12/19/16 2D Design

Today's Class- Today was our final meeting of the Fall 2016 semester.  We started by doing the Two Dimensional Design Final Assessment.  After students completed those, we had a group critique of the Final Project of the semester, the art historical board games.  Very impressive in general.  Here are a few examples of today's submissions.

After that I went into grading mode and graded the Final projects, the semester portfolios, and any late arriving graded projects.   I also returned any other student art I still had in my possession.  I collected a few more museum papers, which will be graded over the next few days.  

I hung around through the end of the class period for anyone who still needed the time to work on anything, and then that was the end of the semester.  

Final class grades will be calculated in the coming weeks and posted to the Kean website.  How soon they make these available to the students I have no idea.

Enjoy the holiday.

12/12/16 2D Design

Today's Class- The threat of winter weather never quite materialized, so class went on as usual.  Unlike every other meeting this semester, we didn't start anything new.  We did have a group critique of the limited palettes projects, some of which were very impressive.  And some students worked on back projects, or the Final Project due next week.

Homework- The Final Project (art historical board game) is due at the beginning of class on December 19, 2016.  

If you have not yet turned in the museum paper or any back graded projects, next week is your last chance to turn them in to be graded for partial credit.  No work will be accepted after the end of class that day.

For next class 12/19/16- The main focus will be presenting and critiquing the Final Projects.  I will also be accepting and grading any back projects that arrive.  We will not be starting any new assignments, so no art materials are necessary, but if there is still something you need to work on for the class and want to take advantage of the tables and large space, you have the class period to use.   On this day I will also be giving the 2D Assessment test.  Not part of your grade (don't bother to put your name on the form), but they do want to see what kind of stuff you have learned.  Multiple choice- shouldn't take long.

On this day I will also be grading the semester portfolio, all the things done in class that were not individually graded.  After everyone has presented their board games, you will all need to disappear for a little while (study, eat, or whatever) while I quickly grade the Final Projects and the Semester Portfolio- all the things you did in class that weren't individually graded.  I will let you know at what time you can return to pick up your work and learn the grades of all the things you turned in that day. Here is a list of what I'll be expecting and where on this blog you can find it:

9/19/16-  Wallpaper with dots
9/26/16- Contour lines- shoes, chair (negative space), bottles
10/10/16- Value still life (vine, compressed charcoal)
10/31/16- Color Wheel/Complement mix/Tints and shades
11/7/16- Text (Russian words) and Logo
11/21/16- Color Still Life painting

As for the graded projects, they are also all on the blog if you need to see them again.  If it's been graded, you don't need to bring them back again.

12/5/16 2D Design

Today's Class- We looked at more of the season temperature collages, and then jumped into our Final Project of the semester, the art historical board games.  Many turned in their museum papers.

How to make this up- The Final Project was discussed last week, but here are more student examples from previous semesters.

You are creating a collage design from the work of a recognized two dimensional artist, though painting it all yourself.  They are to be painted on a stiff surface (such as mat board) and must have a theme and a goal, and the title of the game should be part of the design.  (need not have the artist's name, but do remember our discussions of text as a visual element when creating your design)  Other than a game path, all visual elements should be drawn from examples of your chosen artist's work- subject matter, painting style, colors, etc.  The final piece should work as much as a two dimensional composition as it does a functional game.


Homework- This art historical board game final project is due at the beginning of class on December 19, 2016, which is our final meeting of the semester.  

The limited color palettes graded project that we started last week is due at the beginning of class on December 12, 2016.

All other projects should be turned in as soon as possible to receive partial credit.


For next class 12/12/16- A general work day.  After we critique the limited palettes projects, the day will be devoted to working on class projects.  Most of you will be working on the Final, but if you owe me any back projects, use the time and space to make a dent in them.  Bring whatever materials you need to work on what you need to do.

