11/2/18 Introduction to Art

Today's Class- Today's topic was printmaking, a variety of mediums that have in common that images are created from a fixed matrix, generally resulting in identical copies.  That matrix can be carved relief (woodcut, linoleum), metal plates (etching, engraving), stone (lithography), all of which we saw examples of in slide and items I brought in.  Silkscreen (a form of stencil supported by fabric) is also common, but I had no examples to show.  

For today's exercise, we tried the collagraph, a more modern technique that can be used in many ways.  Most common is building a collage on a flat surface and inking and printing it like a relief print, and that is what we started today.  Flat pieces of cardboard were used as the base, and I had a supply of old fabric samples that could be cut up and glued to  the base.  The ink will later be applied in a way that accentuates the textures of each collaged item, and the resulting print will document those textures.  Today was just the creation of the printing plates (students have the option to add more items at home), and I will bring in the tools and materials to print them in a few weeks.

I also collected rough drafts of the museum assignment from those who turned them in.  They will be returned with comments next class.

How to make this up- The process to make the plate is actually fairly simple and can easily be done from home.  Start with a piece of flat cardboard (the large panel from a cereal or cracker box will do- that is what we were using today), and you will create some kind of image on it by attaching bits of found materials.  I had a variety of cloth scraps scavenged from the Interior Design program, but anything that is relatively thin will work, and I showed examples of plates from previous semesters that made use of yarn, plastics, even food items.  White glue is probably the best adhesive for this project, and can even be used to coat delicate items to give them more strength in the printing process.  Here are some student examples of printing plates and the resulting collagraph print.

Note that printing will be done with black relief ink, and that the color of the collaged objects will have no effect on the print.  (color can be added after printing by painting or drawing, as in the last example above) Also, the prints are mirror images of the plate, which can make a difference if you plan to use letters or numbers in your image.  (can be done, just make them backwards on the plate and they will print as normal) 

Only a few rules at this point- the image must be something recognizable (accuracy to reality is not required, so for example, it can be how you picture such an item in your head) and your print must involve at least 8 different textures in the use of materials.  Choice of subject is completely up to you.

Homework- The completed collagraph plates should be brought to class on November 16, 2018, and I will have the ink and tools to print them.  

If you did not turn in a rough draft of your museum assignment today, you should do so (hard copy) as soon as possible.  Although this paper is worth fewer points than the final version, each week it is late means a lower grade.

For next class 11/9/18- We will begin our first graded art project of the semester, our 2D final, which will be worked on two weeks in class, and then given more time to finish at home.  Bring your 18"x24" pad, pastels, pencil and eraser.  If you have any questions about the collagraph projects, bring those as well.

10/26/18 Introduction to Art

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.

10/19/18 Introduction to Art

Today's Class- Today's topic was photography, a relatively modern medium with some ancient roots.  It all began with the camera obscura, a simple device perfected during the Baroque period of painting, which projected real life scenes onto a wall where artists could trace them for use in paintings.  By the early 19th century, methods were found to use the new science of chemistry to automatically record these images on film, glass, paper, etc.  Digital photography uses computers instead of chemicals, but the results are the same.

After showing examples of the development of photography and some of the ways it is used, I handed out a take home assignment and we took a tour of Vaughn-Eames, which is the building on campus for all art.

How to make this up- The take home assignment is printed on paper and I'll have extra copies in class next week.  Meanwhile, the specific assignment and some student examples can be seen here.

This is a portfolio exercise and not technically due until the end of the semester, but I'm encouraging students to have them printed to share with the class by November 30, 2018.  Any kind of paper is fine.  They don't need to be mounted, but labeling them on the back with the specific problem being addressed would be very helpful.

Homework- The first draft of the museum assignment is due at the start of class on November 2, 2018.  It should be typed or printed on paper.  

For next class 10/26/18- We go back to color and to our watercolor paints, this time less theoretical and more expressive.  Bring you watercolor paints, brushes, palette, water container, and 18"x24" pad.

