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.
