3/8/12 Basic Drawing

Today's Class- Today we continued our study of value through charcoal. Unlike last week, the still life included both white and color objects, so students had to convert local colors to values, in addition to showing light and shadow. Above is a student example from an earlier semester.

How to make this up- The assignment requires you to set up a still life in our usual manner- a draped box on the table, but this time use both white and dark cloth, and both white and dark colored objects. You'll do one drawing each with vine and compressed charcoal. Full instructions and an additional example can be found here.

This is a portfolio exercise, but portfolios will be graded at our next class meeting, so you should complete it by then to receive full credit, as well as for the practice.

Spring Break March 12 to March 18, 2012.

No class meeting next week.

********1st Half Portfolio Collection********

At our next meeting, March 22nd, I'll grade the first half of the semester portfolio- all the work done in class that wasn't individually graded. If you've been to every class, you're already caught up. If you've missed any time, the list below will help you make up the assignments. Go back through this blog to learn the details.

Contour Line (shoes) February 2

Reductive/Gesture (bamboo) February 9

Negative Space (chair/bottles) February 9

Perspective (boxes) February 16

Perspective (boxes and cans) February 16

Value drawing- white objects (vine/compressed) March 1

Value drawing- mixed value (vine/compressed) March 8

Homework- Place a box on a table and drape with a cloth that has some kind of pattern (stripes, checks, etc). Arrange two white and two solidly colored objects on and around the box. Shine a direct light source on the still life to create strong light and shadow patterns. Draw in your sketchbook with pencil, matching values along with shapes and proportions. Then either move yourself to different position or rearrange the objects, and draw a second time, for a total of two full value drawings.

For next class 3/22/12- We will do our next individually graded drawing, our final charcoal drawing of the semester. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, vine and/or compressed charcoal (not charcoal pencils), erasers, and spray fixative. Portfolios will be graded while you draw and returned by the end of class.