10/12/18 Introduction to Art

Today's Class- Today was our first full on class about color.  We did two portfolio exercises related to color, following a look at color in historical art, and we covered the basics of color theory.  

How to make this up- As a class, the entire class completed two color exercises- first a 12 step color wheel (primary/secondary/intermediates) and the a mixing of a complementary color set.  

A list of all the steps needed to complete these exercises can be found here.  

These are portfolio exercises and can be made up any time before the end of the semester for full credit, but since color is something we will use a lot, I advise you not to wait too long to make it up.

Homework- Nothing new, but just a reminder that the first draft of the museum assignment is due at the beginning of class on November 2, 2018, three weeks from today.  I will go over the details again in class next week.

Faculty exhibition reception- There is a public reception for the current faculty exhibition at the Howe Gallery on the 1st floor of Vaughn-Eames, on Wednesday, October 17, 2018.  Attendance is not required, and I'm not even sure I will attend myself, and I expect that we will visit the show as part of class next week, but if you feel like checking it out, seeing what your teachers do as art, it is expected to be open and refreshments are to be served from 3:30-5:00 pm.

For next class 10/19/18- We will spend part of the class looking at the history of photography, and I will distribute a take home assignment that you will complete on your own.  Following slides about photo history, we will take a tour of our building, visiting as many of the studio classroom as we can get into, and then the gallery on the 1st floor to see the current faculty exhibition. Since we will not be making any art in class, you may leave all your supplies at home next week.

10/5/18 Introduction to Art

Today's Class- Today we had our first look at color, as part of what I refer to as Monumental Art. For much of human history, large scale artworks were a large part of both culture and communication, depicting history and mythology in a visual way that even the largely illiterate population could understand.  And when this art was made with long lasting materials, it has been preserved so that we can still experience it today.  

One such medium was mosaic, in which very small pieces of hard permanent materials were arranged to depict two dimensional objects and/or scenes, often in full color.  They could be affixed to the wall, floor, or ceiling, filling architecture with imagery that has sometimes lasted thousands of years.  For today's portfolio exercise, we borrowed from the format if not the materials.

How to make this up- First you need to choose a full color photograph, of a real object or scene, not an digitally created art image.  Reproduce the basic composition in pencil on a page in your 18" x 24" pad, at a minimum of 6" square or 9" x 4" (vertical or horizontal).  You may crop your source photo image to fit one of the image sizes, or expand beyond those above minimums if you wish to match the original in size.  Attach the source photo to the page next to your pencil drawing.  

Color for your new image will come from small cut pieces of glossy magazine paper, maximum size1/2" square, though you may go smaller and make a variety of shapes.  Try to match the colors of the original piece as closely as possible- there's an amazing range of colors to be found in magazine photos.  Glue the small pieces to the drawing to fill in the matching colors.  Pieces may be edge to edge, with a small amount of white paper visible, or even overlapping a little if it makes it easier. Below are some student examples from previous semesters, showing both the source photo and the student artworks:

In evaluating these, my main concern is matching the original colors.  Accurate drawing of the source photo is recommended as it will make matching the color shapes easier.  This is a portfolio exercise, which can be made up any time before the end of the semester for full credit, but I advise not waiting too long, as students who put if off too long never get around to finishing it.  

Homework- The first draft of the museum assignment needs to submitted as a printed copy by November 2, 2018.

Midterm Grading- The University has instituted a new policy that requires us to provide some kind of mid-term grading report via KeanWise this week.  We have the option of letter grades or comments, and late on Friday we got e-mail acknowledgement that it's understandable if we don't have letter grades yet, since this started after only 4 weeks of a 16 week semester.  So you'll be getting comments, I expect sometime Saturday.  Keep in mind that these comments are required by the University and have nothing to do with your actual grade for the class, for which no points have been assigned yet.  What is assigned now has no impact on what grade you will get- the syllabus has the formula.

