3/9/12 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we discussed the idea of rhythm in visual art. I showed slides from the Renaissance through the 20th century, pointing out examples of visual rhythms. After that we did a series of abstractions influenced by different styles of music. I also collected the research papers from all those who turned them in.

How to make this up- You will need to do 5 abstract paintings, each based on your reaction to listening to particular styles of music. You may choose colors and use any kind of marks that you want- just go with how the music makes you feel. Above are a few examples from previous semesters. Several more examples, and the list of music we listened to (or equivalent music if you can't find those) can be found here.

This is a portfolio exercise and must be made up by the end of the semester to receive full credit.

Homework- Anyone who did not turn in their research paper should get it to me as soon as possible. The more weeks it is late, the more points will be deducted.

The photography assignment distributed last week is due March 30, 2012.

For next class 3/16/12- We will be working on a printmaking related project, a collagraph. It's made by attaching materials with different textures to a surface, and then using ink to print the results. Next week we will make the printing plates. I will have a bag of materials to pick through, but everyone is encouraged to bring in interesting natural or manufactured materials, things you don't mind cutting up and gluing. You should also bring in scissors and glue. You won't need any paper, so you may leave the big pad at home.

3/5/12 2D Design

Today's Class- Today we did our final value drawing of the semester, which was also a graded project. Students had about 4 hours to work on it. After that, I showed slides about the history of printmaking, explaining the technology and the role of prints in society. We also saw student examples of next week's print project.

How to make this up- You will need to set up a still life grouping with mixed value objects- items and drapery that include both white and dark colored items. The challenge is to interpret the value of the mixed value items along with the effects of light and shadow. Above are two examples from previous semesters. Additional student examples and full instructions for the assignment, along with information about next week's project, can be found here.

This value drawing is a graded project and must be completed as soon as possible.

Homework- I recommend that students have their literary source for the woodcut book illustration project picked out before next class, so they will have more time in class to work on their blocks.

Those who still owe me any back projects should try to get them done by next week.

For next class 3/12/12- We will be starting the black and white composition/book illustration project. Bring some paper to sketch on (can be your big pad, but a sketchbook will be fine), pencil and eraser, black markers, and x-acto knife. If possible, bring a copy of the literary source for your woodcut.

3/2/12 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we looked at the history and uses of photography. We started with a slide presentation of the subject, from the earliest history in the early 19th century, to contemporary images. We discussed the technology as well as the uses it has served for both art and society. Students received a take home assignment to work on. We also took a tour of the building, visiting whatever art studios were open, and stopped by the current Student Exhibition in the Howe Gallery on the first floor.

How to make this up- No work was done in class today, but the photography assignment, including some student examples, can be seen here.

Homework- The printed photos for the photography assignment are due at the beginning of class on March 30, 2012.

The research papers on various periods in art history are due at the beginning of class next week, March 9, 2012.

For next class 3/9/12- We will be working with color again. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, watercolor paints, brushes, palette, and water container, as well as the completed paper.

2/27/12 2D Design

Today's Class- Today we concentrated on value, the use of light and dark in two dimensional art to imply form, volume, and space, and to focus attention. We saw it with the stipple drawing, but this was our first time really studying it. After a slide show of art from Ancient Egypt through the 20th century that featured value, students drew from a still life with charcoal.

How to make this up- You will need to set up a still life and light it with a direct light source to create patterns of light and shadow. One drawing will be done as a value reduction (erasing lights out of the dark) with vine charcoal, and the other will be done in a more traditional direct approach of drawing with compressed charcoal on white paper. Additional student examples and the full directions on how to complete the assignments can be found here.

These are portfolio exercises that must be made up by the end of the semester to receive full credit, however I strongly recommend completing them before next week's class, especially if you've never worked with charcoal before.

Homework- Nothing new, but anyone who still owes me either their stipple drawing or their pencil line still life final should try to complete them as soon as possible to receive partial credit.

