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Today's Class- Today's topic was rhythm. Most of us are familiar with how it relates to sound, but it also relates to the visual, and how it is used can have a big effect on an artwork or on how we interpret it. We looked at a few dozen examples from the history of art, such as the ordered serenity of Raphael, Bosch's varied views of the afterlife, the aggressive marks of Van Gogh, the repetitive shapes of Hokusai, and the interesting surface textures of Klimt.
After that, the class did a portfolio exercise related to rhythm in art, and I discussed deadlines on the papers and next week's project.
How to make this up- To make the concept of visual rhythm more accessible, the assignment was to paint abstract compositions based on musics being played in class. Five sequences were played, each about 15 minutes, five very different styles of music with five very different rhythms. The idea was to react to the music and paint what the music made you feel. Below are some student examples from previous semesters.
This is a portfolio exercise and can be made up any time before the end of the semester for full credit. More examples, and a list of the actual music we listened to, and alternatives you can try if you can't find those, can be found here.
Homework- I reminded the students that the first papers are due on November 10, 2017, just two weeks away. The originally assigned deadlines were November 10 for the museum assignment and December for the art history assignment, but some students asked if we could switch them. I told them they could have that option as long as I got one of the by the 10th, as the school is pushing for evaluations of specified students in a few weeks, and otherwise all I have to work with is attendance, since the graded art projects are later in the semester.
For next class 11/3/17- Next week we start a two part multi-week project related to printmaking. This will be using a variety of the specific print style of collagraph, which is collaging materials in order to make a printing plate. Below are some examples from previous semesters:
Each photo shows both the plate and print it produced, which will be made by rolling black relief printing ink onto the plate and printing it onto paper from your pad. The plates were made from cardboard and scraps of fabric or other found materials. The colors of the textured source material do not affect colors in the print- we'll be using black ink, although students have the option of adding color to the prints after the ink dries, using watercolor or pastels. Note that the process creates a mirror image, so any text will need to be made backwards if you want to print forwards.
I will provide cardboard (broad sides of cereal or cracker boxes), and scraps of fabric with various textures, and when we print in a few weeks, ink and printing tools. Students have the option of bringing in materials of their own, or adding them to the plates later, as we won't print these for a few weeks. Glued items should be relatively flat- things you don't mind cutting up. Interesting textures are enjoyable. Things that are fragile should be protected with some kind of varnish before printing. (cotton balls, which seem like they would be interesting, should be avoided- they tend to stick to the sticky ink on the roller) I recommend white glue for this process over glue sticks or rubber cement. You don't need the large pads next week, as we won't be printing yet. Do bring scissors or something else to cut with, and glue.
Today's Class- Today's topic was the relatively new medium of photography. The concept of images created by light goes back to the ancient world and the camera obscura, which was known to civilizations around the globe, but it wasn't until the age of chemistry in the 19th century that a system was worked out to record these images in a more permanent way. I went over the evolving technology of photography, and showed a few dozen slides of the history of photography, as well as examples of some of the uses it has been put to over the past two centuries.
I also used some class time to bring the class on a brief tour of Vaughn-Eames, showing some of the studios and discussing the kinds of art classes that are offered every semester, and answering related questions.
How to make this up- I handed out a simple assignment on paper, a list of 20 photos that students need to take, broken down into 6 categories, all of which reflect common uses of photography.
Examples of the assignment from past students can be found here.
Homework- The photo assignment is part of the semester portfolio, and I am asking students to complete it and bring in the resulting prints for November 10, 2017, so we can look at the results in class.
For next class 10/27/17- We go back to color and the use of watercolor paints, with an exercise in visual rhythm. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, watercolor paints, brushes, and a water container. Mixing colors is optional, but if you think you might want to do that, a palette is recommended.
Today's Class- Today we took our first official look at color. Slides included examples of color use in art from pre-history to the 20th century, and I went over basic color theory- including how colors exist, as well as the history of color use and how changes in technology were adapted for artist use. Then the class completed two exercises in color- a color wheel and the mixing of complementary colors.
How to make this up- The class completed two portfolio exercises in basic color using their watercolor paints. First was a 12 hue color wheel, with primary, secondary, and intermediate colors, all mixed from primary colors. Second was an exercise in mixing a pair of complementary colors and the resulting neutral colors that can be created. Below is an example from a previous semester.
Additional examples, as well as full step by step directions on how to complete these ideas can be found here.
These are portfolio exercises and can be made up any time before the end of the semester.
Homework- Nothing new, but don't forget the first paper is due in November.
For next class 10/20/17- Next week we take a break from color and spend some time looking at photography. I'll discuss the history of photography and show examples of the varying technology and the ways the medium has been used to great effect over its history. The exercise will come in the form of an assignment I'll hand out that day and you'll have a few weeks to complete on your own, so no art materials are needed next week.
Today's Class- Today we talked about monumental art, which I defined as large scale art permanently part of a building, usually done right on part of the architecture, common in every era and part of the world. Slide examples included cave paintings, to Roman era fresco and mosaics, through the Byzantine times, Renaissance, and into the 20th century. Our art exercise today included making a mosaic style collage from color magazine paper.
How to make this up- Start with a color photo of your choice. I provided old magazines to look through, or students could find something on the internet. The only rule was a photo of something real (no graphics/illustrations) and in color.
The photo should be attached to a page in your large pad. Then you should sketch the basic composition of the photo in pencil. It can be at 100% scale, or you can enlarge a section of the original photo. Your new version should be at least 6" x 6" or 9" x 4" (horizontal or vertical), though it can be larger if you want.
Continue to reproduce your photo by adding colors as close to the original as you can, using small pieces of colored paper from magazines or similar sources. The color paper should be no bigger than 1/2" square, but may be smaller. One piece can be layered over another if that makes it easier to handle small details. The color paper can be secured in place with the adhesive of your choice- some options used today included white glue, rubber cement, or glue sticks, each having advantages and disadvantages. Below are some student examples from previous semesters, showing both the original photo and the collage piece.
This is a portfolio exercise and can be made up any time before the end of the semester for full credit.
Homework- If you didn't finish the piece in class, you need to finish it before the end of the semester.
Nothing else new, but remember there are two papers, due starting in November.
For next class 10/13/17- We continue with color, but this time using the watercolor paints. This first time using the watercolors we will be looking at basic color theory and do some exercises involving color mixing. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencil and eraser, watercolor paints, brushes, a water container (old cup or can will suffice) and a mixing palette- anything flat and waterproof.
