Dear class,
I've gotten a number of e-mails asking about this week's assignment, so I want to offer the following clarification.
If you would like to begin your drawing with the toned ground we've been using in class, please do so. It's not a requirement for this assignment, but in general it's a good approach to any charcoal drawing. My advice is to keep it fairly light, if you do opt for the toned ground. This will give you a nice mid-tone gray to which to add your lights and darks.
Feel free to use both kinds of charcoal (i.e., vine and compressed), your charcoal pencil, and your eraser.
Please use only one sheet of paper for this assignment rather than doing two separate drawings. One of the challenges of the assignment is in creating an interesting composition that combines both lighting situations. The goal is to make the viewer intrigued by the "strangeness" of the light/shadow relationships rather than confused or annoyed! A sense of intrigue and mystery is a good thing to shoot for here.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Giorgio Morandi
(For next homework assignment see post below)
Dear class,
Here are some images of the Morandi drawings (or etchings) we looked at in class. I encourage you to do some further research on your own, because he made so many wonderful graphic pieces over his lifetime. The SVA library should have a number of good books on Morandi.
Note especially his use of layering to create the wide range of tonal values we see in his drawings, and his dynamic, wobbly edges that bring these mundane objects to life.
Dear class,
Here are some images of the Morandi drawings (or etchings) we looked at in class. I encourage you to do some further research on your own, because he made so many wonderful graphic pieces over his lifetime. The SVA library should have a number of good books on Morandi.
Note especially his use of layering to create the wide range of tonal values we see in his drawings, and his dynamic, wobbly edges that bring these mundane objects to life.
Homework Assignment #4, due Tuesday 10/4
THE DRAMA OF LIGHT AND SHADOW:
Picking up where we left off in class, this assignment is about further exploring the “logic of light” and the key role it plays in drawing.
Begin by obtaining a clamp lamp that you can use to shine strong “directional” light onto a tabletop or desk. Next, select an object to draw that creates interesting shadows but that is not too detailed (things with patterned surfaces are not recommended).
For this piece you will be drawing your object twice, dramatically altering the direction of the light source between the two times. Spend some time playing around with the lamp, paying particular attention to the shadows cast by your object. Be sure to move the lamp and not the object, and choose two lighting situations that create shadows that differ considerably from each other.
Using charcoal and/or charcoal pencil, make a single drawing on your regular homework paper that incorporates both sets of light and shadow configurations. The two drawings can sit side by side on your paper, but arrange them so that they relate to each other in an interesting way (don’t divide the picture plane with a line!). Concentrate on drawing the tonal values (highlights, shadows, and mid-tones) as interlocking shapes. Keep the shapes general and simplified.
Materials: Charcoal, charcoal pencil, eraser.
Picking up where we left off in class, this assignment is about further exploring the “logic of light” and the key role it plays in drawing.
Begin by obtaining a clamp lamp that you can use to shine strong “directional” light onto a tabletop or desk. Next, select an object to draw that creates interesting shadows but that is not too detailed (things with patterned surfaces are not recommended).
For this piece you will be drawing your object twice, dramatically altering the direction of the light source between the two times. Spend some time playing around with the lamp, paying particular attention to the shadows cast by your object. Be sure to move the lamp and not the object, and choose two lighting situations that create shadows that differ considerably from each other.
Using charcoal and/or charcoal pencil, make a single drawing on your regular homework paper that incorporates both sets of light and shadow configurations. The two drawings can sit side by side on your paper, but arrange them so that they relate to each other in an interesting way (don’t divide the picture plane with a line!). Concentrate on drawing the tonal values (highlights, shadows, and mid-tones) as interlocking shapes. Keep the shapes general and simplified.
Materials: Charcoal, charcoal pencil, eraser.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Today's class
(To see this week's homework assignment see post below)
Dear class,
Congratulations on your hallway exhibition! I had no idea that was going to happen, but I'm very gratified to have had such a good day. (The way it happened was this: At around 3:00 the Chair of Fine Arts, Suzanne Anker, happened to be walking by our class room. When she saw your drawings she was so impressed that she spontaneously decided to include them in a show that will introduce the School to the public during our annual Open House). The drawings will be hanging there for a few weeks.
