Mon. 1/28 IDEAL SOLIDS

Emily Rivera

Last night students made drawings of the five basic forms found in most man-made objects (i.e. the Ideal Solids). The forms are the cone, sphere, cube, the cylinder and the open cylinder. Students also applied the categories of light. There are six categories in all:1. cast shadow 2. reflected light 3. core shadow 4. shadow 5. light 6. high light.

Fri. 1/25 Contour vs. Gesture Drawing

The Friday class got caught on its introduction to the Characteristics of Line with studies in contour line drawing and gesture drawing. Contour line drawings are slow and deliberate, addressing the parts to make the whole whereas gesture drawings are quick, spontaneous, all encompassing studies of the whole working towards the parts. In other words, starting with the largest forms moving to the smaller forms. Both build eye-hand coordination and should be practiced often.  Here are some examples from Friday's class.

Marina Avila

This contour drawing exhibits confident, fluid contours enhanced by strong accenting addressing: 1. advancing forms, 2. shadow planes, 3. planar shifts or structural changes. Note the strong, graphic quality these lines exhibit.

Philip Elias

This drawing emphasizes the cross-contours moving across the frontal planes. A couple of important things to consider are 1. cross-contours should "arc" across a round or curvilinear form and 2. placing lines close together creates a dark value.

Angela Penland

This is a continuous-line drawing. Continuous-line drawings share qualities of contour as well as gesture. It addresses the largest forms working towards the smaller forms all the while treating the subject as though it were transparent. The objective is to wrap the forms in line creating an creating a structural armature.

Katherine Imhoff

The mass technique is essentially one of value capturing mass and light. The form is rendered is broad sweeps building up the darker tonalities.

Laura Mueller

Laura's drawing combines the line and mass techniques. Line addresses the structural volumes and mass captures the mass and light.

Philip Elias

This last drawing emphasizes the negative areas over the positive. Remember that the positive areas are the forms and the negative areas are the spaces in and around the forms. The goal is to suggest the gourds leaving much to the imagination. In other words, make the viewer work for it. This approach allows the artist to focus on the design by drawing only the most important areas of the still life.

1/23 GESTURE DRAWING

Rachel Edelstein

Last night we began our studies of the Gesture approach to drawing. We started with cross-contour drawings like the one above. Note the line quality. Darker accents used on the contours closest to the viewer, then softening as they turn around the form.

Luke Stauffenegger

Next students made continuous line drawings. This techniques establishes an armature like image around the form. Line drawings like this address the structure of a form.

Steven Freebairn

 The drawing above is an example of the scribble gesture technique. This approach establishes mass and volume as well as a sense of light.

Jessica Peters

The mass technique basically captures the mass and weight of the form. Essentially it uses value to describe the form so it captures the light as well. Note how the dark accents in the neck pinch the form whereas the cast shadow anchors the gourd to table.

Steven Freebairn

Class ended with a more complex arrangement of forms with a drawing using the mass technique emphasizing the negative areas of the composition. Remember that the positive areas are the objects whereas the negative areas are the spaces around and within the forms. The objective of this drawing was to suggest the form rather than fully establish it. Notice how the darkest accents move your eye around the composition. In addition, by not enclosing the shapes, the values cross over space and form merging positive with negative.

HOMEWORK #1 CONTOUR LINE DRAWINGS

In your sketchbook, using soft graphite pencil, make a series of (10) contour line drawings of complex objects. One per page (tools, bicycle parts, plants, car, etc.) Employ line weight variations and accenting. Note in the drawings above the use of strong, dark exterior contour lines with lighter lines used on soft contours and surface variations like the wood grain and reflections.

1/16 Contour Line Drawings

Colton Davis

Last night we began our investigation of the characteristics of line beginning with contour line drawings. Contour lines define interior and exterior volumes. This is not outlining which only defines outside edges. Contour lines turn into the form whereas outlines continue along the outer edge of a form. Outlines are flat whereas contour line drawings are "plastic" or three-dimensional. "Accenting", allowing the line to be thicker/thinner or darker/lighter in areas, adds a greater sense of dimension. Although contour lines appear minimal, they can address subtle changes in a form's structure, color, value and texture all by means of accenting the line. This is evident is Colton's drawing above. One final note to remember: Dark lines advance, whereas light lines recede.

Class Introductions: Jan. 14

Welcome to Art 7A Drawing and Composition I. Be sure to regularly check this blog for examples of class work as well as more in depth directions for homework. Good Luck.