Hero Factory: Character Design & Development for Young Creators
*This course is intended for lower elementary students
Class Schedule
9:00-10:00 am PST
June 15, June 16, June 17, June 18, June 19
*Note: This is a weeklong course meeting each day, Monday-Friday
Note: Classes are listed in PST, click below to convert time to your time zone.
Workshop Overview
This fun and engaging class introduces young artists to the world of character design. Students will learn how to create original characters using simple shapes, expressive features, and storytelling.
What Students Learn:
• Drawing characters from basic shapes
• Creating unique personalities through design
• Facial expressions and poses
• Hero vs villain design concepts
• Intro to character backstory
Outcome:
Students create their own original character lineups and present their designs at the end of the course.
Student Experience
Researcher
Design Thinker
Artist
Inventor
Michael Buffington Jr.
Michael Buffington Jr. is a concept artist and art director with over 20 years of experience across games, animation, and film. His credits include Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Season 3) at Lucasfilm Animation, along with leadership roles at Gambit Games, Pixelberry, and Block Tackle.
A veteran educator, he has spent two decades building top-ranked concept art programs at the university level and training students to develop industry-ready portfolios.
Through his teaching, Michael is committed to helping aspiring artists build strong fundamentals, creative confidence, and the skills needed to succeed in real-world production environments.
Check out some of Michael’s artwork: https://www.drawaholic1124.com/
