UN-FAQ

Using the power of this new fangled thing called, "the in-ter-net", my online classes are effectively a live video phone call with your child. I use Zoom and a high speed internet connection, and with the help of a video switcher program, I have two cameras on my system that I show. One camera is facing down at my desk so your child can see what I'm drawing, and the other one aimed at me for back and forth conversations.

What you need to have for online classes with me and your child:

1) A device like a laptop, desktop, or tablet that has a webcam attached to it. This way I can see your child and their artwork so I can offer advice with what they are drawing. Mobile phones do not work for this as they are too small and your child won't be able to see what I'm teaching as easily.

2) High speed internet is a must.

Unfortunately, I cannot offer free classes as this is what I do for a living. If you are hesitant and want to see how I conduct classes and how it all works, a great starting point is to sign up to one of my many HOW TO DRAW classes. Those are only 30 mins long and US$15, so it's an easy entry point into seeing what I do.

For right now my classes are only taught to students in the United States and Canada. Please CONTACT me and tell me where you live and I'll see if I can work something out! The biggest hurdle to this is time zone differences and whether my credit card payment system will accept payments from your country.

For PRIVATE GROUP online classes, whoever is organizing this group class needs to fill out the registration form to start the process. There are options in there that will tell me this is a group class. You will pick a date/time in the registration process, and finally you will pay for your children.

Next, let the other families know what class you picked along with date and time. Then, every other family needs to fill out the registration form and select "Previously scheduled class." They will then enter your name in so I can connect the dots. They will then also select the class you picked and pay for their own children at that time.

Once everyone has registered I will email you all at once with further class information and we'll be good to go!

If you want to see what my availability is before registering, fill out the form till you get to the date/time picker screen. Here you will see what dates and time slots are available. You can then take this info to the other families to decide before you complete the form and submit it.

For my PRIVATE online classes (one on one or in a group) you get to pick the dates/times that work best for your schedule. I have held "online public" classes in the past where the date/time is pre-scheduled, but it's uncertain if I will bring those back.

My PRIVATE online classes don't have a limit on number of seats and are usually either one on one or in a small group, like your child and their friends.

These PRIVATE online classes are designed to work around your own schedule so you can pick the dates/times that work for you within the registration form.

Yes, sometimes there will be homework depending on what the class is. This is due to these online classes being condensed down from their "in person" versions. I cut out several things that wouldn't work in an online setting, so unfortunately that means sometimes your child will have to do some things on their own before the next class.

There is guaranteed homework in the Beginner and Advanced Kids Comic Workshop classes, but everything else has either nothing or very little.

Ideally you want to be somewhere where the internet is reliable and is in a quiet room. This won't work if you are in a public place that is noisy and has a sketchy internet connection. (like a hotel room, for example.)

You will need one device to watch class on (laptop, etc), and a second device to take photos with (phones, tablets, traditional cameras, etc.) You cannot use the same device for both.

If using a phone or tablet you will also be provided with a link to download a photo editor app to learn about editing your photos.

Please feel free to CONTACT ME with any questions or concerns you have about my online classes!

If you need to reschedule a session, you must do so no later than 24 hours before your class.

I will then work with you on finding a replacement date/time. If you don't reschedule before 24 hours, or forget about class entirely, you will be invoiced for an additional makeup session. For my Comic Workshop and Character Design courses, you will be pro-rated for the reschedule. For How To Draw and General Drawing Skills classes, you will be charged a full single class fee.

In order to get a refund for your classes you need to cancel no later than one week before the first session begins. There are no refunds if it's after that point or after the first session has already taken place. This is because the chances of me being able to refill those time slots at short notice is much lower.

PLEASE NOTE: If the reason is a scheduling conflict, I am more than willing to work with you to reschedule the times/dates you picked to find something else that works.

In either case, please CONTACT me!

My site will email you a reminder that class is about to happen a couple of hours before each session. This will be the only notification you will get from me, so please add the dates/times you registered for into your calendar.

In the event you are not home when class starts, please DO NOT rely on your child (and sometimes spouse) to remember when to log in. This rarely ever works out, trust me.

Please refer to the "WHAT IF WE MISSED A CLASS?" question in case you did miss a session.

If you know you're running late for a scheduled session, please CONTACT me and let me know! Please note that many of my classes are booked back to back, so if you show up late, we will still be ending the class at the scheduled time.

I have a 10 minute grace period where I will wait for you before logging out. If you haven't contacted me before hand to let me know you are running late, we'll have to reschedule.

I will then work with you on finding a replacement date/time. If you forget about class entirely, you will be invoiced for an additional makeup session. For my Comic Workshop and Character Design courses, you will be pro-rated for the reschedule. For How To Draw and General Drawing Skills classes, you will be charged a full single class fee.

Todd will stay logged into the link he provided you and will give you a ten minute window before he logs out.

In the event you missed a class, whether due to an emergency or just plain forgot, you will be invoiced for an additional makeup session and he will email you to reschedule a new date/time.

For my Comic Workshop and Character Design courses, you will be pro-rated for the reschedule. For How To Draw and General Drawing Skills classes, you will be charged a full single class fee.