Realizing that I neglected to mention the name of the photographer whose work we studied today, I wanted to do that here. Her name is Dorothea Lange, and the photograph is titled Migrant Mother (1936).
Dear class,
Congratulations on your hallway exhibition! I had no idea that was going to happen, but I'm very gratified to have had such a good day. (The way it happened was this: At around 3:00 the Chair of Fine Arts, Suzanne Anker, happened to be walking by our class room. When she saw your drawings she was so impressed that she spontaneously decided to include them in a show that will introduce the School to the public during our annual Open House). The drawings will be hanging there for a few weeks.
Realizing that I neglected to mention the name of the photographer whose work we studied today, I wanted to do that here. Her name is Dorothea Lange, and the photograph is titled Migrant Mother (1936).
Homework Assignment #3, due Tuesday 9/27
SINGLE MARK DRAWING:
This week's assignment is a bit of a departure from what we've been doing in class for the last two weeks. It will, however, take us into our next area of study, which is volumetric form. And it bears some resemblance to the in-class drawing you did today from the slide in that it will further encourage you to see things as shapes rather than as nameable, "real-world" objects.
For this drawing you will be using only one kind of mark, which will be repeated over and over again and overlapped to achieve varying densities. The areas with the greatest density of mark build-up will correspond to the darkest areas of the object/s you will be drawing, while those areas with fewest marks (or even no marks at all) will indicate the lightest areas of the object/s. This technique is similar to crosshatching, where sets of parallel strokes of the pencil are layered over one another; the difference here is that instead of parallel strokes you will be using another kind of mark.
After choosing your mark (see image below for some suggestions), set up a small still-life on a table top with at least two volumetric objects (cylindrical objects such as bottles, cups, and vases are recommended). Choose a strong light source that will cast dramatic light on your set-up and create interesting shadows.
Make a drawing of your still-life using only your mark. You may vary the size of the mark as you wish, but don’t insert extraneous marks into the drawing (i.e., no contours around objects!). Concentrate on the various shapes that interlock in your composition (some of which will be formed by the shifting tonal values, or the interplay of light and shadow) rather than on rendering the details of your objects. Let the drawing be as abstract as it needs to be.
As always, give great consideration to your composition.
Materials: Ebony pencil only (keep it sharp!). You may erase as needed.
Some suggestions for marks:
This week's assignment is a bit of a departure from what we've been doing in class for the last two weeks. It will, however, take us into our next area of study, which is volumetric form. And it bears some resemblance to the in-class drawing you did today from the slide in that it will further encourage you to see things as shapes rather than as nameable, "real-world" objects.
For this drawing you will be using only one kind of mark, which will be repeated over and over again and overlapped to achieve varying densities. The areas with the greatest density of mark build-up will correspond to the darkest areas of the object/s you will be drawing, while those areas with fewest marks (or even no marks at all) will indicate the lightest areas of the object/s. This technique is similar to crosshatching, where sets of parallel strokes of the pencil are layered over one another; the difference here is that instead of parallel strokes you will be using another kind of mark.
After choosing your mark (see image below for some suggestions), set up a small still-life on a table top with at least two volumetric objects (cylindrical objects such as bottles, cups, and vases are recommended). Choose a strong light source that will cast dramatic light on your set-up and create interesting shadows.
Make a drawing of your still-life using only your mark. You may vary the size of the mark as you wish, but don’t insert extraneous marks into the drawing (i.e., no contours around objects!). Concentrate on the various shapes that interlock in your composition (some of which will be formed by the shifting tonal values, or the interplay of light and shadow) rather than on rendering the details of your objects. Let the drawing be as abstract as it needs to be.
As always, give great consideration to your composition.
Materials: Ebony pencil only (keep it sharp!). You may erase as needed.
