10/30/10 Art History I

Today's Class- The first midterm exam was returned and I reviewed the answers with the class. We then picked up where we left off with Byzantine art and architecture, covering almost 1000 years of history and territory ranging from Italy to Egypt to Russia, and everything in between. We ended the class with a brief overview of the history of Islam and how it related to art produced in those cultures.

Important terms- aniconic, bay, codex, course, diptych, icon, iconoclasm, iconostasis, illumination, manuscript, vellum, scriptorium, squinch, triptych

Important artworks- Church of the Hagia Sophia, Emperor Justinian/Empress Theodora and attendants mosaics, Sant'Apollinare mosaic (Transfiguration), Rebecca at the Well, Virgin of Vladimir, Cathedral of St Mark, Harbaville Triptych, David the Psalmist, Anastasis, The Old Testament Trinity (Three Angels)

Homework- As always, have a new current arts related article and your summary and response ready for next week. Those who have not yet turned in their research paper should do so as soon as possible to avoid losing additional points. Those who have not yet had their journals reviewed should bring it to me as soon as possible. It is recommended that you read Chapter 8 to familiarize yourself with Islamic art.

For next class 11/6/10- We will continue our study of Islamic Art. Bring a notebook and Book 2 (Medieval Art). I will return the research assignments graded.

10/29/10 Basic Drawing

Today's Class- Today was our final day of value drawing with charcoal, so students devoted the entire class to producing one still life drawing using either vine or compressed charcoal. A few examples from today's class are shown above. These drawings will be returned graded next week. While students were drawing, 1st half portfolios were graded and returned to students.

How to make this up- Put two boxes on table and drape with a white or light colored cloth. Arrange two white and two solidly colored objects of similar size on and around the boxes, and shine a direct light to create patterns of light and shadow. Draw the still life set up with vine or compressed charcoal on a sheet of 18" x 24" paper, paying attention to the shapes, and relative sizes and positions of objects, as well as matching values of light and local color of objects as closely as possible. Spend up to 3 hours on the drawing.

If your portfolio was not graded today, bring it in as soon as possible. The more weeks it is late, the more points will be deducted.

Homework- Find a pumpkin. It can be whole or carved as a jack o'lantern. Draw 3 views of it, one per page. Do full value renderings, accounting for light and shadow and local color of various parts (pumpkin vs. stem, or if carved, account for dark or lit values inside) using pencil.

For next class 11/5/10- We will begin our study of value using ink wash. Bring your 18"x 24" pad, black waterproof drawing ink, watercolor brushes, pencil and eraser, and a few water containers (cups, cans, etc).

2D Design Text and Logo Exercises

How to complete this- The class did two exercises, related to the idea of words and symbols as visual elements in a composition. For both, use pencil and markers on a sheet of your 18" x 24" paper.

Word Design- Students were asked to design 3 or more words, arranging the letters in such a way that the arrangement and/or style of the letters would identify the meaning of the word. To force us to interpret the results based only on the design, the words used would be in Russian. Pages from an English/Russian dictionary were distributed to the class and each chose 3 suitable words. An example is below.

The project works best with action (verbs) and descriptive (adverbs/adjectives) words. Nouns don't work as well, where the easy solution is to make words shaped like the object and I don't want to see anyone doing that. I can provide a few pages of Russian words to students who missed tonight, or you can pick your own from any Russian dictionary.

Logo Design- The second exercise was to design a logo for an imaginary business, defined as a business that doesn't exist in real life because the product or service would either be impossible in our current world, or such a bad idea as to have no possibility of succeeding economically. The logo may include text, but does not have to. It should be a simple design that gives the viewer the concept of the business without any further explanation. Below is a student example ("Buffalo Muffins")

Draw the logo at about 6 square inches and at 1 square inch. Both of these exercises are graded as part of your portfolio, and need to be made up by the end of the semester in order to receive credit.

10/23/10 Art History I

Today's Class- Today the class took the first midterm exam of the semester, covering the whole first book (Ancient Art). After that I distributed an extra credit assignment to the class. Then we picked up where the last book left off, with a look at Early Christian, Jewish, and Byzantine Art.

