Today's Class- Today was our final meeting of the semester. We opened with a critique of the drawings done in class last week, after which I temporarily dismissed everyone while I finished grading those, the 2nd half portfolios, and the sketchbooks. Those who returned at the designated time were able to pick up their big pad, sketchbook, and Final Drawings, all graded. Those who did not return today can find their stuff on the top right shelf in the stack just to the left of our classroom door. The grades for today's items and attendance information are on a small slip of paper inside your sketchbook, which is inside of your 18" x 24" pad.
Final semester grades are due in early January, but I'm hoping to have them done and submitted before Christmas to have them out of the way. The college will post them to the internet whenever it is they do that.
Enjoy the break.
Today's Class- Today was our Final Drawing day for the semester. I set up a complex still life, a mix of objects you've seen before and things that were new to you, and the students had the whole class period to draw it. The drawings were collected and will be returned next week graded.
How to make this up- You will need to set up a still life of your own. Place a box on a table, and drape it with a piece of cloth that has a printed pattern on it. Gather examples of the following objects- a glass bottle, a hand tool, a shoe, a piece of sports equipment. Place the objects on and around the draped box and light to create patterns of light and shadow. Draw the set up on a sheet of your 18" x 24' paper, filling the whole page. You may use your choice of charcoal (vine or compressed), ink wash, or conte crayon (red, black, or both combined). Pay attention to value, shape, proportions, space, perspective. Spend up to 3 hours on the drawing. Above and below are examples from previous semesters.
Homework- No new homework tonight, but I'll be grading the homework sketchbooks next week, so if you are missing any of them, you have a week to make them up and still receive full credit.
2nd Half Portfolio- At our next meeting I will also be grading the 2nd Half Portfolio, which is all the classwork done after we finished the charcoal, and not previously graded. I'll be looking for the following:
10/31/14 Ink Wash (white object and drape) x 2 pages
11/14/14 Monoprints (two favorites from the day)
11/21/14 Conte Crayons (one black, one red)
12/5/14 Conte Crayons (black and red combined) x 2 pages
For next class 12/19/14- I will open with a critique of the drawings that I collected today. After that, I'll dismiss everyone temporarily while I grade the portfolios and the sketchbooks. At the designated time you may return and pick up all the work, and you'll learn the grades for the Final Drawing, Portfolio, and Sketchbook. Semester grades will be calculated later and posted by the college.
Today's Class- Today we continued working with the conte crayons, this time combining the red and black crayons into one drawing. This is a variation on an art style developed during the Renaissance called chiaroscuro drawing, and a similar medium, the chiaroscuro woodcut. For the drawings, artists would start with a sheet of paper already colored a medium value (neutral or color), and then use black (charcoal, ink, etc) to draw the darks, white (chalk, etc) to draw the lights, and letting the paper provide the middle values. To save you from having to search for and purchase colored paper, we'll do drawings where the white of the paper will be the light, the red crayon will be used for medium values, and the black crayon to make the dark values. Below is a student example from a previous semester showing how this can work.
How to make this up- To provide a break from our usual still life subjects of containers and such, and to allow you to try something more complex, today's subject was a cross between still life and figure- fashion mannequin parts from around the classroom. For the first drawing, I put three of our mannequin torsos around the room, and students could choose one to draw, first using red to do a value drawing, then gradually adding black in spots to deepen the shadows. For the second drawing, I added additional body parts to create combinations, the least disturbing probably being the torso and leg combination below.
For the second drawing, students had the option of trying a simplified three solid tone style, reminiscent of traditional chiaroscuro woodcut. The specifics of each assignment, as well as student examples of each style, can be found here.
These are portfolio exercises that must be made up by the last day of class to receive full credit.
Homework- We go back to the beginning, and make shoes the subject. Find a shoe, put it on a table in front of you, and draw a full value rendering with the combined red and black conte crayons. Take care with contour, shape, proportion, texture, value, and include any shadows. Then find a different shoe and do another red/black drawing. Total of two drawings.
