11/7/14 Basic Drawing

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.