NOTE: TWO RELEVANT POSTS BELOW!
Dear class,
Please bring with you on Tuesday several (between 1 and 3) photographs of a favorite place -- either one you've been to personally or one you've always wanted to visit. Your photographs may be landscapes, cityscapes, or any combination thereof, but they should be "scapes" -- i.e., representations of a specific place with distinct geological or man-made features. A single photograph will suffice, but the more visual information you have about the place the better off you'll be for our in-class work. The photos may be either black and white or color.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Follow-up to Critique Day
NOTE: PLEASE SEE POST BELOW FOR THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT.
Dear class,
Thanks to all of you, today's critique was another success! I saw a lot of terrific work, and many of you really knocked yourselves out on this project. Because of all your generous and thoughtful comments, I didn't have to say much. If you would like some feedback from me on your drawing, please do let me know via e-mail. I'd be happy to give you some further thoughts of my own.
Special thanks to Bree and Vania for the extra contribution to today's class. I know their lovely gesture was appreciated by all!
And many thanks to Conor for renting the camera and photographing everyone's work!
Dear class,
Thanks to all of you, today's critique was another success! I saw a lot of terrific work, and many of you really knocked yourselves out on this project. Because of all your generous and thoughtful comments, I didn't have to say much. If you would like some feedback from me on your drawing, please do let me know via e-mail. I'd be happy to give you some further thoughts of my own.
Special thanks to Bree and Vania for the extra contribution to today's class. I know their lovely gesture was appreciated by all!
And many thanks to Conor for renting the camera and photographing everyone's work!
Homework Assignment #8
DEPICTING MOVEMENT IN STILL IMAGES:
This week’s assignment is about further exploring ways of conveying movement in drawings. You may choose either of the following approaches:
(1) Drawing from film: Make a drawing based on a selected sequence in your favorite film. Because you’ll want to watch the sequence a number of times at various speeds, be sure you have the proper equipment (i.e., don’t work from memory).
After selecting a good film sequence that you would like to interpret graphically, begin by making a series of quick studies in your notebook. Just as we did in class, concentrate on the way your line quality (or the quality of your marks) reflects the qualities of the various movements your sequence involves (i.e., quick and frenetic, slow and graceful, jumbled and chaotic, precise and mechanical, etc.). You may want to experiment with various drawing materials and colors before beginning your final drawing.
When you have a good sense of how you want to compose your piece, make a drawing on your regular homework paper. Your final piece can be as abstract as it needs to be, as long as it is an interpretation of the movement you observe in your film sequence.
(2) Flipbook: Make a flipbook that creates an illusion of movement as the viewer flips through its pages. Taking some cues from William Kentridge, a very good approach to this is to begin with a used paperback book (you can buy these on the street for cheap or at used bookstores). Be sure to “test” your book before purchasing it (i.e., make sure it’s the kind of book that allows for easy and fluid flipping.) The idea is to use the existing pages creatively, drawing over and around the text however you see fit.
Your sequence of drawings can be abstract (as in a “dancing” line or shape), representational (as in a leaping ballerina), or any combination of the two. Whatever you choose to do, be sure the sequence is long enough to create a rewarding illusion of movement for the viewer. Please keep in mind that your flip book should be a work of art – that is, it should be something more than the kind of doodle one does in one's algebra text book!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
More Futurist Images
IMPORTANT NOTE: See post below for information about next week's class!
Dear class,
As promised, here is my favorite Futurist painting of all time. It's Giacomo Balla's "Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash":
And here are some more of Balla's paintings (and one drawing):
I encourage you to look up other artists associated with Italian Futurism and to further explore the artist William Kentridge, whose film "Drawing the Passing" we saw today in class.
Dear class,
As promised, here is my favorite Futurist painting of all time. It's Giacomo Balla's "Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash":
And here are some more of Balla's paintings (and one drawing):
I encourage you to look up other artists associated with Italian Futurism and to further explore the artist William Kentridge, whose film "Drawing the Passing" we saw today in class.
Critique Day for Midterm Projects
Dear class,
As the deadline for your midterm projects is next Tuesday, March 27th, we will be conducting an all-day critique on that day. It will be the same kind of thing as we had at the end of last semester, so please come prepared for a very full day. As I said today in class, late arrivals will not be admitted into the class room.
Several things of which to take note:
1. Sorry -- no donuts this time! I only do that on the last day of the semester. Please come prepared with your own lunch and snacks. Any breaks we take will be very brief.
2. Each of you should be prepared to give a brief presentation about your drawing before we open the forum for group feedback. Things to consider talking about include: Did you use photographs or other source material for your drawing? What kind of information did this source material provide for you in your drawing process? What drawing materials did you use? Did your ideas change at all during the drawing process? What kinds of difficulties did you encounter along the way? How satisfied are you that your drawing achieved what you set out to achieve?
3. The more generous we all are with our comments, the more rewarding the day will be for everyone. Please make every effort to contribute your feedback to everyone. As with last semester's final, I will be sitting in the audience rather than leading the critique.