11/28/16 2D Design

Today's Class- When working in color, many artists will choose to depict things using local color, also known as objective color- the colors that we see when we look at something.  For last week's still life everyone used local color to show the yellow water can, the red candle, the green bottle, etc.  However, sometimes artists will choose other colors instead.  No matter the reason behind the colors shown, we refer to the color combinations in an artist's work as the color palette.  Today we started a new graded project where everyone will complete 4 color studies based on the same value composition, but using color choices based on common color palette strategies.  We also looked at the  completed color temperature season collages due today, and finally filled out the course evaluation forms for the semester.

How to make this up- Start with a black and white photograph as we did with the dot drawing early in the semester.  As with that one, it should be a photo of something that physically existed- an object or scene.  What works best is a photo that shows a range of values from light to dark.  Use pencil to divide a sheet of your 18" x 24" paper into 4 equal size boxes of 9" x 12".  Then use pencil to sketch the basic composition of the source photo, one time in each quadrant of your paper.  You may copy it 4 times by freehand drawing, doing one drawing and tracing it into each part 4 times, or using a grid to transfer the design.  Include as much detail as you need to be the basis for the color study, but the pencil lines themselves will not be seen in the final piece.

You will then do four color studies based on the value structure of the photo source, following some classic color palette strategies.  You should still try to match the values of the original photo, but you'll be using acrylic paint colors to do it.  There are 6 options to choose from, and for most you may choose what colors to use, though selecting a first color may require using specific other colors.  Above and below are some student examples from previous semesters.  To see more examples, and the details about the color palette requirements, click here.

If you are not clear about any of the combinations, e-mail me or talk to me in class next week.  

Homework- The completed limited color palette color studies project will be due at the beginning of class on December 12, 2016.

The museum paper is due on December 5, 2016.  All papers that are turned in by that time will be evaluated and returned, with students having the opportunity to rewrite them to earn a higher grade.  Papers that arrive late will be partly downgraded, and there will be less time to rewrite them, if any time at all.

Those who still owe some back graded projects, such as the color temperature project or the woodcut book illustration project, should turn it in as soon as possible for partial credit.

For next class 12/5/16- We will be starting the Final Project of the semester, which will be a board game based on historical fine art.  

Students who were around at the end of the day today got to see the prototype I created a few years ago when I first conceived this project.  What you will need to do is choose a recognized fine artist (someone who appears in art history texts, and/or in museum collections) from art history who works representationally and in color.  You will construct a 2D composition using pieces of their paintings, which will have the format of a board game.  My example above was based on the art of Hieronymus Bosch, 15th century artist best known for his detailed and disturbing views of mankind and religious struggles.  Other than the game path and the title, all the visuals are based on bits and pieces of two Bosch triptychs- "Garden of Earthly Delights" and "The Last Judgement."  Your piece must be based completely on the work of a specific artist, have a theme related to the works chosen, and a goal that must be achieved to win the game.  At the same time, you are creating a piece of two dimensional art and should take into account all the formal rules and strategies we've learned this semester.  

Next week I will post good student examples from past semesters.  Bring images of art from your chosen artist (I think books are easier to work with, but most of you will probably go electronic), palette, all your paints, brushes, water container, pencil and eraser.  These need to be painted on a stiff board, such as the backing boards that Danielle was ordering for the class.  

11/21/16 2D Design

Today's Class- Today the class did the last portfolio exercise of the semester as preparation for the remaining projects.  The still life can serve many purposes in visual art, and one of the most common is to practice and develop skills.  This exercise was meant to give the class a chance to put some color mixing skills to a practical use- the painting of objects.  You all have experience in drawing a still life, so to the skills of drawing shapes, spaces, and values, we added matching the colors of the subject.  A still life was set up with a group of solidly colored objects and a drape with color patterns, and students were asked to render it using skills developed and demonstrated earlier this semester.


How to make this up-  Set up a still life.  On a table put a box and drape with a cloth that contains colors and patterns.  Arrange on and around the box 5 solidly colored objects, all different from the cloth and each other.  Render the still life, paying attention to the size and shapes of the objects, spacing, perspective, value, and local colors (the hues of the objective world- what we see).  You may draw if first in pencil, or just go directly to the brush and colors.  Use a sheet of your 18' x 24" paper.  Below are some student examples from previous semesters.

