12/18/10 Art History I

Today's Class- Today was our last class meeting of the semester. I returned the first part of the take home final exam (cumulative western art), along with the graded current arts events journals and any extra credit assignments. Then the class took the second part of the final (non-western cultures). Once the test was turned in, students could leave.

Final class grades will be calculated in the next few days.

Enjoy the break

12/17/10 Basic Drawing and 2D Design

Today's Class- Today was the last meeting of the semester for the Basic Drawing Class and the emergency grading day for my 2D Design class.

2D Design- All the work that had been left in the classroom last night was graded, along with whatever new work came in today. Several students came by to pick up the graded work. What was not picked up was put on one of the horizontal shelves just to the left of the door in the above photo. 2D work is on the top shelf, labeled with the class and my name. A small slip of paper is tucked inside the cover of each pad or some equivalent, with the grades for the Final Project, and the semester portfolio, along with a tally of absences and times late for class. I also graded any back projects submitted today, and returned all the student work I had in my possession. If you come to pick up your work before the end of the fall classes, go see the art department secretary across the hall to fill out the student evaluation form for our class, since we didn't get to do them last night.

Tomorrow morning (Saturday, December 18th) I will be on campus one last time this semester, in the TV Studio building, available to receive and grade work from the 2D class. If you still wish to get credit for work done for the class, bring it to me in that building's main lecture hall (right by the front door) between 8:30 and 10 am.

Basic Drawing- We held a critique of the Final Drawings, then the class was dismissed while I graded those drawings, the 2nd half portfolios, and the sketchbooks. Most students from the class returned to pick up their graded work. Unclaimed work was put on one of the horizontal shelves just to the left of the door in the above photo. Basic Drawing work (large pads and sketchbooks) are located on the bottom shelf, which is labeled with my name, the class, day, and time. A small slip of paper is tucked inside the front cover of each pad, with the grades for the Final Drawing, the portfolio, and the sketchbook, along with a tally of absences and times late for class.

I can't make an guarantees about the security of work on those shelves. Sometimes it sits for years, sometimes someone decides to throw it all away. If you are concerned with getting your work back, I suggest that you pick it up before the end of the semester.

Class grades will be worked out over the weekend and posted to WebAdvisor shortly after that.

Enjoy the break.

12/17/10 2D Design

Winter Weather/Grading Update I will be going into school this morning, Friday, December 17th, and assuming that all the work I am told was left behind by students is still there, I will be grading it. Another class has use of our room until 1:00, so I probably won't be in there. After 1 pm I expect be in our room, and all that work will be available to be picked up. My Basic Drawing class meets in the room from 2:00 to 5:30, and I will be in the classroom during that entire time. If you were unable to make it in last night, you may bring work to our classroom during that time today (1 to 5:30 pm), and I will let you know when and where it can be picked up. Any work not picked up by students by the end of class today will be put on those horizontal shelves behind the large boxes of mat board, on a shelf marked with my name and the class.

If you have a schedule conflict that prevents you from bringing work to me today, I will also be on campus Saturday, December 18th. I teach an art history class in the TV Studio building in the main room. Bring your work there between 8:30 and 10 am, and I'll deal with it then.

12/16/10 2D Design

Today's Class- As you may or may not know by now, we had no class meeting tonight, thanks to that brief dusting of snow that showed up at just the right time to leave a coat of ice on all area roads and create traffic jams that extended for miles. The above photo is a good example of what I saw through my windshield for 2.5 hours of driving toward the college on icy roads. By 8 pm I was still a few miles away and based on what I could see, had no reason to expect that I could get there before 9 pm, and figured no one was likely to wait around that long for me to show up, assuming that people made it there in the first place.

My students who are also in my Basic Drawing class can just bring their 2D stuff tomorrow and I'll grade both at once. For everyone else, I will be on campus tomorrow and Saturday for classes, and those are also opportunities to show me your work and get it graded. I will post details here and send e-mails to the class tomorrow as soon as I have a specific plan in place, sometime late tomorrow morning.