For next class 10/12/18- We continue with color but in a more traditional way.  We will be learning some basic color theory and doing some simple color mixing exercises using the watercolors.  Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencil and eraser, watercolor paints, watercolor brushes, a water container (empty cup or can), and a mixing palette.

9/28/18 Introduction to Art

Today's Class- Today's topic was value, meaning use of light and dark in two dimensional art.  Besides rendering local color and value, artists have used it to imply form and volume, to emphasize parts of the artwork, add weight to depicted objects, establish time of day, etc.  We looked at a few historical slides showing all these ideas and then did drawings using charcoal for the experience of value drawing.

How to make this up- Place a box on a low table, drape it with a white or light colored cloth, and arrange 3 white or light colored objects on and near it.  Have a direct light source to create patters of light and shadow.  Draw the whole still life set up on a page in your 18"x 24" pad using charcoal, attempting to match the amount and shapes of light and dark from the original.  Kneaded erasers work best for erasing the material, and it can be blended with fingers, paper towels, or anything else you want to use.  Below are some student examples from earlier semesters:

Use of a background tone is optional, but as you can see, it does help imply space around white objects.  You may use contour lines to establish the shapes of your objects, but try to convert the lines to edges of dark shapes in the end.  Spend up to 90 minutes on the drawing, or do more than one if you want to get more practice.

Homework- First draft of the museum assignment is due on Nov 2.  Don't wait too long to make your museum visit.

For next class 10/5/18- We will begin our next portfolio exercise, which will be our first look at color and make use of a variation on an ancient technique.  Mosaics were flat art that could be created on floors, walls, and ceilings, made from large numbers of tiles, stones, pieces of glass, etc, that were arranged to form an image.  We will do something similar with small cut pieces of colored paper.  Below is an example from a previous semester:

Original source photo (top) and student mosaic collage (below) Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencil and eraser, scissors and glue, anything suitable to glue paper to paper.  I have a bunch of magazines to cut up for this purpose, but if anyone wants to add some old magazines to the pile, they are welcome.

9/21/18 Introduction to Art

Today's Class- Today we continued with line, this time using it to explore the concept of negative space.  After an introductory brain-teaser exercise, the students did two portfolio exercises involving aspects of negative space, which is all the space in a given area of art that isn't made up of positive shapes.  

How to make this up- The students did two exercises involving drawings and negative space.  The first involved a wooden chair and drawing the spaces between the wooden parts.  The second was a still life of bottles, with negative space being used to calculate the space between them and to depict them in relation to each other.

Specific instructions for these two assignment, as well as student examples from previous semester, can be found here.
These are portfolio exercises that can be made up for full credit any time before the end of the semester.

Homework- Nothing in art, but the first draft of the museum assignment is due November 2, 2018.

For next class 9/28/18- We start our study of value, using light and dark to imply form and many other things.  Bring your 18" x 24" pad, black charcoal (vine or compressed) and your kneaded eraser.  I'll provide the subject, which will not be a chair or a shoe.

9/14/18 Introduction to Art

Today's Class- Today was the first real class of the semester, and we opened with Line, the simplest formal issue we will deal with this semester.  Students were not doing well in coming up with properties and purposes of line, but a short slide show of historical art may have helped.  Then we jumped into some basic drawing exercises, involving various types of contour lines, with shoes as the subject.  I also distributed and reviewed the museum assignment.

How to make this up- Students had a choice of using a shoe that they brought in, or taking one from my bag of old shoes. Using a page from their large pad would be preferable, but with the small size of the drawing, any paper could be pressed into service today.

More student examples, as well as list of all the exercises that will need to be done, 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, but I recommend doing it sooner, both as preparation for later drawing exercises and because work will pile up in all your classes through the semester.

Homework- No art homework.  The museum and research assignment was distributed today and the first draft is due on November 2, 2018.  

