Welcome to the Fall 2011 Semester

This is the blog that I have set up for my classes at OCC. Each week I'll post information about what was done during class. The title of each post will have the date and the name of the class. For my 2D Design (ARTS 184-E-01) class, the text will be in blue.

Each week I'll provide a list of what was done, including a detailed description of any art exercises or projects from that class. The description will include photos of student examples of the project, if available and applicable. I will also include due dates for homework, and a list of the materials required for the following class. If there is any other important information, it will also be there. About a month's worth of postings will be seen on the main page, but earlier ones can be accessed through the archives on the right.

The main purpose of this is to provide information to students who miss a class- you can catch up on what you missed faster, maybe even before returning to class. However, the site will be useful to students who never miss a class, but just want a reminder of when something is due, or what is needed for the next week. The information is available to you 24/7, without having to wait for me to reply to an e-mail, though if you still need further explanation, you are welcome to contact me directly and I'll likely get back to you before the day is out.

2/24/11 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we discussed the use of value (light and shadow) in two dimensional art. I showed slides of art from the Renaissance through the present, pointing out how the use of light and shadow in a two dimensional art can imply space and three dimensional forms and volumes. After the slides, students spent most of the class period working on a portfolio exercise in value drawing.

How to make this up- Students did a value drawing using either charcoal or black conte crayon from a still life set up of white objects, lit with spotlights to create patterns of light and shadow. For full details as to how to make this up, and to see additional student examples, click here. This is a portfolio exercise and must be made up by the end of the semester to receive credit.

Homework- Nothing new, but those who still owe me the first two projects (stipple drawing and plant drawing) should get them done as soon as possible.

For next class 3/3/11- We will begin the design oriented phase of the class with a relief printing project. The subject of your image will be a book illustration from the literary source of your choice- novel, non-fiction, short story, poem, etc. (No children's stories or things recently adapted for movies) For next week bring sketch paper (can be your 18" x 24" pad, but a smaller sketchbook will do fine), pencil and eraser, black markers, x-acto knife, and the literary source that you are planning to adapt.

2/17/11 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we started by having a critique of the stipple drawings due today. After that I set up a subject for our final line drawing project of the semester.

How to make this up- You will need to do a similar line drawing involving a plant. Full details and further examples can be found here. This is a graded project that must be made up as soon as possible.

Homework- Nothing new, but those who need to make up tonight's project or still owe me their stipple drawings should try to get them in as soon as possible- the longer the delay, the lower the resulting grade will be.

For next class 2/24/11- We will finish the Basic Drawing phase of the class with a portfolio exercise in value drawing. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, either charcoal or black conte crayon, and appropriate erasers.

Welcome to the Spring 2011 Semester

This is the blog that I have created for my classes at OCC. I will use this blog each week to post information about the 2D Design class. I will include a full description of the exercises and projects done in class, homework assignments, due dates, as well as photos of examples of completed student work if available and applicable. I will also list the art materials needed for the following week's class. The title of each post will include the date and name of the class. About a month's worth of posts will appear on the main page, but earlier posts will be available through the blog archives on the right.

Certainly this blog will be very useful to any student who misses a class, however it will also be helpful to students who never never miss a class, but just want to verify a due date or need a reminder of what to bring to class. It is available to you 24/7 to provide those basic answers. If students still have questions that can't be answered here, you are welcome to e-mail me directly and I'll usually get back to you within a day.

12/17/10 Basic Drawing and 2D Design

Today's Class- Today was the last meeting of the semester for the Basic Drawing Class and the emergency grading day for my 2D Design class.

2D Design- All the work that had been left in the classroom last night was graded, along with whatever new work came in today. Several students came by to pick up the graded work. What was not picked up was put on one of the horizontal shelves just to the left of the door in the above photo. 2D work is on the top shelf, labeled with the class and my name. A small slip of paper is tucked inside the cover of each pad or some equivalent, with the grades for the Final Project, and the semester portfolio, along with a tally of absences and times late for class. I also graded any back projects submitted today, and returned all the student work I had in my possession. If you come to pick up your work before the end of the fall classes, go see the art department secretary across the hall to fill out the student evaluation form for our class, since we didn't get to do them last night.

Tomorrow morning (Saturday, December 18th) I will be on campus one last time this semester, in the TV Studio building, available to receive and grade work from the 2D class. If you still wish to get credit for work done for the class, bring it to me in that building's main lecture hall (right by the front door) between 8:30 and 10 am.