Important Terms- aisle, ambulatory, apse, barrel vault, basilica, catacomb, cathedral, central plan building, clerestory, lunette, menorah, naos, narthex, nave, orant, spandrel, syncretism, tempera

Important Artworks- Menorahs and Ark of the Covenant, Wall with Torah Niche, Old St Peter's Basilica, Church of Santa Costanza, Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

Homework- The research assignments are due at the beginning of class next week, October 30, 2010. Those who did not have their journals to turn in today should bring them next week, and everyone should have a new current art article and write up.

For next class 10/30/10- Bring a notebook and Book 2 (Medieval Art), along with your research assignment. I'll return and review the test, and we'll continue our look at Byzantine Art and maybe start looking at Islamic Art.

Basic Drawing-Mixed Value Exercises

The Assignment- Put a box on a table, drape with two cloths- one white, one a darker solid color. Find 2 white and 2 solidly colored objects of similar size and arrange on and around the box. Shine a direct light to create patterns of light and shadow. Then do the following drawings, paying attention to shapes, sizes, proportion, and spacing of your objects:

Vine Charcoal- Do not fill in the page, like we did last week- just draw with the vine charcoal on the white page, a standard value drawing, matching light and shadow as best as you can. Spend about 1 hour on the drawing and spray with fixative when it's finished.

Compressed Charcoal- Rearrange the 4 objects, then do a full value drawing using the compressed charcoal. Spend about 90 minutes on it.

These are portfolio exercises and must be made up by the 1st Half Portfolio collection to receive full credit.

10/21/10 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we looked at color for the first time. I showed slides from throughout the history of art, explaining how color was used in each, and discussing the evolution of color technology in painting. Then we did a series of exercises on basic color theory and mixing.

How to make this up- For full details as to how to complete the three exercises, along with a few student examples, can be found here.

Homework- The carved wood block for the black and white woodcut illustration project that we started last week, is due at the beginning of the next class, October 28, 2010.

Tonight's exercises are portfolio exercises that must be made up by the end of the semester.

For next class 10/28/10- Students will work independently on some new portfolio exercises while I help them individually print their woodcuts. Bring your finished block, along with your 18" x 24" pad, pencil and eraser, and black markers. I'll provide the ink to print the blocks.

10/16/10 Art History I

Today's Class- Today we finished our look at the Romans, with sculpture from the High Imperial period through the end of the empire, as well as a brief discussion of Roman two dimensional art. With that, we finished Book 1 (Ancient Art), so we spent the second half of class reviewing for next week's midterm exam.

Important Terms- (nothing new came up today, so here are some that are on the review sheet that did not get posted here yet this semester) abstract/abstraction, acropolis, alloy, cuneiform, drillwork, engaged column, fresco, mausoleum, memory image, sanctuary, tetrarchy, triglyph

Important Artworks- Column of Trajan, Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius, Carcalla, Tetrarchs, Constantine the Great (head)

Homework- Bring in your current events arts journals, including a new article for next week, to be reviewed. Your research assignments are due on October 30, 2010.

For next class 10/23/10- We will have the 1st midterm exam at the beginning of class, so be on time. After that we will begin our study of Jewish, Early Christian, and Byzantine art, so bring Book 2 and a notebook.

Basic Drawing- Simple Value Exercises

The Assignment: We did two exercises, using two different kinds of charcoal. Set up a still life grouping: put a box on a table, drape it with a white or very light colored cloth (sheet, towel, etc) and arrange at least 3 white or light colored objects- one on top, and the others around the box. Shine a directional light source on it so that distinctive light and shadows are created. Remember that in a finished value drawing there shouldn't be contour lines visible, just edges between shapes of value. As with the line drawings, pay attention to shapes, proportions, and spacing of objects.

Value Reduction Drawing- This is a type of drawing done by drawing the light in the set up, rather than the dark. Take a sheet of your 18" x 24" paper, and using a piece of your vine charcoal, fill it with an even dark gray. Then use your kneaded eraser to draw the set up, erasing out the light areas of the objects. (see the student example above) If you erase too much, use the vine charcoal to fill it back in. Try to match the values as closely as possible. Students spent 45 minutes working on this drawing.

