Independent College of Art and Design, Melbourne, Australia. Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne, Australia. An award-winning animator, writer, artist, and educator, Cowan spent nearly 11 years in Tasmania writing, directing, and editing low-budget television commercials. In 2006, he worked for Uli Meyer Animation, in London, as a story artist and gag man on the feature film Monster Mania. He conceived the characters Boxhead and Roundhead, who appeared in several award-winning short films, as well as an animated feature currently on the festival circuit. His drawings, prints, sculptures, and paintings have been shown in Melbourne, Hobart, and Launceston in Australia, as well as in Los Angeles, Chatanooga, Chicago, and New York. In 2007, he moved to New York where he paints and draws, makes sculptures out of foam core and cardboard, and teaches animation. He has completed animation, storyboarding, writing, and story consultation for Sesame Workshop, Elizabeth Arden, Nathan Love, PBS, Ace and Son Moving Picture Company, The Logo Network, and Uli Meyer Animation. In 2016, Cowan spent a week working with visual artist Wayne White on his big history and art project, Wayne-O-Rama. Currently, he is working with Oscar-nominated Irish studio Cartoon Saloon (Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, The Breadwinner) on its new film, Wolfwalkers. SLC, 2019-
Undergraduate Courses 2019-2020
Filmmaking and Moving Image Arts
Introduction to 2D Digital Animation
Open , Seminar—Fall
In this course, students of all abilities have the opportunity to explore the production of animation, starting with the basics (like squash and stretch, ease in and out, etc.) and moving on to more expressive exercises like marrying animation to music, character expression, and digital experimental techniques. Participants gain an understanding of timing and motion through keyframes, holds, and in-betweens and learn the characteristics of well-designed and executed animation. Over the semester, students will produce a series of short exercises and projects to achieve an animation-skills portfolio by the end of the term. Instruction covers the use of industry-standard tools in Harmony Premier software by Toon Boom. Students are required to provide their own external hard drive; however, digital drawing tablets and cintiq drawing screens are available for use by students registered for this class. No prior experience is required.