Basic Drawing- We held a critique of the Final Drawings, then the class was dismissed while I graded those drawings, the 2nd half portfolios, and the sketchbooks. Most students from the class returned to pick up their graded work. Unclaimed work was put on one of the horizontal shelves just to the left of the door in the above photo. Basic Drawing work (large pads and sketchbooks) are located on the bottom shelf, which is labeled with my name, the class, day, and time. A small slip of paper is tucked inside the front cover of each pad, with the grades for the Final Drawing, the portfolio, and the sketchbook, along with a tally of absences and times late for class.

I can't make an guarantees about the security of work on those shelves. Sometimes it sits for years, sometimes someone decides to throw it all away. If you are concerned with getting your work back, I suggest that you pick it up before the end of the semester.

Class grades will be worked out over the weekend and posted to WebAdvisor shortly after that.

Enjoy the break.

12/16/10 2D Design

Today's Class- As you may or may not know by now, we had no class meeting tonight, thanks to that brief dusting of snow that showed up at just the right time to leave a coat of ice on all area roads and create traffic jams that extended for miles. The above photo is a good example of what I saw through my windshield for 2.5 hours of driving toward the college on icy roads. By 8 pm I was still a few miles away and based on what I could see, had no reason to expect that I could get there before 9 pm, and figured no one was likely to wait around that long for me to show up, assuming that people made it there in the first place.

My students who are also in my Basic Drawing class can just bring their 2D stuff tomorrow and I'll grade both at once. For everyone else, I will be on campus tomorrow and Saturday for classes, and those are also opportunities to show me your work and get it graded. I will post details here and send e-mails to the class tomorrow as soon as I have a specific plan in place, sometime late tomorrow morning.

Update 12/16/10 11:00 pm- A few students e-mailed that a significant number of you showed up and left your work in the classroom. I'll grade that tomorrow and let you know when and where it can be picked up. For the rest of you, I'll let you know tomorrow how you can get your work graded.

12/9/10 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we critiqued the mixed media collage projects and a few late arriving limited palettes projects at the beginning of class. Students spent the rest of the time working on a variety of projects- many worked on the final project, while others chose to work on back projects they still owe.

Homework- The final project (transforming book or board game) is due at the beginning of class next week December 16, 2010. Because that is our last class meeting of the semester, it is also the last chance to get any late projects graded. There are still a few students who haven't yet turned in the season temperature collage, limited palettes project, and/or the mixed media collage. Partial credit is better than none at all.

Semester Portfolio- Next week I'll also be grading the semester portfolio, all the artwork that hasn't been individually graded. If you haven't missed any classes this semester, you should be all caught up, but if you need a reminder of what I'll be expecting to see, check out the following list with the dates that you'll find the descriptions on the blog:

Sep 16 Wall paper patterns with dots

Sep 23 Contour lines (shoes)

Oct 7 Value drawing with charcoal

Oct 21 Color wheel/Complement Mix/Tints and Shades

Oct 28 Text (Russian words) and Logo (imaginary business)

Nov 23 Color still life painting

For next class 12/16/10- Our final meeting of the semester. We will critique the Final Projects and any other back work that is brought in, all projects and portfolios will be graded and returned by the end of the class. Bring all your semester's art work. No art supplies will be necessary.

12/2/10 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we started with a group critique of the limited palettes project. After that I introduced the final project of the semester, which involves transforming a work of two dimensional fine art.

How to make this up- The project starts with a painting from the history of fine art. You have a number of options in how you go from there. One possibility is a transforming book. The books all have in common that they have a cover that opens and closes. Choices for book structures include Pop Up (as in the example above), Pull Tab, Folding Flap, and Transparency. Student examples of all these types, and full descriptions of how they work, can be found here.

The other major option is a board game based on the work of a single fine artist. I do not have any available images of previous student projects, so I started making an example myself. It's not complete, but far enough along to give everyone an idea of the project.

