11/13/15 Basic Drawing

Today's Class- Today we concluded our study of ink wash as a value medium with a graded ink drawing.  I brought back my wooden tripod and a potted plant with long vines and set it up in the middle of the room.  Full light, so this was about matching local values more than dealing with light and shadows on surfaces.  And thanks to the college bookstore's decision to discontinue selling fine art paper, and the decision to donate it to art department, students all had the opportunity to try this process with a heavy weight paper, far superior to the thin white paper in the large pads.  The drawings were collected and will be returned graded next week, following a class critique.  Below are some examples of this project from previous semesters.

How to make this up- For the first time this semester, everyone on the class roster was present in class, so everyone did the project.  We are done with ink for semester, but it will be an option for the final drawing of the semester in a few weeks.

Homework-  Find 3 leaves from 3 different species of tree.  Can be still alive or in various states of turning color.  Lay them on a table and sketch them, first with pencil contours and then use the ink wash to match the values of all the leaves.    Then rearrange the leaves and draw the set again.  Total of two pages of sketches.

For next class 11/20/15- We are going to move away from traditional drawing for one week and experiment with a closely related printmaking process, called monotype.  Unlike most forms of printmaking, the image is created on a perfectly flat non-pourous surface, and completely manipulated before begin printed, so essentially the drawing is completed before it ever touches paper.  You will need some kind of printing plate.  Common choices are glass, plexiglass, or even metal.  (the glass from a dollar store 8" x 10" frame works well)  In place of traditional printing ink, bring a small tube of black oil paint.  Also bring your brushes.  I'll provide mat cards, cotton swabs, and the vegetable oil we'll use to thin the paint and clean everything.  For paper you can use sheets from your large pad, cut down to size.  Reminder, the week of Thanksgiving our class will meet on Wednesday afternoon from 2:00 to 5:30 pm.  Plan ahead.