For next class 3/5/12- We will continue our study of value drawing, doing one more charcoal still life drawing as a graded project. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, vine and/or compressed charcoal (your choice), kneaded eraser, and spray fixative. We will also discuss printmaking and preparations for the following week's class.

2/24/12 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we talked about color for the first time. I showed slides of art from prehistory to the present, discussing the origins of color technology and how color was used for different purposes. After that we did an exercise in color mixing.

How to make this up- The class used their watercolor paints to complete two exercises. First was the creation of a color wheel, with all 12 hues derived from the three primary colors. The second involved mixing two complementary colors to create various intermediary and related hues. Above is an example. To see an additional student example and to read the step by step instructions to complete the assignment, click here.

This is a portfolio exercise that must be made up by the end of the semester to receive credit.

Homework- The research paper is due two weeks from today, at the beginning of class on March 9, 2012. Those who still haven't shared their choices of artists and artworks should do so as soon as possible.

For next class 3/2/12- We will look at the history of photography and I will distribute a related take home assignment. We will also spend time visiting other parts of the building, checking out an exhibition and the other studios. You may leave all your art supplies at home.

2/17/12 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today's topic was monumental (2D) art, which I defined as large scale art intended to be permanently part of a wall or ceiling. Most common are mosaics and frescoes, and we saw examples of both from Ancient Rome through the 20th century. I also showed a short video that detailed the creation of a large modern mural. After that, students began a new art project, using collaged paper to create a mosaic like image.

How to make this up- You will need to select a color photograph from a magazine, and sketch the basic composition at one of the designated sizes. You will then find pieces of color from other magazines to match the colors from the original photo. In the above student example, the original photo is on the left and the student collage on the right. To see additional examples and see the full instructions, click here.

This is a portfolio exercise that must be completed by the end of the semester in order to receive full credit.

Homework- Some of the class has cleared their choices of artists and artworks for their research papers, but many still haven't. If you haven't yet shown me your chosen artists and artworks, I suggest that you do so as soon as possible, either by e-mail or in class. The research paper itself is due March 9, 2012.

For next class 2/24/12- We will continue to look at color, this time using paint. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencil and eraser, watercolor paints, brushes, a palette, and some kind of water container.

2/13/12 2D Design

Today's Class- Today we opened with a group critique of the stipple drawings, which were also graded and returned. We spent the rest of the class period working on the semester's second graded project, a line still life of complex mixed objects.

How to make this up- This project will require you to gather a variety of objects, arrange them into a multiple level still life, and draw the results, as in the student example above. For the full instructions, including a list of specific objects to include, click here.

Homework- Nothing new, but if you still owe the stipple drawing or today's still life project, you should get it done as soon as possible. The longer the delay, the more points will be deducted.

***No Class Meeting on 2/20/12 - President's Day***

For next class 2/27/12- We will start our study of value. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, both vine and compressed charcoal, the kneaded eraser, and spray fixative.

2/10/12 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we spent the day considering the use of value (light and shadow) in art. We looked at slides of two dimensional art from Ancient Rome through the present, seeing how value was used by artists to imply volume, distance, weight, and time of day, to focus attention, and to provide more details of surfaces. We also looked at a few examples of student charcoal drawings. For the art project, students used charcoal to draw from a still life set up of white objects, lit with a directional light source.

How to make this up- You will need to set up a still life with some white or light colored objects, and use charcoal to match the level of light and dark in the objects as closely as you can, as in the above example. The details of how to set it up and some additional student examples can be found here. This is a portfolio exercise and must be made up by the end of the semester to receive credit.

Homework- Nothing new, but I am asking students to provide me with a list of artists and artworks for their research topic by next Friday. Students who don't clear their choices with me will have to take their chances that they have chosen work appropriate to their paper.

For next class 2/17/12- We will do a project involving collage. Bring your 18" x 24" paper, pencil and eraser, scissors, and glue. (glue stick is recommended) If you have any old magazines to cut up, bring them in, though I'll have a pile of them for you to go through.

2/6/12 2D Design

Today's Class- Today we started our study of line. We did exercises involving contour lines, and later looked at negative space.