Update 12/16/10 11:00 pm- A few students e-mailed that a significant number of you showed up and left your work in the classroom. I'll grade that tomorrow and let you know when and where it can be picked up. For the rest of you, I'll let you know tomorrow how you can get your work graded.

12/11/10 Art History I

Today's Class- Today we finished our study of non western art, with a review of the art and architecture of the Americas and Ancient Africa. The class filled out the course evaluation forms, turned in the first part of the take home final, their current events journals, and any extra credit assignments. I also went through a brief history of printmaking that included Japanese, Northern Renaissance, and 20th and 21st century woodcut prints.

Important Concepts-

*Despite having no connection with the civilized peoples of the Old World, the ancient residents of the Americas managed to independently develop forms of agriculture, written language, complex mathematics, calendars, astronomy, monumental architecture, metallurgy, ceramics, and weaving, while creating an aesthetic that was unlike anything found on the other side of the world.

*Although there aren't many surviving artifacts, there is evidence that ancient civilizations from sub-Saharan Africa did create sophisticated artworks in a variety of media.

Homework- If you turned in everything you were supposed to today, you have no homework. If you didn't, the take home and journal can be brought next week for reduced/partial credit.

For next class 12/18/10- Our final class meeting. I'll be returning and briefly reviewing all the materials turned in today, and then the class will take the second part of the open book final, dealing with non-western art. Bring your notebook and all 3 of your textbooks, as questions may require you to reference the chapters that we covered earlier in the semester.

Exhibition at Le Souterrain Gallery

This Saturday December 11th there will be a one night art event at Le Souterrain Gallery in Seaside Heights. The exhibition, called "Santa, is that you?" (see the above announcement image) features artwork by several OCC art faculty (including myself), students from the college, and some other local artists. This holiday extravaganza, which includes food, refreshments, live music and other entertainment, goes on from 7 to 11 pm. The gallery is asking a $10 donation at the door to cover expenses. None of my students are required to go, and no extra credit is available for attending- this information is being posted here as a courtesy for students who requested it.

Le Souterrain is located at 1020 Ocean Terrace (at the corner of Hancock Avenue), under the boardwalk's Big Top Arcade. Enter through the front door (facing the street) of Le Petit Garage at the same address.

12/10/10 Basic Drawing

Today's Class- Today the class did the final drawing of the semester. A typical still life was set up, and each student chose from among charcoal, ink, or conte crayon to draw it. Other than a few minutes spent filling out the end of the semester evaluation forms, students were given the entire period to complete the drawings, which were collected at the end of the class period.

How to make this up- Everyone still in the class showed up today, so no one needs to make it up.

Homework- No new homework this week. If you're caught up with all the sketchbook assignments you can relax. If not, you have a week to make them up. Look back through this blog for week by week assignments.

*******Second Half Portfolio********

The 2nd Half Portfolio will be graded next week during the class period. Complete portfolios should include the following 6 drawings:

Nov 5 Ink Wash from still life (2)

Nov 19 Conte Crayon still life (one black, one red)

Dec 3 Conte Crayon mannequins (2 red and black)

For next class 12/17/10- Final grading day. We will start with a group critique of today's drawings, and I'll be grading the 2nd half portfolios and sketchbooks, with all to be returned by the end of the class. Make sure you bring all the portfolio drawings and your sketchbooks, or you won't receive a grade for them.

12/9/10 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we critiqued the mixed media collage projects and a few late arriving limited palettes projects at the beginning of class. Students spent the rest of the time working on a variety of projects- many worked on the final project, while others chose to work on back projects they still owe.

Homework- The final project (transforming book or board game) is due at the beginning of class next week December 16, 2010. Because that is our last class meeting of the semester, it is also the last chance to get any late projects graded. There are still a few students who haven't yet turned in the season temperature collage, limited palettes project, and/or the mixed media collage. Partial credit is better than none at all.