For next class 12/12/14- We will do our Final Drawing of the semester. I will bring in various still life materials and try to have it set up by 2:00. You will have the whole class period to work on a drawing using your choice of the following mediums- charcoal (vine or compressed), ink wash, conte crayon (red, black, or both) I will also have a list of all the things needed for the 2nd Half Portfolio, which will be graded the following week, which will be the last meeting of the semester.
Today's Class- Today we started our last new medium of the semester, conte crayons. These are harder than the wax crayons you grew up with (the binder in this case includes clay), and don't smear as easily as charcoal. They can be blended, but it usually takes more than fingers- white paper stumps work well, but some students have good luck with regular pencil erasers, and even bits of paper towel. They are available in a wide variety of colors, but most common are black and earth tones in the range from red to brown. Students drew from a typical still life set up, once using just a black crayon, once using just a red crayon.
How to make this up- Set up a typical still life. Put a few low boxes on a table, drape with white or light colored fabric, and use direct lighting to create patterns of light and shadow. Select some simple objects to draw and arrange them around the set up. First draw the still life on a full page of your 18" x 24" pad using just the black crayon. The results are not too visually different from compressed charcoal, but it will allow you to make more precise marks and edges. Then rearrange the objects and draw again using the red crayon. The value range with red will never be as dark as what can be done with black, but you can still create values that represent the darkest part of your set up. Deal with all the usual concerns we have with value drawings (shape, size, negative space, etc), but also use this opportunity to learn how to use the material to best effect. Above are two student examples from previous semesters. Specific details of the assignment and and additional example can be seen here.
These are portfolio exercises that must be made up by the last day of the semester to receive full credit.
Homework- Put together a typical place setting of silverware- fork, spoon, knife. Arrange on a table so that none of the utensils are laying parallel to any others. Draw the set with the black crayon on a page of your sketchbook, including any cast shadows and reflections in the silver. Leaving them in place, draw the set again using your red crayon. Then rearrange the utensils and draw again with the black and then the red. Total of 4 drawings, each with 3 utensils.
***Thanksgiving Vacation Nov 26-28th***
******No drawing class next week******
For next class 12/5/14- We will continue with conte crayons, this time using the red and black together to simulate the effects of chiaroscuro drawing techniques. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, red and black crayons, and whatever tools you feel will help you blend.
Today's Class- We devoted today's class meeting to the process of monotype or monoprinting, a form of printmaking that has things in common with drawing processes familiar to our class. Most types of printmaking use a fixed matrix (wood, metal, screen, stone, etc) to make multiple identical copies of a single image. With monotype, the prints are created on a perfectly flat and smooth surface, making each a unique artwork. I started with a slide overview of the history of printmaking, including examples of work from myself and some of my printmaker friends. Then each student created 3 or 4 prints, using various still life objects as something to work from. Toward the end of class, we critiqued the ink wash projects from last week, which were returned graded.
How to make this up- You will need something to function as a printing plate. Glass or plexiglass are most common- the transparency allows you to see the other side and get an idea of what the image will look like. A frame from a dollar store is an inexpensive source for glass- using masking tape along the edges will protect your hands from the sharp edges. Flat smooth metal will also work. Anything that won't absorb water or oil. Everyone started with their plate filled in with black oil paint (since the traditional black oil based printing ink is not carried in most art supply stores), like the drawings that were done by filling the page with vine charcoal. Lines can be drawn with a brush (back end or bristles) or a corner of mat card, broader areas can be wiped away with cotton swabs, bits of paper towels, edges of cardboard, or anything else that will do the job. (no rules in this process, whatever works is fine) If too much paint is removed, just add a little back. The paint can be thinned with a little vegetable oil if necessary. When you are fully satisfied with the drawing, carefully place a piece of drawing paper on top of the plate, and lightly rub the back of the paper with your hands to transfer the paint to the paper. Pick up a corner at a time to make sure the paint has transferred- if not rubbing with the backside of a wooden spoon or equivalent should do the job. Above and below are student examples from previous semesters. More detailed instructions and student examples can be found here.
