11/8/13 Basic Drawing

Today's Class-  Today we finished our study of value drawing using ink wash as a medium.  I set up the subject, a leafy potted plant with long vines, hanging within a wooden tripod, and the students had the entire class period to draw it.  The drawings were collected to be graded.

How to make this up-  Find yourself a potted plant and place it on the seat of a wooden kitchen or desk chair.  The room should be well lit.  Use light pencil to sketch the plant at 100% scale, so that the leaves and the pot are about the same size on the paper as they are in real life.  Include the pot and any part of the chair seat, back, and legs that fit within your 18" x 24" page.  Then use the ink wash to match the value of the leaves, stems, pot, chair parts, and anything else in your drawing.  Above are a few examples of the class assignment from previous semesters.  Further instructions and additional student examples can be found here.

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

Homework-  Go outside and find three intact leaves from three different species of trees (maple, oak, birch, etc).  Lay them out flat on a table, sketch the shapes in pencil and then use ink wash to match the values of the leaves.  Arrange the leaves in a different order and do a second sketch in the same way.  Total of two ink wash sketches.

For next class 11/15/13-  We're going to try a new medium, monotype.  It's a form of printmaking that has a lot in common with drawing. Prints are made by using an oil based medium applied to a smooth non porous surface (such as glass, plastic, or metal) and manipulated with hands, tools, etc to create the value drawing.  Once the drawing is where you want it, paper is placed on top and light hand pressure is used to print the drawing on paper.  You will need some kind of printing plate (the glass from an inexpensive 8"x 10" frame may be the easiest solution, but any similar sized piece of metal, or plexiglass will do well), a small tube of black oil paint or oil based relief ink, your 18" x 24" pad, paint brushes.  Cotton balls, q-tips, and other things that can be used to move the paint around on the glass are recommended.