Today's Class- Today two things were accomplished- the class completed a graded drawing, the final charcoal drawing of the semester, and the mid semester portfolios were graded. The latter were returned to students by the end of class, while graded drawings were collected and will be returned graded next week.
How to make this up- You will need to set up a still life in the manner typical for this class- a box draped with various cloths, and a mix of simple objects with a variety of local colors and values, and lit to create patterns of light and shadows. You will draw the set up using the charcoal of your choice, paying attention to shapes, space, perspective, and both local and overall values, as in the student example above. More specific directions and additional examples can be found here.
This is a graded drawing, so the longer it takes for you to make it up, the fewer points it will be worth.
Homework- Find a pumpkin, can be whole or one carved as a jack o'lantern, and place it on a table. Put a light on it to create light and shadow patterns, or if it's carved you have the option to light it from the inside. Draw a full value rendering on a page in your sketchbook using your softest pencil, paying attention to surface values, cast shadows, etc. Then rotate it some and draw it a second time, for a total of two drawings.
For next class 11/6/15- We will continue with value, but moving on to a new medium, ink. We'll be drawing with ink wash, drawing ink diluted with water in various concentrations to create different levels of light and dark values, and applied with a brush in layers. We'll be doing some simple exercises to gain familiarity with the medium. Bring your 18" x 24" pad of drawing paper, medium and small brushes, bottle of ink, pencil and eraser, and a couple of small water containers (cans, cups, etc).
Today's Class- Today we continued our study of value drawing with charcoal. I set up a still life similar to last week's- boxes, draped with a sheet, a variety of objects, and with some spotlights to create patterns of light and shadow. However, this time instead of all white items in the still life, I added some darker items, so we could consider local color along with the effects of light and shadow.
How to make this up- Place a box on a table, and drape with two cloths side by side, one white, one a medium to dark color. Select four objects of similar size, two white or light colored, two medium to dark color, and place on and around the box. Shine a direct light on the set up to create patterns of light and shadow. You will do two drawings on sheets of your 18" x 24" paper, one using the vine charcoal, this time drawing directly onto the white paper, and one using the compressed charcoal. Pay attention to shapes, negative space, proportions, perspective, and values. Above is an example from a previous semester. More details can be found here.
These are portfolio exercises, but the first half portfolio collection and grading is next week, so you should try to get them done by then.
Homework- Set up a still life similar to today's assignment, box, colored or patterned cloth, mix of light and dark colored objects, direct light source. Draw on a page in your sketchbook, using a soft pencil, matching the value as well as the other usual concerns. Then rearrange the objects and draw a second time, for a total of two drawings.
1st Half Portfolio
During class next week I'll be grading the 1st half portfolio, which is all the drawings done in class except the one graded pencil line final. If you've missed no classes, you are caught up. If you've missed one or part of any classes, you should try to make up the missed work before next week to get the maximum points. Here is a list of what I am expecting and the dates you can find the specifics on this blog:
9/18- Contour Lines (shoes)
exterior/cross/blind/final
9/25- Reductive (bamboo)
Negative Space (chair)
Positive/Negative (bottles)
10/2- Perspective
Boxes/Boxes and Cans
10/16- Value with white objects
vine charcoal/ compressed charcoal
10/23- Value with mixed value objects
vine charcoal/compressed charcoal
For next class 10/30/15- I will be grading the first half portfolio while the class is completing the final charcoal drawing of the semester. Bring all your first half work, your 18" x 24" pad, charcoal of your choice, kneaded eraser, and spray fixative.
Today's Class- Today we introduced the idea of value drawing, using light and dark, which will be a part of what we do for the rest of the semester. I showed about 40 slides of art through history, pointing out how value has been used to imply form and volume in two dimensional work, and can be used to focus attention, tell time of day, show texture, imply weight, and create space. Then I had the class do two portfolio exercises involving charcoal, the value medium closest to the pencil we've been using up to now. I also returned last week's graded final pencil line drawings.
