MARA TEACHES
MY STORY
Born in Venezuela, South America, Mara Gil has lived all over the world but grew up primarily in the United States. From an early age, art was her all-consuming passion which lead her to get a Summa Cum Laude Bachelors of Fine Art in Sequential Art from Savannah College of Art & Design and later a Masters In Fine Arts in Illustration with Distinction at Edinburgh University in the College of Art. For 15 years, she was a working artist for companies including but not limited to: Hearst Publishing, TokyoPop, and Blizzard Entertainment, doing comics and illustration art. Currently, she is the Visual Arts Coordinator for BASIS International School Shenzhen where she teaches 6th grade and up, AP Art and Digital Art.
Mara believes in preparing students for the rigor of real-life artistic professional endeavors as well as the skills needed to succeed in the Advanced Placement for Art. Emphasis is placed on anatomy and perspective as well as a wide variety of media. Mara developed and teaches the first Digital Art course in the entire BASIS network, using iPad Pros and the app Procreate.
EXPERIENCE
What I do
Aug 2016 - Present
VISUAL ARTS COORDINATOR,
BASIS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SHENZHEN
Instructor of art from grades 6th grade and up, AP Art (2D and Drawing), 6th grade Art History, High School 2D Studio Art (Intro to Advanced), Digital Art (Intro to Advanced) in an international school with a focus on English Language Learners (ELL) students. Focus on both practical art and computer art. SIOP trained. In charge of multiple art shows, both internal and external, for students, and running various clubs, including the Comic book Creation Club.
Jan 2008 - May 2011 & Aug 2014 - May 2016
ADJUNCT PROFESSOR,
PHOENIX COLLEGE
Duties include creating and teaching a complete college certificate course in sequential art for the college. Taught classes in penciling, inking, coloring, and toning. Principal organizer of the “Comics Art Forum” gallery show in February 2010, which featured a gallery and panel of local professional comic book artists to speak to students.
2002 - Present
ARTIST,
SELF-EMPLOYED
Have worked for various publishers including TokypPop, BOOM! Comics, and Hearst Publishing in the position of a "Ghost Artist" or "Fixer" as well as more recognized position as penciler, inker, toner, and/or colorist. I have also designed layouts and logos. I have worked in some capacity in almost all aspects of the comic book industry as well as magazine comic strips and newspapers.
2012
GUEST LECTURER,
VARIOUS
Presented various lectures for both conventions (Phoenix Comic Con & Saboten Con) and festivals (North Lanarkshire Council) that included coloring & toning for comics, comic strip creation, storytelling.
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
My Studies
2011 - 2013
MASTERS OF FINE ARTS (MFA), ILLUSTRATION,
EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OF ART
Graduated with Distinction
Activities and societies: Edinburgh University Comic Book Society
2002 - 2005
BACHELOR'S OF FINE ARTS (BFA), SEQUENTIAL ART
SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN
Suma Cum Laude, 4.0
1997 - 2002
ASSOCIATE OF ARTS (AA), FINE AND STUDIO ARTS
JOLIET JUNIOR COLLEGE
Honor Roll,
Activities and societies: Phi Theta Kappa
2022 - Present
TEACH-NOW CERTIFICATE
MORELAND UNIVERSITY
DIGITAL ART STUDENT WORK:
MY SKILLSET
Creativity, Organization, & Exubernce
PROCREATE DRAWING APP
Advanced
PADLET
Advanced
ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) 2-D ART & DESIGN
Advanced
ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) DRAWING
Advanced
COMICS
Advanced
ELEMENTS OF ART
Advanced
PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
Advanced
ART HISTORY
Intermediate
ILLUSTRATION
Advanced
PERSPECTIVE & DRAWING ANATOMY
Intermediate
INKING
Advanced
COMPOSITION
Intermediate
SILVERPOINT & GOLD LEAF
Advanced
CHARCOAL & CHALK PASTELS
Advanced
COFFEE PAINTING
Intermediate
COPIC MARKERS &
POSCA PAINT PENS
Advanced