5/6/08 Intro to Art and 2D Design

Today was the final day of the semester for my art classes. Final Projects, Portfolios, Museum Papers, and a few late projects were graded and returned. Unclaimed student work was left on the table in the front corner. It may be thrown away at any time, so if you want it back, come get it as soon as possible.

Students can learn their final class grades online after Kean posts them on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 after 4:30 pm.

Update 5/14/08- Final grades for both classes have been submitted to KeanWise.

Enjoy your summer.

4/29/08 2D Design

Today's Class- Today was a general workday, where students could work on the Final Project or any other back project that they owe.

Next week- Next week is the Final Grading Day. Bring your completed Final Project (transforming book), museum papers (if you haven't turned it in yet), your previously graded projects, and the semester portfolio. To see a list of the graded projects and the contents of the final portfolio, click here.

At the beginning of class, we will have a critique of the Final Projects, then I will grade those, the portfolios, museum papers, and any back projects that students bring in.

4/29/08 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today was a general work day to work on the final project or any other back project that students needed to work on.

Next week- Final Grading Day. Bring your completed final project (box project), your museum paper, and your class portfolio. For a reminder of what's in the portfolio, click here.

We will have a critique of the final projects, then I will grade the finals, the portfolios, museum papers, and any back assignments (comic strip, research paper) you might owe me.

4/22/08 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we looked at the recently completed still life and color palettes paintings, and then did an exercise in composing with shapes. After the break, we talked about the Final Project of the semester, a transforming book.

Homework- Choose a painting to adapt for this project, either as a pop up image (as seen above), or a pull tab book, tranparency book, or folding flap book. To see examples of all these and get more details, click here.

For next week 4/29/08- Next week will be a general work week for the class. Students may work on the final project or any back project or portfolio exercise. Bring whatever materials are appropriate to the project you want to do. If you are working on the final, that would mean a color image of your painting of choice, matboard, paper, pencil/eraser, painting materials, and anything else you might need.

4/22/08 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we started the final project of the semester, an open front Joseph Cornell style box. There are 3 examples above from previous semesters. To see more examples and learn the details, click here.

Homework- This project is due on the last day of class, May 6, 2008.

Next class 4/29/08- It will be a general work day, where students can work on the final project or any incomplete back project. Bring whatever materials you need to work on what you plan to do.

4/15/08 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we looked at the completed color temperature projects, then began a new graded class project- a still life painting.

How to make this up- Set up a still life, like the one seen in the top photo, involving a colored cloth and at least 4 solidly colored objects, all different colors. Use a direct light to create strong light and shadow. The objects should be from among these colors- blue, yellow, red, orange, green. The fabric can be any color. Select a view that fills the page. You may draw it first in pencil before painting. Match color and value as closely as possible. The bottom photo shows a student painting from a previous semester.

Homework- This Still Life painting project is due at the beginning of class next week. The 4 Color Palettes project begun on 4/8/08 is also due at the beginning of class next week.

For next class 4/22/08- Bring the two homework assignments, paper, pencil and eraser, paint materials, and a book containing color images of paintings from a favorite single artists, favorite period/style, or just a general art history book. In addition, you will need a piece of matboard, about 20"x30".

4/15/08 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we started by looking at the 2D Narrative comic strip projects. Then we reviewed the history of architecture, prehistoric to the present, and did a class exercise in 2 point perspective drawing. To learn more about the drawing project, click here.

Homework- Just a reminder- the museum assignment is due on the last day of class, 3 weeks from today. If you need a reminder of the assignment, click here.

For next week 4/22/08- Bring your pad of paper, pencil and eraser, and pastels. We will start looking at the history of sculpture and start the final 3D project.

4/8/08 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we started a new project, exploring color combinations by taking a black and white photograph and reproducing it in various color combinations using paint. For more examples, and details of how to complete the project , click here.

Homework- This new graded project involving color palettes is due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, April 22, 2008. Remember, the season temperature collages are due next week, 4/15/08.

For next class 4/15/08- Bring your completed season temperature collages, 18"x24" pad, all you painting materials, pencil, and eraser. We will start a new painting project.

4/8/08 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we continued working on the comic strip project that we started in class last week. (see 4/1/08) While that was going on, the collograph plates were printed.

