MON. 5/13 FINAL PROJECT: "The Jungle"

Students will be working on their Final Project all week. "The Jungle" covers just about everything we've discussed in class excluding Linear Perspective. The objective is to create a continuous field composition of organic forms while using value patterns and texture to establish a rhythm and movement as well as a sense of light, surface quality and volume.
1. Choose a dominant form
2. Establish supporting areas of different forms using the design principles similarity, repetition and grouping.
3. Fill the entire page creating a continuous field (shallow space). The should be no blank areas; even the background should have a texture.
4. Locate the light source and address value and texture developing a rhythm and movement across the composition.

HOMEWORK #8 TEXTURE: Continuous Field

Mike Koonce

In a 4 x 5 in. frame, in your sketchbook, using graphite pencils, draw a continuous field composition of an actual texture (from a real object observed). Your image should only exhibit the details of the texture not the edges of the object. In the image above, the edge of the leaf is out of the image area. It may help to light your subject with a single light source to cast shadows from all the peaks and valleys of the texture. Remember, texture drawings are essentially value drawings. Contrast and gradations are very important for establishing visual interest as well as depth.

5/10 TEXTURE: Single Subject, Continuous Field and Portfolios

Philip Elias

Class began with a lecture on the categories of Texture: 1. Actual 2. Simulated 3. Symbolic 4. Invented. From there the class made single subject studies of variously textured objects. The goal was to render the texture but to also capture the physical character of the form. For instance, Philips drawing of an oyster shell exhibits the hard and rough nature of the shell surface and structure. Throughout the drawing are subtle, hair-line contours and tonalities illustrating the surface and light patterns.

Shae Hudson

In the afternoon, we discussed the compositional strategy of Continuous Field. A continuous field composition is one where the image extends out of the format on all four sides. Shae's drawing of drift wood has taken on a life of its own totally removed from its source. He has created an abstract and distorted image of organic forms sunken into and stretching across a dune-like landscape. The soft touch and subtle transitions in value bring a delicacy to the drawing that is complemented by its 4 x 5 inch dimensions.

5/8 TEXTURE: Continuous Field

Stephany Valencia

Students continued with texture drawings. We discussed the concept of a continuous field composition. A continuous field composition has no horizon line; the image extends outside the format on all four sides. Although the drawing above is not a continuous field it is an intriguing and surreal rendering of a magnolia seed pod. The combination of tone and cross-contour lines addresses the texture while adding volume and depth as well.

5/6 TEXTURE

Elliot Yung

Last night students began work on Texture. We discussed the differences between 1. Actual Texture 2. Simulated Texture 3. Symbolic Texture and 4. Invented Texture. Texture drawings are essentially value drawings; the juxtaposition of dark and light values. So when making a texture drawing it is crucial to pay attention to value and contrast.

HOMEWORK # 7 SELF-PORTRAIT

Draw a self-portrait. You may use any medium but pay close attention to light and form. Be conservative with how much white of the paper you leave. In the drawing above, the face has an overall tone, the highlights are achieved by erasing/ reducing the tonalities.

FRI. 5/3 Self-Portraits

Marina Avila

Students drew self-portraits yesterday. Marina's drawing above is a good example of how bone structure and planes influence value and gradations. Depth is achieved by establishing a strong core shadow on the left side of the face. More importantly, there are alternating dark and light areas moving vertically down the face starting with the forehead to the eye sockets then the nose, under the nose leading to the mouth and under the lip and lastly the chin and the neck. It is crucial to address these "peaks and valleys" within the topography of the face in order to create a three-dimensional, volumetric portrait. There are no flat areas on the face; the surface is constantly changing.

WED. 5/1 Self Portraits

Steven Freebairn

Students completed work on their self-portraits last night. First, we did warmed up with two skeletons drawing them from different angles every couple of minutes.
Steven's drawing above exhibits a good sense of the underlying bone structure illustrated in the subtle shifts of value across the face. The hair is typically a problem area; usually getting "over-drawn". Steven has done a great job with his hair by laying down tonal areas and then working reductively as well as additively to rendering groupings of the hairs and highlights.