Semester Portfolio- Next week I'll also be grading the semester portfolio, all the artwork that hasn't been individually graded. If you haven't missed any classes this semester, you should be all caught up, but if you need a reminder of what I'll be expecting to see, check out the following list with the dates that you'll find the descriptions on the blog:

Sep 16 Wall paper patterns with dots

Sep 23 Contour lines (shoes)

Oct 7 Value drawing with charcoal

Oct 21 Color wheel/Complement Mix/Tints and Shades

Oct 28 Text (Russian words) and Logo (imaginary business)

Nov 23 Color still life painting

For next class 12/16/10- Our final meeting of the semester. We will critique the Final Projects and any other back work that is brought in, all projects and portfolios will be graded and returned by the end of the class. Bring all your semester's art work. No art supplies will be necessary.

12/4/10 Art History I

Today's Class- Today I returned the midterm exam from last week and reviewed the answers. I distributed the first part of the take home final exam, and went over some other bits of class related business. Then we continued our study of Asian Art, looking at the art of Ancient China, Korea, and Japan.

Important Concepts-

*The evolution of images of Buddha through the history of India, China, Korea, and Japan

*The philosophical and religious ideals behind Chinese landscape painting of the Song Dynasty.

*The many influences of China and Korea on Japanese culture.

*Japanese art maintains unique characteristics despite those influences

Homework- The take home cumulative portion of the final exam is due at the beginning of class next week, December 11, 2010.

The current art events journals are due next week, December 11, 2010. There should be a total of 12 articles.

All extra credit assignments must be turned in by December 11, 2010 in order to earn extra credit points.

For next class 12/11/10- We will finish our study of non-western cultures of the ancient world, with a look at North and South America, and Africa. Bring your notebook and Book 3 (A View of the World), along with all the assignments that are due that day.

Basic Drawing- Chiaroscuro Crayons

Today's Class- Today we continued our exploration of value with conte crayons, but with a difference. I started by showing a few slides of Renaissance era chiaroscuro drawings and prints, and then introduced a variation that we could do with the materials at hand- white paper and red and black crayons. The class did value drawings using both crayons together, with the white of the paper as the lights in the composition, the red used for middle value tones, and black used to deepen the shadows where appropriate. Above (drapery) and below (a hand) are student examples from previous semesters.

The Assignment- For today's subject, I put some of the various mannequin parts in the center of the room and had students do two drawings of one of the mannequins, using both red and black conte crayons. To make up this work you will need a figural subject- a full sized mannequin or statue, an actual person (dressed is acceptable), or a statuette/figurine large enough to see surface details. (to avoid the complications of faces, draw the subject from the neck down) Shine light on the subject to create patterns of light and shadow and do the following drawings-

Traditional Style- Essentially a red conte crayon value drawing to which black crayon is added to deepen shadows. Draw your subject on your 18" x 24" paper using the red crayon first, all the light and medium values. Then to achieve darker values, gradually blend black into the red, making it as dark as it needs to be to match the values in your subject. Spend about an hour on the drawing. Below is an example from a previous semester.

For the second drawing, view your figure from a different position (in class I rotated the mannequins) and draw again using the black and red conte crayons, spending about 90 minutes on it. 

Hard Edged Style- If you want, you can try this variation for the second mannequin drawing. For this alternative style of drawing, every value in the subject is broken down into 3 simple tones- solid white, solid red, solid black. The resulting drawing is nothing but solid shapes, no gradually shaded values. To try this type, decide in advance what range of value gets assigned to which of the three tones, and apply that consistently throughout the drawing. Below is an example from a previous semester.

These drawings are portfolio exercises, and must be made up by the last class meeting of the semester to receive credit.

12/2/10 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we started with a group critique of the limited palettes project. After that I introduced the final project of the semester, which involves transforming a work of two dimensional fine art.

How to make this up- The project starts with a painting from the history of fine art. You have a number of options in how you go from there. One possibility is a transforming book. The books all have in common that they have a cover that opens and closes. Choices for book structures include Pop Up (as in the example above), Pull Tab, Folding Flap, and Transparency. Student examples of all these types, and full descriptions of how they work, can be found here.

The other major option is a board game based on the work of a single fine artist. I do not have any available images of previous student projects, so I started making an example myself. It's not complete, but far enough along to give everyone an idea of the project.