How to make this up- Bring your completed collograph plate in as soon as possible. I'll collect them and probably print them later.

Homework- The comic strip personal narrative project that we started last week is due at the beginnning of class on April 15, 2008.

For next class 4/15/08- Bring your 18"x24" pad of paper, pencil, eraser, and a ruler- 18" is preferable, but 12" will work if that's all you have.

4/1/08 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we started by looking at some slides of art, deciding whether the overall color temperatures were warm, cool, or neutral/mixed. Then we began a new graded project involving color temperature. To learn the details about how to complete this project, click here.

Homework- This color temperature collage graded project is due at the beginning of class on 4/15/08.

For next class 4/8/08- Bring all your paint related supplies, pad, pencil, and eraser. In addition, bring a black and white photo that will be used as the basis for a new graded project. If you don't bring a photo, you may pick from a pile of newspapers and magazines that I'll provide.

4/1/08 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we started by looking at slides of art that used narrative and symbolism, then began our 2D graded project. We also reviewed a few more student research papers and student photo projects. To learn all the specifics of the personal history comic strip project, click here.

Homework- This project is due at the beginning of class on April 15. The collograph projects we began last week is due in class on 4/8/08.

For next class 4/8/08- Bring in the collograph printing plates that you began last week. Also bring in your pad of paper, pencil, eraser, and pastels. I will help print the collographs while students continue to work on the comic strip project.

2D Design Color Theory and Mixing

Today's class- The above image shows the color mixing exercises. Do the following-

1) Color Wheel- Draw a circle in pencil. Draw 3 boxes on the rim, equally spaced apart, half the box inside the circle, half outside. These will be for the primary colors (red, yellow, blue). Put one in each box- full strength outside the circle, mixed with white inside. Next, draw 3 similar boxes on the rim, halfway between the primary colors. These will be for the secondary colors (orange, green, violet). Again, full strenth outside the circle, mixed with white inside. Mix the secondary colors from the primary colors that you have, and place them in the proper positions. Last, make 6 more boxes, between each of the primary and secondary colors. These will be the intermediate colors, each mixed from a primary and secondary. (blue-green, red-violet, yellow-orange, etc). No need to mix white with these.

2) Complement mixes- Draw the set of 8 boxes seen on the right- a row of 5 and an adjacent row of 3. Pick a pair of complementary colors- either red/green or blue/orange. Put the primary of the pair in the first of 5 boxes, the secondary in the last box. The middle box should be an even mix of primary and secondary- add white and put it in the middle of 3 boxes right next to it. In the second box put a mix of mostly the primary and little of the secondary, then a mix with white in the box next to it. In the fourth box, mostly secondary with a little bit of the primary, and the tint with white.

3) Tints and shades- Draw a row of 15 boxes, like the row at the bottom of the page. In the middle box (#8) put either red or blue, straight from the tube. In one direction, gradually add white until the last box is white with just a hint of the color. In the other direction, gradually add black.

2/25/08 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we looked at slides covering the history of printmaking, including woodcut, intaglio, and silkscreen. We also reviewed and returned the research assignments, as well as looking at the students' photo assignment results. Last, we began a new project involving another print process, the collograph, an example of which is seen above. To learn more about what is involved, click here.

Homework- The completed collograph plate is due at the beginning of class on April 8, 2008. Those who still owe me their research assignment should bring it as soon as possible- for every week it's late, more points are deducted from the grade.

For next class 4/1/08- We will be beginning the first graded art project of semester. Bring your pad, pencil, eraser, and pastels.

3/11/08 2D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we started our study of color, looking at the history of color in art from cave paintings through contemporary art, as well as its uses in graphic design (such as the image above). We also went to see the student art show in the gallery. We would have started doing some exercises in color mixing after that, except that the campus was evacuated because of a bomb threat, causing us to miss the last 2.5 hours of class time.

Homework- The completed woodblock projects are due at the beginning of class on March 25.

For the next class (3/25/08) Bring your finished block, pad of paper, markers, pencil, and all the painting stuff (acrylics, brushes, palette, palette knife). We will continue the study of color and print the blocks. Enjoy your spring break.

