Today's Class- Today's topic was value, the term used in art to describe relationships of light and dark. I showed a few dozen examples of historical fine art pointing out how light and shadow were used to accomplish various things, such as show volume, set up contrasts, focus attention, depict textures, and establish times of day. I also showed several examples of student drawings in charcoal, as that was our medium today.
How to make this up- Set up a still life on a low table. Drape a box with a white or light colored cloth, then arrrange on and around it 2 to 4 simple white or very light colored objects. Shine a directional light on the set up to create patterns of light and shadow. Draw the set up on a full page of your 18"x24" pad using charcoal. Include at least two objects that are in view. Our experiences in recent weeks with contour line and negative space should be helpful. Below are some student examples from previous semesters:
Try to match the value of the cloth and objects in your view. Charcoal can be blended with fingers, paper towels, or any tools you find useful for this. Background value is up to you. In these examples, students used a dark value in the backgrounds to surround the light areas and make seem lighter.
Spend at least 45 minutes on the drawing. When completed, rearrange or replace the objects and repeat.
Homework- Nothing new yet, but keep in mind the museum first draft is due in about a month. You will need to complete a museum visit before then
For next class October 4, 2019- We are done with the basic drawing portion of the class and will begin color, with a mosaic style collage. All students will choose a full color photograph of a real thing. It can come from any source, but if it's digital, you will eventually need to provide a printed copy. You will sketch the object or scene with pencil line on a page in your 18"x24"pad, then much the colors using small pieces of cut paper from magazines. Below are a few previous examples, with original photo and student collage version shown.
Bring your 18"x24" pad, pencil and eraser, scissors, and a glue suitable for paper. We do have a pile of magazines, but if you want to bring in some that you don't mind cutting up and/or donating them to the class, they will be welcome.