How to make this up-

Contour Line Exercises- For these the students drew from shoes, doing exercises involving exterior contour lines, cross contour lines, and blind contour line drawing. Examples of each exercise and the specific directions can be found here.

Negative Space Exercises- Negative space is the area in a two dimensional artwork that is between and around the positive shapes, the obvious subjects in the art. For this I had the students draw the negative space in a complex object, and then draw a still life of similar objects. Examples of each exercise and the specific directions can be found here.

These are portfolio exercises that must be made up by the end of the semester to receive full credit.

Homework- The stipple drawings begun last week are due at the beginning of class on February 13, 2012. You must bring the original photo as well.

For next class 2/13/12- We will critique the stipple drawings, then begin a new graded project involving a line drawing still life. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencil, and eraser.

2/3/12 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today the focus was on the concept of negative space- the spaces in a two dimensional artwork that are between and around the positive objects. Also, the research assignment was distributed and students chose their topics for the paper.

How to make this up- The class did two exercises related to the idea of how artists see and make use of negative space. Examples and directions for each can be found here. These are portfolio exercises that must be made up by the end of the semester.

If you did not select a research paper topic in class today, you must either contact me for a list of available topics, or talk to me in class next week.

Homework- A list of 3 artists and an artwork from each for your chosen research topic is due by February 17, 2012, though you can bring it or send it to me sooner, to get faster approval and more time to work on the paper. The completed paper is due at the beginning of class on March 9, 2012.

For next class 2/10/12- We will start our study of value. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, drawing charcoal, and kneaded eraser. Charcoal is very messy, so you are advised not to wear white to class.

1/30/12 2D Design

Today's Class- Today we started our study of two dimensional art with the most basic unit of mark making- the point or dot. We did a class exercise and started a graded project, both using only dots of ink. Everyone came to class today, so no one needs to make up anything, but if you need a reminder of what we did, see below.

Wallpaper Exercise

The first thing we did was an exercise involving patterns of dots. It took the form of wallpaper, meaning vertical patterns that repeated at least once over their length, as in the student example above. Patterns could be pure geometry or form into recognizable images.

Stipple Drawing Graded Project
Most of the class period was spent working on our first graded project of the semester, a stipple drawing. It is a value drawing made from nothing but tiny ink dots. By varying the concentration of dots in a given area, the value can range from light to dark. Students started with a black and white photograph of a three dimensional object or scene, with the goal of matching the exact values in a drawing. In the student example above, the original photo is on the right, and the resulting drawing on the left. To see additional examples and to review all the specific requirements of the project, click here.

Homework- The stipple drawing graded project is due at the beginning of class on February 13, 2012.

For next class 2/6/12- We will start our study of line. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencils and eraser. One of the things we do will involve drawing from shoes. Since I don't have enough to give to all the class, each student is responsible for providing their own shoe. I suggest you bring an extra, or be prepared to take one off your foot. I'll provide the subjects for the other drawing exercises.

1/27/12 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we started our study of line. We looked at a few dozen slides of art, spanning from cave painting, through ancient civilizations, to the Renaissance, and modern and contemporary art, discussing how each artist used line. After that we did a series of exercises in contour line drawing using shoes as the subject. In addition, the museum assignment was distributed and discussed.

How to make this up- Find yourself a shoe. It can be a formal shoe, sneaker, boot, etc, as long as it's an enclosed shoe. (sandals don't give you a lot of structure to work with) Using either pencil (2B or 4B or try both), you will do a series of line drawings of the shoe in your 18" x 24" pad. You may put more than one shoe on a page and use the back of the sheet if you want. Full directions for the assignment and examples of student drawings can be found here. This is a portfolio exercise, and must be made up by the end of the semester to receive credit.

Homework- Nothing immediate, but the museum assignment was distributed today. It's officially due on the last day of class, but I strongly recommend finishing it sooner, so you have one less thing to worry about at the end of the semester, and if there are any problems with it, you can redo it for a better grade. Museum papers turned in on the last day will be graded as is.

