ESP Biography

The basic idea: Drawing is important and most people have never been shown the proper way of thinking about it so it is stressful and unsatisfying. Mel will show you how he was trained when he was in high school in a high energy class that will make you laugh, cry, sweat, and free you from all your old habits. sounds fun right? wrong. IT'S AWESOME. IT'S FAST WORK. IT's....NOT FOR BORING PEOPLE. (Mel stretches fingers as he prepares to write this class description again...takes a deep breath...ok). Five years ago Mel graduated from Stanford with a product Design Degree. FOR 5 YEARS once or twice a year he offers this class. FOR 5 YEARS HE HAS BEEN TAKING A CLASSROOM FULL OF KIDS AND FORCING THEM TO DRAW....really really fast. WHY? HOW? WHO? These are questions for fools! but I will tell you anyway. WHY: Why Draw? I attribute most of my success in life to my understanding of illustration. Not only as a demonstrable skill but also as a way of thinking. As I write this (literally) I am on the floor in a Japanese style room in Hiroshima after a long night of eating and making new friends. My buddy is snoring on a futon along the opposite wall. this is the 3rd day of a 20 day romp around Japan tour for fun, profit and adventure. ALL THIS GLORY COULD BE YOURS IF YOU CAN DRAW. Time and time again I have landed control of major projects or made impactful contributions simply because I could (quickly) visually throw down my ideas on a piece of paper under pressure while everyone watched and freaked out. (in more recent years I've temporarily stunned them with the hand drawings long enough to make 3D renderings that absolutely crush them and bend them to my will. It's like capturing a pokemon, you have to beat it up first. WHAT ARE WE TEACHING OUR KIDS WITH THIS GAME?!!!?) Drawing is important for Mechanical engineers, Electrical engineeres, Good artists, bad artists, businesspersons, product designers, people in marketing, doctors, EVERYONE. the ability to pull your ideas out of your head is worth 1000 words each time...so if you do it all the time you're basically cramming millions and millions of your mind words into people's heads and there is nothing they can do about it. It's easy to not listen to someone, its impossible to unsee something that someone drew. USE THIS POWER CAREFULLY. refine it. don't use it for good, don't use it for evil, USE IT FOR AWESOME. The world opens up when you can think on paper. PERIOD. BUT WAIT (deep breath) THERE'S MORE. One of the most important things in this class (sketch training for life) is that the process you learn is how I learned how to do everything from speaking japanese to welding. And this top secret process is the secret behind all the goal setting and success people find in life. Such a secretive process! you should be ready to pay me a million dollars to learn that you decide what you want then fail as fast as physically possible while checking your progress towards your dream outcome. ...oops I told you everything... and that's ok because everyone writes this stuff but I can SHOW IT TO YOU ON THE SCREEN REAL TIME. learn to apply the drawing methods to your life to revolutionize your existence. HOW? Most people draw the wrong way. They try to be perfect little printers. YOU ARE NOT A PRINTER. learn to sculpt instead of print. This class will show you in the most crazy way possible. PLUS! I bought new speakers so the audio won't be all spiky like last year. WHO? "Woah Bruce Wayne? Who is that? sounds like a cool guy" -lego movie When Mel was in highschool (...its almost time for my 10 year reunion... I'm...so...old :c) NO TEARS. when mel was in highschool he was trained in Illustration at USC as part of the Herbert Ryman program (Herbert Ryman was the first imagineer, drew disneyland for walt disney, pretty cool guy). One of the instructors there changed his existence by teaching the class a few metaphors to change how they thought about drawing. CHANGE HOW YOU THINK AND YOUR HAND WILL FOLLOW. right now I'm thinking about punching my sleeping friend in the face because he is snoring so loud and I'm TRYING TO WRITE THIS AWESOME INTRO. thoughts are power. Mel is currently on the corporate Team at TechShop INC (build your dreams) opening new locations and training the amazing staff HOW TO MAKE ANYTHING ridiculously fast (a different course that would require 2 million dollars of tools and 20,000 dollars of software licenses. or you can just go to your nearest TechShop location). He also gets thrown special design projects and fabrication assignments for important partners and clients...why?....BECAUSE HE CAN DRAW BRO! dang. sounds like a cool guy. I hope this intro has created more questions then it answers. the point of this class is to MAKE NEW HABITS AT EXTREME HIGH ENERGY. I want to MELT THE IMPURITIES OUT OF YOUR MINDS. every time I teach this class I sacrifice 2 red bull cans on the alter of AWESOME so don't let them have died in vain. SUMMARY: drawing correctly is a metaphor for learning anything and achieving any goal in life. I can show this to you and I'm totz funnnnnn and cool and stuff. WHY ARE YOU STILL READING THIS...seriously...I don't remember most of it...I'm too lazy to scroll back up on this ipad because the 'description' window is really little so I'm just going to post and hope no one gets hurt. SEE YOU AT STANFORD.