This is a portfolio exercise, part of your 2nd half portfolio grade, so they need to be completed by the last day of class to receive full credit. If you are not quite sure about how to try this at home, just wait until our next class and ask me for more details.
Homework- The homework assignments are always linked to the work done in class, and it's not unusual for a least a few students to enjoy this process so much that they try it at home. Some parents aren't crazy about that, and it's way too messy to try to print in your sketchbooks, so I'm not assigning any new homework this week. Based on what I've seen of sketchbooks lately, it seems almost everyone is behind on homework, so I suggest that you use this week to start making up some of those missed assignments. Don't worry- I'll have new homework for you next week.
For next class 11/21/14- We will introduce our last new medium of the semester, the conte crayon. It's a classic drawing tool, not exactly like a wax crayon, or charcoal, or a pastel, but it has things in common with those. Doesn't smear easily, but it can be blended. It can come in a variety of colors, but what we need is black and sanguine (blood colored), the latter can be anywhere from bright red to orange red to red-brown, to straight brown. Bring the crayons, your 18" x 24" pad, and erasers. Tools for blending are optional.
Today's Class- Today we concluded our study of value drawing using ink wash. I set up a simple subject, a plant hanging in a wooden tripod, and students had the whole class to work on it. Drawings were collected at the end of class and will be returned graded next week.
How to make this up- Get a large potted leafy plant (can be real or artificial) and place it on the seat of a wooden chair. The room should be well lit. Sketch the set up with pencil line on your 18" x 24" paper at 100% scale (leaves in the drawing should be about the same size as those in the actual plant), including any parts of the chair that are in view. Use ink wash to match the values in your set up- the leaves, stems, pot, chair, and anything else in view. Treat background however you want. Spend up to 3.5 hours working on it. Above are some student examples from previous semesters. Further examples and more details about the project can be found here.
This is a graded project and must be made up as soon as possible to receive partial credit.
Homework- Go outside and find three intact leaves from three different species of tree (maple, birch, oak, etc). Place on a table top and draw the set on a page in your sketchbook- a pencil line contour and then ink wash to match the values. If a leaf has more than one color, your value study should show that. Also include the value of the table surface (local color, cast shadows). Then rearrange the leaves and draw again. A total of two drawings.
For next class 11/14/14- We will spend a week trying another new medium, the monotype print. It's a form of printmaking that has a lot in common with drawing. An oil based medium (traditionally printing ink, but finding oil paint will be easier for you) is used to create a drawing, either drawn reductively (erased) or directly, on a non-pourous surface, such as glass or metal. The paint can be manipulated on the surface for long periods, as it will not dry or soak into the surface. When the artist is satisfied with the drawing, paper is placed in top and carefully rubbed to transfer the design to the paper, so the drawing is essentially completed before it ever touches the paper. These will be portfolio exercises, not graded projects.
Bring your 18" x 24" pad, a glass, plexiglass, or metal printing plate (around 8" x 10" is best, but can be a little smaller or larger), a small tube of oil paint (black is preferred, or at least another dark color), brushes, and anything that might be used to move the paint around, such as cotton balls, q-tips, etc.
Today's Class- Today we continued our study of value drawing, but with a new medium. I introduced the idea of ink wash, using black drawing ink diluted with water to create a variety of value tones. I showed a few slides- examples from history, some student drawings from previous semesters, and even a demonstration piece I made a few years ago. After that I set up some simple exercises involving white drapery and objects, just dealing with value as a function of light and shadow. I reserved time at the end of class to critique the charcoal drawings done last week, returned graded today.