For next class 2/3/12- We will continue our study of line. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencils and eraser. I'll provide the subject matter. The research assignment will be distributed.

1/23/12 2D Design

Today's Class- Today was the first meeting of the semester. The course syllabus was distributed and reviewed. That included the materials list and textbook. The students filled out a survey regarding their artistic backgrounds and interests, which we talked about as a group.

Homework- None

For next class 1/30/12- We will start our study of 2D art with the most basic unit of mark making, the point or dot. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencil and eraser, and the black markers (large and ultra fine point). One of the projects will involve working from a black and white photograph, so you should bring one to work from. It should be a photograph of something real (portrait, landscape, interior, still life, etc), not digital or line art. It can be from a published source, or a photo you took yourself. A wide range of values from light to dark work best. I will have a pile of magazines with black and white photos that student can pick through if necessary, but you will save yourself a lot of time if you have one of your own.

1/20/12 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today was the first meeting of the class. The course syllabus was distributed and reviewed. The students filled out a survey about their artistic background and experiences, which we discussed as a class.

Homework- None, but those who did not purchase the textbook from me today should bring $3 to buy one next week.

For next class 1/27/12- We will start our study of line. Bring your 18"x 24" drawing pad, and pencils and eraser. We will be drawing from shoes, and since I don't have enough to distribute to everyone, each student must provide their own shoe. You may bring an extra one with you, or remove one that you are wearing.

Welcome to the Spring 2012 Semester

This is the blog that I have set up to post information about my classes at Kean. To avoid confusion, information about my Introduction to Art class (FA 1000 12 Fri 9:30 - 12:15) will be written in red text, while information about my Two Dimensional Design class (FA 1100 02 Mon 9:30 - 3:15) will be posted in blue text. Information meant for both classes will be written in black text.

Following each week's class (usually by evening) I will post information about the day's activity. I'll provide information about what we did, including directions and photos of student examples from previous semesters, if available and applicable. I will also post any homework, and when that homework is due. I will also list the art materials needed for the following week's class.

The main purpose of the blog is to help students who miss a class for whatever reason to get caught up quickly. It is not meant to be a substitute for actually coming to class- this is not an online class. However, this blog may also be useful to students who never miss a class, but need a reminder about a deadline or what to bring to class. It is available to provide all this information 24/7 without having to wait for a reply to an e-mail. If you have questions that can't be answered here, you are welcome to send an e-mail and I'll likely get back to you within 24 hours.

Final Grading Fall 2011

Final Class Grades were submitted to KeanWise today. I don't know how long it takes before they will be available to students, but probably not too long.

12/19/11 2D Design

Today's Class- Today was our last class meeting of the semester. We opened with a critique of all the Final Projects. After that, I dismissed the class while I graded the final projects, semester portfolios, and remaining back projects and museum papers. Everyone who came to today's class returned to pick up their work, learning their grades for all of the above. Final class grades will be calculated soon and submitted to KeanWise. If tradition holds, they'll post them in early January, but if I hear something different I'll post an update.

Enjoy your break.

12/14/11 Drawing I

Today's Class- Today was our final class meeting of the semester. We held a critique of all of the final drawings from last week, and then all the 2nd half portfolios, sketchbooks, and museum papers were graded. Most students returned and picked them up, along with the graded final drawings. Art not picked up as of 3 pm was stacked on one of the paper cutters in the corner by the green chalk board. The classroom is heavily used, so if you care about getting your stuff back, you should pick it up as soon as possible.

Final grades will be calculated next week and submitted shortly after that. I don't know yet when they will be posted by the school. If I learn something, I'll post it on the blog.

Enjoy your break.

12/12/11 2D Design

Today's Class- Today was a general work day for the class. Most put in time working on the Board Game final project. Some used the time to work on back projects still owed, or their museum papers.

**********Semester Portfolio**********

The semester portfolio, all work that wasn't an individually graded project, is due at the beginning of class next week. If you haven't missed any classes, you should be all caught up. If you're not sure, here is a list of what is expected and the blog dates where details can be found.