How to draw anything is a fast paced (yeeeeehaw) course that demonstrates key changes in perspective that will allow students to understand illustration as the masters did (sounds dull...keep reading.) The class also serves as a metaphor for the itteration/goal setting/ideation process so important to innovation these days(yay?). The instructor was trained by Disney artists at USC (lucky punk), has a Degree from Stanford in Product Design (fancy), and is part of the TechShop inc. corporate team (spread the dream)and can thus teach anyone how to make anything. cool... JK NOT COOL ENOUGH!The aforementioned BORING DESCRIPTION was for people TOO OLD to read more than two paragraphs (parents). THIS CLASS IS GOING TO BLOW SOME MINDS!(like it always does) HOW TO DRAW ANYTHING INSANELY FAST has been taught on and off at splash for the last 4 YEARS...and students keep COMING BACK FOR MORE. RELIVE THE INTENSITY. I missed last session so it has been 1 YEAR since I've had the privilege to teach one of my favorite courses. WHICH MEANS I HAVE ALMOST TOO MUCH ENERGY... unacceptable. other things that are unacceptable: -people who think they can't draw (EVERYONE can draw) -people who think they are not creative (EVERYONE is creative) -people who fall asleep in my class (lol jk, HAS NEVER HAPPENED IN HISTORY). -decaf coffee. Why learn how to draw? COMMUNICATION. Do you think steve jobs wrote an essay about iphones to get his engineers to PUSH THEIR LIMITS AND CHANGE THE WORLD? impossible. THEY DREW AN IPHONE, THEN THEY DREW HOW IT WORKED, THEN THEY MADE IT (a.k.a drew into a computer and had a machine CARVE THE PHONE OUT OF solid ALUMINUM)<--- notice the amount of drawing NECESSARY for greatness. To Draw well (gooder/beter?) requires a change in perspective, a new understanding about how to think about drawing. CHANGE YOUR UNDERSTANDING! And in this day and age... the only way to do this is with... HIGH SPEED and EMOTIONAL INTENSITY ==> change your old habits with rapid fire. IF MY DRAWING ISN'T AS FAST AS YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION I WILL LOSE YOUR ATTENTION. (note: any loss of attention in this class means angry birds has probably fried your brain) do you want to draw a vase? no one has time to draw vases!!! in this world we need to draw CRAZY ANIMALS, LIGHTNING BOLTS HITTING BULLET TRAINS ON MARS, AND...other cool stuff too. btw, NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED. This class is for ANYONE who intensely desires to learn. ANYWAY! Being able to illustrate quickly helps in almost all fields: -surgery -architecture -teaching -computer science -graphic design -mechanical engineering -business meetings -coffee drinking -facebook chatting -other boring jobs If you can draw it, someone can see WHAT YOU SEE IN YOUR HEAD (frightening). It is the only way to communicate the noncommunicable<-(real word? WHO CARES) This class will make you forget all fear! YOU WILL DRAW RAPIDLY, THERE IS NO BAD ARTIST INSURANCE. If you are not sweating and your arm is not on fire by the time the class is done you MUST NOT HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION.--> wait there's more! I have helped hundreds of people learn everything from illustration to 3D printing, CNC machining to micro-controller programming. My company's mission is to teach anyone how to make anything. www.techshop.ws THERE is a universal principle about learning anything and achieving great things: GOAL SETTING PROCESS. (seriously, if you want to skip the class just go buy some books on goal setting..and read them at the same time you're reading books on illustration and books on caffeine). Good goal setting process is the ultimate skill to get what you want in life. Nowhere is this better demonstrated or more clear than in THIS HIGH SPEED DRAWING CLASS. (did I mention the speed? just checking) So I have adopted a HIGH SPEED IMMERSION teaching style where students will be drawing MORE and watching me talk LESS. (It's hard to watch me talk when you're being timed!) Look at how much text I've typed! how do I type this much so quickly? TECHNO MUSIC. and PASSION for art training. excellent. So, if you are an interesting person and can handle this crazy energy and fun, SIGN UP NOW! (this class always fills) Illustration gloriousness awaits you.

