4/17/14 2D Design

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.