10/25/19 Introduction to Art

Today's Class- Today's topic was rhythm, which is just as much a visual element as it is a sonic element.  I showed several dozen slides of historical work, pointing out how rhythm was used by each artist- by colors, marks, shapes, textures, etc.  Then the class did a portfolio exercise where I played segments of music, and had the students produce abstract compositions based on what they were hearing.  Colors and brushes were their option, as long as the images made were completely abstract.  I also distributed information about the museum assignment and photography assignment to anyone who needed it.

How to make this up- Open your pad to a clean sheet of paper. Get your set of watercolors, brushes, fill your water container.

These are examples from previous semesters of student work doing this exercise.  Spend about 15 minutes doing each, choosing colors, brushes, and movement based on your interpretation of the music.  A list of the music we listened to, and additional student examples can be found here.

This is a portfolio exercise and can be made up for full credit any time before the end of the semester.

Homework- Nothing from today, but the first draft of the museum assignment is due at the start of class on November 1, 2019, printed on paper.  They will be returned the following week with notes on how to improve it before the final version in turned in. Clicking on the "Museum Assignment" tab at the top of this blog will bring you to a brief description of the assignment, and some active links to the websites of the pre approved museums.

For next class Nov 1, 2019- We will start the last portfolio exercise before our first graded art project. The medium will be printmaking, specifically collagraph, where a printing plate is made from collaged materials attached to a flat surface.  Below is an example of a plate and the print that was produced from it.  

Note that the color of collaged objects has no effect on the colors in the print, which will be made with black ink.  Also the print will be a mirror image of the plate, so letters and numbers will have to be backwards on the plate to appear normal in the resulting print.  I will provide cardboard for the plates, and I have a bag of materials to cut up, but students are welcome to bring in more or add them later.  It takes time for glue to dry, so we make them next week and will print them a few weeks later.  For next class bring scissors to cut materials, white glue to glue them down, and optionally a pencil to mark your plans on the cardboard (has no effect on the print) and additional materials.  You don't need the pad next week to you can leave it at home if you like.

10/18/19 Introduction to Art

Today's Class- Today the topic was photography.  It's a relatively recent medium, but it has roots in antiquity, with a tool called the camera obscura, Italian for "dark room", which allowed the projection of a 3 dimensional scene on a flat surface.  However, it still required an artist to trace this projection to make a permanent artwork.  Evolution of chemistry and lenses made it possible to do this more automatically, along with many years of experiments, creating the process of photography.  

After discussing the process and looking at a few dozen slides of historical photographic art, from the 1820's to the late 20th century, I handed out a take home assignment, geared more toward principles and goals than technical skills, and reviewed it.  We followed that with a tour of Vaughn-Eames, checking out any art studios and student art we could get access to, third floor to first. 

How to make this up- The assignment was given out on paper, but it is also available on this blog site.

Students are asked to shoot a series of 20 photos, all things that refer to classic strengths and uses of the medium. Details of the assignment and some past student examples can be found here.

This is a portfolio exercise, and on the assignment form I gave a deadline of November 22, 2019 to complete it. However, as a portfolio exercise, it won't be graded until the last day of class.  The earlier deadline is to encourage students to complete it sooner (before the part of the semester where every class you have will be asking for assignments) and to be able to share results with the class.

You must turn in prints, but it doesn't matter if the photos come from film or digital, the prints can be on photo paper or standard copy paper, and they can be black and white or color, whatever you prefer.  You can mount them or just have them labeled on the back.  

Homework- The rough draft of the museum assignment is due on November 1, 2019.  Turning it in late will result in a loss of points.  Plus, the sooner I get it, the sooner I can grade it and get you the suggested revisions for the final paper.

For next class Oct 25, 2019- We get back to color and the watercolor paints, but this time something more expressive than the color theory assignments we did last week.  Bring your 18"x24" pad, paints, brushes, and a water container. 

