Today's Class- Tonight we wrapped up the basic drawing portion of this class with an exercise in value drawing. I showed about two dozen art historical slides from ancient times through the present, as I discussed the ways that value was used in each, such as implying volumes, building space, showing texture, focusing attention, and telling us the time of day. I also showed a few student examples of charcoal still life drawing. Then I set up a still life in the center of the room and had the class spend a few hours doing a portfolio exercise in value drawing. After everyone was cleaned up, we devoted a little time at the end of the class to discussing next week's project. Last week's line drawings were returned graded.
How to make this up- You'll need to set up a still life. Mine involved mostly white objects (cloth, painted vessels) and some dark colored items for contrast, lit to create patterns of light and shadow. Draw the still life on a sheet of your 18" x 24" paper using charcoal or black conte crayon, paying attention to shape, spacing, perspective, and especially matching value. The specifics of the assignment, as well as additional student examples, can be found here.
This is a portfolio exercise and must be completed by the end of the semester to receive full credit.
Homework- Nothing new, and I believe everyone is now caught up on our first two projects.
For next class 3/6/14- Next week we begin the design portion of the semester, with a graded project involving woodcut printmaking. The assignment is to produce a book illustration for a book or your choice. Can be fiction or non-fiction, novel, short story, poem, anything at an adult level No fairy tales, kids books, comics, or recent Hollywood films. You will create a representational image that depicts a particular scene from the book, or sums up the theme of the book. You don't need to have anything done before next week, but you should at least pick out your literary source. Bring the book if you have a copy, and also bring a sketchbook or other paper to work out your ideas, pencil and eraser, your black markers, and x-acto knife. I'll provide the wood.
Today's Class- Tonight we picked up from where we would have been if not for last week's snow, with a quick group critique of the stipple drawings, which were graded and returned by the end of class. The rest of the class period was spent working on our second graded project, a line drawing of a complex object.
How to make this up- Everyone came to class tonight, so everyone completed it and turned it in. But if you'd like to see how other handled it in the past, look at the above drawing or see what was posted here.
Homework- Nothing new, but some still haven't completed the stipple drawing project, and should bring in what they need for next week.
For next class 2/27/14- We'll finish up the basic drawing portion of the class with a portfolio exercise in value drawing. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, your choice of charcoal or black conte crayon. Kneaded erasers and spray fixative are recommended for those planning to use charcoal.
By now I'm sure you all know that OCC is closed today. In a winter where it snows twice a week, eventually one was going to take away a Thursday.
Homework- The Stipple Drawing will now be due on February 20, 2014, so if you were behind in your progress on it, you now get an extra week to finish it. Our plans for that day will be the same as they would have been tonight- critique the dot drawings, then a graded still life drawing from a complex set up. By next week I can let you know how the rest of the course outline will be adjusted. We should still get to all the planned graded projects, but we may have to drop a portfolio exercise or two.
For next class 2/20/14- Bring your finished stipple drawing and the original photo. Also bring your 18" x 24" pad of drawing paper, pencils, and eraser.
Today's Class- Tonight we began our study of line, a useful tool in 2D design. I showed about three dozen slides of historical art, ranging from cave painting to the 20th century, and we discussed how lines were used in each and the effects those lines had. After that the class did a series of portfolio exercises all related to the concept of contour lines.
How to make this up- Find yourself a shoe. This works best with a closed shoe- dress shoe, sneaker, boot, but stay away from sandals and flip-flops. You will use pencil to complete a series of exercises in contour line drawing using the shoe as a subject. You may put multiple shoes on the same page, as in the student example above, and even use the back of the page if you like. The specific instructions for the exercises and additional student examples can be found here.
These are portfolio exercises, that will be graded as part of your semester portfolio. They must be made up by the end of the semester to receive full credit, however, with the amount of major projects coming in the later part of the semester, I recommend that you get to them sooner than that.
Homework- The stipple value drawing project begun last week is due at the beginning of class on February 13, 2014. You must bring both the original photo and your drawn version of it.
For next class 2/13/14- We will open with a group critique of the stipple drawings, which will be graded and returned by the end of class. Then we will start our next graded project, a line drawing of a more complex subject than shoes. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencils, and eraser. I'll provide the subject of the drawing.