For the Board Game option, choose an artist's work to adapt into a game board. You may work with a single painting, or multiple works from a single artist. All games must have a theme or goal that relates to the subject of the artwork(s). All games must also have a path to follow on the board. It can be a single path with a start and finish (such as Candyland), one with a repeated loop (such as Monopoly), or a system that allow moves in multiple directions (such as chess)

My example is using art from 14th century northern painter Hieronymus Bosch. He is best known for his incredibly complex compositions filled with bizarre fantasy creatures and moral and religious messages. I combined bits and pieces of two of his triptychs- The Garden of Earthly Delights and The Last Judgement. The theme of my game is one that relates to a theme common to both paintings, the pursuit of sinful pleasures leads to eternal punishment in the afterlife. In this game, players start in the lower left corner (Eden), and follow a convoluted path with the goal of reaching Heaven (top center), but taking the wrong path lands the player in Hell (lower right). All the visuals around the board are images based on parts of the paintings mentioned above, but arranged in a composition different from Bosch's original. (Your game board needs to be more than just a path superimposed over an exact copy of a historical painting) I'll post a photo of the complete project after the whole thing is finished.

Homework- The completed transforming book or game board project is due at the beginning of class on December 16, 2010, the last meeting of our class for the semester. At that time I will grade the last project, the semester portfolio (all the ungraded artwork from the semester), and any late arriving graded projects from earlier in the semester.

The mixed media collage project is due at the beginning of class on December 9, 2010.

Anyone who has not yet turned in any overdue projects (such as the season temperature collage or the limited palettes project) can turn them in next week or the week after for partial credit.

For next class 12/9/10- We will critique the mixed media collage projects. The rest of the class period will be used for working on any class related project, such as the final project or any yet to be completed back project. Bring with you whatever materials you need to complete whatever you plan to work on.

11/27/10 Art History I

Today's Class- Today the class took the 2nd midterm exam, this one covering Early Christian through the Gothic, or everything in Book 2. After that, we started our study of non-western cultures (Book 3) with a look at the art of India.

Important Concepts-

*The similarities of ancient Indus Valley civilizations and those in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Aegean.

*The general characteristics of South Asian figure art.

*The introduction and evolution of Buddhism and Hinduism in India.

*The similarities and differences between Buddhist and Hindu art in Asia

Homework- The next current arts event article is due for next week's class.

For next class 12/4/10- Today's exam will be returned and reviewed, and then we will continue our look at Asian art, with Ancient China, Korea, and Japan. Bring Book 2 (A View of the World) and a notebook.

11/23/10 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we had our special Thanksgiving week Tuesday meeting. We did a portfolio exercise involving a classic still life painting. Unlike the limited palettes project, the goal tonight was to match the local colors of the objects in the still life set up. The season temperature collages critiqued last week were returned graded.

How to make this up- Set up a still life. Put a small box on a table, drape with a multicolored cloth (I used a plaid tablecloth), and arrange 4 solidly colored objects of different colors on and around the box. You may sketch it first with pencil, or just paint directly with your brush. Try to match the shapes and the colors of the objects and drape as closely as possible. Adding a background color is optional. Above are two student examples from a previous semester.

This is a portfolio exercise, that must be made up by the end of the semester to receive credit.

Homework- The limited color palettes project is due at the beginning of class on December 2, 2010. The random subject mixed media collage project is due at the beginning of class on December 9, 2010.

Students who still owe their wood block and/or the season temperature collage should get those in next week to receive partial credit.

For next class 12/2/10- We will critique the limited color palette graded projects, then start on the Final Project of the semester. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencil and eraser, and all your painting supplies. The Final Project will involve options based on historical works of 2D fine art, so also bring a book with images of work from a favorite artist, a favorite art movement or subject, or even a general book about painting or art history.

11/20/10 Art History I

Today's Class- Today we covered the art and architecture of the Gothic period in western art, which had its biggest influence in northern and western Europe. Gothic architecture introduced a number of stylistic and structural innovations, the most important of which are pointed arches and extensive use of stained glass. The visual orginization used in stained glass also turned up in manuscript illuminations of the time. Figural sculpture continues the trend toward naturalism begun in the Romanesque, in some cases achieving a level of realism not seen since the early Roman Empire. Meanwhile, cities gain wealth, kings in France and England gain power, and artists begin to gain status as professionals.

