Today's Class- Today we began our study of two dimensional art with the most basic unit of mark making, the dot or point. We used these as the basis for a portfolio exercise and our first graded project of the semester. I also distributed the museum assignment.
How to make this up- The details for each are below.
Wallpaper Exercise
For this exercise you will need a sheet of your 18" x 24" paper. You don't need to tear it out of the pad. Use a pencil to divide the sheet into 3 roughly equal columns, as in the student examples above and below. Then make 3 different patterns using nothing but dots. They can be any size. You may use either the fine point or large markers, or mix both in the same image. The patterns must start to repeat at least once between the top and bottom of the page. In these examples the patterns are purely geometric, but you may use the dots to make patterns based on recognizable images or objects. This is a portfolio exercise and must be completed by the end of the semester to receive credit.
Graded Stipple Drawing Project
For this graded project you need to select a black and white photograph of a three dimensional object or scene, ideally one with a wide range of values from light to dark. Reproduce the image or part of the image as a compositional sketch using pencil line on paper. Once you are satisfied with the shapes, using your ultra fine point marker to duplicate the value shapes using nothing but dots. More dots make darker values, fewer make lighter tones. In the above example, the original photo is on the right, and the student stipple drawing made from it is on the left. (click on the photo to enlarge) Additional examples of this project and further instructions can be found here.
Homework- The graded stipple drawing project is due at the beginning of class on Monday, September 29, 2014. You must bring in your original photo and the stipple drawing.
For next class 9/22/14- We will start our study of line drawing with a series of portfolio exercises. Bring your 18" x 24" pad. pencils and eraser. The first exercise involves drawing from shoes, and since I may not have enough to go around, I recommend that everyone bring one with them. It can be an extra, or take it off your foot. It should be a closed shoe (dress shoe, sneaker, boot, etc), so avoid sandals and flip flops. I will provide the subjects for the other exercises.
