Wednesday, November 4, 2020
Tuesday, October 13, 2020
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Assignment #4, due Wednesday 10/2
THE DRAMA OF LIGHT AND SHADOW:
Picking up where we left off in class, in this assignment you will be using continuous tone shading to achieve the full range of values to create convincingly volumetric shapes.
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 (vine and compressed), charcoal pencil, eraser.
Below are the images we looked at in class:
Picking up where we left off in class, in this assignment you will be using continuous tone shading to achieve the full range of values to create convincingly volumetric shapes.
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 (vine and compressed), charcoal pencil, eraser.
Below are the images we looked at in class:
 |
| Georges Seurat |
 |
| Pablo Picasso |
 |
| Seurat |
 |
| Picasso |
 |
| Albrecht Durer |
 |
| Durer |
 |
| Durer |
 |
| Durer |
 |
| Giorgio Morandi (from here to the end) |
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Welcome and First Homework Assignment
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.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Follow-up to critique day and portfolio turn-in
Dear class,
Once again, thanks to all of you our final critique was a great success! I was very impressed not only by the number of excellent scroll drawings I saw but also by all the wonderful comments I heard. I hardly had to say a thing. Great job to all of you who contributed so generously!
I also want to let you know what a real pleasure it's been teaching your class this year. Yours has been a class that has reminded me every week why I love teaching. Thank you all for your enthusiasm, your passion, and your commitment.
And finally, a final piece of instruction:
PORTFOLIOS AND NOTEBOOKS:
I will be reviewing portfolios and notebooks this Sunday, April 29th, from 1pm-3pm. All homework assignments from this semester other than the midterm and final projects should be included in your portfolio, and your notebook should be neatly stacked in the locker.
If you need to access the class locker before Sunday, the combination is: 30-4-34.
For your convenience, here is a list of the assignments. (Please place them in order, and be aware that presentation counts. A sloppy portfolio will affect your grade, as will a missing assignment):
1. Cubist collage
2. Paper cut-out drawing
3. Monochrome pastel
4. Altered masterpiece pastel
5. Movement drawing (or flip book)
6. Informational image drawing
RETRIEVAL OF MATERIAL:
You may come any time after 3pm on Sunday to retrieve your material.
Have a wonderful summer, and do stop by and visit me from time to time! I would enjoy that very much.
Once again, thanks to all of you our final critique was a great success! I was very impressed not only by the number of excellent scroll drawings I saw but also by all the wonderful comments I heard. I hardly had to say a thing. Great job to all of you who contributed so generously!
I also want to let you know what a real pleasure it's been teaching your class this year. Yours has been a class that has reminded me every week why I love teaching. Thank you all for your enthusiasm, your passion, and your commitment.
And finally, a final piece of instruction:
PORTFOLIOS AND NOTEBOOKS:
I will be reviewing portfolios and notebooks this Sunday, April 29th, from 1pm-3pm. All homework assignments from this semester other than the midterm and final projects should be included in your portfolio, and your notebook should be neatly stacked in the locker.
If you need to access the class locker before Sunday, the combination is: 30-4-34.
For your convenience, here is a list of the assignments. (Please place them in order, and be aware that presentation counts. A sloppy portfolio will affect your grade, as will a missing assignment):
1. Cubist collage
2. Paper cut-out drawing
3. Monochrome pastel
4. Altered masterpiece pastel
5. Movement drawing (or flip book)
6. Informational image drawing
RETRIEVAL OF MATERIAL:
You may come any time after 3pm on Sunday to retrieve your material.
Have a wonderful summer, and do stop by and visit me from time to time! I would enjoy that very much.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Information for Final Class
Dear class,
As you know, next week's class on Tuesday, April 24th, will be the last class of the semester. On this day we'll be doing an all-day critique of your final projects. Please come prepared to present a section of your music to the class as you present your scroll. Bring your piece of music on either an i-Pod or a CD.
Some important things of which to take note:
1. As you know by now, it will be a long and very busy day. I cannot guarantee that we'll have time to take a lunch break, so please bring a packed lunch with you. I'll be providing some breakfast for everyone.
2. As always, please make every effort to be as generous as possible with your feedback on other students' work. I want to hear from everyone next week! The more generous we all are, the more rewarding the day is for everyone.
3. YOU MUST ARRIVE ON TIME for our final class. We will begin at 9:00am sharp. You are hereby forewarned that any late arrivals may be dismissed immediately at my discretion!
4. I will be reviewing portfolios and notebooks the Sunday after our final class (that is, on Sunday, April 29th). All homework assignments from this semester other than the midterm and final projects should be included in your portfolio. For your convenience, here is a list of the assignments. (Please place them in order, and be aware that presentation counts. A sloppy portfolio will affect your grade!):
1. Cubist collage
2. Paper cut-out drawing
3. Monochrome pastel
4. Altered masterpiece pastel
5. Movement drawing (or flip book)
6. Informational image drawing
As you know, next week's class on Tuesday, April 24th, will be the last class of the semester. On this day we'll be doing an all-day critique of your final projects. Please come prepared to present a section of your music to the class as you present your scroll. Bring your piece of music on either an i-Pod or a CD.
Some important things of which to take note:
1. As you know by now, it will be a long and very busy day. I cannot guarantee that we'll have time to take a lunch break, so please bring a packed lunch with you. I'll be providing some breakfast for everyone.
2. As always, please make every effort to be as generous as possible with your feedback on other students' work. I want to hear from everyone next week! The more generous we all are, the more rewarding the day is for everyone.
3. YOU MUST ARRIVE ON TIME for our final class. We will begin at 9:00am sharp. You are hereby forewarned that any late arrivals may be dismissed immediately at my discretion!
4. I will be reviewing portfolios and notebooks the Sunday after our final class (that is, on Sunday, April 29th). All homework assignments from this semester other than the midterm and final projects should be included in your portfolio. For your convenience, here is a list of the assignments. (Please place them in order, and be aware that presentation counts. A sloppy portfolio will affect your grade!):
1. Cubist collage
2. Paper cut-out drawing
3. Monochrome pastel
4. Altered masterpiece pastel
5. Movement drawing (or flip book)
6. Informational image drawing
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)