PORTFOLIOS ARE DUE

Last night was the last class for working on the Imaginary Space drawings. We will look at them first thing on Wed. Also take note that portfolios are due next week. Check out the Portfolio Review tab above for the list of drawings and due dates.

HOMEWORK #8 Texture

This drawing is to be completed in your sketchbook. In a 4 x 5 in. format, using graphite pencils, draw a "continuous field" composition of an actual texture. Your image should be similar to the one above in that there is no reference to the exterior shape of the object, only the texture zoomed in to fill the rectangular format. A "continuous field" composition touches all sides of the format. Bare in mind that "texture" drawings are essentially "value" drawings. Pay close attention to contrast and gradations. It will help to set up a strong, single directional light source.

IMAGINARY SPACE

Emily Sanfilippo

Students completed work on their Imaginary Space drawings yesterday. Emily's drawing above is balanced by the triangulation of the stairs as well as the cube in the upper left, the table and the balcony area on the right. The varying heights of all the elements within the space create a strong up and down and side to side rhythm not unlike a game of tetris.

TWO-POINT LINEAR PERSPECTIVE

Students of the M/W class began work on the Imaginary Space project. They will continue working on these all week.

LINEAR PERSPECTIVE: Imaginary Space

Students began working on the Imaginary Space project. For more info click the tab above on Linear Perspective. We will continue working on them next week.

TEXTURE: Simulated Texture

Alex Gabriel

Last night students made drawings of textural objects (i.e. bark, leaves, pine cones, feathers, etc.) Alex's drawing above is rich with value and mark-making. Swirling and flowing marks capture the fluidity of the wood grain. Texture drawings are essentially value drawings so contrast is key to capturing the subtle variations of color and volume. Furthermore, the success of Alex's drawing is due in part to his use of additive as well as reductive drawing techniques. Notice how the light areas "pop" through the marks and darker tonalities.

HOMEWORK #8: Self-portrait

With the aid of a mirror, draw a self-portrait on 18 x 24 in drawing paper. You may use any media.You may create a traditional portrait (below) or one that is more narrative based as in the drawing at the bottom. Be imaginative.

PORTRAITS

Nelson Le

Class began Friday morning with a discussion on the proportions of the head and the "Rule of Thirds." You can clearly see in the planar study above how Nelson was comparing the locations of the features to one another.

Allison Brooke

After making some planar studies and reviewing slides, students drew from a projected skull and then superimposed a classmates portrait on top. Allison's drawing above still reveals the skull structure underneath the portrait of Dante. In addition to this structure provided by the skull, her mark-making and handling of the charcoal materials and eraser are very complementary to the volumes of the face.

PORTRAITS

Justin Horgan

Students continued drawing portraits last night. Justin's drawing above exhibits a very strong and bold sense of weight and volume. The additive and reductive drawing techniques skillfully capture the advancing and receding planes of the face. Justin's handling of the materials has effectively created  an almost carved or sculptural appearance.

PORTRAITS: Proportions and the Rule of Thirds

Grantt Miksis "Morgan Caricchio"

Last night students began work on Portraiture. We discussed "The Rule of Thirds", which is a guide to the proportions of the face. In a frontal view, the face may be divided into equal thirds. Starting with the hair line to the brow then to the bottom of the nose and lastly to the chin. Everyone more or less fits into these proportions. We began with a couple of planar studies and then to the skull. The drawing above was superimposed over the top of a skull drawing. This not only lays the foundation for the structure of the face but helps get the portrait going by adding some dimension and volume.

COLOR: Still Life

Dante Altamirano

On Friday, students made color drawings from an arrangement of their own choosing. Dante's drawing above illustrates a momento mori or reminder of death and the afterlife. Throughout art history the skull has been used as a symbol of death. The fruit in the composition symbolizes the transience of life. And the watery background suggests a great unknown abyss. The impressionistic and expressive handling of the materials adds to the element of time and memory.