You may treat the background any way you wish.  Spend up to about 4 hours working on it.

Homework- Nothing new.  The Color Temperature season collage project started last week is due at the beginning of class on November 28, 2016.  

To receive maximum points for the museum paper, it should be turned in by December 5, 2016.


For next class 11/28/16- We will finally get to the next graded project, the one I mentioned in class last week.  We will be working with the idea of artist palettes- a common term for the color choices made by the artist for a work, which may or may not be based on objective local color.  You will do a series of color studies based a black and white photo, making use of the shapes and value structure as a basis for the color choices.  Bring a black and white photo with a wide range of value (as with the dot drawings), your 18" x 24" pad, pencil and eraser, all your paints, a palette, brushes, and a water container. 

We will also critique the color temperature (season) collages, and toward the end of class talk about the Final Project.

11/14/16 2D Design

Today's Class- Today the class started a new graded project on the topic of color temperature.  As we talked about while doing the color wheels, all colors have a perceived temperature,  with those on the side of the wheel with red, orange, and yellow being considered warm, while those around blue, green, and violet generally considered cool.  Those temperature associations can change by adding the color's complement, or if adding white or black.  Warm colors are usually perceived as advancing (visually moving forward) and cool colors as receding, especially when surrounded by neutral tones.  Elements in a painting that share color temperature will be seen as nearer to each other in terms of depth, even if the actual hues are not exactly the same.  Artists who paint learn to use color temperature to reinforce their visual representation.

How to make this up- The assignment calls for you to create pieces of color that will be collaged together to create grids of color, grouped by temperature association.  On a sheet of your 18" x 24" paper, use pencil to draw two large boxes, each 10" square.  Set it aside.  On other paper (the same kind, or some from a smaller sketchbook if you prefer), you will create 1" square pieces of color, allowing you to fill each of the large boxes with 100 pieces of color.  The two boxes will represent two (your choice) of the seasons of the year (all warm colors for summer, all cool colors for winter, and a mix of warm and cool for spring and/or autumn).  The 100 hues in a season box must all be different from each other, though you may repeat a color between the two seasons if it is appropriate (such as a warm color in both summer and fall).  Glue them in place, creating 10 x 10 grids.  Below are some student examples from previous semesters.

Some students choose to make 1" boxes in pencil and fill them in, while others will just make swatches on paper and measure and cut them out later.  Some will make colors specifically for chosen seasons, and some will just make 200 color squares and figure out later what season they represent.  Arrange the colors in the season boxes however you want, leaving a minimum of white space between them.  Glue them in place with white glue, rubber cement, or your adhesive of choice.  On the back of the page indicate the seasons you were trying to represent.  Additional examples and instructions can be found here.


Homework-  This color temperature graded project is due at the beginning of class on November 28, 2016, though I suggest you start it sooner, as there will be two other graded projects before the end of the semester.  

The museum paper should be completed and a hard copy turned in to me by December 5, 2016 to potentially earn full credit.  Papers I receive by then will be quickly evaluated and if parts are deemed incomplete, I will allow the student to rework them and then regrade them.  Papers turned in later will  be accepted, but be considered late and downgraded.  No papers will be accepted after the final class meeting.

For next class 11/21/16- We will be working on a portfolio exercise involving color still life.  Bring your 18"x 24" pad, all your paints, brushes, palette, water container.  I'll provide the subject.  I know this is slightly different for what I mentioned in class today- I'm switching things a little, doing this exercise first, then the limited color palettes project (the thing that calls for another black and white photo), then the Final project.  If you don't see this and bring the items requested for the limited palettes project, you'll still have everything you need to work on the still life exercise, and just save the black and white photo for the following week.