9/19/11- Wall paper (dots)

9/26/11- Contour Lines (shoes)

9/26/11- Negative space (chair, bottles)

10/17/11- Value drawing with charcoal

10/17/11- ( 1 each vine and compressed charcoal)

11/7/11- Color wheel/Color Mixing

11/28/11- Color Still Life Painting

Homework- Nothing new, but the Final Project is due December 19, 2011 for everyone, and almost everyone still owes the museum paper. If you still owe a back project (seasons, limited palettes), next week is your last chance to earn partial credit.

For next class 12/19/11- Our final meeting of the semester. We will spend some time doing a full critique of the final projects and some late arriving work. After that I will grade the final projects, museum papers, and portfolios. Bring all those items to class. Be on time- the sooner we can start, the sooner we will finish.

12/7/11 Drawing I

Today's Class- Today we did our final still life drawing of the semester, which serves as the class Final Project. A few minutes were also spent filling out the course evaluation forms.

How to make this up- Set up a still life. Place two low boxes on a table, drape with a white or light colored cloth. Arrange 5 objects on and around the boxes and light with a directional light to create patterns of light and shadow. For the objects, choose one each from among the following list:

a bottle

a hat

a shoe

a power tool

a large sports ball (basketball, football, etc)

a piece of sports related equipment (baseball mitt, golf club, etc)

For the drawing, you may use your choice of charcoal (vine or compressed), ink wash, or conte crayon (black, red, or combined). Spend up to 5 hours working on it. Above are a few examples from a previous semester.

Homework- Nothing new, so use the opportunity to catch up on any back homework you may have missed, or get that museum paper done.

**************2nd Half Portfolio******************

The following items are expected to be part of your 2nd half portfolio. The dates indicate where those things can be found on this blog.

11/2/11- Ink wash drawings of white objects (2)

11/16/11- Black Conte Crayon still life

11/16/11- Red Conte Crayon still life

11/23/11- Monotype prints of still life objects

11/23/11 (most students did 3 to 4)

11/30/11- Mixed red and black conte crayon

11/30/11- One from mannequin, one from live model

For next class 12/14/11- Our final meeting of the semester. We will have a detailed critique of all the final project drawings, and then everyone will be dismissed temporarily while I grade the final drawings, the museum papers, the 2nd half portfolios, and the sketchbooks. If you don't bring in the museum paper, portfolio or sketchbook, I can't grade them and you will get a zero for those items. No art supplies needed. All student work will be returned by the end of class that day.

12/5/11 2D Design

War Hall

Andy Warhol

Roots

Kerry James Marshall

Today's Class- Today we started working on the final project of the semester, using the two dimensional color artwork of an established fine artist to design a board game with a theme based on the artist and/or the work. We also devoted time to looking at the completed limited color palettes projects that were due today.

How to make this up- You will need to select a fine artist, one who works with representational images and is a recognized fine artist- appearing in textbooks, major museums, etc. Images from one or more paintings from the artist will be used to create a new composition, which is built around the concept of a board game of your devising. Examples from previous semesters, with the name of the game and the source artist, can be seen above and below. To see all the requirements for the project, along with another example and all the specifics of how it was created from the original source painting, click here.

Homework- This final project of the semester is due at the beginning of class on December 19, 2011, which is our last class meeting and the last day of the semester. If it's not turned in then, it will not be graded. The museum paper is also due that day, if it hasn't been turned in yet.

Those who still owe one of the back graded projects (seasons, palettes, etc) need to get them done as soon as possible to earn partial credit.

For next class 12/12/11- The class period will be used as a general work day. Most students will use the time to work on the final project, but you may use the time to work on anything related to class, such as back portfolio work, late graded projects, or even the museum assignment. Bring whatever materials you need to work on whatever you plan to work on.