You do not have to stay. When you register there will be space for an emergency contact number in case I need to get a hold of you. Just keep your phone handy and make sure to get back before the class ends!

Please let me know at drop off or email the night before and I will write their contact info down. Thanks!

NO! All supplies are covered in the cost of class, however, if your child has a favorite pencil or something like that, then they can use it in class. Please note that no markers or pens are used in any of my classes, so they cannot use those.

I can teach anywhere in the St. Louis, Missouri area and have taught children in PRIVATE one on one classes, GROUP classes, BIRTHDAY PARTIES, GIRLSCOUT badge classes, and to HOMESCHOOL groups (CONTACT ME about those.)

For the vast majority of my classes there is no homework, however, for my Beginner and Advanced KIDS COMIC WORKSHOP classes, there will be some homework. (But it's fun homework so it doesn't count!)

For single session classes, your child will bring everything home. With the Beginner/Advanced Kids Comic Workshops, I will keep specific papers during the run of the course because I want to make sure they arrive back the following week when we need them. At the end of the course, however, your child will get everything back.

I've been an artist since I was eight years old, but since 2009 I've focused my artistic skills on creating three kid friendly comics, and sell them in my SHOP and at comic conventions around the Midwest.

The teaching path I'm currently on started in April 2015 when I was asked to teach a primitive version of my BEGINNER KIDS COMIC WORKSHOP to four 3rd grade classes at my son's elementary school during art class.

Within six months of that I was teaching an expanded version of that class to kids all around St. Louis. By end of that year God threw me in head first teaching grades 1-8 at a Charter school for four months full time as a substitute art teacher with zero teaching experience. Their regular art teacher was on maternity leave. (Talk about a boot camp!)

Since that time I've expanded and refined that comic course and have added numerous other classes. This is now my career and I teach my classes all around town as well as online!

No I won’t, but from time to time I do send out an email to everyone that is class specific, like reminding your child to bring homework back, that sort of thing.

No refunds will be given for weeks missed, sorry.

In the event that I am sick or some other situation comes up and I cannot conduct class that day, I will first try to reschedule the class, if that does not succeed then you WILL get reimbursed for the missed class.

Yes but it depends on the need. My son is high functioning autistic, so I am more versed in the autistic world than anything else. If the child has more severe needs, the parent or guardian must be present with the child to help them through class, because I won't be able to devote a lot of time to individual children. You can leave me a note during registration about the needs of your child.

I use SQUARE for all credit card transactions through this site. It's just like Paypal (but better) and is perfectly secure! I will also accept cash only on the first day of the course. (exact change please.) No checks allowed! I also do not use Venmo or other similar payment options. The course must be paid in full before it begins or right at the start of the first class. No late payments will be accepted!

I usually do not have a wait list for my classes, however, keep an eye out on my upcoming class schedule for the class you're interested in. If it says "walk ins are accepted", show up the day of class and pay by cash (exact change.) There will always be one or two who sign up who don't show up, so you will be safe!

Space is often limited so I prefer you sign up online to reserve your seat. There may not be any left if you walk in the day of. If you still want to do this, please make sure to check the class information on this site as ir will say if walk ins are allowed or not for a particular class.

Registering alone doesn't mean this is locked and happening. Scheduling conflicts could prevent me from being able to do it at all. Registration is just to get the process started to see availability. I will do my best to make it work, so give me several options for dates and I will find one that works on my schedule.

Here is my coverage map for driving distance. Green zone = No extra charge. Yellow zone = $20 additional gas fee. Red zone = As of June 2021, I no longer travel to the red zone or beyond. Please register for your event on my LIVE ONLINE CLASS page instead!

All classes on this particular page are considered private, meaning not available to the general public.

1 on 1 classes: 1-5 kids. (Can be siblings or friends.)
Birthday parties: 4+ kids.
Group events: 6+ kids.
Corporate events>: 6+ kids.
Cubscout packs: 4+ kids.

You can pay me the day of the event/party when I come over. I accept cash or credit card and will bring my CC reader with me. No checks please.

For birthday parties and group events with 6 or more kids, I charge a flat fee.

If you mean dress up as in "will you come fully clothed", then yes, yes I will.

From my experience, keeping their attention is finite due to the nature of the event, especially if cake and ice cream are inside them. The longest I can "safely" stay would be an hour total (no longer), BUT you must arrange this with me before the day of the party so I know to bring enough supplies. The fee to stay for an hour would be double the normal rate per child. The "How To Draw" class will still be thirty minutes long, so we can add another "How To Draw" class for the last thirty minutes or do fun drawing challenges/activities that I give them.

Have enough tables and chairs for the kids to be able to draw from. I bring an easel and dry erase board, so typically I like to set that up at the end of the biggest table you have.

If this is for a very large GROUP class, we may need to use another method so all kids can see what I'm doing. (Such as using an overhead camera projected onto a large screen, etc.) If we do need extra equipment then you will need to get it as I don't own it.

Not expected but definitely appreciated.

All classes on this particular page are considered private, meaning not available to the general public.

