TESTIMONIALS
Dear Mr. Gnass,
I just want to say, I sincerely appreciate all of the helpful information you submitted to the class. Your advice has been invaluable, and I’ve gotten more out of your classes than I have attending several semesters of art courses at Moorpark College here in Ventura County. I only wish that I had spent more time in your classes….
Kellie Robinson
Hey Karl!
Hey, I wanted you to know that I really get a lot out of your class on Monday evenings. The class conversation about your book last night got me thinking. I have owned your ‘Spirit of the Pose’ book which is a good reflection of a great draughtsman, that be you.
My son Jared always talks about how great your classes were.He and I took your Beginning Figure class a couple years ago and we took a Storyboard class. He would love to take more of your classes!
One more time: You are an amazing artist who is seriously the clearest, most striking, inspiring figure drawing teacher I’ve had!
If I can’t study with Raphael, I’ll be more than happy to study with Karl….
Best regards,
Rush White
Karl,
Thank you so much for giving such a wonderful workshop yesterday! I just wanted to let you know that I got so much out of it, even though I took the same one with you a few years ago! The way you present the information in many different ways and on many levels, including philosophies that relate really gets my gears turning!
I really appreciate your passion and continual exploration in this area where you are a true master!
Sherí Garwood
Always in awe of your work. Thanks Karl.
– former student Adrian G.
Dear Karl,
So I go to this uninstructed life drawing class at Philbrook, a museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the first time. I don’t know anybody there, nobody knows me. At the break I pay for the class and the “leader” and I start chatting about drawing, etc. He brings out a beautiful catalog from the Van Gogh drawing show in NYC. It blows me away; I’d never seen so many of Vg’s drawings together and the cumulative effect is near overwhelming. Evidently delighted to have someone to share his treasures with, the guy says “There’s somebody else you’ll like…I just got the book today. His name iss…I think it’s Glass.” This means nothing to me; the only Glass I know of in the arts is the composer. The guy rummages around in his backpack, but continues talking: “He teaches life drawing at an animation school in Los Angeles.” Bells go off. “Do you mean Gnass?” I ask. “That’s it,” says the guy, as he finds the book, The Spirit of the Pose, and hands it to me. Now what are the odds of that happening, I ask you?
On top of which, I don’t think it unreasonable to imagine that a book of life drawings, coming after an extensive overview of Van Gogh’s drawings, might not have much of an impact. But that wasn’t the case. Karl………wow! I’m ordering my copy today from Bud Plant. But all I can say is….wow. I usually find the blurbs on book covers to be hyperbolic and overstated, but not this time. Glenn Vilppu is dead on when comparing you to Rennaisance masters. And, at least in my eyes, you’ve compared favorably to Van Gogh as well.
All in all, it sounds like you’ve carved out quite a niche for yourself, and had a tremendous impact on the industry at large. Congratulations all around.
With best wishes for your continued success,
Larry Latham – Director/Producer Disney Television Animation
Dear Mr. Gnass,
Please let me say that I sat in on one of your 30 minute demonstrations at this year’s Siggraph and I was thoroughly delighted with how easy you explained even the most abstract drawing concepts. Thanks you so much for your time.
Sincerely,
Andrea Bobick
“It is not only the classes and their content, it is the warmth with which you conduct them and the magical moments you generate.”
-Nagu Moreno
Hi Karl,
I was preparing a more formal thank you note on stationary but wanted to send over some of these comments right away and let you know how much i appreciated your being a part of the event at the Huntington. I received information from some of the attendees. I am not sure if i shared with you that we are completely member run organization and we rate all of our events and meetings with a written evaluation. This is how we monitor and keep up the quality level of our events. This was one of the most highly rated events of the year and some people said it was the best event they had ever been to. So thank you, thank you!
Looking forward to keeping in touch with you, Karl!
From the written evaluations regarding you:
• Great communicator!
• Well paced, non-threatening environment. Good models, fun
• Awesome experience – memorable
• Art and nude models pushed our boundaries. Learned more appreciation for art than ever by doing
• Activity, sketches. Resources had passion!
Best,
Lisa Shine – Secretary of the Young Millionaires Club
YouTube Comments:
On Life Drawing (Additional Thoughts)
Yeah That really makes me want to take his class. That explains a lot in a very short amount of time, and it’s done very clearly. Need more of his teachings on youtube.
About Books:
Karl ~
Your book arrived yesterday. It is magnificent. The title is perfect, as these words reverberate in my ears whenever I start a drawing; be it a figure, a plant or anything else. Your teaching has taught me that every object has its “spirit” and essence of form, that must be captured immediately in order to achieve a successful drawing.
You instruction has been invaluable and made me a much better artist.
Best,
Ted Rubin
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