Join us for Sketchfest, a celebration of creativity and character design for all ages! Experience hands-on drawing workshops, colorful competitions, animation-inspired art stations, and a live mural creation with artist Ian Bode. Whether you're sketching your favorite cartoon character, molding clay, or racing through color theory, there's something to inspire every budding artist.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
🖼️ Mural-Making with Ian Bode
📍 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Art Studio
Watch artist Ian Bode create a large-scale mural live—and help bring it to life! Guests are invited to grab a brush and contribute to this collaborative work of art. No experience necessary, just bring your creativity.
✏️ Draw Your Favorite Character
📍 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM | Classrooms A/B
Learn to draw a childhood favorite with guidance from our educators. In this hour-long workshop, you’ll follow step-by-step instructions to sketch beloved cartoon or comic characters using lines, shapes, and shading techniques.
🌈 Rainbow Race: A Color Theory Challenge
📍 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM | Grand Lobby
Test your knowledge of color mixing in this fast-paced, interactive game. Stand on the correct color combinations before time runs out—mix red and blue? Find purple! Last one standing wins a big prize, and all participants receive a colorful keychain.
🎞️ Zoetrope Animation Station
📍 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM | Ticketing Lobby
Bring your drawings to life! Create your own zoetrope strip, then test it inside a real spinning zoetrope to see your animated loop in motion.
🗿 Animated Character Clay Figures
📍 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM | Ticketing Lobby
From sketch to sculpture—design a clay figure of a favorite animated character and bring your creation home! This hands-on activity lets kids and families shape their own version of a beloved screen character. All materials included.
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Animationland is presented with support by Baird Charleston, Bernard H. & Blanche E. Jacobson Foundation, Encova Insurance, Friends of Clay Center, and Daywood Foundation in collaboration with OMSI.
This event is free with museum admission.
You may also like the following events from Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia:
- This August, 2nd August, 11:00 am, Rock All Day! in Charleston
- This October, 7th October, 07:00 pm, Cinderella presented by the World Ballet Company in Charleston
- This October, 17th October, 07:30 pm, Vitamin String Quartet: The Music of Taylor Swift, Bridgerton, and Beyond in Charleston
Also check out other
Arts events in Charleston,
Workshops in Charleston,
Fine Arts events in Charleston.