For the Board Game option, choose an artist's work to adapt into a game board. You may work with a single painting, or multiple works from a single artist. All games must have a theme or goal that relates to the subject of the artwork(s). All games must also have a path to follow on the board. It can be a single path with a start and finish (such as Candyland), one with a repeated loop (such as Monopoly), or a system that allow moves in multiple directions (such as chess)

My example is using art from 14th century northern painter Hieronymus Bosch. He is best known for his incredibly complex compositions filled with bizarre fantasy creatures and moral and religious messages. I combined bits and pieces of two of his triptychs- The Garden of Earthly Delights and The Last Judgement. The theme of my game is one that relates to a theme common to both paintings, the pursuit of sinful pleasures leads to eternal punishment in the afterlife. In this game, players start in the lower left corner (Eden), and follow a convoluted path with the goal of reaching Heaven (top center), but taking the wrong path lands the player in Hell (lower right). All the visuals around the board are images based on parts of the paintings mentioned above, but arranged in a composition different from Bosch's original. (Your game board needs to be more than just a path superimposed over an exact copy of a historical painting) I'll post a photo of the complete project after the whole thing is finished.

Homework- The completed transforming book or game board project is due at the beginning of class on December 16, 2010, the last meeting of our class for the semester. At that time I will grade the last project, the semester portfolio (all the ungraded artwork from the semester), and any late arriving graded projects from earlier in the semester.

The mixed media collage project is due at the beginning of class on December 9, 2010.

Anyone who has not yet turned in any overdue projects (such as the season temperature collage or the limited palettes project) can turn them in next week or the week after for partial credit.

For next class 12/9/10- We will critique the mixed media collage projects. The rest of the class period will be used for working on any class related project, such as the final project or any yet to be completed back project. Bring with you whatever materials you need to complete whatever you plan to work on.

11/23/10 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we had our special Thanksgiving week Tuesday meeting. We did a portfolio exercise involving a classic still life painting. Unlike the limited palettes project, the goal tonight was to match the local colors of the objects in the still life set up. The season temperature collages critiqued last week were returned graded.

How to make this up- Set up a still life. Put a small box on a table, drape with a multicolored cloth (I used a plaid tablecloth), and arrange 4 solidly colored objects of different colors on and around the box. You may sketch it first with pencil, or just paint directly with your brush. Try to match the shapes and the colors of the objects and drape as closely as possible. Adding a background color is optional. Above are two student examples from a previous semester.

This is a portfolio exercise, that must be made up by the end of the semester to receive credit.

Homework- The limited color palettes project is due at the beginning of class on December 2, 2010. The random subject mixed media collage project is due at the beginning of class on December 9, 2010.

Students who still owe their wood block and/or the season temperature collage should get those in next week to receive partial credit.

For next class 12/2/10- We will critique the limited color palette graded projects, then start on the Final Project of the semester. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencil and eraser, and all your painting supplies. The Final Project will involve options based on historical works of 2D fine art, so also bring a book with images of work from a favorite artist, a favorite art movement or subject, or even a general book about painting or art history.

11/18/10 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we critiqued the color temperature season collages, considering whether or not the colors in each season matched the declared intention. Then we began a new graded project, a mixed media collage partly inspired by the Dada movement of the early 20th century. Students saw a few examples of collages from art history and of student examples of the project from earlier semesters. Then each student drew random words (a noun and a modifying word or phrase) out of paper bags, with the resulting phrase to become the subject of a mixed media collage. (the above collage is based on the phrase "City of Zoo")

How to make this up- To learn all the details and requirements of the project (including how to get your subject phrases), and to see additional student examples, click here.

Homework- This mixed media collage project is due at the beginning of class on December 9, 2010.

The specific color palates project begun in class last week is due at the beginning of class on December 2, 2010.

Anyone who still owes me a wood block or the color temperature project should bring them to class as soon as possible.

For next class 11/23/10- That's right, our next class meeting is on Tuesday, November 23rd, at 6:30 pm. We will complete a new portfolio exercise involving painting. Bring your 18"x 24" pad, pencil and eraser, and all your painting materials.

11/11/10 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we explored the idea of limited palettes, the idea that artists sometimes choose very specific combinations of colors to use in a painting, instead of just copying local colors or using random ones. I showed some slides from the history of art, pointing out where some limited palette strategies were used. Then students began work on a new graded project, basing a series of color images on a black and white photograph. Above are a few student examples from previous semesters.

How to make this up- You will need a sheet of your 18"x 24" paper, pencil and eraser, and all your painting supplies. The source for the image will be a black and white photograph of your choosing. It should be something with a wide range of light, dark, and middle tones, and something you feel comfortable drawing. For the full details as to how to complete the assignment, as well as further student examples, click here.

Homework- This graded assignment in limited color palettes is due at the beginning of class on December 2, 2010. The color temperature seasonal collage project started last week is due on November 18, 2010. Anyone who has not yet turned in a wood block to be printed should finish it as soon as possible.