For next class 9/21/18- More basic drawing involving line, with a focus on negative spaces.  Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencil(s) and an eraser.  I'll provide the subject matter, which will not involve any shoes.

9/7/18 Introduction to Art

Today's class- Today was our first meeting of the semester.  The syllabus was distributed and reviewed. Students filled out a survey regarding their past art experiences, which we shared as a group, and I shared my experiences using the same format.  

How to make this up- If you missed today, make sure to request a syllabus at next week's class.  

Homework- Nothing yet.  If you are on campus over the next week I recommend visiting Tino Cook's exhibition "Caged Bird" in the student gallery on the first floor of Vaughn-Eames.  Hours are listed as noon to 8 pm daily, with a special reception on 9/12/18 starting at 7 pm.  Not required, and there is no related assignment, just something free and worth seeing if you are in the building.

For next class 9/14/18- We start our study of line.  Bring your 18"x24" pad, pencil(s) and an eraser.  We will be drawing shoes, and I'll have some for the class to use.  You are welcome to provide one of your own, a closed shoe (no sandals or flip flops), any style, or even take one off your own foot if you like.  The semester museum assignment will be distributed as well.

Welcome to the Fall 2018 Semester

This is the blog website that I have set up for the fall 2018 semester.  I have two sections of FA 1000 Introduction to Art on Fridays.  Each week I will post information about the classes we have had.  Each post will have a title that includes the name of the class and the date.  Posts about the class will have text in red.  Posts about school information not related to the class will appear in black.

Each week there will be a brief description of the work done that day, photos of student examples of the projects (when available), instructions for the class, special due dates when they exist (everything is due by the end of the semester).  I will list the materials required for the following week in class, reminders about written assignments, and museum links are posted.

This online blog is not a substitute for coming to class.  It is to provide information to registered students who might miss a class so that they can keep caught up and do so quickly.  Even if you never miss a class, you may find it useful as a reminder of what we have done, a place to check for required materials, to verify deadlines on papers or projects, or to see past student examples.  It is available 24/7 and will provide answers to the most common questions that students have, without a need to wait for a reply.  If you have class related questions that aren't answered by the information here, you are welcome to send me an e-mail and I will try to answer it as quickly as possible, usually within 24 hours.

5/18/18 Intro to Art

Update-

All grades were submitted to KeanWise before the Wednesday deadline, and I received acknowledgement from the university of receiving them.  So I am assuming that they have them.

Enjoy the summer.

5/11/18 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today was our last meeting of the semester, and everyone still on the roster showed up for the occasion.  Each class presented their 3D projects, and as expected, many were quite creative with their ideas.  I returned lots of comic strip projects and printed collagraphs and old papers, graded the 3D works, the semester portfolios, quite a marathon.  My Kean e-mail box received 9 student papers (all during class time, so before the deadline) and I got a few more hard copies handed to me in class.  

Things received today will be graded in the next few days- they have to be since final grades are due to Kean in just a few days.


How to make this up- Nothing to make up- if I haven't got it or seen it by now, it's too late.


Homework- As with above, if it wasn't turned in by the end of your class meeting, it ain't happening now.


For next week- I guess you can sleep late; I certainly won't be getting up at 5:30 am as I have been on Fridays this semester.  

I will grade the materials received today and calculate the final class grades in a few days, then submit them to KeanWise.  I'll post something here to verify that.  How long it  takes KeanWise to release them to the students I have no idea.

5/4/18 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Nothing new today- I figure you guys already have enough things to do before the semester ends next week.  So in general it was a work day, with students free to work on anything related to the class.  I used the day to return a lot of student work I had collected and graded, such as the comic strips, museum and research papers, and collagraph prints, as well as collecting some from students who were late turning them in.  For those who asked I provided a list of the expected items for next week's portfolio grading, but I'll be posting that here as well.

