean everyone; that is if they focus on what others would find interesting or compelling.

Maybe there’s a book in you centered on a key event; maybe a how-to/ self-help book, or a book devoted to your unique expertise.

But, even the greatest, unique  insight that can literally save Mankind can go unpublished if the “query” or pitch is done poorly and elicits yawns instead of salivation.

It’s not my goal  to help someone write a great book, but I can save “future authors” a great deal of time and anguish understanding and navigating the topsy-turvy world of publishing.

Why is now a great time to take this class?

Publishing is changing, and changing fast. There are many more possibilities to get books into print- and likewise- many more opportunities for mistakes and regrets. I have a good grip on what is happening now in publishing. While no one has a crystal ball – I certainly don’t – since I am actively involved in the publishing arena on a day-to-day basis, my vision is a lot clearer about this topic than most.

What do students need to have (backgrounds, equipment, etc) in order to be able to take the class?

Students don’t have to be great writers; I certainly am not. All they need is at least one idea for a book they want to share with others and a desire to see it in print.

What should students expect in how you plan to run the class & how the technology is used?

Since they want to write I’m assuming they don’t mind reading. They’ll be expected to complete simple assignments that will only boost their understanding of publishing;  read the lessons and formulate questions to help them succeed. Besides my own lessons, I’ll provide them with top-notch resources, and outside reading suggestions. While there are never any guarantees  in life, I can assure them that if they’re  earnest, they have a great shot at book publishing success.

Click here for More Details & to Register

In case you haven’t heard, Tenlegs has announced five new online art classes for our Spring semester starting April 29th.  Registration is now open and is highly limited!

Over the next few days we’re going to introduce you to all five of the teaching artists running these classes.  Today we’d like you to meet Michael Leggero, who is teaching Nature Photography: Discovering the World Around You.

Tenlegs:  Tell us a little about yourself and you background as a teacher.

Michael:  I have been teaching hands on workshops on nature photography all around the world for many years.  In these workshops I’m standing right next to the students and we are photographing together.  They really give the students opportunities to see new locations and experience knowledge from myself and each other.

Tell us about your plans for the content of your course.  What will be covered in the class?

This course will cover much more than basic photography.  I expect the students to know how to use their cameras so we won’t need to spend time on how to press the button or other basic camera settings.  We will be exploring different ways to find those great locations and how to photograph them in a different mentality.  We will talk about the most common mistakes of photography so students will be able to use their time more efficiently. Every location has hidden treasures, I will teach how to find those treasures and make people say “wow” when they look at your photographs.  People viewing your photographs will be amazed and wonder why they can’t get such a good image when they take the same picture. Students will be challenged to open their minds to the world around us and see what truly is offered by our planet.

Why is now a great time to take this class?

Spring is almost upon us.  Flowers are blooming, the grass is growing and becoming the lush green that looks spectacular.  The sun rises and sets at convienent times, it’s just the perfect time of the year.  Spring is a nature photographer’s favorite season.   Nature photography is great any time of year, but spring yields many more options.

What do students need to have (backgrounds, equipment, etc) in order to be able to take the class?

Students need a digital camera.  A camera that allows you to control the shutter speed and aperture is the best choice.  Students also need a computer with photo editing software.  For mac I recommend iPhoto, Lightroom, or Photoshop.  For windows, Lightroom, Photoshop, Picasa, or windows live photo gallery.   Other software is acceptable, just make sure you can adjust exposure, saturation, etc.  And if you are not using one of the recommended software please know how to use it.  YouTube has excellent training videos, watch them ahead of time and be familiar with your software.  I can help with any of those, but this will not be a software class

What should students expect in how you plan to run the class & how the technology is used?

Upon enrolling students will be required to answer brief questions about themselves, their photography experience, and what they want to achieve in the course.  I will then adjust the course to those goals.

Students will be given assignments each week to take photographs. And will have to select one image minimum to share with the class. The images then need to be posted so they can be commented on by other members of the class.  Each week I will review all the postings and will discuss the work of everyone.

The class will be a mutual learning experience and you will learn from your own photographs as well as the images that others post.

Students will need to explain technical details about the photograph as well as any emotions they are trying to express to the viewer.

The main point of the class will be to have fun.  If you aren’t having fun then you are doing it wrong.

Click here for More Details & to Register

In case you haven’t heard, Tenlegs has announced five new online art classes for our Spring semester starting April 29th.  Registration is now open and is highly limited!

Over the next few days we’re going to introduce you to all five of the teaching artists running these classes.  Today we’d like you to meet Jared Caponi, who is teaching Introduction to User Experience Design Principals and Techniques.

