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Today's Class- Today we moved from line to shape, leaving line drawing for value drawing. I showed about three dozen art historical slides of art with a focus on how value was used to do such things as describe surfaces, imply distance and volume, show specific times of day, etc. Then we did a portfolio exercise in drawing still life with charcoal- simple white painted objects and a white cloth, eliminating the issue of local values and concentrating on effects of light and shadow.
How to make this up- put a box on a table and cover it with a white or light colored cloth. Arrange on or around the box three objects, all of which should be white or very light colored. Shine a direct light on the still life set up to create light and shadow patterns. Draw the still life on a sheet of your 18"x 24" paper using charcoal, paying attention to such ideas as size and shape of the objects, negative space, while trying to match the observed value in the set up.
Homework- Nothing new, but don't forget that papers have been assigned, the first of which will be due in November.
For next class October 6, 2017- We will start a new exercise that deals with color for the first time, a mosaic style collage. You will copy a color photograph of your choosing using cut bits of color magazine paper, as in the example below-
Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencil and eraser, scissors, and glue suitable for gluing paper to paper. If you have any old magazines that you don't mind cutting up, feel free to bring them in to add to our pile of color material.
Today's Class- Today we continued out study of line, but this time concentrating on using it to explore negative space, all the parts of an artwork that are not made from or representing actual things. Positive space and negative space each define the other, so if you have one you have the other as well. We also chose topics for the research assignment today.
How to make this up- Student did two portfolio exercises using pencil line and drawing from things provided by the instructor. The first was an exclusively negative space drawing, all the empty spaces surrounded by wood in an old desk chair. Then we moved on to a drawing of bottles, in which the positive shapes of the bottles were drawn, and negative space used to help with shapes and overall spacing.
Examples of both exercises and more details can be found here. These are both portfolio exercises and can be made up for full credit any time before the end of the semester.
Homework - Nothing new. The research assignment was distributed today because I had time to show the slides today, but even the list of names isn't due until November, after the museum assignment is due.
For next class 9/29/17- We will move on to the next major concept- value. That will make use of charcoal, a potentially messy material. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, charcoal, and the kneaded eraser. I strongly recommend that you wear black or dark colored clothes that day, as it is very possible that you will get dirty, and the charcoal shows up much worse on light colored clothes.
Today's Class- Today we began the study of line, one of the basics of fine art. We talked about the concept of line, different ways it can be used and function it has. I showed a few dozen art historical slides, demonstrating ways line has been use in art through history. Then we did some drawing exercises, with shoes as our subject.
How to make this up- Today's class work is part of the semester portfolio, and can be made up any time before the end of the semester for full credit, though I suggest not waiting that long as students who put this stuff off usually don't get around to making it up. Specifics of the work done in class today and student examples from past semesters can be seen here.
Homework- Nothing new, but I hope to have the research assignment ready to hand out by next week.
For next class 9/22/17- We will continue with line, and with the same materials- 18"x 24" pad, pencils, eraser. The focus will be on negative space, a key factor in representing groups of objects. I'll provide the subjects for the drawing exercises.
Today's Class- Today was our first meeting of the semester. After verifying that everyone was on the roster, the syllabus was distributed and reviewed. The museum assignment was also distributed and reviewed. The students were given a survey about their art interests and experiences, which was shared with the whole class, after which the instructor used the same form to share his background and experiences.
How to make this up- Anyone who missed class can get the handouts when they come to class.
Homework- The museum assignment will be due November 10, 2017, about two months from today, though it can be turned in sooner.
For next class 9/15/17- We will do our first art exercise, involving the use of contour line- simple lines that are used in two dimensional art to define shapes. The exercises will involve drawing from shoes, a classic subject for art students. I will bring a bag of shoes, but if there aren't enough to go around, students will have to provide one to work from. So you may wish to bring an extra shoe with you, or be prepared to take off one you are wearing. You will also need your 18"x24" pad of drawing paper, pencils, and a pencil eraser. All are likely available at any art supply store, the college bookstore, online retailers, or other places you can think of.
This is the blog site that I have set up for my classes at Kean. Each week I post information relevant to my classes that semester, and this fall that will be my sections of Intro to Art. The title of each post will include the name of the class and the date it is referring to. I expect to follow the same plan for both sections, so unless something unusual happens, both Friday meetings will be covered by one post. The text of the post will be in red. Posts that are not about the class, but about other college stuff or outside things, will be in black.
The posts will usually go up in the evening following the class. They will include an overview of what happened in class, including images of student examples of the art projects worked on that day. I will also list any homework, and a list of materials needed the following week. Once in a while I'll have student examples of the following week's project, just to better explain what you'll need for the next week.
This is not an online class and this blog is not considered a substitute for attending the class. It is meant to help registered students keep caught up. If for some reason you must miss a class, this site will provide timely information about what you missed and how to make it up. Even if you never miss a single class, you may find it useful to get reminders of the homework, or when something is due, or just to check out what you'll need for the following week, as materials will be different almost every week. You might find it useful to see how other students approached the assignments. This site is up 24/7 and I find that most of the questions you'll have will be answered by what I've posted. If you have further questions relating to the class, you are welcome to e-mail me directly at my Kean box and I'll probably reply within 24 hours.