We devoted the last part of class to reviewing for the next midterm exam, which will cover Early Christian through Gothic art (Book 2).

Important terms- buttress, facade, hall church, jamb, lancet, oculus, parchment, pier, pilaster, plate tracery, polychromy, quatrefoil, sanctuary, scribe, stained glass, transept

These terms and artworks are on the review sheet, but not previously posted on the blog, and may appear on the upcoming exam- colophon, embroidery, pendentive, Chi Rho page (Book of Kells), St Matthew (Coronation and Ebbo Gospels)

These terms are not in the book's glossary, but are described in the chapters about Romanesque and Gothic architecture and will be necessary for labeling the parts of a typical cathedral- choir, crossing, radiating chapel (Note that the textbook often uses the terms radiating chapel and apsidal chapel almost interchangeably, but in cathedral diagrams only uses the term apsidal chapels for the small niche chapels that extend outward off the apse. For the purposes of the exam, apsidal chapels are radiating chapels.)

Important artworks- Abbey Church of Saint-Denis, Cathedral of Notre-Dame (Paris), Chartres Cathedral, Rose of France window (Chartres Cathedral), Jamb Sculptures (Chartres (not Amiens as listed on the distributed review sheet, a remnant from the previous edition of the textbook) and Reims)

Homework- The next current arts event article is due for next week. It is recommended that you read chapters 9 (India) and 10 (China and Korea) in Book 3 to familiarize yourself with the material.

For next class 11/27/10- We will start class by taking the 2nd midterm exam, then move on to the study of non-Western art, with India and depending on how things go, maybe China. Bring a notebook and Book 3.

Basic Drawing-Conte Crayon

The Assignment- Set up a still life. Put a small box on a table, drape with a white or light colored cloth, and arrange one white and two darker colored objects on and around the draped box. Shine a direct light on the set up to create strong light and shadow patterns. Then do the following:

Black Crayon- Draw the still life using the black crayon on a sheet of your 18" x 24" paper. As with a charcoal drawing, use the crayon to draw the objects and drapery, paying attention to shapes, relative sizes, and relative positions of the objects, as well as matching the values (local color and light/shadow effects) as closely as possible. The finished drawing should eliminate contour lines in favor of edges of value shapes. Spend about 90 minutes on the drawing.

Red Crayon- Rearrange the objects and draw the still life again on a new sheet of 18"x 24" paper, using the reddish (or brown) conte crayon. Do not use pencil first, as the graphite won't look good under the red crayon. All of the above still applies, but because your darkest marks will not be as dark as can be achieved with the black conte crayon, you may have to adjust relative values of everything in the drawing. Above is a student example from a previous semester. Again, spend about 90 minutes on it.

These are portfolio exercises, that must be made up by the last day of the semester to receive credit.

11/18/10 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we critiqued the color temperature season collages, considering whether or not the colors in each season matched the declared intention. Then we began a new graded project, a mixed media collage partly inspired by the Dada movement of the early 20th century. Students saw a few examples of collages from art history and of student examples of the project from earlier semesters. Then each student drew random words (a noun and a modifying word or phrase) out of paper bags, with the resulting phrase to become the subject of a mixed media collage. (the above collage is based on the phrase "City of Zoo")

How to make this up- To learn all the details and requirements of the project (including how to get your subject phrases), and to see additional student examples, click here.

Homework- This mixed media collage project is due at the beginning of class on December 9, 2010.

The specific color palates project begun in class last week is due at the beginning of class on December 2, 2010.

Anyone who still owes me a wood block or the color temperature project should bring them to class as soon as possible.

For next class 11/23/10- That's right, our next class meeting is on Tuesday, November 23rd, at 6:30 pm. We will complete a new portfolio exercise involving painting. Bring your 18"x 24" pad, pencil and eraser, and all your painting materials.