DO YOU WANT TO LEARN HOW TO DRAW ANYTHING QUICKLY? YES YOU DO. cool. In this fast paced, amazing class you learn how to completely change your idea of how to draw. no boring outlines...this class is about CARVING THE SHAPE OUT OF THE PAPER at lightning speeds so your friends say "woah...fast". Drawing well is about CHANGING YOUR MIND ABOUT DRAWING BECAUSE, more likely than not, SOMEONE TOLD YOU THE WRONG WAY TO DO IT. This is the method the old masters used, mixed up with all the crazy philosophy of the world of product design and iteration. Think of the big names: Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, THEY ALL SKETCHED THIS WAY...before they were involved in a freak accident that turned them into turtles with weapons. (artists came first, ninja turtles came second. historical fact) "but you said this is a life skill?" YES. the way I teach this class, is based off of the most powerful techniques for learning ANYTHING. period. This class blasts fear, forces you to itterate quickly, teaches goal setting, removes ego from any process, forces you to fail fast until you get it, etc. This skill boosts self confidence because the way you learned to draw is the way you will learn to do anything. THIS CLASS CRUSHES FEAR and other lame things. this class always fills up quick, read faster! Why is drawing important? BECAUSE. If you are considering a career in marketing, business, art, comicbooks, pokemon, engineering, car stuff, plane stuff, boat stuff, software development, iphone stuff, AP development, WHATEVER AND ETC -> being able to quickly draw and render an idea is a primal skill necessary to dominate meetings and COMMUNICATE YOUR IDEAS. this class always fills up quick read faster. remember how the kid who bought the professional looking binder got the good grade on the report? THE KID WHO FIRST DREW THE BINDER THAT HOLDS THE REPORT GOT THE FUNDING TO MAKE THE PRODUCT AND THEN GOT THAT OTHER KID'S MONEY..amazing. so much money is made by drawings it will spin your mind. You need a crazy instructor to teach this class. I volunteer. Trained by Disney how to draw? check. Stanford Product Design Degree? check. Part of the education and training team, and events development corporate team at TechShop Inc. (INSANELY INNOVATIVE COMPANY)? check. Internationally touring musician who plays speaks three languages? チェック. exciting and not boring? check: I don't drink coffee, coffee drinks ME when its too tired to wake YOU up in the morning. awesome. this class always fills up quick read faster. I have taught this class for more than two years and it is always a transformative experience. (It also fills up quick so read faster and grab your spot). EXPERIENCE THE AMAZING TRANSFORMATION. or don't and take some boring class on something unimportant...we'll still have fun because this class is BANANAS. was that as fun to read as it was to write? hope so. good luck, hope you get a spot.

Visually communicating (drawing) an idea is extremely important no matter what field you end up in. In this high energy class I show you how to draw anything by CHANGING YOUR APPROACH TO LEARNING THE SKILL (mind blown? it's amazing!).The seed of this process was first taught to me at USC by a professor in the Herbert Ryman (Mr. Ryman was one of first Disney artists. Drew Disneyland itself.) program when I was in highschool myself. HOWEVER. Mastery of THIS drawing process and attached philosophies extends to all skills you can learn in life. I've used this same method to learn 6 musical instruments, 3 languages, web development, programming, engineering, graphic design, jokes, etc.... YOU CAN TOO I WILL INFUSE IT INTO YOU. Learn how to set goals, perservere INDEFINITELY, remove your ego from the process (you are not your bad drawing, you are you), turn all failures into reference points for success, etc etc etc. sounds like a great book right? wrong. its my awesome class of indefinite glory. can draw? take this class. can't draw? take this class. hate drawing? take this class. Want to be awesome at everything for life? take this class. Who am I? Graduated from Stanford with a product design major, school of mechanical engineering. I've worked for more than a year and a half at Techshop as one of the marines of consulting helping people from all walks of life prototype their dreams. I have taught hundreds of people how to machine and assemble metal, wood, plastic, electronics, etc. I've planned international concert tours, worked for one of the most powerful Japanese companies in Tokyo. Currently I'm helping a lunar lander team reach the moon and win some serious money in the lunar-x prize and spending my time learning how to teach better. you can be awesome too. you can draw I promise. you can do anything really. lets go this class is going to be awesome, I've taught it 8 times before, and 99% of my students tell me it changes their lives every time they take it.