For next class 11/18/10- We will begin a new graded project that involves mixed media collage. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencil, eraser, markers, all your painting supplies, scissors and glue. The subjects for the collage will be determined that evening.

11/4/10 2D Design

Today's Class- Today we looked at the concept of color temperature, the idea that colors are perceived to feel warm or cool, in themselves or in relation to other colors. I showed slides from art history and the class discussed whether the overall temperature of each image was warm, cool, or balanced/neutral. Then we began a new graded project, a collage related to color temperature. While the class worked on that, a few students printed late wood blocks.

How to make this up- Above is an example of the completed color temperature project from a previous semester. Full details as to how to complete it, as well as additional student examples, can be found here.

Homework- The color temperature graded project is due at the beginning of class on November 18, 2010. However, I strongly suggest that everyone finish the project, or at least the color mixing part, before next week as we will be starting a new graded project at that time.

Those who still have not brought in their woodblock to be printed should do so as soon as possible.

For next class 11/11/10- We will start another color related graded project. The subject will be based on a black and white photograph, so either bring one (preferably a range of values from light to dark) or take your chances on my pile of magazines. Also bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencil and eraser, and all painting stuff- paints, palette, palette knife, brushes, and water container.

2D Design Text and Logo Exercises

How to complete this- The class did two exercises, related to the idea of words and symbols as visual elements in a composition. For both, use pencil and markers on a sheet of your 18" x 24" paper.

Word Design- Students were asked to design 3 or more words, arranging the letters in such a way that the arrangement and/or style of the letters would identify the meaning of the word. To force us to interpret the results based only on the design, the words used would be in Russian. Pages from an English/Russian dictionary were distributed to the class and each chose 3 suitable words. An example is below.

The project works best with action (verbs) and descriptive (adverbs/adjectives) words. Nouns don't work as well, where the easy solution is to make words shaped like the object and I don't want to see anyone doing that. I can provide a few pages of Russian words to students who missed tonight, or you can pick your own from any Russian dictionary.

Logo Design- The second exercise was to design a logo for an imaginary business, defined as a business that doesn't exist in real life because the product or service would either be impossible in our current world, or such a bad idea as to have no possibility of succeeding economically. The logo may include text, but does not have to. It should be a simple design that gives the viewer the concept of the business without any further explanation. Below is a student example ("Buffalo Muffins")

Draw the logo at about 6 square inches and at 1 square inch. Both of these exercises are graded as part of your portfolio, and need to be made up by the end of the semester in order to receive credit.

10/21/10 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we looked at color for the first time. I showed slides from throughout the history of art, explaining how color was used in each, and discussing the evolution of color technology in painting. Then we did a series of exercises on basic color theory and mixing.

How to make this up- For full details as to how to complete the three exercises, along with a few student examples, can be found here.

Homework- The carved wood block for the black and white woodcut illustration project that we started last week, is due at the beginning of the next class, October 28, 2010.

Tonight's exercises are portfolio exercises that must be made up by the end of the semester.

For next class 10/28/10- Students will work independently on some new portfolio exercises while I help them individually print their woodcuts. Bring your finished block, along with your 18" x 24" pad, pencil and eraser, and black markers. I'll provide the ink to print the blocks.

10/14/10 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we looked at the history of printmaking, from the Renaissance through contemporary art, discussing the various processes and roles of prints in society. We also looked at several examples of student woodcut prints (such as the above illustration of Poe's Raven) from earlier semesters. Woodblocks were distributed to all students present, and during the class I gave a demonstration of safe and effective block cutting.

How to make this up- The assignment is to create an illustration for a book of your choosing- fiction or non-fiction, novel, short story, poem- as long as it's considered a literary work and not a children's book or anything fully illustrated. Full details and additional student examples can be found here.

Homework- The completed cut block is due at the beginning of class on October 28, 2010, at which time I'll help students print the blocks. Anyone still owing me a back project should complete it as soon as possible to get at least some partial late credit.

For next class 10/21/10- We will begin our study of color. Bring all your painting related supplies- acrylic paints, brushes, palette, palette knife, and some kind of water container (empty can, cup, etc), as well as your 18" x 24" pad, pencil, and eraser.