Anxiety Clue

Edvard Munch

Bari Master

Ancient Egypt

The Greek Grape Faze

Ancient Greece

11/30/11 Drawing I

Today's Class- Today we continued our use of conte crayons in value drawing, but this time used the red and black together, and the subject was figural rather than simple objects. The red crayon adds a feeling of warmth that the black crayon doesn't provide, making it ideal for representing flesh, while the black crayon provides the possibilities of dark values that the red crayon can't achieve. We looked at a few slide examples of Renaissance era chiaroscuro drawing and chiaroscuro woodcut, processes that relate to what we did today.

Above is a student drawing from a different class, done more in the style popularized in the Renaissance.  It uses a piece of solidly colored paper (in this case green, but other colors can be just as effective), and the artist draws with both white (highlights, done with conte or chalk) and black (shadows, done with charcoal or ink), and the medium value of the colored paper serves as the middle value.  However, colored papers can be expensive and are not always stocked in local art supply stores, so our light will come from our white paper, our medium values from a sanguine (red) crayon, and the darks from a black crayon.

How to make this up- Today's subject was the human figure, more complex than what we've drawn before, but the next step for people who want to continue their study of drawing. The first half of class was spent working from a mannequin, and the second half working from a live model. Below is an example drawing from today's class.

There are two approaches that can be taken to this three-tone technique. The traditional method (similar effect to old fashioned chiaroscuro drawing) is to use the red crayon first to do a value drawing, then blend from red to black for the darker values and deep shadows. The drawing below and two above using red and black are examples of this process.

Another option is reducing the drawing to 3 solid tones representing light (white of the paper), medium (red) and dark (black) values in the subject. So instead of blending gradually from white to red to black, the drawing is made from hard edged shapes, the result looking more like a chiaroscuro woodcut. Below is an example. This option is more difficult, as everything must be planned in advance, and the artist must consistently assign values in the subject to one of the 3 tones.

The assignment- Complete two figure related drawings, each using a full sheet of your 18" x 24" paper and the two colors of conte crayons. The subjects can be a live human figure (dressed is acceptable), or figure-like object such as a statue, figurine or doll that is large enough to show details. Light the figure to create strong light and shadow patterns. Spend about 2 hours on each drawing. You may use either or both of the above styles for the two drawings.

Homework- We will return to our old friend, the shoe. In your sketchbook draw two shoes using the combined red and black crayons, one per page. Use two different shoes, or the same shoe from two different angles. Light the shoes to create light and shadows and try to match the values as closely as possible.

Reminder- we only have two weeks left of class, at which point everything is due, including the sketchbook and the museum paper. If you are behind on the homework sketches, you have until then to get them done. Use the blog archives to check on what you may have missed.

For next class 12/7/11- We will be doing the final still life drawing of the semester. You may use your choice of charcoal (vine or compressed), ink wash, or conte crayon (one or two colors) to complete the value drawing. Bring your medium of choice and related materials (brushes, kneaded eraser, fixative, etc), along with your 18" x 24" paper. You will have the whole class period to work on one drawing, or do more than one and choose the best one to turn in at the end of class.

11/28/11 2D Design

Today's Class- Today we explored another aspect of painting with color, a simple still life painting of colorful objects. We looked at about a dozen slides of still life paintings from the Renaissance to the present, discussing what purpose the paintings served for the artist and the viewers, past and present. Students spent the rest of the class working on a color painting from a still life set up.

How to make this up- Set up a still life. In a well lit room put a box on a table and drape with a multicolored cloth. Find four solidly colored objects, each a different color from the others and the cloth. Arrange on and around the box. Do a painting of the set up on your 18" x 24" paper. You may sketch with pencil first, or just paint directly. As with earlier still life projects, pay attention to the shapes of individual objects, the proportions of individual objects and between objects, and to the relative value of objects. In addition, try to match the colors of the drape and objects as closely as possible. You may choose any color you want for the background. Above are two examples from previous semesters.

This is a portfolio exercise which must be completed by the end of the semester to receive full credit.

Homework- Nothing new, but the limited color palettes project that we started last week is due at the beginning of class next week, December 5, 2011. Those who still owe back projects (woodcut, seasons) should get those done as soon as possible to receive partial credit.