11/7/16 2D Design

Today's Class-  Today the topic was the use of text as a visual element.  Most writing systems evolved from images of recognizable things.  In some cases the images continued to be used, even if the meaning changed.  In other cases (such as our Roman alphabet) the images were stylized and evolved into abstract shapes, as in the capital letter "A" being derived from an image of a cattle skull.  In any case. they are all just shapes, which means that letters and words can be part of visual art. Some students made use of letters in their woodcuts and got first hand proof of this.  I showed a few dozen slides that included images with letters and words.  Sometimes it was written text accompanying an image, and sometimes the letters and words were a means of exploring relationships of color, value, motion, and other concerns of fine art.  I also included slides of WWII era propaganda and 1960's advertising, pointing out where the way the text was shown carried connotations besides the direct messages of the words.

This was followed by the class doing two portfolio exercises that made use of text and symbols that carried meanings.  While that was being worked on, I helped print all the completed woodcut blocks. Below are today's batch.

After lunch we looked at the woodcut prints and the text exercises done today.


How to make this up-  The first exercise involved designing words, using letter styles, sizes, directions, locations on the page, to convey the meaning of the word to the readers.  To make sure that those above mentioned characteristics were the things carrying the meanings, the words were all from the Russian language, using that country's Cyrillic alphabet.  Below is an example from a previous semester.

When that assignment was completed the students moved on to another thing related to the slides we had seen- creating an advertising logo for an imaginary business.  This I'm defining as a business idea that doesn't currently exist because either it is physically impossible, or the idea is too ridiculous to be profitable.  The logo should convey the most important concept to the nature of the business, but this time the image would have to carry the meanings without any words.  Below is an example from a previous semester.

These are portfolio exercises that must be made up by the end of the semester to receive full credit.  For the Russian words exercise it would probably be easiest to wait until you return to class and I'll give you some of the language translation pages the class used today.  However the logo you can handle on your own- use a page in a sketchbook, pencils and markers, about 6 inches square.

Homework- Nothing new, but those who haven't yet completed their wood block or had it printed yet should complete it as soon as possible and turn it in.


For next class 11/14/16- We go back to color with a graded project on the topic of color temperature.  Bring your 18"x24" pad, pencil and eraser, acrylic paints (which can include colors beyond the 5 hues we used for first exercises), palette, water container, scissors of knife, and glue or rubber cement.

So What is It?

This past week in class I showed slides of historical work and talked about the evolution of color in art.  A key figure was Georges Seurat, who invented a new approach to color that he called Divisionism, but became more popularly known as Pointillism.  His most famous piece is the large scale painting "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte", a detail of which is seen above.  A question was raised in class as to what a particular item was.  Just to the left of the seated person with an umbrella, at about the center of this photo, is a red object with a white circle toward the top.  It was not clear from the projected slide in our half darkened room, and having studied it later in a good color photo, I'm still not sure what the thing is supposed to be.  If you have an answer, please share it with the class at our next meeting.

10/31/16 2D Design

Today's Class- Today we started our study of color, which will be part of almost everything else we do the rest of this semester.  I showed a few dozen slides of art from the Renaissance to the present, discussing the history of the art, the technology and evolution of color use, and how it all related to the cultural environments.  The class did a series of portfolio exercises about color theory and color mixing.  A few pulled practice proofs of their woodcut blocks started last week.

How to make this up-

You will be doing three exercises relating to color.  There is a 12 step color wheel, and exercise in mixing a complement color pair to make various intermediate colors, and choosing a color to explore in 15 steps that include tints and shades.  All can fit on a single page of your 18" x 24" pad.  Above and below are student examples from previous semesters.  For additional examples and to see the complete directions, click here.

This is a portfolio exercise that must be made up by the end of the semester to receive full credit.  If you are unfamiliar with basic color theory or acrylic paints, I recommend doing it soon for the information and practice.

Homework-  Nothing new today, but the woodcut book illustration project is due at the beginning of class next week, November 7, 2016.