How to make this up- Set up the still life. Hang a piece of white or very light cloth so that it forms a loose and flowing backdrop, while the lower end covers a table or some other level surface. Place a simple white or very light colored object on the lower end, and shine a direct light source on it so that a variety of light and shadow is created. Draw the set up on a piece of your 18" x 24" paper, making the object life size. You may sketch the contours with light pencil first, then use your ink. Put water in a cup or can and add a few drops of ink at a time. Test the resulting mix with a brush on some scrap paper or a corner of your page to see the resulting value. Value can be lightened by adding more water to the cup, or darkened by adding more ink. Use the ink wash everywhere in the composition that is not meant to be white. Use the whole page. Build the values in layers. gradually adding more ink to your wash so that subsequent applications of the wash make those areas darker. The example piece that I made to demonstrate this can be found here on this site. Then make a change to your set up (different object, different view point, changing the light source, etc) and do a second drawing. Additional student ink wash drawings and some descriptions of the process can be found here.
These are portfolio exercises that must be made up by the last day of the semester to receive full credit, but if you weren't there today I strongly recommend doing them before next week for the practice and experience. Next week in class you'll be doing a graded ink wash drawing.
Homework- Set up a still life as in the above description (see the top photo in this post as well) and draw it on a page in your sketchbook, using pencil to draw the contours and the ink wash to draw the values. Change the object or your viewing angle and draw it again. Do a total of two sketchbook drawings.
Anyone who still hasn't turned in their final charcoal drawing or had the first half portfolio graded should bring these in as soon as possible. The longer the delay, the less these items will be worth.
For next class 11/7/14- We will continue working with ink wash, doing the next graded drawing. Bring your 18" x 24" pad (or equivalent piece of watercolor paper if you prefer), drawing ink, watercolor brushes, pencil and eraser, and two water containers.
Today's Class- Today we concluded our study of value drawing using charcoal. I set up a still life with objects of mixed values and the class had the entire period to draw it using the charcoal of their choice. While that was going on I graded the first half of the semester portfolios. Today's drawings were collected and will be returned graded next week.
How to make this up- Today's assignment is a graded project. Set up a still life on a tabletop- drape a box with a white cloth and a darkly colored cloth, and then gather a mixture of light and dark colored objects to place on and around it. Specific instructions as to what you'll need, as well as additional student examples, can be found here.
This is a graded assignment, and the value of it decreases the longer it takes you to turn it in, so complete it as soon as you can. If you have any medical notes to cover why you weren't there today, bring them to class. The portfolio grading is also time sensitive, so if you weren't there today or are one of those who needed to make up something, try to get it for next week.
Homework- Find yourself a pumpkin. Can be whole, or one carved into a jack o'lantern. Shine a light on it so that shadows are created by the texture and cast onto whatever it is sitting on. Draw the pumpkin using your softest pencil, matching the values of the pumpkin surface, stem, and shadows as closely as possible. Then rotate the pumpkin and do a second drawing, for a total of two drawings.
For next class 10/31/14- We will continue with value, but now with ink wash. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencil and eraser, a small bottle of black waterproof ink (india ink), two brushes (small and medium sizes) designed for watercolors, and a container or two for holding water. Watercolor paper works better than the paper in your pad, but you may use the standard drawing paper if you prefer.
Today's Class- Today we continued our study of value using charcoal. Last week the still life set ups just included white objects and drapery, but today I introduced other local color values. I also talked about next week's midterm portfolio collection.
How to make this up- Set up a still life. Put a box on a table, drape with both a white (or light colored) cloth and one darker, and arrange two white or light colored objects, and two darker colored objects on and around the box. Light in such a way to create patterns of light and shadow. You will do two full page value drawings of this set up, one using vine charcoal, one using compressed. Specific requirements and additional student examples can be found here.
There are portfolio exercises that must be made up by next week's midterm portfolio grading to receive full credit, plus next week is the graded charcoal drawing and I would guess anyone who missed today could use the extra practice.