3/11/08 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we discussed the idea of rhythm in visual art. This can take the form of movement and flow in a composition, or be related to patterns. We looked at slides from the history of art that showed different kinds of visual rhythm, then we did a series of abstract paintings based on music I played for the students.

How to make this up- The details of the assignment, and how you can make this up on your own, can be found by clicking here. It is a portfolio assignment, so due at the end of the semester.

Homework- The prints from the photo assignment are due at our next class meeting on March 25. Those who have not yet turned in their research assignments should get them to me as soon as possible. Each week that it's late is more of a grade deduction.

For the next class (3/25/08)- We will start a collograph print project. Bring materials with interesting textures (natural and/or manufactured) that you don't mind cutting up or gluing to a surface. Enjoy your spring break.

3/4/08 2D Design

Today's class- Tonight I distributed the wood blocks, advised students on the compositions, and demonstrated safe cutting techniques. I also graded and returned last week's charcoal drawing projects. To see more images and learn more details regarding the woodcut project, click here.

Homework- You cannot start the cutting without a piece of wood, which I can get you next week in class. Until then, all you can do is work up an 8"x6" sketch. The finished cut block is due at the beginning of class on March 25.

For next week- We will begin our study of color. Bring with you the acrylic paints, brushes, palette, palette knife, water container, pencil and eraser, and 18"x24" pad of paper.

3/4/08 Intro to Art

Today's class- Today I showed slides covering the history of photography, from 1826 to the present. I distributed and reviewed a photo assignment that students will complete on their own time, using any kind of camera (film, digital). To see the details, click here.

We also took a tour of the whole art building, seeing and discussing the kinds of classes that are available. We ended up at the student show in the Howe Gallery downstairs, where we saw examples of art from students in all the different classes.

Homework- The photo assignment is due at the beginning of class on March 25. And remember that the research assignment is due at the beginning of class on March 11.

For next week's class- We will be using the watercolors again, so bring your paints, brushes, palettes, and pad of 18"x24" paper.

2D Design Final Charcoal Drawing

Today's class- Tonight we did one last charcoal drawing, this one a graded project. In the later part of the class I showed slides of printmaking- examples covering from the 15th century to the present, including some relief prints from me and my friends. I went over some information about the upcoming woodcut book illustration project.

How to make this up- Set up a still life grouping. Place a box on a table, drape it with a white or light colored sheet or towel, and arrange on and around it the following items-

1) a hat
2) a bottle
3) a piece of sports equipment (ball, mitt, etc)
4) a section of a plant (real or artificial- leaves, flowers, etc)
5) any white object

Light it with a direct light to create strong light and shadows. Draw from the set up, using either kind of charcoal, on your 18"x24" paper. Convert the local colors of objects to their appropriate level of value in charcoal. Spend about 3 hours on it. This is a graded project.

Intro to Art- Color Mixing

Today's Class- Today we reviewed examples of color through the history of art, from cave paintings to contemporary painting and comic books. Then we began a class project involving color mixing- doing a color wheel and a complement mixing exercise, as seen above.

How to make this up- There is too much involved to explain it all right now. I have a prepared hand out that I will distribute in class next week and go over with all those who missed today. Since this is a portfolio exercise, it's not due until the end of the semester.

2D Design Charcoal Value Exercises

Today's Class- Today we reviewed slides of art from the Romans to the present, discussing how artists used value to achieve form, space, and focus. Then we did some charcoal still life drawing.

How to make up this class- Put a small box on a table and drape with a white or light colored sheet. Place on and around it at least 4 white or light colored objects, as in the example above. Set up a direct light to create strong light and shadows. Then do the following drawings, spending about 90 minutes on each-

A) Vine Charcoal- use the vine charcoal to coat your whole 18"x24" sheet of paper with a dark, even layer of charcoal. Use your kneaded eraser to draw from the still life, erasing out the lights. You may add more charcoal as necessary to deepen shadows.

B) Compressed Charcoal- DO NOT coat the paper with charcoal first this time, just draw the objects directly on the white paper with the compressed charcoal. Go with a light touch at first, as this doesn't erase easily. Use the charcoal to build values, matching the lights and darks as closely as possible.

These drawings are portfolio exercises, to be graded as part of the final portfolio. As such, they are not due until the end of the semester, but doing them this week will be good practice for the graded charcoal drawing we will do in class next week.