Learn how to draw anything (awesome skill), and in learning, learn how to succeed in any endeavor in life. This class is simple: step 1.) Learn how to draw like the old masters (even if you can't draw now) using the method I was taught when I was your age. THUS: Be able to sketch anything. step 2.) Apply the method/principles you learned from drawing to all aspects of your life. step 3.) Win at life. This is a class that teaches a skill and a set of principles that will allow you to excel in any endeavor, in any part of life...ever...forever..(sounds too good right?) DO you like drawing? hate drawing? wish you could draw? know you can draw? know you are the worst artist in the world? know for a fact you can draw better than I can because you are the best? GREAT. this class is for you. Learn how to draw/sketch like the old masters. quickly! this translates into illustrations, comic books, fine art, graphic design, etc etc etc. Being able to visually communicate ideas is important for every major, every profession from math intensive engineers to artsy marketing specialists. An illustration (often on a napkin) is worth 1000 words (and some venture capital). Being able to draw anything from a product to a brain map to your dog will prove useful forever. HOWEVER: you will also learn a powerful set of tools while you are drawing with this method. 1.) how to remove your ego/emotions from a problem/task at hand. 2.) how to not give up ever (though there is another class offered only on this subject ) 3.) how to set goals. (no one teaches this anymore its crazy) 4.) how to never fail again. 5.) best way to start a new project 6.) how to become truly confident in a skill 7.) how to tackle overwhelming challenges. "Can you even draw mr. instructor? you sound like an over confident pompous jerk" Yes, I was trained in illustration by Disney's Ryman institute and have sketched alongside real Disney artists in their studios in Glendale. Since then I have used those skills in freelance illustration, graphic design, web design, tattoo design, sticker design, toy design. etc... and no I'm not a jerk. However, using the same principles (no joke) I learned when I was trained to draw in highschool (very specific, easy to teach, principles that you will be taught). I have become the main PR representative for a Lunar Lander team racing to land on the moon, planned a successful international musical tour for a 19 person band, embarked on a yearlong journey to speak 9 languages (3 down), Am creating the future marines of creative consulting at Techshop Inc, Learned 8 musical instruments, Submitted a toy to the new york toy fair a month ago, Worked in Tokyo for 3 months for the largest train company in all of Japan writing reports, (now if that's not a weird enough list of random stuff...) Drawing can teach you all this? It can. come hang out. Its going to be fun. Plus you get to draw for three hours, which is cool. parents can come too, if they're cool.

The most important thing about drawing (and life) is your MINDSET, or how you look at it. Come learn how to draw anything, in any style, by changing how you look at drawing. fun, dirty, frustrating, exciting, p.s. you can draw. AND if you can learn how to draw with this method you can prepare yourself to learn most anything. You would be surprised how far being able to draw takes you. From professional graphics careers to impressing friends. The ability to sketch and clearly communicate your ideas helps streamline countless processes in your life. example: would you rather tell someone about your dream house/room/date or SHOW THEM with sketches? good times. Learn the mindset of the old masters (michaelangelo, leonardo, raphael) current masters and beyond which allowed them to sketch what was on their mind. Energetic lessons complied from studies of art history, world travels, training with Disney, and success as a graphic designer. With bonus tips borrowed directly from the world famous Stanford Product Design Process. -no skill necessary. -I can teach you how to make this class look like gold on a resume.