For next class 11/7/16- We will be doing an exercise in the idea of text as a visual element.  Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencils and eraser, and various black markers.  We will also be printing your wood block book illustration project, so bring your completed wood block.  You will need paper to print it on.  A piece of paper from your big pad or a smaller sketchbook will do, as long as it's at least a little larger than the dimensions of your 8" x 6" block. I'll provide the printing tools and ink.

10/24/16- 2D Design

Today's Class- Today we moved from the basic drawing phase of the class to more of the design portion, with students creating something at least partly from their own heads.  The assignment was to create an illustration inspired by a literary source, such as a novel, poem, short story, etc.  The medium would be something new to most students- a woodcut print.  Prints were introduced in a slide lecture last week, and today was spent developing the drawing ideas and starting on the carving of the blocks.  Some were very motivated by the medium or the assignment and actually finished carving  their blocks before the end of the class meeting.  Some time was also devoted to safety tips and some got to try some actual woodcut tools that I brought in for the occasion.

How to make this up- You can't make the block without having the wood.  I did provide small panels of luaun plywood to each student, the same wood I used for many years in making my own prints.  These panels were 6" x 8", 1/4" thickness.  Those who were not there today can pick up a panel from me next week, or go to a lumber yard and get some suitable wood yourself.  Meanwhile, you can work out the drawing ideas on paper.

As book illustrations, each image must relate to the narrative of the source material in some way.  It can depict a specific scene from the original story, or be something that sums up the book.  It must be representative, but need not be realistic- the story is more important than how well you draw the subject.  However the design is important- this is an assignment in black and white composition, so we are seeking a balance in positive and negative space, and interesting interactions of black and white shapes.  Make all parts of the panel interesting, as well as balancing the whole composition.  I posted some examples from past students on this blog, which can be found here or just scroll down to the next post.  The compositions can be either vertical or horizontal.  To speed up the process, I suggest you come in next week with a worked out drawing on paper, and I will spend some time going over it with you and making suggestions before you start creating your block.  At least in pencil, though most will also use a sharpie marker to provide the drawing with the proper black effect.

The original hope was to have this ready for a proposed foundations classes student show, and as of Monday there was some question as to how it would work.  I learned on Tuesday night that the deadline for entry of that show is now on November 4, 2016.  Work submitted by then will be evaluated (not by me) for the show.   For the purposes of the class, the block deadline is the Monday after that, and that's not changing, as I think it's more important for the class that you do well in the focus of the project.  However, if you have finished your block by next week and wish to submit it to the student show, I will have materials to print the images in class on October 31st.  Bring your completed block and a piece of paper large enough to print it (standard drawing paper at least a few inches larger than the block in all directions).  For mounting purposes it was asked that students use black foam core or black mat board.  I can go over that with you in class next week.

Homework- This graded book illustration project (the carved block) is due at the beginning of class on November 7, 2016.  On that day, while everyone is working on another assignment, I'll take everyone individually over to the print tables and help everyone print a good proof of you block. We will critique them in class later that day.

For next week 10/31/16- We go to work on the other important principle of 2D design that we'll need to know this semester- use of color.  I will go over the history of color in art, discuss basic color theory, and we'll do some exercises in basic color mixing.  Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencil and eraser, tubes of black, white, red, yellow, and blue acrylic paints, paint brushes, mixing palette, and a water container.  

student examples of woodcut prints

Examples of the woodcut illustration project from past semesters.

10/17/16 2D Design

Today's Class- Today we continued our study of value and concluded our study of charcoal, doing the Final in Charcoal.  I set up a mixed value still life and students spent the first part of the class doing a charcoal drawing of it.  After lunch I showed slides and talked about the history of printmaking, a two dimensional art form that will be the next medium we will study.  I introduced the idea of the next graded project, which will be started next week.

How to make this up- You will need to set up still life, a mix of all white objects and dark objects, so all values will be represented in the next drawing, as in the student example above.  Additional examples and specific requirements can be found here.

This is a graded project, and must be made up as soon as possible.  The longer the delay in completing it, the more points will be lost in the grading.