The museum paper is due on the last day of class, 3 weeks from today, but it can be turned in sooner if you have it.

For next class 12/5/11- We will begin the final project of the semester. It will be based on the artwork of a fine artist of your choosing. The artist must be a legitimate fine artist (the type found in art history texts, major museums, etc), working two dimensionally, in color, and with recognizable content (images). Bring color examples of the artists's work to class. If you have no artist in mind, bring a book with examples of a favorite painting subject or style, or even a general art history textbook. For materials you will need a piece of mat board- any color, at least 18" x 24" (standard mat is 30"x 40", so two students can split one). Also pencil and eraser, and all your painting supplies.

11/23/11 Drawing 1

Today's Class- Today we explored a printmaking medium that has much in common with value drawing, the monotype. Monotypes can be done many ways with many different materials, but we tried a very traditional process, using oil based media on glass or plexiglass. The class worked from typical still life objects, everyone completing at least 3 prints.

How to make this up- Find 3 objects of similar size, one white, two with darker values. Set up on a table with some kind of backdrop and shine a direct light to create patterns of light and shadow. You will need a printing plate, made from glass or plexiglass, about 8" x 10". (if glass, I recommend putting some masking tape on all edges to reduce the chance of getting cuts) Cut three pieces of paper that are at least slightly larger than the printing plate and set aside. Lay out some newspaper on your work surface, as this will be messy.

The drawings were done as value reductions, like when we filled a page with vine charcoal and erased out the lights. Spread a small amount of your black oil paint or relief ink over the whole plate, covering it with a very thin layer. Use whatever tools you would like to draw into the ink and remove it. (today's students used such things as q-tips, paint brushes, mat cards, and paper towels) A few drops of vegetable oil will help loosen the ink and make it easier to wipe. You can add more ink back if you need to redraw sections. Once you are satisfied with the drawing on the plate, carefully place a piece of the paper on top and gently rub the back of the paper with your hand to transfer the ink to the paper. Pick up the corners to see how it looks, and if it's lighter than you expect, drop it back down and rub again. (a wooden spoon or equivalent can be helpful) Students were asked to bring black paint or ink, so that the images would relate to our experiences with charcoal, etc, but a few only had color paints. Examples of both black and white and color can be seen above and below.

Do the following drawings-

1) Draw one of the objects by itself

2) Draw two side by side objects

3) Draw all three objects, or substitute one complex object (the alternate today was flowers in a vase)

The completed prints should be allowed to dry in the open air if possible, for about a week or so. This is a portfolio exercise, and the prints should be saved to be part of your 2nd half of the semester portfolio. If you are confused by the above directions, wait and ask me about it next week in class.

Homework- None today. Enjoy the holiday, or use the time to make up back homework assignments if you are behind.

For next class 11/30/11- We will go back to using the conte crayons, this time to try a variation of chiaroscuro drawing. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, both red and black conte crayons, erasers, and anything you find useful for blending.

11/21/11 2D Design

Today's Class- Today we started a new graded project involving limited color palettes. Sometimes artists will paint with the natural colors of their subject, but at other times they will choose other colors to represent their subject. We looked at a few dozen slides of examples of some common approaches to limited color, then started the project. Some time was reserved at the end of class to look at the season temperature collages.

How to make this up- First find a black and white photograph of an actual scene (person, landscape, interior, still life, etc). Sketch the basic composition of your photo four times on a sheet of your 18" x 24" paper, then use your acrylic paints to do paintings reflecting the value structures of the photo. Student examples from previous semesters can be seen above and below. To learn the specific details of how the colors will be chosen, and to see additional examples, click here.

Homework- This limited palettes graded project is due at the beginning of class on December 5, 2011. Anyone who still owes a back project, such as the woodblock or the season temperature collage, should bring them in as soon as possible to receive partial credit.

For next class 11/28/11- We will take a more traditional approach to paint by painting a color still life painting. Bring your 18" x 24" paper, paints, brushes, palette, palette knife, pencil and eraser.