Compressed Charcoal Drawing- Turn to a new page in your 18"x 24" pad. Rearrange the objects in your set up. Draw the still life using your compressed charcoal on white paper, as in the above example. (do not fill in the page with the compressed charcoal first) Once again, try to match the values of your set up as closely as possible in the drawing. Compressed charcoal does not erase as easily as vine charcoal, so build the values gradually and don't make anything too dark that you may want to be white or light later. Students spent about an hour working on this drawing.

When the drawings are finished, spray with your spray fixative to preserve your efforts. Spraying outside is strongly recommended. (in class it's required) These are portfolio exercises that should be made up before the 1st half portfolio collection in two weeks.

10/14/10 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we looked at the history of printmaking, from the Renaissance through contemporary art, discussing the various processes and roles of prints in society. We also looked at several examples of student woodcut prints (such as the above illustration of Poe's Raven) from earlier semesters. Woodblocks were distributed to all students present, and during the class I gave a demonstration of safe and effective block cutting.

How to make this up- The assignment is to create an illustration for a book of your choosing- fiction or non-fiction, novel, short story, poem- as long as it's considered a literary work and not a children's book or anything fully illustrated. Full details and additional student examples can be found here.

Homework- The completed cut block is due at the beginning of class on October 28, 2010, at which time I'll help students print the blocks. Anyone still owing me a back project should complete it as soon as possible to get at least some partial late credit.

For next class 10/21/10- We will begin our study of color. Bring all your painting related supplies- acrylic paints, brushes, palette, palette knife, and some kind of water container (empty can, cup, etc), as well as your 18" x 24" pad, pencil, and eraser.

10/9/10 Art History I

Today's Class- Today we finished up with the Ancient Greeks, looking at the Hellenistic period in sculpture and an example of painting. Then we moved over the Italian peninsula, where we saw examples of art from the Etruscans, and their successors the Romans. With Rome we covered all the architecture, and sculpture from the Republic and Early Empire periods.

Important Terms- apse, arcade, arch (round), atrium, barrel vault, basilica, coffer, colonnade, dome, keystone, mosaic, oculus, orders of classical columns (composite, Tuscan) pilaster, rotunda, terra cotta, tesserae, voussoir

Important Artworks- Dying Gallic Trumpeter, Nike of Samothrace, Apollo, Aulus Metellus, Pont Du Gard, Augustus Primaporta, Flavian Amphitheater, Middle Aged Flavian Woman, Pantheon, Arch of Constantine, Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine

Homework- As always, a new current events art article is due for next class. Remember, you need to summarize the article and describe your reaction to it.

For next class 10/16/10- We will finish our look at the art of Ancient Rome (more sculpture, painting), and do some review for the first midterm exam.

Basic Drawing- Line Final

The Assignment- Set up a still life of your own. Put a small box on a table and drape with a sheet or towel. Then assemble the following group of objects and arrange on and around the draped box, as in the example above:

a hat

a shoe

a bottle

a book

a small kitchen appliance (blender, coffee pot, etc)

a telephone (cell or landline)

Draw the set up on a full sheet of your 18" x 24" paper using pencil line only. Cross contour is permitted, but no shading. Draw the objects large so it fills the whole page. Pay attention to the shapes of individual objects, spaces between objects, relative size of each object, and the perspective of the whole set up.

This is a graded project and must be made up as soon as possible to receive partial credit.

10/7/10 2D Design

Today's Class- Today we looked at the concept of value, the use of light and dark elements in a two dimensional composition to imply form and space, as well as to focus attention on a particular area, depict the local colors of objects, create interesting visual rhythms, etc. I showed slides of art from antiquity to the present, and some good examples of student charcoal drawings, explaining how value was used in each. Then students did a value drawing from a still life set up, using charcoal or conte crayons. Toward the end of the evening I returned the graded drawings of the plant from last week and discussed how to prepare for next week's project.

How to make this up- Full details as to how to make up the assignment, and some other good student examples, can be found here. This is a portfolio assignment, and must be made up by the end of the semester.