10/7/10 2D Design

Today's Class- Today we looked at the concept of value, the use of light and dark elements in a two dimensional composition to imply form and space, as well as to focus attention on a particular area, depict the local colors of objects, create interesting visual rhythms, etc. I showed slides of art from antiquity to the present, and some good examples of student charcoal drawings, explaining how value was used in each. Then students did a value drawing from a still life set up, using charcoal or conte crayons. Toward the end of the evening I returned the graded drawings of the plant from last week and discussed how to prepare for next week's project.

How to make this up- Full details as to how to make up the assignment, and some other good student examples, can be found here. This is a portfolio assignment, and must be made up by the end of the semester.

Homework- Nothing new, but if you owe me either of the first two projects, you should bring it in as soon as possible.

For next class 10/14/10- We will begin our next graded project, which will focus of composing in black and white, in the form of a woodcut print. The subject will be a book illustration, a book of your choosing. The book may be fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or anything else of literary merit, but you may not use children's books, fairy tales, fully illustrated books, or books recently adapted as films. Your illustration may be of a specific scene or something that sums up the book in general. You don't need to have it all worked out before next week, but I would like you to bring the book with you to consult. Also bring some paper to sketch on (a small sketchbook will be fine, but you can use your 18" x 24" pad if you prefer), pencil, eraser, markers, and x-acto knife. I'll provide the wood for the project.

9/30/10 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we opened with a group critique of the stipple (dot) drawings, which were also graded and returned to the class. Then we did a new graded project, our line drawing final, involving a drawing of a complex potted plant, as in the example above.

How to make this up- Further student examples and detailed instructions as to how to complete this project can be found here.

Homework- Anyone who has not yet turned in either of the graded projects should try to get them completed as soon as possible. The more weeks it takes for work to be turned in, the fewer points it is worth.

For next class 10/7/10- We will discuss the concept of value and do a portfolio exercise in value drawing. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, charcoal or black conte crayon, and appropriate erasers.

9/23/10 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we looked at slides of art from cave paintings to the present, discussing how line was used in each. Then the students did a series of exercises involving line drawings of shoes, as in the example above.

How to make this up- Tonight's exercises are identical to what I did with my Basic Drawing class last week, so scroll down to 9/17/10, use the link in the blog archives to the right, or just click here, and then follow the instructions in the "How to make this up" section of the post.

Homework- The dot drawings that we started in class last week are due at the beginning of class on September 30, 2010. You must turn in the original source photo with your stipple drawing.

For next class 9/30/10- We will open with a class critique of the stipple drawings, then do our second graded project, a line still life. In addition to the homework, bring your 18" x 24" pad of drawing paper, pencils, and eraser. I'll provide the subject of the drawing.

2D Design Stipple Drawing

The stipple drawing graded project begins with a black and white photograph of your choosing. It must be a photograph of something real, not line art, computer graphics, etc. Ideally the photo should include a wide range of values, from light to dark and various gray tones in between. It can be an actual photographic print, or something you find in a magazine, book, etc. You'll be making a drawing based on the photo, so choose something you feel comfortable drawing. I made the example above, the three below are student projects from earlier semesters. (Click on the photos to enlarge them)

                                      

On a piece of paper draw a box 6"x 6" in pencil. Choose a square portion of your photograph to reproduce inside that box. You can draw it at exactly the same size, or choose a smaller square and enlarge it to fill the 6 square inch box. (in all three examples above, the smaller image is the original photo, the large image is the resulting dot drawing) Draw the composition from the photo in pencil inside the box. Then use your ultra fine point marker to match the values from the photo in your drawing, using nothing but dots.

The main focus in grading these will be how well you match the exact values of the original photo. Your ability to exactly copy the composition of the photo is not as important, but it will be very difficult to match the various value shapes within the composition if your drawing is not faithful to the original. I'll also be looking for consistency in your choice of values. You may not use line or switch to a larger marker to fill in broad areas of black, just the same tiny dots. It must meet the minimum 6 square inch size, but may be bigger if you want your drawing to be of a different proportion.

9/9/10 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight was the first day of the semester. The syllabus was distributed and reviewed. Students filled out a survey about their artistic experiences, which was discussed by the whole class.

Homework- None

For next class 9/16/10- Students should bring their 18" x 24" pad of drawing paper, pencil and eraser, and ultra fine and large black markers. Students should also bring a black and white photograph to base a drawing on. I will have some published material for students to pick through if they don't have a photo to work from.

For more information about the Surf Art Show in Belmar, visit the BAC website.