Some suggestions for marks:
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Materials for Tuesday's class (9/20)
Dear class,
On Tuesday we'll be using the same materials as last week (i.e., charcoal and erasers), but this time I'd like you to have a charcoal pencil in addition to the rest. Those of you who were dissatisfied with your erasers last week are encouraged to bring several different kinds to experiment with this week.
On Tuesday we'll be using the same materials as last week (i.e., charcoal and erasers), but this time I'd like you to have a charcoal pencil in addition to the rest. Those of you who were dissatisfied with your erasers last week are encouraged to bring several different kinds to experiment with this week.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Werner Herzog film
(To see the post about your second homework assignment, see below.)
Good news, class! The Werner Herzog film I talked about on the first day of class, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, is still playing in New York. It's playing at the IFC theater on Sixth Avenue at W. 4th St. (within easy walking distance of SVA). I *strongly* recommend seeing this film (in spite of the steep price of the ticket and some minor annoyances with the director); it's something you don't want to miss. The images of the cave drawings will stay with you for a long time.
For more information and showtimes see www.ifccenter.com.
Good news, class! The Werner Herzog film I talked about on the first day of class, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, is still playing in New York. It's playing at the IFC theater on Sixth Avenue at W. 4th St. (within easy walking distance of SVA). I *strongly* recommend seeing this film (in spite of the steep price of the ticket and some minor annoyances with the director); it's something you don't want to miss. The images of the cave drawings will stay with you for a long time.
For more information and showtimes see www.ifccenter.com.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Homework Assignment #2
DRAWING SPACE:
This week’s assignment will be a continuation of our in-class studies of negative space. Before setting up your drawing pad, find at least two objects in your room that create interesting negative space shapes, both within and around themselves and in relation to each other. Set them up in an arrangement that will make for an intriguing drawing composition.
Just as we did in class, begin by creating an even, toned ground with charcoal. Be sure to cover the entire rectangle with this ground, since the paper’s edges and corners will be crucial players in your composition.
With your eraser, “carve out” the negative space shapes you observe in your arrangement of objects. Remember that by drawing the space around something you will also be drawing the thing itself. In the end, your composition might look completely abstract, and this is fine. The important thing is to achieve a unified composition made up of negative and positive shapes that fit together like pieces of a jig-saw puzzle.
Note: Several people made the mistake of "overworking" their previous homework drawings due to concern about the six-hour time requirement. To avoid this in the future, please consider at all times what your drawing needs to be as successful as it can be, and proceed accordingly. If your drawing takes only three or four hours to complete, spend the rest of the time working in your notebook. Also, keep in mind that a large part of art-making consists in active looking (both at your subject and at your drawing). Oftentimes, even a small move achieved after hours of deliberation will make the difference between a successful drawing and one that fails.
This week’s assignment will be a continuation of our in-class studies of negative space. Before setting up your drawing pad, find at least two objects in your room that create interesting negative space shapes, both within and around themselves and in relation to each other. Set them up in an arrangement that will make for an intriguing drawing composition.
Just as we did in class, begin by creating an even, toned ground with charcoal. Be sure to cover the entire rectangle with this ground, since the paper’s edges and corners will be crucial players in your composition.
With your eraser, “carve out” the negative space shapes you observe in your arrangement of objects. Remember that by drawing the space around something you will also be drawing the thing itself. In the end, your composition might look completely abstract, and this is fine. The important thing is to achieve a unified composition made up of negative and positive shapes that fit together like pieces of a jig-saw puzzle.
Note: Several people made the mistake of "overworking" their previous homework drawings due to concern about the six-hour time requirement. To avoid this in the future, please consider at all times what your drawing needs to be as successful as it can be, and proceed accordingly. If your drawing takes only three or four hours to complete, spend the rest of the time working in your notebook. Also, keep in mind that a large part of art-making consists in active looking (both at your subject and at your drawing). Oftentimes, even a small move achieved after hours of deliberation will make the difference between a successful drawing and one that fails.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Materials for tomorrow's class (Sept. 13th)
(First homework assignment below this post)
Please bring to class with you tomorrow the following materials:
Charcoal (both vine and compressed)
An eraser (preferably the block kind rather than the kneaded one)
Newsprint clips
Since I'm posting this late on Monday evening, I'll allow for a quick break mid-morning to run to DaVinci. In the future, required class materials will be posted on the Sunday preceding Tuesday's class.
