THURS. 9/29 Value and Rendering Light

Values are determined by the lighting conditions (i.e. source, time of day, etc.) as well as the planar structure of the objects.  Most artists use value to address the volumes of forms as well as the lighting conditions but some artists will emphasize the light patterns over volume.  To do this, artists will employ a mark-making technique that contradicts volume capturing and focusing on the juxtaposition of dark and light values. The drawings here show a single directional hatch technique and the scribble technique.

Cullen Houser

Joseph Easterbrook

HOMEWORK #3 Dinner Is Served

Alan DeMarche

For this assignment, you are to draw the before or after setting of a meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc.) Create an asymmetrical composition of plates, glassware, silverware, etc. You may include cereal boxes, condiment bottles, etc. to complete the narrative. Your drawing should be in full value addressing the categories of light.  Use graphite pencils on 18 x 24 in. drawing paper.

TUES. 9/ 27 Modeling Light and Form

Valentin Mendoza

Leah Leahy

Modeling is the application of value gradations to render forms 3-dimensionally. Students observed light patterns and addressed the categories of light within simple still life arrangements. Still life consisted of one dark object, one light object and one mid-value object.  The objective was to address the categories of light as well as translating the local values of each object to the drawing. The additional challenge to this particular arrangement of objects is the shiny, reflective surface.  The thing to remember is that you are not drawing a shiny surface instead you are drawing patterns of light and dark values.

THURS. 9/22 Value Reduction

For this project, students observed the local values of objects within a still life and their shadows.  If a value ranges from 1 to 5 (high key) it remains white in the drawing.  If a value is low key it is filled in solid black.  These drawings become very abstract and suggest the forms rather directly illustrating the objects. The key to a successful design is to establish a rhythm or path between the black and white shapes and to use repetition if possible.

Lina Chambliss

Magalli Larque

Ross Teter

TUES. 9/20 Value Patterns

Students continued exploring Value.  Students tried to address the value patterns observed in the still life while also exaggerating and emphasizing areas in order to create a stronger, more balanced composition.

Bikesh Maharjan

Lilly Valencia

Ashley Hurd

Agun Gede

Alexis Rodriguez

Melissa Ehret

SUBJECTIVE USE OF VALUE

Michael Martinez

Jessica Eckles

Abigail Sanchez

Dori Becket

Finished work from last Thursday's class.  Notice the use of repeating and similar values and shapes within the compositions.  The use of line in the top two images creates a strong sense of rhythm and movement. The bottom two images have used repeating patterns to help establish a rhythm.

THURS. 9.15 Subjective Use of Value

Meghan O'Rourke

Michael Martinez

Jamie Shine

Andrew Pong

Value refers to the gradations of light and dark. Class began with the creation of a value scale (white, black and eight shades of gray). We also discussed additive, reductive and smeared drawing techniques. From there students made drawings of fragmented portraits or abstract designs of large and small shapes.  These shapes were then filled with modulated values, flat values and the various textures achieved by application and manipulation of the charcoal. Here are some progress pics.  Next week, I'll post the finished results.

TUES. 9.13 Proportions cont.

Ashley Hurd (proportions)

Leah Leahy (mass gesture)

Agun Gede (line and mass gesture)

We continued working with proportions followed by a review of the gesture techniques. The difference with this class session was the emphasis on rendering forms with angles. A couple of things to remember is: 1. According to linear perspective parallel diagonals will appear to converge at vanishing points located on the horizon line (eye level) and 2. you can line up your pencil on the angle in space and transfer that to your drawing or conversely you can place your pencil straight across the form in space isolating the negative area and compare the angle against the straight line of the pencil. Whichever works best. 

HOMEWORK #2 COMPOSING IDEAL SOLIDS

Danielle Brazsuly

The second homework assignment is to repeat the project from class.  Use charcoal materials and erasers on 18 x 24 in. drawing paper.  You must use all (5) solids but may add more as needed; but don't over do-it. Once again try to establish a sense of depth with atmospheric perspective, overlapping forms, diagonals, scale change and value.  Lastly, address the categories of light. Remember to consider the texture of the objects as it relates to the environment.

Cullen Houser

Jennifer Suoja

Milan Evje

Saroeuth Chhoeung

THURS. 9/8 Proportions

Zoe Brester-Pennings

Saroeuth Chhoeung

The topic of the day was Proportions: relating the individual parts of an object to one another. We began with a brief overview of Alberto Giacometti's technique of Organizational Line Drawing. Organizational Lines isolate, organize and enclose the positive and negative areas around a form and across a composition. Note in the drawings above the use of central axis lines when dealing with symmetrical objects. Furthermore, next it is important to try and identify the "root" form within the object. Both of these objects could start with a sphere morphing into an egg shape. And lastly, wherever a (curvilinear or round) form changes direction there should be an ellipse.

TUES. 9/6 Composing Ideal Solids

Demo Drawing

Class began with a discussion on Composition followed by another drawing involving the Ideal Solids.  The objective of this drawing is to place the forms within a deep space while addressing the categories of light. Students are to utilize atmospheric perspective, overlapping forms, scale change, diagonals and use of values to suggest a sense of depth. Students will have a bit more time in tomorrow's class before moving on to the discussion addressing Proportions.

THURS. 9/1 IDEAL SOLIDS

Student Drawing

Ideal Solids are the standard, geometric forms found in many objects, particularly those that are man-made. They consist of the cone, sphere, cube, long cylinder, and open cylinder. Students worked out the basic structure of the objects locating axis lines or foundation shapes (cylinder starts with a rectangle) and then applied the categories of light to the form. These forms were drawn from imagination.