Today's Class- Today's topic was rhythm, which we all probably know well in terms of sound and music, but it also has a place in visual arts, such as the repetition of shapes, marks, spacing of elements, balance of value and color, etc. I showed a few dozen examples from art history, occurring from the Renaissance to the present, and then we did some portfolio exercises using our watercolors and making use of rhythm.
How to make this up- You will need your 18" x 24" pad, watercolor paints, brushes, and a water container. You may use your palette to mix colors, but you also have the option of using any of your colors directly from the kits. No color theory rules today. Below are some student examples from previous semesters.
I played 5 segments of music for the class, each running about 15 minutes, all different kinds with very different rhythms and arrangements. Students were asked to produce an abstract painting while each segment played, influenced by the music they were hearing. Brush strokes and colors were to be chosen by the students based on what they were hearing and feeling. More student examples, and a list of the specific music we listened to (and suitable substitutes) can be found here.
This is a portfolio exercise that can be made up any time during the semester for full credit.
Homework- The first draft of the museum assignment is due at the start of class on November 2, 2018. I have received one from each section so far. I will review all of them and upon returning them, let you know of any obvious missing things so they can be revised before the final version is due.
For next class 11/2/18- We will be starting an exercise that will be completed over multiple weeks, involving the process of printmaking. Prints are artworks made from a fixed surface, such as an etched metal plate, a silkscreen, a carved wooden block, or (in our case) a collaged image. Below is a student example from a previous semester of plate and resulting print-
You will notice that the colors of objects on the plate does not affect the final version, which will be printed with black ink. Color can be added through use of collage on the print, but we'll talk about that later. The first step is to make the plate, but glue takes a little while to dry, so we will do the printing a few weeks from now. I will provide cardboard for the base and I have a bag full of cloth scraps that can be used in the collage, but you are welcome to bring in more stuff- things that are flat and have textures work best. You can also add them later at home. Also it prints as a mirror image, an issue if you plan to include letters or numbers in your image.
Bring scissors, glue (white is best in this case), and any scraps or found objects you may wish to use for your plate. Eventually they will be printed on paper from your large pad, but not this day, so you may leave the big pad at home.