Please bring to class with you tomorrow the following materials:
Charcoal (both vine and compressed)
An eraser (preferably the block kind rather than the kneaded one)
Newsprint clips
Since I'm posting this late on Monday evening, I'll allow for a quick break mid-morning to run to DaVinci. In the future, required class materials will be posted on the Sunday preceding Tuesday's class.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Welcome and First Homework Assignment
Welcome, incoming class! I'm excited to be working with you for the upcoming year. My hope is that you will all participate as much as possible in all facets of the course and in so doing inspire each other to make the most of your freshman year at SVA.
As we went over quite a bit of material on the first day of class, I want to urge you to take a few minutes to reread the syllabus on your own. Please let me know if you have any questions, and if you do just send me an e-mail at the address listed above. I'll make every effort to respond to your mails as quickly as I can.
For your first homework assignment (due next week), I'd like you to purchase the basic materials you'll need for the course (see page titled Basic Materials List to the right), and then to make a contour drawing following the specifications below. Please read the entire assignment carefully.
CONTOUR DRAWING
On one of your sheets of sketch vellum, make a contour drawing using only Ebony pencil. Your contour may be a continuous contour or not, but it should not be a blind contour (i.e., go ahead and look at your drawing as you draw).
Set up some kind of familiar object on a windowsill in your room. Before beginning to draw, take a few minutes to study your object, the windowsill, and the images you see in the panes of the window, taking special note of small details. Concentrate on discerning edges -- both those that delineate the objects from the space around them and all the internal edges. As you begin to draw, concentrate on letting your pencil "feel out" the edges you see; let your hand respond to their various qualities by applying and releasing pressure, speeding up and slowing down, etc. Remember that in a contour drawing, you are working with line only (i.e., no shading or modeling of any sort).
Be as selective as you wish, but your drawing should include something of the object on your sill, the window itself, and whatever you see through the glass (foreground, middleground, and background). The quality of your line should reflect the differences in visibility (i.e., objects closest to your eye will call for bolder lines than those furthest away, etc.).
Do not use photographs for this assignment! It is important that you work from direct observation, so set yourself up in a place where you can work for several hours.
As we went over quite a bit of material on the first day of class, I want to urge you to take a few minutes to reread the syllabus on your own. Please let me know if you have any questions, and if you do just send me an e-mail at the address listed above. I'll make every effort to respond to your mails as quickly as I can.
For your first homework assignment (due next week), I'd like you to purchase the basic materials you'll need for the course (see page titled Basic Materials List to the right), and then to make a contour drawing following the specifications below. Please read the entire assignment carefully.
CONTOUR DRAWING
On one of your sheets of sketch vellum, make a contour drawing using only Ebony pencil. Your contour may be a continuous contour or not, but it should not be a blind contour (i.e., go ahead and look at your drawing as you draw).
Set up some kind of familiar object on a windowsill in your room. Before beginning to draw, take a few minutes to study your object, the windowsill, and the images you see in the panes of the window, taking special note of small details. Concentrate on discerning edges -- both those that delineate the objects from the space around them and all the internal edges. As you begin to draw, concentrate on letting your pencil "feel out" the edges you see; let your hand respond to their various qualities by applying and releasing pressure, speeding up and slowing down, etc. Remember that in a contour drawing, you are working with line only (i.e., no shading or modeling of any sort).
Be as selective as you wish, but your drawing should include something of the object on your sill, the window itself, and whatever you see through the glass (foreground, middleground, and background). The quality of your line should reflect the differences in visibility (i.e., objects closest to your eye will call for bolder lines than those furthest away, etc.).
Do not use photographs for this assignment! It is important that you work from direct observation, so set yourself up in a place where you can work for several hours.
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