Glenn Vilppu.

Through his education in Fine Arts and his impressive career in the American Animation Industry, Glenn Vilppu has developed a deep understanding of drawing the human figure; uniting the constructive approach of the classical art with the lightness in movement of animation.

For more than 50 years, he has been teaching; focusing on explaining the logic and practical application of drawing. Rather than teaching a style, Glenn Vilppu teaches tools of visual communication and guides the students in acquiring knowledge with the motto:

“There are no rules, just tools.”

Glenn Vilppu is an internationally renowned draftsman, painter, and instructor whose books and DVDs are used by universities, art schools and independent students around the world. Vilppu has had at least 20 solo exhibitions, and is represented in collections throughout the U. S., Canada, Asia and Europe.

The Vilppu Academy online art school is an international resource for students wishing to improve their drawing skills remotely. Vilppu’s approach to teaching drawing has become the standard for professional artists, used by numerous teachers and applied by the tens of thousands of students of his teaching.

Vilppu earned BFA and MFA Degrees in Fine Art at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA where he was an instructor for thirteen years. From there he started and operated his own school for five years teaching all subjects related to art.

At the age of 40, Vilppu brought his approach to traditional figure drawing and composition to bear in the Animation Industry, working for more than 20 years on both features and shorts at all of the major studios. He concurrently taught other artists at these studios as well as at many game and special effects studios.

Vilppu teaches annual workshops at Ringling College of Art and Design as he has for more than ten years as well as Sketching Tours and Workshops in Europe as he has for the past 20 years. Two to four months of the year are devoted to Sketching Tours and workshops at Art Schools, Universities, Studios and Private Art Groups throughout the world, from Italy, Greece, France, Sweden, Denmark and England to Singapore, Brunei, Korea and Japan.

Glenn Vilppu is a founding member and contributing artist at New Masters Academy.

Currently Vilppu teaches on site at the University of California Los Angeles Animation Workshop of the School of Film and Video, and the American Animation Institute, workshops worldwide as well as his online drawing school vilppuacademy.com