Homework- Set up a still life with a box, and drape with a colored or patterned cloth. Include 4 objects of similar size- two white/light colored, two dark colors, and arrange on and around the box. draw the still life using your softest pencil, matching values and dealing with the usual issues of shape, proportion, perspective, etc. Then rearrange the objects and draw the set up a second time in your sketchbook. Total of two sketches.
Midterm Portfolio Grading-
Next week we pass the halfway point of the semester and I'll be grading all the work done so far that hasn't been graded individually. If you haven't missed any classes then you probably already have everything done. If you have missed some time, or have work scattered in different places, here is a list of what I expect to see and where on this blog you'll find he assignments:
9/12/14- Contour Lines (shoes)
9/19/14- Reductive Lines (bamboo)
Negative Space (chair)
Negative/Positive (bottles)
9/26/14- Perspective (boxes, boxes and cans)
10/10/14- Value (white objects- vine charcoal)
(white objects- compressed charcoal)
10/17/14- Value (mixed value objects-vine charcoal)
(mixed value objects- compressed charcoal)
For next class 10/24/14- We will be doing the final charcoal drawing of the semester, a graded project. While you are working on that, I'll graded the 1st half portfolios. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, charcoal of your choice, eraser, spray fixative, and any blending tools you might have. Also bring all your work from the first half of the semester.
Today's Class- Today we began our study of value, which will be a part of everything we do for the rest of the semester. In this case value refers to the use of light and dark in two dimensional art to imply or suggest volume, form, distance, weight and space, as well as to focus attention and provide other information. I showed a few dozen slides of historical art, explaining the evolution of using value in 2D art, and showing the effect it had in each case. Then I set up some still lifes in the center of the room and the class did two drawings using a different type of charcoal for each.
How to make this up- Put a medium-small box on a table and drape it with a white or light colored cloth (towel or sheet) . Gather three white or light colored objects of similar size to be used as subjects. Place one on top of the draped box, and the others on the table around it. The still life should be lit with a single light source in order to create patterns of light and shadow. The first drawing will be done as a reductive vine charcoal drawing (drawing the light) and the second will be a more traditional value drawing using compressed charcoal on white paper. Example student drawings and the full instructions can be found here.
These are portfolio drawings, which must be completed before the first half grading day (October 24, 2014) in order to receive full credit, but if you've never done any charcoal before, I suggest doing them before next week to make sure you are caught up.
Homework- Set up a still life as in the one mentioned in "how to make this up" above. Draw the still life on a page in your sketchbook using a soft pencil (such as a 4B or 6B) paying attention to shape, size, negative space, and trying to match values as closely as possible, filling the whole page. As in class today, try to eliminate contour lines in favor of edges of value shapes. Then rearrange the three objects and draw it again, for a total of two pages.
**mid-semester portfolio grading will be done in class in two weeks. details will be announced in class and on this blog next week.**
For next class 10/17/14- We will continue with value, this time adding in objects with a variety of local color, not just white. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, both vine and compressed charcoal, your kneaded eraser, and spray fixative. Any blending tools you might have are optional.
Today's Class- Today we concluded our study of line with a graded line drawing of a complex still life. I set up a collection of objects, some we've seen before and some we hadn't, and asked the class to select a view and draw it. Below is an example from a previous semester.
How to make this up- The whole class was present today and so everyone completed the project. They will be returned graded next week.
Homework- Set up another still life. Place a box on a table and drape with some kind of cloth. Select four dissimilar objects of about the same size and place in the still life- one on top of the draped box and three around it. Draw the still life on a full page in your small sketchbook using pencil line only. Then, leaving the set up in place, move to a new position where you can still see all four objects and draw it again. Total of two pages of drawings.