1 on 1 classes: 1-5 kids. (Can be siblings or friends.)
Birthday parties: 4+ kids.
Group events: 6+ kids.
Corporate events: 6+ kids.
Cubscout packs: 4+ kids.

Anywhere you want. I've taught at parents homes as well as public places like coffee shops and public libraries. If it's a public space I usually try to find a location that is half way between my home and yours.

Credit Card or Cash. No Checks Please.

No, if you want to wait till we secure a date/time and location, that's perfectly fine. Once that's locked in, I will send an invoice for CC payment (through SQUARE.) You must pay before class begins, however.

It's not necessary but it also depends on your comfort level. If you want to drop your child off at a public place and leave for the time required, that's fine. If you want to sit a few tables away, that's fine too. I just ask you don't sit at the same table as us, thanks!

Absolutely! I provide everything needed but if they have a favorite pencil or something they use, by all means let them bring it.

Absolutely, but if you are in the Red Zone (or beyond) of my coverage map, another option is to take any of my classes ONLINE. These are live classes using webcams and Zoom, and are as good as you'll get to being in person.

Please note, however, that if you want to meet in the yellow zone a gas fee will still be applied to the total cost of class.

Absolutely, we'll sort those details out in time!

The prerequisite to take my ADVANCED KIDS COMIC WORKSHOP is to either be 12+ years old OR have taken the 8-11 year old multi-session BEGINNERS comic workshop, HOWEVER, being accepted into this course is on a case by case basis as some younger kids may not be ready for the Advanced class.

Sometimes I teach an one hour introductory class that lightly goes over topics covered in the full courses. If you are interested, please CONTACT me! This is great for group events!

Sure, but I wouldn't go older than 13 as some of what I teach in the Beginner class may be beneath their skill level. Having 11 years old as the cut off is really arbitrary and is based on the range I think would get the most out of this course. If you feel your kid will benefit from learning the basics then by all means sign up, but I also have an ADVANCED KIDS COMIC WORKSHOP that is for 12+ that may be more their speed.

I have a two week JUNIOR KIDS COMIC WORKSHOP that is specific to 6-7 year olds, so they should take that before attempting the BEGINNER workshop. Now having said that, if they did take the Junior class and are 7 years old, I will definitely consider letting them into the Beginners class, but I wouldn't go below that age as a lot of what I teach in this class will go over the 6 year olds heads.

The Comic Workshops are designed so that what is taught from one session to the next is carried over to the following sessions, allowing the child to use what they've learned. Walk ins for any individual sessions is not permitted after the first session.

Yes! My MIXED MEDIA ABSTRACT artwork has been shown in Boston, Chicago, St. Louis and San Antonio!

Yes! If you see something here on my ARTWORK page that you like, please CONTACT me! I can print most images in any size! I'm also a comic artist and sell my comic books HERE and at comic conventions around the Midwest.

Much of my mixed media digital abstract ARTWORK is created all on computer. Often I will use several layers of photographs that I've taken in Photoshop, then I heavily manipulate them until something emerges.

On the back of some NORMLINGS issues there's a fun secret code for you to decipher. I provide no key to this anywhere within the comic, mainly because it's super easy to figure out and it's not pertinent to the story. The plan is to make each code more complex the further along this comic goes, so one day I may have to give a hint, but for now, you're on your own.

Issue #1's code has already been cracked!

There was a period in my son's life where he refused to eat chicken nuggets if the meat was separated from the breading. He would bite into it and immediately see the hole, and would refuse to eat the rest because "there are holes in it." I had to cut up the nuggets into small bites to "hide" the holes so he would eat it. I thought the title was rather fitting and still have nightmares about having to do it.

In 2011, I wanted to create something other than FRIK so I could submit it to a comic book compilation showcasing local artists, called "Mixed Feelings." My two-page story revolved around an artist father who couldn't come up with an idea for a comic and his son helped him out with his wild imagination. The birth of HOLES IN IT appears as bonus material in print and can be bought at my STORE in print and in eBook form!

Yes! There was a span of about a solid month where my son actually wore a toy soldier storage bucket on his head every day, all day. Thankfully he's grown out of that.....for now.

When you buy the print or eBook comic from my STORE, you will see symbols on the bottom right corner of certain pages that will say if it's true or partly true. If you don't see either of these then that page is a "what if" and didn't really happen between myself and my son. The last page in the book explains each instance of these so you get the back story.

Check out my COMICS page for more information on each one!

Although the humor in my comics caters more towards adults, they are all perfectly safe for kids.
FRIK is for 10+. There's no blood in it and only one cuss word throughout the entire thing.
HOLES IN IT is all ages!
THE NORMLINGS is all ages!

For FRIK and HOLES IN IT it was a little old tech meets new tech. I wrote the scripts in a notebook, sketched each page using paper/pencil, then scanned it into my computer and used Adobe Illustrator to "ink/color" the comics into vector graphics. For THE NORMLINGS it is all traditionally made other than the speech bubbles.

Yes! Check out my STORE to see what I have!

Next time I'll stand up, chairs have a tendency to do that.

I do! Check out my appearances at the bottom of my COMICS page!

My current camera is a Canon 40D. In the past I have used a Canon Rebel XT.