Homework- Nothing new, but if you owe me either of the first two projects, you should bring it in as soon as possible.

For next class 10/14/10- We will begin our next graded project, which will focus of composing in black and white, in the form of a woodcut print. The subject will be a book illustration, a book of your choosing. The book may be fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or anything else of literary merit, but you may not use children's books, fairy tales, fully illustrated books, or books recently adapted as films. Your illustration may be of a specific scene or something that sums up the book in general. You don't need to have it all worked out before next week, but I would like you to bring the book with you to consult. Also bring some paper to sketch on (a small sketchbook will be fine, but you can use your 18" x 24" pad if you prefer), pencil, eraser, markers, and x-acto knife. I'll provide the wood for the project.

10/2/10 Art History I

Today's Class- Today we looked at the overlapping bronze age cultures of the Aegean. The Cycladic, Minoan, and Mycenaean cultures were all seafaring peoples, who used their proximity to other regional groups to trade raw materials and finished goods, which showed a high degree of skill. Other than their abilities to sail the open seas, they weren't particularly more advanced than concurrent civilizations in Egypt, Anatolia, and the Middle East, but like those other peoples, they had unique styles of art. Then we started looking at the Ancient Greeks, who brought a level of sophistication to architecture and sculpture never before seen in the western world.

Important Terms- agora, amphora, architrave, capital (column), caryatid, cella, contrapposto, entablature, faience, fluted, frieze, kore, kouros, krater, kylix, megaron, metope, niello, orders of classical columns (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian), pediment, pendentive, peplos, peristyle, repousse, rhyton, shaft, shaft grave, slip, stoa, tholos

Important Artworks- Figure of a Woman (Cycladic), Palace Complex at Knossos, Woman or Goddess with Snakes, Harvester Vase, Lion Gate (Mycenae), Temple of Hera, Metropolitan Kouros, Anavysos Kouros, Berlin Kore, Peplos Kore, Doryphorus (spear bearer), Kritios Boy, Riace Warrior A, Parthenon, Erechtheion, Theater at Epidauros, Man Scraping Himself

Homework- Everyone should have a new current events art article for next week. The research paper is due on October 30, 2010.

For next class 10/9/10- Bring book 1 (Ancient Art) and a notebook. We will continue our look at the Ancient Greeks, then begin looking at the ancient civilizations of the Italian peninsula- the Etruscans and the Romans. Those wishing to familiarize yourself with the material should read Chapter 6 in your textbook.

Basic Drawing- Perspective in Drawing

Today we continued our study of line, focusing on the concept of perspective, a tool used in two dimensional art to depict volume and space, among other things. I did a quick demonstration of one and two point perspective, then we did a few drawing exercises of drawing simple geometric solids from a set up, paying close attention to their relative location to the table, the artist, and each other.

The Assignment - We did two exercises. In each the goal was to draw exactly what was seen, paying attention to the proportions and shapes of the box/can tops and sides, to the positions of the still life elements on the table relative to the tabletop and each other, and the negative space shapes in between.

For the first I arranged several boxes on the table, some by themselves, others stacked in short piles of 2 or 3, the boxes at various angles relative to the table edge. Students were asked to select a view with at least 3 groups of the boxes and draw it in their 18" x 24" pad using the pencil of choice. Students spent about 90 minutes working on the drawing. To make this up, make a similar arrangement of boxes (cereal or cracker boxes laying down flat are a good size- a single box, two boxes stacked, and three boxes stacked) pick a viewpoint, and draw it.

For the second exercise I kept some of the boxes, but also added some cylindrical objects (gallon paint cans, cookie tin, etc). Students were asked to pick a view that had at least two clusters of boxes and two of the cylindrical items to draw. Students spent about 90 minutes on it. An example can be seen above. To make this up, come up with a similar set up (books and soup/vegetable cans should work well), two groups of boxes/books, with a can on one, and an additional can on the table itself, for a total of 5 boxes and/or cans. Draw on your 18" x 24" paper using pencil line only, filling the whole page.

These are portfolio exercises that must be made up by the first half portfolio grading.