|
|
Introduction to Drawing Instructor: William Donovan CATALOGUE COURSE DESCRIPTION This course is an introduction to the principles and techniques of representational drawing. Using a variety of materials, students will develop their powers of observation and expression through weekly exercises. COURSE OBJECTIVES The main objective of this course is to make you familiar with rigorous observation and drawing. Drawing is a mental and a physical activity, and practice improves your ability to see things clearly and it improves your ability to articulate what you see through your hand, so we will spend much of class time drawing. You will develop an understanding of the importance of composition and presentation as well as an understanding of materials. The subject matter will allow you to explore natural and organic forms, landscape, and the human figure. Fundamental drawing ideas such as contour, proportion, value, and pictorial space will be covered. COURSE RATIONALE: This course provides an introduction to drawing and a lesson in seeing. Assumptions about art and vision are challenged in Introduction to Drawing, which leaves students with an appreciation of the structure of common forms, the effects of light, and the physicality of art materials. You will also learn how to articulate yourself in a group setting regarding your drawings. TEXTS: No Required Text Book MATERIALS: Paper 18"x 24" Drawing Paper Pad - this is a heavier acid free paper. 18"x 24" Newsprint Paper Pad - this is light weight paper that will yellow over time and become brittle. It is good to use when experimenting with new techniques because it is less expensive. Sheets of rag paper for your end of semester project. Sometimes other materials may be used. We will discuss your end of semester project before you purchase any specific materials for it. Mark Making Box of vine charcoal - soft or extra soft Box of compressed charcoal Design kneaded rubber eraser- large (grey and soft) Staedtler mars plastic eraser (white and solid) 6B, HB, 4H, pencils White Conte Crayon Black drawing ink, also called India Ink Nibbed drawing pen, Speedball is a good brand Bamboo brushes, 2 different sizes - purchase inexpensive brushes Inexpensive pastels, a set with a range of colors. (optional) Colored pencils (optional) Drawing Ink in multiple colors (optional) Watercolors (optional) Support Masking tape or artist tape 18" Metal Ruler - or a larger size Shammy type cloth A container to hold your art supplies. Some people use fishing tackle boxes because of the multiple storage areas. Drawing clips (optional) Portfolio case, must be big enough to hold your drawings without creasing or folding (optional) CLASSROOM POLICIES AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION Your performance will be assessed on the following: Understanding of the principles, concepts, methods, and materials presented. Ambition: Did your work merely meet minimum requirements or did it surpass them? Completing the assignment is the minimum- be ambitious. A students exceed expectations. They don't just meet the requirements. Attendance: Don't miss class. If you miss a class you must fulfill the requirements of that class. The excuse "but I was absent" does not excuse you from the assignment. After 1 absence your final grade will be lowered by 1/2 a letter grade for each succeeding absence. 2 tardy arrivals will count as 1 absence. Participation: Participation during class discussion and critiques is essential. Preparation, Quality, and Craft: You must always have your supplies and be prepared to work in class. Projects are expected to be made and presented in a professional manner. 25% Participation during class discussions and critiques 25% Attendance, materials, attitude 50% Quality of class work, homework, and portfolio Weekly Syllabus Week 1 Introduction to course objectives, guidelines, and supply list Introduction to contour line drawing. Students will explore the connection between eye and hand in observational drawing. The careful mark will be introduced as a way to describe form. Because no one will have purchased art materials yet, we will use pens, pencils, and notebook paper. Week 2 Expressive Contour Drawing: Drawing is partly a physical activity and we are going to explore using more of their bodies than students may normally associate with the activity of drawing. Week 3 Negative Space Collages: Students will collage the shapes they see in a large simple still life, and focus on only the large masses in composition. The exercise will focus on the importance of negative space in describing form and the balance between form and space in composition. Week 4 View Finder: Students will make and use a view finder to compose an image, and then make a contour drawing from the selected composition. Week 5 Additive Drawing: We will consider line variables. Width: thin-thick, Value: light-dark, Texture: rough-smooth, Edges: inner-outer. Students will draw from a still life setup. Week 6 Objects in Space, Foreshortening, drawing ellipses and rhomboids. Methods for gauging proportions will be introduced, including the use of a dowel or pencil as a way to estimate more accurately what you are seeing. Week 7 Linear Perspectival Drawing, 1 point and 2 point linear perspective will be demonstrated. Students will follow along once, and then make their own drawing. Students will work with mechanically controlled line using rulers to recreate space in perspective. Week 8 Middle Toned Paper, Light Chalk/Mark + Dark Chalk/Mark. We will explore the traditional academic drawing style of using a toned paper. The tone of the paper is the middle value, and then using light chalk and either charcoal or dark chalk students will explore drawing volume. Week 9 Reductive. Relative value scales, demo + examples. Students will explore reductive drawing. The technique is accomplished by covering a sheet of paper with a thin layer of charcoal, and then drawing into the prepared surface with an eraser. This reverses the normal process of making dark marks, and instead makes lighter marks. In representation drawing this is similar to drawing the light instead of drawing the shadows. Week 10 Value Drawing: Students will divide their paper into two sections. On one section they will work additively and on the other reductively. They will draw the same subject on both sides. Week 11 Introduction to Ink: Students will explore mark-making and the gesture and expressive quality of line. The exercises will focus on controlling the ink, and experiment with creating negative space, controlled lines, and expressive lines. Week 12 Figure Drawing: Drawing from a live model. Week 13-14-15 Final project introduced. The final project will be in two parts: The first is a visual research project where ten studies will be completed. The studies will be the size of typing paper. The ten studies will be based on events from the student's own life. Student's will use photographs, imagination, friends/family members, and objects to make the ten drawings. The second part will be a large drawing based on one theme. We will brainstorm and discuss concepts for one week and students will work independently for the next two weeks. Week 16 Portfolio reviews and critiques |