How to make this up- By now you should all know what you need to do for the rest of the semester.  If you are not sure, this blog shows everything we did and you can compare it to that which you have done.  I took in several comic strip projects from students today.  Here are a few that went back today:

Homework- The one thing that is definitely due next week is the 3D final project, based on a theme randomly chosen.  If you still haven't received one, you should contact me soon so I can find one for you.  Several students still owe me papers (first time or revised ones).  Some still owe me comic strip projects, and today some were working on portfolio exercises that they had missed the first time or had not finished in class.  


For next class, 5/11/18-  Our last meeting of the semester.  It's a grading day.  Bring the completed 3D project, any back projects or papers that haven't been graded yet, and the semester portfolio.  Here is a list of what is expected as part of the portfolio, and where on this blog you can find the information if you need it:

1/26/18-  Contour lines (shoes)
2/2/18-  Negative space (chair)
2/2/18-  Negative/Postive space (bottles)
2/9/18-  Value (charcoal)
2/16/18-  Collage/mosiac
2/23/18-  Color theory (wheel)
2/23/18-  Color theory (compliment mix)
3/2/18-  Photography
3/9/18-  Rhythm as visual element
3/23/18-  Printmaking and texture

Next week I'll be grading the portfolios (checked and returned the same day) the 3D projects (presented to class, then graded and returned), any late arriving comic strips or papers (students can leave them with me or wait until I get them graded that same day).  The sooner you get there, the sooner we will finish.  This will be our last meeting of the semester, so any work not turned in by the official end of the class meeting will not be accepted after that.

4/27/18 Intro to Art

Today's Class-  A very busy day today, so luckily my tires were all in better shape.  We started with a brief in class critique of all the comic strip projects that were due today.  Then we moved on to the final 3D project of the semester, found object sculptures based on randomly selected themes. Then we took time to complete the course survey forms, after which we could devote time to thinking about approaches to the last project.  Along the way, I collected research assignments due today, collagraph plates from those students who did not have them ready to print in class, and the comic strips to be graded before next week.

How to make this up- The last project this semester is a 3D sculpture made from found objects and other materials, representing the themes chosen from hats in class.  You may use any material you wish to depict your chosen theme.  I showed slides of some examples from the past century, sculptures made not from traditional techniques like carving stone or casting bronze, but rather from assembling, and materials can be anything you can find.  Below are some student examples from previous semesters, along with the random phrase that inspired each:

appetite for distraction

fallen merchant

impasse changed

planet gone wild

plowing through the nation

troubled uprising

The piece can be a freestanding object, or permanently attached to a base.  You may also create a backdrop or location, as in a few examples above, or some that we saw in  class today.  It should be at least 8" in one dimension, but no bigger than what you can easily carry to class. If you weren't in class today to get a topic, either e-mail me during the week or you can get one in class next week. 

Homework- This final 3D project is due by the end of class at our last meeting- May 11, 2018.

If you still owe your comic strip project or any papers, get them to me as soon as possible.  The longer the delay on any individually graded project, the fewer points it will be worth.  

Everything not individually graded will be part of the semester portfolio and will be graded the last day of class.  I will eventually produce a list of what's expected, but you can use this blog to review this entire semester and verify what you need.

For next class 5/4/18- A general work day for anything part of this class.  If you are all caught up on everything else, you may take advantage of the tables and space to work on your 3D final.  Or if you need to, you can work on one of the individually graded projects, a portfolio exercise, or even one of the papers.  Bring whatever materials you need to work on what you plan to do.  

4/20/18 Intro to Art final edition

Today's Class- Due to circumstances beyond my control, I was not able to make it up to Union today.  The day started out normal enough, up at 5:30 am, out to my car by 7:30 am, which would allow me to get to Kean in time to check e-mails, pull slides, etc.  However, my car was pitched to one side in its parking space, and that's never good. When I got close enough, I could see that one tire was completely flat.  Didn't get a photo of it, but imagine a hubcap resting on a pile of black banana peels.  No photo because I used the time waiting for tire assistance to clear a bunch of stuff out of my car- things for today's class, things for my local woodcut class, snow shovels and other winter tools that I just can't give up yet (we may get below freezing tonight), etc.  Got done just in time to uncover the well that holds my spare and send e-mails to the morning class.  Changing it didn't take long, but those donuts are not meant for high speed or long trips, so my usual 100 mile round trip on the GSP was out.  