For next class 10/10/14- We will start our study of value, the use of light and dark to imply form and space in two dimensional art. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, compressed and vine charcoal, kneaded eraser, and spray fixative. Something to aid in blending the charcoal is optional.
Today's Class- Today we continued looking at line, this time concentrating on the idea of perspective. I did introduce the ideas of one and two point perspective systems and talked about the good and bad of each, but we quickly moved on to an idea of natural perspective, looking at the subject and paying attention to relative positions, negative space, planes, angles, etc to try to find the proper location of all the items in the still life compared to the point of view of the artist/viewer. To keep things simple we did two exercises, one involving nothing but identical boxes, and one that added in cylindrical forms.
How to make this up- For both exercises you will need a large tabletop. The first one will require several medium size boxes of similar size. For the second one, you need to add several cylinder forms, such as cans, on and around the boxes. For each drawing spend about 90 minutes and use a full sheet of your 18" x 24" paper and the pencil of your choice. Additional student examples and the specific directions can be found here.
These are portfolio exercises that must be made up by the mid semester portfolio grading to receive full credit.
Homework- Find a box with a wide flat surface (like a cereal or cracker box) and lay it down flat on the table. Find three bottles of similar size and arrange them so that one has its mouth facing toward you, one is facing directly to the right or left, and the other is laying down at an angle relative to you, choosing one of those bottles to be on top of the box, and the others in front of it. Sketch this set up on a page of your sketchbook using pencil line, paying attention to the specific curves and angles of each items and keeping the planes of the table and box level. Next, switch the bottle on top of the box for one in a different position, and draw it again. And finally rearrange again with the last bottle on top of the box and the others in front, so in the end you will have three sketches, each with a differently pointing bottle on the box.
For next class 10/3/14- We will do our first graded drawing of the semester, a still life with a mix of objects. You may have the entire class period to work on it if you need it. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencils and erasers. I will collect the drawings at the end of the day to grade and return the following week.
Today's Class- Today the class did a series of portfolio exercises as part of our study of line. Last week we dealt with the contour lines that defined the positive shape of the shoes. Today we started with an exercise related to gesture/reductive drawing, then moved on to the idea of negative space. All space in a two dimensional work is either positive or negative, and the two are equally important in a drawing.
How to make this up- There are 3 portfolio exercises to be done. The gesture/reductive exercise involved drawing from plants, in today's case some flexible bamboo shoots. The second exercise had students drawing all the negative spaces in an old wooden chair. The third exercise let the students go back to drawing positive shapes (bottles as in the above student drawing) but using the concept of negative space to help find the shapes of the bottles. Specific directions for these exercises and some student examples can be found here.
These are portfolio exercises and must be made up by the midterm portfolio grading to receive full credit.
Homework- Gather 4 bottles of similar size (four wine bottles, four soda bottles, four perfume bottles, etc) and place on a table top, near each other but not actually touching. Using the pencil of your choice do a sketch of the still life on a page in your small sketchbook, paying attention to the sizes, shapes, and spaces between the bottles. Then without touching the bottles, move to a different position and draw the set up again on a page in your sketchbook. Repeat this two more times, so that you will have four pages of sketches, each with four bottles. (alternative option- have the bottles on a tray, and then rotate the tray each time, so that they maintain their relative position to each other while you see it differently each time)
For next class 9/26/14- We will continue with line, dealing with the idea of perspective, or how things of different shapes look to the artist based on their relative positions, and how we can use line to make this clear to the viewer. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencils, and eraser.
Today's Class- Today we started our study of line. I showed a few dozen slides of art from prehistoric to the 20th century, talking about the many ways line was used and what functions it had in each work. After that the class did a series of portfolio exercises dealing with aspects of contour line, using shoes as a simple subject.
How to make this up- Everyone on the roster was present today, so everyone is caught up. However, if anyone feels like reliving the experience, the exercises and examples can be found here.
