The Fear Theory – Workshop
How it Started
When I started The Fear Theory back 2019, I wanted to create something that was fun, engaging, and authentically imperfect. During the summer of 2021 I held a virtual-workshop for a small class of grade 5 students. My ultimate goal of the workshop was to allow students to grow comfortable with the creative process, to understand the importance of cultivating ideas and to most importantly have fun!
During the 3-day workshop students learned about The Fear Theory as well as my creative process. With The Fear Theory taking place in space, it allowed room for students to create anything they wanted. My hope was to help them better understand their thought processes and grow comfortable with flexing their creative muscles. Although many of them were shy at first, once they started sketching out their ideas they began to grow more confident in themselves. When it came to them explaining their work and their creative process, I was blown away with what they came up with. One student made a mistake and instead of getting upset, he ended up turning the “mistake” into an intentional part of the image. Each planet had intricate details, backstories, colours, names, and conflicts – it was quite remarkable.
Here are some examples from the very first workshop!
2021 Grade 5 Summer Workshop. v1
I created this initial version for the children during the workshop. Many students were curious about the programs I used, so I put this together during the extra time at the end. A more refined version is included in the Cadet Package activity.
Workshop Breakdown
Mission
I start the workshop with a presentation detailing different aspects of my non-linear journey and how it brought me to my current work. I delve into the origins of The Fear Theory as a project and share my entrepreneurial journey, starting with just an idea and a sketch. My aim with the workshop is to help children and students better understand how to tap into their imagination and creativity, enabling them to express themselves beyond the constraints of words.
Description
In this 3-step process, students will design their own planet using a sketchbook. They will be tasked with completing a series of at least three mockups before moving to the template. Once completed I will collect and transform each template into a digital render available for download. By encouraging the use of a sketchbook, my goal is to help students better understand their thought processes and feel more comfortable exercising their creativity. More importantly, they will learn that they have the power to shape the life they want, with the understanding that making mistakes is an essential part of the journey.
Objectives
Access Alliance – March Break Wellness Seminar 2024
Wellness & Wellbeing Seminar for Newcomer Families, hosted by Access Alliance in Toronto.
Holy Rosary Catholic School 2024 – Workshop
Digital Renders
While my goal is to help children reclaim quality experiences without relying on technology, we must be practical. Recognizing that phones are a part of their daily lives, creating a wallpaper allows them to see their designs in a real-world setting. It serves as a reminder that everything begins with an idea and a sketch.
Holy Rosary Elementary School – Star System – 24×36 Poster
I made my way back to Bellville Ontario to surprise the students with a 24×36 poster for the school, featuring all 60 planets they created during the workshop. All participating students from grades 2, 5, and 8 had their planets included, giving them the opportunity to see their work become part of The Fear Theory universe.
Holy Rosary – Testimonials
“I’ve NEVER seen my kids so engaged, as I did with Chad. His sharing of his personal journey and his calling and work really inspired and left its mark on my kids; many of whom also deal with the same thoughts and feelings. The connection was clear, and everyone seemed to really enjoy our two sessions together. The Grade 8’s loved that we were able to have two afternoon sessions with him, as much of our opportunities so far seem to be a one and done. The energy in the room and excitement for work (and to impress Chad with doing their best) was clear. He had quite the effect on many of the young men in my class.
Our first day introduced us and had us listening to him, his personal journey and gaining exposure to his work portfolio. The 8’s found this fascinating! We made our own planets; most of my kids took this task seriously and dove into it. They really enjoyed his sharing of his working process, work samples, and the technology he used during his creation process. In fact, their only critique was that they wished to have more time with him to investigate such creating tools (e.g., photoshop) with him.
Our second day brought with it their planet sharing, story time with Chad and then an even closer look at how he includes additional details into his work. Each student was asked to create an image that would then be transformed into a smaller scale hieroglyph. Not that we needed any more energy in the room, but trivia indeed brought it! This experience is one that many more would enjoy. My Grade 8’s absolutely loved his visit and would welcome him back in a heartbeat! I think this is a great and valuable experience for any student, especially those in junior and intermediate grades. It’s been two weeks since his visits and yet they are all still talking about him!”
– Miss McMahon (Grade 8 Teacher)
Student Testimonials
“Chad gave my class a good experience. He allowed our class to be interactive with his work as well as sharing about his past and current mental health issues. This allowed my class to connect closer to him. Chad Hopson shared his journey of creating his book Fear Theory-the Stone which is one probably many to come in the fear theory series. I would like to thank him for all he’s done.”
– Annelise
“Chad coming to our school was a very fun and enjoyable experience for us. He made his story for us very entertaining and engaging by sharing his own personal connections with us and getting us involved with his questions and activities. I know people in our class can connect and relate with his inspirational story and his personal struggles with mental health. I am very happy.”
– Julio
“Sir Hopson was really passionate and engaged about the things he spoke about. The energy and vibe he gave off made the experience more interesting. I like how he shared his life experiences. It showed the authenticity about him. The experiences he shared with us showed how hard work pays off and good things take time to happen. In the future I do hope he visits our school again, as well as many other schools, too. His visit inspired me and hopefully others too in different forms of art.”
– Abigael
“I didn’t get much time with Chad, but from what I know, Chad is an outgoing, cheerful person. When sharing his book Fear Theory: The Stone, I noticed how detailed and beautiful his world is. It’s really inspirational to see someone create such beautiful things. Although I’m not an artist, Chad makes me want to strive to do the best I can in the things i do.”
– Dave