In preparation for our next unit, I would like you to think about an important journey, experience, or trip you have taken in your life. It may have been a trip that was to a far away place, or it may have been just down the street. Regardless, it should be an event that you remember well, and has left a positive impression on you.
First, complete the "Illustrate a Personal Journey" worksheet by responding to the questions with complete sentences. It will help you brainstorm and remember trips you may have taken in the past.
Then, go on an image search. Find 8-10 photos, souvenirs, keepsakes, or other imagery that you still have that documents your trip. Gather this "visual evidence" together in a ziploc bag and bring them to class next. Thursday, 12/10, along with the worksheet.
Choose an object that can be altered, changed, or transformed in a unique or interesting way. It can be an object that can be taken apart, put together, eaten, broken, or totally changed into something new. The object should be small enough to set in front of you and draw from life.
Here's what you'll be graded on for this assignment:
Observation-Use line quality and shading to show the textures, highlights, and shadows you observe on your object.
Design-Use the entire space of the page, make sure your drawing touches or goes off two sides of the page. You must draw your object at least three times, in its different states on the same page.
Use of time-this drawing should show about an hour of study.
Use of Materials-pencil, colored pencil, pen, you can use any drawing material you'd like, but I want to see line quality, shaded values, and texture!
Find a pair of glasses. They can be reading glasses or sunglasses. Position them in a unique way to capture an interesting composition. Your drawing must go off the edge of the page and should still fill the majority of the space. Use shading and line quality. Capture a shadow.
* For a challenge: Consider a difficult perspective, using another object in with your drawing, capturing interesting reflections, or more than one pair of glasses.
You will be graded on:
- Composition: Fill the page (no tiny drawings!) & off the edge
-Accurate observation (draw what you see) & scale
-Good craftsmanship (keep it neat & invest some time)
For our next unit in class, we're going expressive. What does this mean? It means we're going to tap into an emotion, a state of mind, or an attitude and express this with our artwork. Using composition, expressive facial features, and a symbolic or metaphorical object, you will create a self-portrait drawing that presents your state-of-mind to the world. Check out the slideshow below to gather ideas about how you might create your own drawing series.
As our first formal drawing unit in class, we've been drawing blocks. Why? They're simple forms, and they allow us to easily practice very basic, but very important art and drawings skills like arranging an interesting composition, shading to show contrasting values, measuring size relationships, and learning to make a drawing look 3D with form. It also allows us to practice using a new drawing media, charcoal!
Below is the rubric that will be used to grade your block drawing, and will also help us structure our critique. Your block drawing should be finished by the end of class on Friday, Sept. 2nd.
For your next sketchbook assignment, I'd like you to think big, but start with something small. Find a small object (should fit inside your hand) and do a close up drawing of it.
-Your drawing should be zoomed in to capture the object at least 5 times larger than it actually is. -Create an interesting composition by experimenting with the size, angle, and placement of your object on your page. -Your drawing should go off/touch at least two edges of the page. -Your drawing should show a full range of values (shading) to illustrate the light and shadows you see.
**For a challenge: Capture reflections and shadows. Consider using more than one of your object or an object that is more complex or unique!
Find an interesting clear drinking glass. Fill it about half way with water. Place a metal spoon in the glass of water. Carefully observe what you see. Create a drawing that captures what you see in an interesting way. Show a variety of line quality. Consider an interesting angle, and have your drawing take up the space on the page, just like we did in class with our shoes. Add value (shading) to your drawing.
Your drawing will be graded on the following:
1) Uses the entire page, (touches at least two edges of the page)
2) Shows evidence of being drawn from life (don't make it up!)
3) Uses a variety of line quality (remember the artist's styles we looked at in class)
4) Demonstrates at least an hour of observed study. (Take your time and do your best!)
5) For an extra challenge, show shading of all the different values that you see. (Include shadows and reflections!)
Create your drawing on one page in your sketchbook. If you don't own a sketchbook, use the very back page of your visual journal, (there will be enough room for sketchbook assignments in your journal).
The visual journal is way for you to express your ideas, your jokes, your interests, your concerns, and your life in a visual way. Every four weeks, you will need to complete three assignments in the order they are given on the sheet below. The rules are simple:
1) Respond to each word/phrase creatively, artistically and personally.
2) Avoid clichés and easy solutions. Avoid the first answer that comes to mind, (it's usually what everyone else will think of too. Consider what this word means to you, don't just think about it literally.
3) Don't use the same media combination more than twice! (Media is the art material you use in your artwork. Experiment with different combinations of each. Try out different media we experiment with in class!
The journals will be graded based upon four criteria:
Objective/Creativity- To what extent did you think about the word, brainstorm ideas, and create a unique, personal response? Did you do the first thing that came to mind, or did you take some time to solve it in a personal way?
Design-How do you use the space of the page? Do you go off the edges and think about composition, or did you just randomly place things around the page or in the center?
Media Skills & Application- How do you use and apply art materials? Do you practice with the media first before using it in your journal, or do you just wing it and hope for the best? Do you attempt and use a variety of media techniques, or do you only use pencil?
Presentation/Craftsmanship- How much time did you invest in the assignment? Is there evidence of thought and careful craftsmanship for each assignment? Or, did you rush and finish it five minutes before it's due? Remember, you are only assigned 3-4 entries per month. Each page in your visual journal should take at least 45 minutes worth of work.
Check out the slideshow to the right that has lots of ideas and suggestions for creating an awesome visual journal entry!
Below is a list of the visual journal assignments and due dates for this school year. Please refer to this often in case you forget or lose your assignment sheet!
To learn how to draw, we first need to learn how to trust ourselves, and not make something appear perfect to start. A contour line drawing is a drawing made by observing the outside and inside lines that make up a form. Often these lines connect. This type of drawing is loosely made, focusing on the many lines of the form, not just an outline.
For your first in-class assignment, you will complete two more drawings of your hand.
The first drawing will be a simple contour line drawing of your hand in a simple pose that experiments with different line weights and types. The second drawing will be of your hand in a slightly more complex pose, combining contour lines with detail and shading.
Your drawings will be graded based on the following criteria:
1) Use of class time and focused observation.
2) Use of contour line and variety of line weights.
3) Shows your entire hand, and sleeve or arm of your shirt.
4) Shows your best effort.
Your four drawings will be graded together for 40 points, the final drawing will be worth 20 points.
Below is a copy of the syllabus for this year. I use an application called Scribd to post documents that you can view, download, and print to your own computer at any time you'd like. If you ever lose a handout/gradesheet, come to the blog to print out an extra copy. If you click on the document and nothing appears on your screen, you may have a web browser that needs updating! Let me know if you have any problems.
Welcome to Reservoir High School's Visual Arts department! This blog will be our virtual classroom for the year which will allow you to access important art slideshows, assignments/due dates, class links, and other helpful information. Keep this site bookmarked in your web browser, and check in often to see what's going on in class!
Also, please note that at the right, there is a direct link to the Reservoir Art Department website. This site will connect you to all of the other art and photo classes happening at Reservoir, as well as provide you important links to school art contests, supplies, and links to our club, NAHS (National Art Honor Society), as well as other helpful items.
Lastly, if you have any questions throughout the year, you can contact me at my email address to the right, (elalonde@hcpss.org).