Tenlegs:  Tell us a little about yourself and you background as a teacher.

Jared:  I have been working in the Internet industry for almost 20 years as a Producer, Executive Producer, User Experience Professional and Information Architect. I am President of Exploded Map Inc., an independent User Experience Consultancy that works with Startups, Fortune 500 Companies &Top tier Advertising and Digital Agencies.

Over the years, I have delivered abbreviated versions of this course material to internal teams for companies and their staff members.

This will be my first time teaching the full course.

Tell us about your plans for the content of your course.  What will be covered in the class?

This class is an introduction to the relatively new and growing field of User Experience Design. In this class you will get an introduction to what being a user experience designer means and learn some of the basic techniques that a user experience professional employs.

There will be hands-on assignments following most classes.

Why is now a great time to take this class?

Designers have never been more in demand as they are now. And designers who are especially skilled in digital media are especially sought after. Great designers need to know more than how to push pixels and do clean layouts.

If you are interested in any type of graphic design that is related to creating user interfaces for the web, phones, iPads (or anything else), this class will teach you how to make your designs better.

What do students need to have in order to be able to take the class?

You should have a basic interest in graphic design principles and specific interest in websites and/or interface designs.

You will need a computer to playback video course material. Ideally you will have access to a Mac. One assignment requires a specific piece of software that has a free 30-day trial.

I will suggest software for some other assignments but every assignment can be completed without a computer if desired (though you will need to photograph your work and upload it to the course site).

What should students expect in how you plan to run the class & how the technology is used?

Following an introductory class, each session will consist of a video that talks about a specific principle and/or technique followed by a field assignment.

At the conclusion of each class, I will accept questions that will get answers posted as soon as possible. If needed, I will schedule specific appointment times for 1 on 1 time via skype.

Claim Your Spot in Jared’s Class Today!

We’re thrilled to bring you a new series of classes with course options that are perfect for artists of all mediums across Tenlegs!  Classes start April 29th and spaces are strictly limited, so register before it’s too late…

At Tenlegs our mission is to help artists prosper and what better way to prosper than get paid gigs!  Here’s a great freelance opportunity for graphic designers.

Creative Work the Client Needs:

The Client is looking to commission the graphic design for an informational-based three page brochure. The brochure will be printed as a tri-fold and will also be used online.

The inside of the document would be in an Infographics style (client to provide all information used) and cover the following subject areas:

a) Problem statement: using data define the problem which could be time spent by realtors on non-sales activities, missed opportunities, or the high volume of realtors, i.e competition.
b) what is AgentOne?
b) value proposition
c) how it works?
d) call to action: personal invitation to test drive the system using enclosed credentials

The Creative(s) would be responsible for creative guidance, creating/executing graphic design within brand guidelines. Client expects 4-5 iterations max to final product.

Selected Graphic Designer(s) should be:

• Able to show examples of previous work that is of a similar scope
• Able to work within the timeline as established in the request for submissions

To be considered submit your portfolio today!

All proposals & portfolios must be submitted by April 17th. Submission materials (including Tenlegs portfolio and proposal) will be reviewed by the client.

With all of the buzz about art and tech recently, it’s interesting to think about earlier examples of collaborations between artists and scientists. One of the most important examples is Experiments in Art and Technology (aka E.A.T.):

“E.A.T. promoted interdisciplinary collaborations through a program pairing artists and engineers. It also encouraged research into new means of expression at the crossroads of art and such emerging technologies as computer-generated images and sounds, video, synthetic materials and robotics.”

Several of the most important artists of the 1960s and 70s – including Robert Rauschenberg, John Cage, Yvonne Rainer, and Öyvind Fahlström, participated in E.A.T projects. Watch some of the video from the seminal performance series “9 Evenings: Theatre and Engineering” here:

http://www.9evenings.org

…or courage for anger – is the title of a call for posters that illustrate social grievances in a catchy way. After successful installments in several German cities, the traveling exhibition also appeared in Mexico and Turkey and plans to expand further. Last year, 950 artists from 56 countries participated with a total of 1500 posters. So this is your chance to become part of an awesome new movement!

The call is open from April 1^st to May 31^st. Posters can be submitted in digital form on the organization’s web page (which is only partially translated so far), and further information can be requested via info@mutzurmut.de. After submission, an international jury will select 30 posters that will be exhibited in the beautiful town of Heidelberg, Germany.

To gauge what kinds of posters have been shown in the past, check out the gallery. There is also a video of an accompanying exhibition in the Akademie der Künste, Berlin, held in January.