That one screw between the treads doesn't look like much, but with the weight of my car on it, a disaster.  Called the office, sent e-mails to my afternoon students, then set out to get some replacement tires.  See, much better.

 

How to make this up- Had a lot of time to think about this, and came up with a new plan.  I've decided to abandon the earlier idea of having us do today's lesson (architecture/perspective drawing) next week, and instead we'll just use the remaining 3 weeks to work on the 3D Final project.

Homework- Nothing new, but some dates may have changed.  For example, the 2D Final (symbolic autobiographical comic strip in pastel) will now be due at the beginning of our next meeting- April 27, 2018.

The second written assignment, the research paper, will still be due on April 27, 2018.  This is to allow students who turn it in on time the opportunity to correct the mistakes and resubmit it for a higher grade.  Turn it in late, you get what you get.

Those who have not yet printed their collograph plate should bring the cardboard plate to class next week.  I'll collect them, bring them to my studio, print them there, and then bring back the plates and prints the following week.


For next class 4/27/18- We will start with a quick class critique of the comic strips, which I will collect, grade, and return the following week.  And if the course evaluation forms are in my mailbox, we'll need to fill those out.

After that, we will start work on the 3D Final.  The subject of your sculpture will be determined by a random drawing thing.  You don't need your 18"x24" pad, unless you want to use it to protect your comic strip.  I do recommend something to write with and a notebook or loose paper to start working out ideas for your last piece.  Materials for that will be discussed in class next week.

4/13/18 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today was the continuation of some things begun in previous classes.  Most students worked on the symbolic/autobiographical comic strip, our first individually graded project of the semester.  Those who brought in completed collagraph plates got them printed up.  I answered a lot of questions about papers, old and forthcoming, and we looked at a few photo examples from students who had brought them in.


How to make this up- All the information about the comic strip  project and some student examples can be found on last week's blog post (April 6, 2018 on this site).  Below is a student example print from a previous semester.

Printed with black water soluble relief ink on white paper from the big pads.  

Homework- The symbolic autobiographical comic strip project is due at the beginning of class on April 20, 2018.  This is an individually graded project, so late arriving projects will be downgraded as usual.  

The printed collagraphs are part of the semester portfolio, so must be completed by the last day of class.  If you have the tools, materials, and know how to do it on your own, all well and good.  If you would prefer me to do it for you, bring in your completed cardboard plate as soon as possible.  I'll collect them, bring them to my studio, and print them there.  I'm not going to bring in the ink and tools every week to do it there.  

The historical research paper is due at the beginning of class on April 27, 2018.  


For next class 4/20/18- We will do the last portfolio exercise of the semester, an architectural drawing using two point perspective.  Bring your 18"x 24" pad, pencil and eraser, and some kind of straight edge is recommended.  I'll have several yardsticks, so if you don't have your own ruler, you'll have to share with everyone else.

Student examples of 2D Final- autobiographical symbolic story

Today's Class- Our topic today was narrative, which we determined was the quality of telling a story.  

The inspiration for this project is the comic strip Maus, published in the 1980's and early 1990's, and collected in bound volumes in the 1990's, what is often called a graphic novel.  It simultaneously tells two stories, one of the events in the life of two Jewish people in Poland, captured in the Holocaust, and imprisoned in a work camp.  The two prisoners do survive, the camp is liberated as  World War II ends, they emigrate to America, and have a child.  The second story takes place much later, from the point of view of that child, now a grown man living in NYC, and having to deal with his often cantankerous elderly widowed father.  What made it unusual was that the characters are all portrayed as animals, in a cartoon hierarchy.  The Jewish characters, or all nations, are shown as mice, who are constantly pursued by German soldiers (cats), until they are defeated by the American soldiers (dogs). Other animals play roles as well.  Sometimes the animals are drawn as cartoon characters- personified with human style arms and legs, and with expressive faces.  Sometimes the characters are shown as humans wearing animal masks, Halloween style.  