Homework- More shoe drawings. Use your small sketchbook and you will do 10 shoe drawings, one per page in the sketchbook using the pencil of your choice. Draw them at a scale that fills the page. You may use the same shoe as the subject for all 10, or a variety of shoes if you like. Do the following drawings, similar to ones done in class:
8 exterior contour line only
1 cross contour
1 full detail line drawing
For next class 9/19/14- We will continue our study of line, with a focus on gesture and negative space. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencils, and pink eraser. I'll provide the subject material.
Today's Class- Today was our first meeting. I took attendance, then distributed and reviewed the syllabus. I had students fill out a survey about interests and past art experiences, then used the same form to talk about my background as an art student and as a professional artist.
How to make this up- See me in class next week about the syllabus and survey.
Homework- none
For next class 9/12/14- We will begin our study of drawing with the line and a series of contour line exercises. Our subject will be something very common for this purpose- shoes. I do not have enough to distribute to the whole class. so each student will be responsible for bringing their own. Can be sneakers, dress shoes, boots- but I do recommend closed shoes over sandals or flip flops. You may bring in an extra one, or remove one from your foot. You will also need an 18" x 24" pad of drawing paper, pencils, and an eraser.
This is the blog site that I have set up for my classes at Ocean County College. Each week I will post information about my classes. This semester I have a Basic Drawing class (ARTS 183 05) and everything related to that class will appear in green text. Anything about things outside the class will appear in black text.
Each post will likely go up in the evening following the class. The title will include the date and the name of the class, along with a brief description of the day's activities. I will provide a detailed description of the exercises and projects worked on in class, along with photos of relevant student artwork from previous semesters. I will also include the homework assignment due for the following week, and a list of specific art materials needed for the following week. About a month's worth of posts will appear on the home page, but earlier ones can be seen by using the archive function in the right side column.
This is not an online class and this site is not a substitute for coming to class. However it does make it easier for people who miss the class to make up the work, which some do even before the next meeting. Even a student who never misses a class may find it useful, to see more examples of a project, or to get a reminder about when something is due, or even to check what to bring. Most of what students need to know will be here. It's available 24/7 without having to wait for me to reply to an e-mail. However, if you have any questions that are not satisfied here, you are welcome to e-mail me and I will usually get back to you within a day.
Today's Class- Tonight was our final meeting of the semester. We critiqued the Final Projects, and then I dismissed everyone temporarily while I graded those and the portfolios. All work was returned to those students who stuck around. Final semester grades will be calculated and submitted by next week.
Enjoy the summer.
Today's Class- Today was a general work day. After a critique of the Dada inspired mixed media collages and a few other late arriving works, students could work on anything related to the class. Most worked on their board games, but some had some back projects to work on.
How to make this up- Everything we've done this semester can be found on the blog, either by using the archive functions on the right, or by clicking on older posts at the bottom of the page. Figure out what you need to do and do it.
Homework- The Board Game Final Project is due at the beginning of class on May 8, 2014.
Late projects should be completed and brought in for partial credit. Nothing will be accepted after the end of next week's class. If you have any excuse notes, bring them in by then.
For next class 5/8/14- Our last meeting. We will critique the Final Projects and some late arriving graded projects, then I'll dismiss you while I grade those, and the semester portfolios. I will let you know what time to return to pick up your work and receive your grades for those items. The sooner we start, the sooner we finish, so come on time.
Today's Class- Despite some occasionally hazardous conditions around Ocean County tonight, school was open and we had class. We opened by looking at the Limited Palette projects, then introduced our Final Project of the semester, a board game based on the artwork of an historical fine artist.
