12/4/15 Basic Drawing

Today's Class-  Today we continued our work with conte crayons, trying variations of the chiaroscuro technique.  This is a style that developed during the renaissance, in which artists used three different tones.  In drawing, it was typically starting with a medium toned (neutral or color) paper and the artist drawing with both white (pastels, chalk) for highlights and black (ink, graphite) for the shadows and darks.  Also in this time there was a chiaroscuro woodcut technique, with white paper, and the image was created by a combination of a dark ink block and a medium value ink block.  I adapted aspects of both techniques for today's exercises, having students use both the red and black together.

How to make this up-  To reflect nearing the end of the semester, I left the white bottles and shoes at home and broke out the department's supply of mannequins and body parts, so everyone could try a more complex subject.  Students did two drawings today.

Traditional approach- Since the college book store has decided it will no longer sell art paper, we'll use the white paper from your large pads and red conte for the medium values, black for the darkest values.  Start by using your red conte crayon to do a full value drawing from the subject. Then gradually blend in black crayon to build the darks, going to full black if necessary.  Above and below are student examples of this approach.

Hard edged approach- This relates more to the woodcut variation, with all tones being reduced to just three- solid white, red, and black.  For this to be successful, the artist has to decide in advance what range of value in the subject will be represented by each tone and consistently apply it.  All light is solid white, then at a certain point in the value range everything will be solid red.   All values in the range above the red will be shown as solid black.  Since conte crayon can't be completely erased, the artist is committing on each shape.  Two student examples showing the different approaches to drawing the same mannequin can be found here.

If you don't have any store fashion mannequins of your own at home, you can use a dress making form, a figural sculpture, or even substitute a live subject.  (dressed is fine)  Everyone must try the traditional approach for the first one, spending about 1. 5 hours.  Light the subject so as to create patterns of light and shadow over the figure, and draw the subject large, as in the above examples.  For the second drawing, find a new figure, or change the angle.  I also put together a few combinations of body parts (including the semester's visit from Headless Baby) as an option.  And for this one, you can use the same technique or try the hard edge approach if you like.  Again, spend about 90 minutes on the drawing.

These are portfolio exercises and must be made up by the last day of class to receive full credit.

Homework- We're going back to our roots and drawing shoes.  Select two shoes, and light the first to create patterns of light and shadow.  Draw it on a page in your sketchbook using the red and black crayon  together, paying attention to shape, proportions, perspective, value, texture, etc.  Then set up the second shoe in a similar way and draw that on a second page.  Two drawings total.

For next class 12/11/15-  Students will be doing the Final Drawing of the semester.  I'll set up a complex still life, a mix of familiar objects and things you haven't drawn before.  You have the choice of using charcoal (vine, compressed, or both), ink wash, or conte crayon (black, red, or both).  Also bring your 18" x 24" pad, and any items associated with the medium you are choosing (erasers, spray fixative, etc).  You may have up until the end of the period to work on it and I'll collect them from you that day.