Harvey School News

Our Upper School Star Wars Studies seminar class visited virtually recently with Kim Buhler, model artist and prototype painter for Hasbro. Harvey students had the opportunity to learn about the many facets of "Star Wars" in our real world. Ms. Buhler shared her background in high school and college (graduate of MASS Art) and her jump into painting models or prototypes for Hasbro toys immediately after graduating. Her work involves painting the prototypes as examples for the manufacturing side to demonstrate exactly what the toys should look like when mass produced. Ms. Buhler has also been responsible for painting the detailed dioramas Hasbro displays at San Diego Comic Con every summer. 

"Ms. Buhler showed us the various steps that are taken during her part of the toy- making process and how Hasbro maintains the quality and integrity of their products," shared Harvey art teacher Mr. Price.

Ms. Buhler also discussed the shift in the industry from real painting to digital painting, and the difficulties involved in working with digital models. 

"The Star Wars Studies elective explores the Star Wars phenomenon through a wide range of lenses, exploring the films as dramatic narrative, mythology, philosophy, cultural artifact, political analogy, and commercial enterprise," explained Harvey English teacher Mr. Seymour. The students examine every facet from filmmaking to game design; marketing, to theme-park engineering.