What our project will have in common with this is that students will be creating a comic strip that tells a true story from their lives, so it will be autobiographical, and portraying themselves and other characters with symbols instead of people, so it will be symbolic.  The symbolic characters can relate to the nature of the story, or be personal symbols the student associates with the people. The story can be serious or inconsequential, happy or sad- it doesn't matter.  Here are a few examples from previous semesters:

These first four are one I have in my possession, and if we were meeting you could see them in person.  These are all  examples of this strip done by students taking this class, the same problem.  In this one, the characters all all beach related- a ball, pail, umbrella, etc. These were chosen as a personal symbol, of interest to the participants, or based on characteristics possessed by the participants, according to the creator. The story has nothing to do with the beach, but the characters all liked the beach.  The story is actually about a time the group was playing field hockey and an injury occurred. In the first page, the group gets together to play the game, but early in the second page, the ball gets injured, has to go to the hospital, is seen by a doctor (a shell) and eventually emerges on crutches. (in the class, the student no longer needed them, so a happy ending. 

The second strip also has a beach theme, but this time the story is also a beach story, so the symbols are related to the story.  Two friends decide to go to the beach, the two friends are depicted as bathing suits with no further personification. The two bathing suits take a trip to the shore, lay on the beach, enjoy some pizza, then more time on the beach.  A nice day.

Our third example has no beach at all, but three Kean friends who decide to go see a view of the George Washington Bridge.  The symbols are a flower, a water drop, and an apple, none of which have anything to do with the subject, so these are personal symbols chosen by the creator. They depart together by car, later walk through the woods where they have a scary encounter with a spider, eventually reach their goal and see the bridge, the spider incident not so bad.

Our fourth example is a less good one, what not to do. The story isn't bad, about a student getting a job to earn some money.  He portrays himself as a 50 lb. dumbbell type weight, which may be a personal symbol, but in this case it is a story symbol as well. The job is working in a weight room.  Our character gets the job, helps spot lifters, cleans, organizes, and at the end of the first page, gets a paycheck.  The second page shows him going to the bank to turn it into cash, which he takes to the store, and uses to buy some nice sneakers. The story is good, the character/symbol is good, but the art is lacking. The drawing is perfectly fine, but there isn't enough color- too much empty white space.  The grade ended up being a B, but would have been a A with more color.

Here are several more good examples of this project from past years.

Each strip should use two full pages from your 18" x 24" pad, with 6 more panels per page- panel size can vary as needed.  Format can be horizontal or vertical.  I suggest using pencil to sketch out the layouts.  You may use pencil, pen, or markers to put in lettering (as in dialogue balloons, boxes of captions) or outline objects, but all color must come from pastels.  You can also go wordless if you want. New colors can be created by combinations (like we did with the paints), typically layering one over the other and blending, such as with fingers, a scrap of paper towel, or anything else you prefer.  Objects that one might expect to be white may remain that way (pastels or white from the paper), but otherwise use color everywhere, like what you might see in a Sunday paper. 

Other rules:

1) Story should be true, something that happened in your life. You will be a character in the story.

2) Story can take place in any time, and can cover as long a period as you want- a moment, a few days, a year, a lifetime.

3) Characters must be symbols, not just humans.  You have the options of adding limbs, faces, and other human attributes, but you don't have to.  There are examples of both styles above.

4) If it makes sense for the characters to change (age, etc), that is permitted, but make sure it is clear that the character is still the same. 


5) We can do anything permitted in comic strips.  Words can be used in transitions or to show sound effects.  The above examples can provide guidance.  Dialog balloons, thought balloons, all available.