Homework- Nothing new, but if you still owe any back assignments, try to get them done as soon as possible.  And start working on your ideas for the next project, a woodcut illustration from a literary source, which will be begun in class next week.

For next class 10/24/16- We will be starting the next graded project, a woodcut illustration from a literary source.  I will be providing the wood, but you will need to select an inspiring concept and be prepared to start drawing and cutting the block.  Bring a pencil and eraser, a small sketchbook (your large 18"x 24" pad will do if you have no other paper), large black sharpie markers, and suitable cutting tools.  An x-acto knife or the equivalent (such as the hobby kits everyone received early this semester) will work, and I plan to be binging in some traditional relief carving tools for students to make use of during the class meeting. It wouldn't hurt to have a printed copy of the source you are working from, in case you want to check for additional details.  We will have a quick critique of the charcoal drawings form today, which will be returned graded, then we move on to the woodcut project.  I will demonstrate safe and effective techniques for making a relief block and we will discuss composing in black and white, with an emphasis on positive and negative shapes.  What you don't finish in class you will complete before the next meeting so that we can print them the following week in class.

10/10/16 2D Design

Today's Class- The final line drawings from last week were graded and returned, and we moved onto out next topic- value drawing.  In 2D art, value is the use of light and dark in an image, which can describe an object, show volume and form, draw attention to a specific part, indicate time of day, etc. I showed about 3 dozen slides of historical art, reviewing how each used value and to what purpose.  Then students did two portfolio exercises involving charcoal and drawing from a still life.

How to make this up- You will need to set up two still life subjects and draw them with charcoal on a sheet of 18" x 24" paper using vine charcoal, and then compressed charcoal.  Student examples and a specific list of requirements can be found here.

This is a portfolio exercise and must be made up by the end of the semester to receive full credit, but since next week you will do a charcoal drawing that will be for a grade, I suggest you do this before next week for relevant practice.

Homework- Nothing new, but if you still owe one of the first two graded assignments (stipple drawing, line still life), get them dome as soon as possible.

For next class 10/17/16- We will continue with value drawing with charcoal, this time as a graded drawing.  Bring your 18"x 24" pad, both vine and compressed charcoal, kneaded eraser, and spray fixative.  After completing the graded drawing, students will see a presentation about printmaking, which will lead to the next graded project to be started the following week.

10/3/16 2D Design

Today's Class- We opened with a quick critique of the stipple drawings, which were graded during class and returned.  Then we moved on to the second graded project of the semester, a pencil line still life of a complex composition.  Students had the rest of the class period to work on it, and I collected the results.  Those will be returned next week.

How to make this up-  You will need to assemble a group of items and set up a still life.  Examples from a previous semester and specific requirements can be found here.

This is a graded project and must be made up as quickly as possible.


Homework- Nothing new, but if you owe me either the stipple drawing or today's still life, get it done soon.  The longer it takes to get them in, the fewer points they will be worth.


For next class 10/10/16- Our study of 2D continues with value, using light and dark in a composition for various purposes.  We touched on this with the dot drawings, but now we will move to a more traditional medium- charcoal.  Bring your 18" x 24" pad, both vine and compressed charcoal, kneaded eraser, and spray fixative.  We will be doing portfolio exercises, and I will return the student work I have from today.

9/26/16 2D Design

Today's Class- Today we began our study of line.  Started wth a discussion of lines, and I showed slides of historical art that made use of line, from cave paintings, to Ancient Egypt, to the Renaissance, to modern times, pointing out how artists used lines in each case.  Then we moved on to a series of portfolio exercises related to lines, specifically contour lines and negative space.

Contour Lines-

The class did a series of portfolio exercises related to contour lines, the simple lines that separate positive shapes from empty space.  Our subject for these drawings was shoes.  For a detailed description of the exercises, along with student examples, click here.

Negative Space

Negative space is the space in and around positive shapes in art, both 2D and 3D.  Negative and positive space each define the other, so both are equally important.  We started by drawing the negative space in a wooden chair, then used the concept to aid in drawing positive shapes of bottles. For student examples and specific instructions, click here.