4. Out of respect for your fellow students, please refrain from drawing in your notebooks, texting, playing digital chess, or anything else during the presentations. These things are enormously distracting to the person speaking in front of the class.
Good luck on your projects!
As the deadline for your midterm projects is next Tuesday, March 27th, we will be conducting an all-day critique on that day. It will be the same kind of thing as we had at the end of last semester, so please come prepared for a very full day. As I said today in class, late arrivals will not be admitted into the class room.
Several things of which to take note:
1. Sorry -- no donuts this time! I only do that on the last day of the semester. Please come prepared with your own lunch and snacks. Any breaks we take will be very brief.
2. Each of you should be prepared to give a brief presentation about your drawing before we open the forum for group feedback. Things to consider talking about include: Did you use photographs or other source material for your drawing? What kind of information did this source material provide for you in your drawing process? What drawing materials did you use? Did your ideas change at all during the drawing process? What kinds of difficulties did you encounter along the way? How satisfied are you that your drawing achieved what you set out to achieve?
3. The more generous we all are with our comments, the more rewarding the day will be for everyone. Please make every effort to contribute your feedback to everyone. As with last semester's final, I will be sitting in the audience rather than leading the critique.
4. Out of respect for your fellow students, please refrain from drawing in your notebooks, texting, playing digital chess, or anything else during the presentations. These things are enormously distracting to the person speaking in front of the class.
Good luck on your projects!
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Extra Credit Assignment
(See below for information about midterm project.)
Dear class,
There is a wonderful show up right now at the Asia Society Museum called Infinite Line by the artist Sarah Sze that I'd love for you to see. Sze is a terrific young(ish) artist whose work will inspire you to think about drawing in new ways. The show comes down on March 25th, so you must act quickly if you want to get some extra class credit.
The Asia Society Museum is located at 725 Park Avenue (at 70th Street). It's open Tuesday–Sunday, 11:00 am–6:00 pm, with extended evening hours Fridays until 9:00 pm.
DON'T FORGET TO BRING YOUR SVA I.D! The show will cost you $5 with your card.
For more information, see here: Asia Society Museum.
If you go (strongly encouraged!), you can plan to tell me a bit about your impressions of the show to receive the extra credit.
Dear class,
There is a wonderful show up right now at the Asia Society Museum called Infinite Line by the artist Sarah Sze that I'd love for you to see. Sze is a terrific young(ish) artist whose work will inspire you to think about drawing in new ways. The show comes down on March 25th, so you must act quickly if you want to get some extra class credit.
The Asia Society Museum is located at 725 Park Avenue (at 70th Street). It's open Tuesday–Sunday, 11:00 am–6:00 pm, with extended evening hours Fridays until 9:00 pm.
DON'T FORGET TO BRING YOUR SVA I.D! The show will cost you $5 with your card.
For more information, see here: Asia Society Museum.
If you go (strongly encouraged!), you can plan to tell me a bit about your impressions of the show to receive the extra credit.
Deadline for Midterm Projects
Dear class,
As I said on Tuesday, your midterm projects will be due on Tuesday, March 27th. On that day we'll critique all the drawings.
Next week we will be studying movement, and there will be a brief (one-hour) assignment given after our next class. Please keep this additional assignment in mind as you plan your drawing time over the course of the next two weeks.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The midterm project will count for the bulk of your grade for the spring semester. As with last semester's final, I expect you to put in between 20 and 30 hours on this drawing.
As I said on Tuesday, your midterm projects will be due on Tuesday, March 27th. On that day we'll critique all the drawings.
Next week we will be studying movement, and there will be a brief (one-hour) assignment given after our next class. Please keep this additional assignment in mind as you plan your drawing time over the course of the next two weeks.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The midterm project will count for the bulk of your grade for the spring semester. As with last semester's final, I expect you to put in between 20 and 30 hours on this drawing.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Studio Day on March 13th
IMPORTANT NOTE: Several of you who said you'd be using projected texts did not send me your text by the agreed-upon deadline. If this applies to you, it is now entirely up to you to figure out how to incorporate your text into your drawing. You can expect to receive a reduced grade for this project unless you are prepared to give me an adequate excuse.
Dear class,
As you all know, we'll be having our "studio day" on the first Tuesday after spring break. This is the day when we'll be working with the models and projections for your midterm projects. Please come to class prepared with the following items:
(1) A digital camera. If you don't have one and you plan to use the models and projections, please be sure you can borrow one from a classmate who will be bringing one. It's important that we get good quality photographs, so don't rely on your cellphones for this.
(2) Your notebook. If you'll be working with the models and projections, you should come to class prepared to show the models what you have in mind. Remember: An image is worth a thousand words! It's much more efficient to show the model what you have in mind than it is to explain it verbally.
(3) Your drawing materials and paper for the project. Especially if you don't plan on using the models and projections, you should come to class prepared to get to work on your project. If necessary, we'll send you to another room where you can work without being disrupted.
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