5/6/13 Visual Thinking

Today's Class-  We looked at a few late arriving projects today, but most of the time was spent discussing the Final Project- based on a particular culture that you have first hand knowledge of.  Work from previous weeks and museum papers were returned graded.

How to make this up-  The final project will be a full color rendition of your cultural idea, done on a sheet of your 18" x 24" paper or something of equivalent size.  The final piece should be mostly painted, but you may use some collaged elements to provide specific detail.  The subject should be derived from one of the three sketches done for homework over the past week, each exploring an aspect of the particular culture you have decided to identify with.  If you haven't yet done those sketches, you should do so as soon as possible- they are a part of the semester portfolio that will be graded next week and the starting point for the final project.  Though the piece should be based on one of those developed ideas, you may bring in concepts from the other two sketches, as well as new ideas.

The discussion in class involved reviewing the ideas generated by the homework sketches, with the professor and class offering suggestions as to which idea to explore and ways to make it better.  These suggested improvements could be both in terms of content (types of things to include) and formal art principles (composition, color, value, etc).  In the end, each student must make the final decision as to how to portray the particular culture.  

Keep in mind that as the artist you are responsible for every decision that goes into the final piece.  Besides the obvious subjects in your work, consider the environment (interior or exterior, level of ambient light), and all the formal issues (color, shape, line, balance, etc).

Homework-  The Final Project is due at the beginning of class on Monday, May 13, 2013.  All other class assignments, including museum papers, that you still owe are also due that day.  No work will be accepted after the official end of the last class meeting.

Semester Portfolio- The semester portfolio grade includes several items from throughout the semester that were not individually graded.  On our last day of class you should bring the following items, which will be graded that day (dates correspond to when each can be found on this blog):

2/4/13  Contour line drawings of shoes
2/11/13  Abstraction exercise from Quilt pattern
2/25/13  Abstract language sketches
3/4/13  10 objects that are personal symbols
4/1/13  Early ideas for the behavior change poster
4/29/13  Three ideas for the final project

No need to remove these items from your large pad and/or sketchbook; just bring those on the final day and I'll find the specific pages within to grade.

For next class 5/13/13- Bring everything that you'd done during the semester, including previously graded work.  The earlier items will not be regraded, bur I'd like to see them for consideration of your improvement over the semester.  Any back projects not previously graded and the final project must be brought in to be graded.  Nothing will be accepted for grading after the official end of class on May 13th. All student work will be graded and returned on that day.