New Life Quest Unlocked: Teaching Digital Art at a Local School
Hello, taq here.
If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s this—I draw. I’ve been drawing since I was three years old (that’s over 35 years now!), and I still do it almost every single day. Drawing isn’t just something I love; it’s how I think. It’s like a second language that comes naturally to me.
Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to be recognized for my work in illustration and comic creation, and I’ve had the chance to be part of many interesting projects. And now, I’ve added a new and exciting quest to the mix: teaching.
It all started in a way that felt surprisingly perfect—like everything I’d done up to that point had quietly been leading here. At last year’s ExtraLife Game Jam, a local charity event where I was also invited to speak about project management, a lot of it is what I do every day at Sadie, I met Monica Gadsby from the Seven Oaks School Division. She was intrigued by the event poster I illustrated and mentioned how much kids would love to learn how to do that. She said she’d talk to her team about setting up a workshop.
As a bonus, that same event was where I met and chatted with Kade Deckard from ENEME—little did I know I’d later join his game studio.
Fast forward a couple of months, and I found myself standing in front of a classroom, introducing middle school students to the world of digital manga art.
The workshop kicked off at the end of last month, and I can confidently say—it’s a whole new world for me.
The workshop covers the fundamentals of digital art: using layers, understanding colour profiles, working with different file formats, scanning and cleaning line work, and exporting artwork for sharing. It’s a crash course in the digital art pipeline.
I’ve run workshops like this before, but they were geared toward adults. Teaching middle schoolers, however, requires a completely different energy. Adult sessions are usually structured, efficient, and expectation-driven—more like giving a presentation. But kids? They’re spontaneous, fluid, and wildly creative. They don’t always follow the plan, and honestly, that’s not their fault—it’s a reflection of my learning curve as an instructor.
That said, I’m genuinely impressed by my students. Their digital literacy is high, and their curiosity is refreshingly honest. They keep me on my toes and constantly remind me that I’m learning just as much as they are.
Seriously, some kids are pretty talented.
I’m by no means the best illustrator or comic creator in the world. I still practice, still study, and still try to grow every day. But I’m incredibly honoured to have this opportunity—to pass on what I’ve learned so far to the next generation.
It feels like unlocking a new life quest—one I never expected, but now can’t imagine not taking on.
Thanks for reading,
taq
