Differently-Abled Classes
There are no artistic limits for students with reduced or severely limited mobility, not in the No Limits Digital Drawing class! Students learn to use a free online digital drawing program along with a touch-sensitive tablet to express themselves creatively in a fun, relaxed, online environment. A once-a-month private lesson for each student is included, along with a once-a-month social hangout, each with a different theme, allowing students to socialize and support each other. This innovative program gives students a creative outlet with NO LIMITS!
Magnum Arts online drawing classes are fantastic! Mike is a talented artist and teacher. He makes his classes interactive, engaging, and tons of fun for the kids. My daughter loves his private tutoring class as well as his group class where she can socialize with her friends and do group art activities. I can’t say enough good things about the No Limits Digital Drawing class and how it’s given my daughter, who’s home-bound, the opportunity to connect with her peers and just be herself, doing what she loves to do. I highly recommend drawing classes with Magnum Arts! —Lisa Shockley
Free Online Hangouts Once A Month
The No Limits Digital Drawing program features a monthly social event online for students and not-yet students. The emphasis is on socializing, fun and making new friends, and is completely free, whether you are a student or not. To see video highlights of previous online hangouts, click this link (videos shared with parental permission)
Class Overview:
Monthly cost instead of per-lesson cost
Enrolled students have access to one group lesson a week, with one individual (private) lesson a month
Students can add additional private lessons for nominal cost if subscribed to the monthly model
Potential students receive a package of information detailing options for drawing tablets, digital drawing programs, and other information to help them take advantage of this opportunity
Once-a-month social event: enrolled students are invited to participate in a once-a-month event for socialization, sharing artwork and getting to know each other better. Each month will be a different theme, with students encouraged to participate with costumes, special drawings and fun activities (Halloween, anime day, At The Beach Day, Weird and Proud Day, etc). This event is open to potential students who have not yet enrolled, to let them see what the online sessions are like (functioning as an “open house”).
“I reached out to Michael of Magnum Arts for my daughter Nicole, who was recently diagnosed with a degenerative neurological disease at 28 years. After working full time and being a full time nursing student we needed something that served as therapy and let me tell you…Nicole absolutely LOVES the private lessons. Michael has helped her learn how to express herself artistically, which is definitely helping her recovery. She looks forward to his lessons every week. He is a funny, patient and effective teacher. He is an angel we found along the way and we are very happy that he is part of her life! Highly recommend him!” — Elsa Nazario
Below, I work with three awesome students who have SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) and use a computer drawing program, proving there are no limits! One of my students, who can only move one finger, recently won a best-of-show award and provides commission work (video shared with parental permission).
What Students Will Need:
A touch-sensitive drawing tablet – Drawing tablets come in two types:
A simple touch-sensitive surface which requires a monitor to see the artwork
A tablet that displays the artwork on the tablet (like a mini-computer).
The second kind is convenient, but much more expensive; students can do just fine with the first type, which can cost as little as $40.00. The most reliable and well-known brand of tablets is Wacom, and while they cost a bit more than the off-brand tablets, they install and function more easily. For a list of drawing tablets on Amazon, click HERE.
Read the Amazon reviews to determine which tablet will work best for you, and keep in mind that a bigger tablet is not always better; smaller ones work just as well and are easier to set up and find space for.
Status Of This Program: For the time being, this program is on hold, due to a lack of funding. Writing and submitting grants, and publicizing the program are all very time-consuming endeavors, and while worthwhile, there simply isn’t enough bandwidth to do what is required to re-start this program. If you and/or your organization is interested in setting up a program of this nature for your differently-abled students, reach out by texting or calling 727-492-0135, or emailing magnumcreate@gmail.com.