10/11/19- Introduction to Art

Today's Class- Today we returned to color, with our first formal look at basic color theory. We used watercolor paints to produce a color wheel and do an exercise in complementary color mixing. 

How to make this up- On a piece of the 18"x24" paper, students were asked to draw a large circle in pencil, which was used to create a 12 step color wheel- primaries, secondaries, and intermediate colors.  Then the students were asked to draw two rows of boxes (8 total) used to create an exercise mixing two complementary colors and creating several neutral colors.

Further examples of student projects from previous semesters and more detailed instructions can be found here .

This is a portfolio exercise that can be made up for full credit any time before the end of the semester, though since we will be dealing with color again in the future, it is recommended to complete it soon.

Homework- Nothing new, but remember the first draft of the museum assignment is due on November 1st, so don't wait too long to do your museum visit.

For next class Oct 18, 2019- We take on a new medium, photography. The assignment will be a take home exercise using a camera of the student's choice, to be completed in about a month or so.  In class, there will be a slide show on the history and uses of photography in art. and a brief discussion of the process, after which the assignment (various subjects for about 20 photographs students must take) will be distributed on paper.  Following that the plan is to do a tour of Vaughn-Eames, our studio building, to see some of the studio classrooms and the various processes available for student studies.  No materials are needed for class, so you may leave everything home for a change.  

10/4/19 Introduction to Art

Today's Class- For the first time this semester we considered color, while still dealing with shapes concerns.  Starting with a topic of monumental art, which I define as large scale art permanently part of a structure, we briefly looked at slides of frescoes then mosaics, artworks that depict two dimensional images using small solid objects (stones, tiles, etc).  We will be substituting cut colored paper, and I walked around with some student examples from previous semesters. 

How to make this up- First step is to select a source photo.  Your piece must be based on a photograph of a real object or scene, not just someone's flat artwork. Multiple colors and values will make it better.  Your new piece needs to be a minimum of 36 square inches, either 6" x 6" or 9" by 4" (vertical or horizontal is fine) but you can go larger in any of those dimensions, which means more work for you, but it's your art in the end. In class I had cardboard templates for students to trace, but this can be worked out with a ruler as well.  You may crop the photo and choose a smaller portion to depict, but you are responsible to include everything in your chosen area.  On a piece of your large paper, draw the size box you want to work with, then sketch the basic composition from your source, using pencil.  Glue or tape the original photo next to your new image.  

Next, copy the color using small pieces of paper cut from magazines, and glued to your drawn image, as in the above student examples.  Try to match the colors as much as possible.  The grade will have more to do with color than how well you draw, but accuracy in your drawing will make matching shapes easier.  The color pieces should be a maximum of a half inch square, but can be shaped any way you want. There can be a small amount of white space between them, or they can overlap. For instance, a small piece can be glued on top of other pieces, or one color can be placed over another to create a clean edge of negative space. 

This is a portfolio exercise, so officially due the last day of class this semester, though I recommend not waiting that long.  It's not particularly difficult, but it is time consuming, and the one exercise that students are least likely to finish on their own.

Homework- Today's project is an exercise, due by th end of there semester, but don't forget that the museum paper rough draft is due on November 1, 2019.  It is the one thing that Kean cares most about and it is a graded project.

As mentioned in class, we were required to complete Early Academic Alerts (what used to be called midterm grades) for all registered students this weekend.  It has nothing to do with the grade you will get for the semester.  Since nothing has been officially graded yet, all I can really apply is attendance.  A few students who seem to have stopped coming to class got a comment about multiple absences.  Students who have e-mailed me or discussed absences with me did not- they know where they stand and what they need to do.  Everyone who was in attendance on Oct 4 is in good shape.

For next class Oct 11, 2019- More color, but this time with paints and more traditional color theory.  Bring your 18"x 24" pad, pencil and eraser, set of watercolor paints, watercolor brushes, some kind of water container (old cup or can will do) and some kind of mixing pallet. (can be the official store bought kind with little mixing wells, but anything flat that doesn't absorb water will work.)