11/13/10 Art History I

Today's Class- Today we finished our look at Early Medieval art, specifically manuscripts, then moved on to the Romanesque period, which takes place in Western Europe in the 11th and early 12th centuries. In the architecture particularly, there is strong influence of Ancient Roman styles, more than Byzantine or Islamic. Close relationships between the church and nobility (lords, dukes, etc) prove to be mutually beneficial. Pilgrimages and Crusades cause people to travel great distances, exposing them to a wider variety of art and material goods, encouraging trade and the spread of innovations. Engineers of the era push the limits of stone construction to create bigger and bigger cathedrals. Sculpture and painting still retain a lot of Byzantine and occasionally Islamic influence, but start to make a turn toward naturalism. During the last part of class I gave an overview of the subsequent Gothic period, but that summary will be posted next week, along with the important terms and artworks.

Important terms- arcade, capital (historiated), chevron, cloister, colonnade, lantern (dome), portal, relic, reliquary, rib vault, spolia, tapestry, trumeau

Important artworks- Cathedral of St James (Santiago), Reliquary of Sainte Foy, Abbey of Notre Dame (Fontenay), Cathedral Complex of Pisa, South Portal (Priory Church of Saint-Pierre at Moissac), Last Judgment Tympanum (Sainte-Lazare), Christ in Majesty, Bayeux Embroidery

Homework- The next current arts event article is due next week. It is recommended that everyone read chapter 16 (Gothic) to familiarize yourself with the material.

For next class 11/20/10- We will look at the art and architecture of the Gothic period, and review for the 2nd midterm exam that covers Book 2.

Basic Drawing-Ink Wash Final

Today's Class- Today the class did the final ink wash drawing of the semester, a graded project. The subject was a potted plant with long vines and leaves, hanging within a wooden tripod, in full light. Students were asked to do an ink wash drawing at 100% scale, matching shapes and values of everything within the view. Student examples from previous semesters are shown above and below.

How to make this up- Put a medium-large (about a foot in diameter) potted leafy plant on a wooden chair in a well lit room. Draw it at 100% scale (if a leaf is 2 inches on the plant, it should be 2 inches on the paper), with the flower pot centered in the drawing. You may sketch it with pencil first before using the ink wash. Match values as closely as possible, both local color values and light and shadow if any exist. As with all value drawings, the resulting drawing should eliminate lines in favor of value shapes. Spend up to 3 hours working on the drawing.

11/11/10 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we explored the idea of limited palettes, the idea that artists sometimes choose very specific combinations of colors to use in a painting, instead of just copying local colors or using random ones. I showed some slides from the history of art, pointing out where some limited palette strategies were used. Then students began work on a new graded project, basing a series of color images on a black and white photograph. Above are a few student examples from previous semesters.

How to make this up- You will need a sheet of your 18"x 24" paper, pencil and eraser, and all your painting supplies. The source for the image will be a black and white photograph of your choosing. It should be something with a wide range of light, dark, and middle tones, and something you feel comfortable drawing. For the full details as to how to complete the assignment, as well as further student examples, click here.

Homework- This graded assignment in limited color palettes is due at the beginning of class on December 2, 2010. The color temperature seasonal collage project started last week is due on November 18, 2010. Anyone who has not yet turned in a wood block to be printed should finish it as soon as possible.

For next class 11/18/10- We will begin a new graded project that involves mixed media collage. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencil, eraser, markers, all your painting supplies, scissors and glue. The subjects for the collage will be determined that evening.

11/6/10 Art History I

Today's Class- Today we continued our look at Islamic Art, seeing examples of the unique architectural styles and decorative arts. Like the Byzantine styles in nearby lands, Islamic art makes use of elaborate, complex, and dazzling surfaces, but largely substitutes geometry for human figures. Then we moved on to art happening simultaneously in Early Medieval Europe. We traced the movement and influences of several barbarian groups that moved into the former Roman Empire, continuing some of its traditions while adding aspects of their own cultures.