These are all portfolio exercises, and can be made up any time before the end of the semester.  

Homework- Nothing new, but the first graded assignment, the stipple drawing, is due at the beginning of class on October 3, 2016.  Bring both your finished drawing and the original photo you based it on. They will be graded and returned that day.

For next class 10/3/16- We will finish our look at line with a graded project, a line still life.  Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencils, and eraser.  I'll provide the subjects for the still life.

9/19/16 2D Design

Today's Class- Today we began our study of 2D Design with the most basic unit of mark making, the point or dot.  I showed a few art historical slides of art that involved dots, such as the pointillism of Seurat and the OpArt of Bridget Riley. The class completed a portfolio exercise and then started the first graded project of the semester, a stipple drawing.

How to make this up-

Wallpaper Exercise-

Use a pencil to divide a sheet of your 18" x 24" paper into thirds.  Then use your black markers to create three different wallpaper designs, one for each section.  The designs will be created using nothing but black dots made from your various markers.  You may use both the large and small markers.  Each design should include some kind of pattern that repeats at least once from the top of the column to the bottom.  Designs can be based on recognizable objects or can be pure geometry.  Below is a student example from a previous semester.

Stipple Drawing Project

Stipple drawing is the common term for drawing made up completely of small identical dots.  The number of dots in a given area and their proximity create different levels of value.  The dots can be used to describe textures of the items being depicted, and portraying textures is one of the goals of this project.  Above is a sample I completed for my first 2D class in early 90's, with the source photograph on the left, and the resulting drawing on the right.  Below are examples of student drawings from previous semesters, using the same process.

Start with a black and white photograph of something that actually exists- not line art or digitally drawn images.  This works best with objects or scenes that include a wide range of value (light to dark) and interesting textures.  The drawing that you will produce must be a minimum of 6 inches square, though you can go larger if you want, such as to show a non square subject, or just to work bigger if you like.  You may crop the original photo, but all values in the section you are drawing must be part of the drawing; you can't ignore background tones.   Lightly sketch out the basic shapes on paper with pencil, and when you are satisfied, use the ultra fine point black marker to start making dots to match the texture and value.  You may use any white drawing paper.

In grading these I'll be looking for how will you match values of sections, and overall values of the whole image.  I am less concerned with how well you render the shapes of objects, and perspective, but keep in mind that getting those shapes right will make it much easier to match the values.  All values will be made from just the tiny dots- you can't fill in dark areas with scribbles or using a fatter marker.  Most people reproduce the image at about 100% scale.  You may enlarge the part you are working on, but I don't recommend drawing it smaller- the smallest dots you can make won't be as small as the dots in your source photo, making it harder to match the gray tones.  Other bits of advice-

Before you do anything else, test your pen on some of the paper you plan to use, to make sure that the dots will stay small and not soak further into the paper surface.

Once you are finished with the pencil sketch, I recommend establishing one of the dark areas of the drawing.  A gray tone on an otherwise white piece of paper will feel very dark.  If the page has both black and white on it, the gray will feel more right.

Regularly put the drawing in a place where you can view it from a distance, 8 to 10 feet.  This will give you a better sense of how the values will look from a normal viewing distance, such as during the eventual classroom critique.

Do not switch brands or styles of marker during the process.  Not all black ink is the same, and being next to another ink will emphasize the differences.  

Homework-  The Stipple Graded Project is due at the beginning of class on October 3, 2016.  You must turn in both the drawing and the original photo, which will all be returned graded the same day.

For next class 9/26/16-  Even before class ended today, news was reporting that the regional bomber had been caught, so I'm hoping we don't have those problems again.  In class we will work on portfolio exercises related to line.   One of those exercises will involve contour lines and drawing shoes.  I will try to have some for you to work with, but you may have to provide your own, so you may want to bring an  extra so you don't have to remove one you are wearing.  (closed shoes work better for drawing than sandals or flipflops) I'll provide the subjects for all the other exercises.  Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencils, and eraser.