How to make this up- Students did two charcoal drawings today, each on a full sheet of the 18" x 24" paper. One was a reductive value drawing in vine charcoal, where people started by filing in the whole page with the charcoal and then using their kneaded eraser to draw the lights in the still life. The other was a more traditional approach, drawing with compressed charcoal on the white paper. In both cases the goal was to match shape, size, space, perspective, plus now values. Student examples from previous semesters, as well a more detailed instructions, can be found here.
Homework- Place a small box on a table and drape with a white or light colored cloth. Find three white or light colored objects of similar size and place on and around the box. Light the set up with a direct light to create patterns of light and shadows. Draw on a page in your sketchbook using your softest pencil, such as a 6B, paying attention to shape, size, negative space, perspective, while trying to match values as closely as possible. Try to eliminate lines in the final version of the drawing, using edges of shapes instead. Then either rearrange the objects or move your location and draw it a second time, for a total of two drawings.
For next class 10/23/15- We will continue value drawing with charcoal, but this time introduce the idea of local value, dealing with the light and dark values of the objects themselves as well as the effects of light and shadows on the still life. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, both vine and compressed charcoal, your kneaded eraser, and spray fixative.
Today's Class- Today we finished our specific study of line with our first graded project of the semester, a complex line still life. I set something up on the two tables in the center of the room, using some of the boxes we were drawing last week, draped it with a white sheet, and then placed a variety of objects on and around the boxes. Students had the entire class period to draw the still life.
How to make this up- You will need to set up a complex still life as we had in today's class, a mixture of different kinds of objects. You will then draw the still life on a full sheet of your 18" x 24" paper using pencil- line only, no shading. Above is a student example from a previous semester. The list of specific items for the assignment and how to set it up can be found here.
Homework- Place a medium small box on a table and drape it with a piece of cloth (sheet, towel, etc). Choose 4 objects of similar size and place one on top of the box, with the others on the table around it. Draw the still life on a full page in your small sketchbook, paying attention to our usual concerns of shapes, scale, proportions, and perspective. Then move to a different location and draw it again. Total of two drawings.
For next class 10/16/15- We will move on to the next phase of the class, value- the use of light and dark to create representations of volume, distance, weight, time, among other things. It will be a part of all our drawing for the rest of the semester. For the first few weeks we will be working with charcoal, the closest to pencil. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, both vine charcoal and compressed charcoal, your kneaded eraser, and spray fixative. I strongly suggest black clothes. Charcoal dust won't permanently stain your clothes, but it will make you look grubby for the rest of the day.
Today's Class- The topic today was perspective, which allows artists to represent three dimensional space, including multiple layers of items, in a consistent and logical way on a two dimensional surface. It is impossible to do this without some distortion of reality, but done well the viewer still ends up with a representation of the original subject that is easy to understand. I gave a quick run through of one and two point perspective systems, but then quickly moved into a natural perspective system- using the shapes of objects, negative space, and relative positioning to show this information.
How to make this up- We did two portfolio exercises today, one just using several identical boxes, and one where I introduced several cylindrical objects so that we could consider ellipses (curves). Everyone was present so should have this or know how to finish it, but it you want to relive the experience, student examples and the full instructions can be found here.
Homework- Find a medium large box with a flat side, like we used in today's class, such as a large cereal box, and three medium small bottles, like soda bottles. Lay the box on the table on one of its broad sides. Lay the three bottles down on the table on their sides- one in profile, one pointing directly at you, and one at an angle. Place one of these bottles on top of the box, and the other two on the table in front of it, and draw the set up on a full page in your sketchbook, pencil line only. Then switch two of the bottles and draw it again. Then one more switch involving the third bottle, so that all three bottles have been in all three positions, and draw again. Total of three drawings.
For next class 10/9/15- We will conclude our study of line by doing an individually graded drawing featuring a complex still life- a mixture of different kinds of objects. You will have the whole 3.5 hour period to work on it, and I'll collect them from you to grade before the following week. Bring your 18' x 24" pad, pencils, and eraser.