Important terms- arch (horseshoe), boss, iwan, joggled voussoirs, madrasa, maqsura, mihrab, millefiori, minbar, mosque, repousse, rune stone, westwork

Important artworks- Dome of the Rock, Great Mosque of Kairouan (Tunisia), Great Mosque of Cordoba (Spain), Alhambra (Spain), Arabic Manuscript Pages (pp 279-80), The Caliph Harun Al-Rashid Visits the Turkish Bath, Sutton Hoo Hinged Clasp, Palace Chapel of Charlemagne, Stave Church (Norway), Doors of Bishop Bernward

Homework- A new current art events article is due next week in class. Students are advised to read Chapter 15 (Romanesque) to familiarize yourself with the material.

For next class 11/13/10- We will finish our look at Early Medieval Art and start looking at Romanesque art and architecture. Bring Book 2 (Medieval Art) and a notebook.

Basic Drawing-Ink Wash Drawing

The Assignment- Find a white or light colored cloth, and hang it on something tall so that the drape hangs down like a backdrop. Place two white or light colored objects on a table in front of the drape, and shine a direct light to create strong patterns of light and shadow. Draw on a sheet of your 18" x 24" paper, using light pencil contour lines to sketch out the basic shapes of objects and cloth, then using the ink wash to draw in the value. Ink wash is made by putting a few drops of ink in a small water container (like a paper cup). Test the strength of the wash on scrap paper or a corner of your page- add water to lighten it, add ink to darken it. The typical way to make an ink wash drawing is to start filling in the lightest values first (everything not white) and then gradually darken parts of the drawing by gradually adding more drops of ink to the wash. You may want to let the paper dry a little between washes. An example of how values can be built in successive washes can be found here.

Do two such drawings, rearranging the two objects between drawings. Spend about 90 minutes on each. As with other value drawings, try to eliminate lines in favor of shapes, and try to match values from the set up as closely as possible. After the drawings are completely dry, you may erase any visible pencil lines. The above student drawings include some non-white objects, but they are still good examples of how a resulting drawing can look.

Ink Wash- Building Values

Ink wash is drawing ink that has been diluted with water to create varying strengths of value and is applied with a brush. It can be done with any color of ink, but for our class we are using black. Because ink can't be erased, I suggest that students build values gradually, from barely visible washes to full strength ink if needed. To show how the process works, I started with a subject, the completed charcoal sketch above, and took the drawing through a few stages.

Start with at least two containers, one for clean water and one for your wash, which should just be a few drops of ink in a little water. Test on a scrap, and adjust the mix as necessary. If you wish, sketch your composition out first with light pencil.

1st State- A very light wash has been applied to the paper everywhere that isn't going to be left white. A few spots got a little extra, but most of the page is one of two values. Even at this stage, light and shadow give some three dimensional modeling to our subject.

2nd State- A darker wash (more ink added to the wash container) has been put over parts of the drawing. Facial features and hair are more defined, and the overall value range has been pushed further, increasing the three dimensional effect. The background separates more from the subject.

3rd State- A stronger wash is used selectively on the subject to deepen a few key shadows and for local values (eyes/eyebrows). The value range has been extended to at least four values (white page and 3 levels of gray), which makes the modeling seem more gradual even as the range becomes more extreme. The background is darker still, which balances against some of the darker areas of the face and hair and helps push the head and figure more forward.

The above drawing could probably go at least two states darker in some parts, if the goal is to match the original charcoal.

Keep in mind-

*Ink can't be erased. While it is still wet you might be able to blot up some wash with a clean paper towel, but once it's in the paper, it's there for good.

*Ink wash will be significantly lighter when it dries. Between states, give it a few minutes to fully dry and see how dark the drawing truly is. Hanging the single page loosely over the edge of your desk, so air can hit it from both sides, will speed the process.

*When you add ink of any strength to an area that is already very wet, the ink will usually spread into the whole wet area. If you wish to add a little detail to a previously drawn area, let it dry first, and then the ink will only go where your brush directs it.

*Ink can be used full strength if the image calls for solid black areas of value.

*A range of brush sizes can be helpful. The above example was done with a single medium-small round watercolor brush, but large brushes can be helpful for filling large areas more quickly, and smaller brushes for putting in tiny details.