Vincent Van Gogh
Painted Dreams
How to make this up- You need to choose a significant artist from art history, one who is recognized in textbooks and museums, one who does two dimensional art, works in color, and representationally. You will pull images from more than one painting from the artist and reconfigure these bits into a new composition, imitating the shapes, colors, and textures of the original artist as much as possible. You will use this new image as the backdrop for a board game. The game must have some kind of path, such as a continuous circuit (Monopoly), a single start to finish path (as in Candyland) or a grid that can be moved over in different directions (like chess). The game must have a name, which will appear as part of the design. The game must have a goal and a theme, which should relate to the images in some way. The resulting design is essentially a painting, and so take into account all the design aspects- shapes, value, color, text design.
The piece will be painted onto some kind of heavy board, such as mat board or illustration board, some of which I have available to give you. Like all classic board games, the board must be able to fold in half. If your game idea calls for cards, make a few examples, and bring whatever method will be used to advance through the game (dice, spinner, etc). You may make tokens to represent players, or repurpose them from another game, or use some appropriate found objects. You don't need to supply the full rules, but be able to explain it during the critique. Above and below are examples from previous semesters. Additional information and examples (from students and the one I made as an example) can be found here.
Roy Lichtenstein
Love Story
Paul Cezanne
Victory Climb
Homework- This graded Final Project is due at the beginning of class on May 8, 2014, our final meeting of the semester. No work will be accepted after this date.
The Dada inspired mixed media collage is due at the beginning of class on May 1, 2014.
If you haven't yet turned in any graded projects, such as the limited color palettes, finish them as soon as possible to receive partial credit.
Spring Semester Portfolio-
All work done in class that isn't individually graded is part of the semester portfolio and needs to be brought in on the last night of class to be checked. Here's what you should have and the day we did it if you need to check the blog:
1/30/14 wallpaper dots
2/6/14 contour lines (shoes)
2/27/14 value drawing (charcoal)
3/13/14 color wheel
3/20/14 text (Russian) and logo
For next class 5/1/14- This will be a general work day for the class, which students may use to work on anything related to the class. Bring whatever materials you need to work on whatever you are missing.
Today's Class- Tonight we started a new project, a mixed media collage. I showed examples of collage throughout the 20th century, from Picasso through the Dada period, and some more Pop Art inspired combinations. With Dada I also brought up how random chance was sometimes part of the artist's working method. That led to the graded project- mixed media collages interpreting randomly generated subjects.
How to make this up- The first step is to get your topic. In class I had students pick slips of paper from two bags, each a piece cut from a newspaper headline. One bag had nouns, the other modifying words and phrases- put together it created the subject. You can wait until next week to get the topic, or e-mail me before then and I'll draw it from the bags for you.
Once you have the topic, you need to come up with a visual interpretation. It can be as literal or metaphorical as you want; as long as you can explain how the image relates to the topic. The above piece is based on the phrase "City of Zoo", the one below is from "Untamable Deluge". The collage may be organized vertically or horizontally, and should make use of a full sheet or your 18" x 24" paper. It must involve a mix of paint, drawn elements, and collaged items from any printed source. You may draw or paint on the collaged pieces. Your title should appear as part of it, which can be the pieces of newspaper or drawn or painted. Besides depicting your topic, pieces will be evaluated as art- so composition, balance, use of color, value, mark making, text design all need to be considered in your design. Additional examples from previous semesters and further instructions can be found here.
Homework- This random topic mixed media collage graded project is due at the beginning of class on May 1, 2014.
The four limited color palette studies project started last week is due at the beginning of class on April 24, 2014.
For next week, 4/24/14- We will begin the Final Project of the semester. It will be based on the artwork of a favorite artist from the history of fine art. one who works flat and in color. If you have a favorite such artist, bring reproductions of work by that artist to serve as source material. If you don't have a specific artist, bring examples of a favorite artistic period, style, or subject, or even a general art history textbook if you have one. I'll bring in a few extras from home as well. Also bring a sketchbook, pencil and eraser, and your paints and related materials. I'll provide the surface that you'll be painting on. If you don't think you'll be able to choose an artist before next week, bring materials to work on anything else from the class (such as the collage piece), and you will still have all of following week's class to work on the final.
