COMPOSITION: Atmospheric Perspective

Leslie

Rio

Last night the class made drawings employing the Distal Cues specifically addressing atmospheric perspective. Both compositions above exhibit strong attention to the negative areas as well as the edge of the paper. Notice that the objects touch all four sides of the paper. Leslie's drawing exhibits a high horizon line, located in the top third of the paper. The objects are very well proportioned to the paper. The horizon line in Rio's drawing is off the page, above the image area. Again the forms are large with boldly rendered values. Both drawings have very well balanced compositions illustrating the importance of paying attention to the relationship between positive and negative areas. In addition, the two drawings have successfully divided the space into foreground, middleground and background, a key component of using atmospheric perspective.

VALUE: Still Life

Jennifer

Last night the class continued with the concepts introduced last week. Instead of imagining the ideal solids the class drew from a still life. The objective was to touch at least two sides of the picture plan and to start the process of developing values by addressing one at a time throughout the composition. In other words, place all the white areas, then light gray, dark gray and lastly black. Once a base value had been established throughout, the values were then modeled to add volume.

COMPOSITION: The Distal Cues

Dylan

Jennifer

Ryan

Last night the class made drawings employing the Distal Cues (more info on that in the tab above). The objective for these drawings was to create a composition addressing the Distal Cues and touching 3 to 4 edges of the paper. Notice in Dylan's drawing the absence of pure white and black. Working primarily with a midtone value range creates a very unified and calming, somewhat somber atmosphere.
In contrast to Dylan's, Jennifer's drawing is very dynamic with a full range of values and energized and active mark-making accentuating the volume of the forms and suggesting turbulence in the background.
Ryan has very effectively used value for dramatic effect. The objects appear as if they are about to be pushed forward by an incoming dark mass. The dynamics of the values is increased by using extreme contrasts of white and black juxtaposed against each other. The forward thrust is enhanced by the tilt of the cube.

COMPOSITION: Cropping

Jill

Rio

Last night we made a series of studies exploring different ways of "cropping" a single object. Students then chose the best one to develop into a finished drawing. One of the issues raised last night was the use of verticals and horizontals vs. diagonals. Vertical and horizontal compositions, like Jill's at the top, establish stability. Think about architecture. Diagonals as in Rio's drawing, are more dynamic. Placing an object on a diagonal introduces triangular negative areas into the rectangular frame. Cropping, in general, may enclose and/or divide the space resulting in more interesting and active negative areas.

PROPORTION: Sighting diagonals POSTIVE AND NEGATIVE RELATIONSHIPS: Cropping

Last Friday began with a description of One and Two Point Linear Perspective. The most important points we discussed were 1. maintaining eye level and 2. "sighting" diagonals. After the lunch break we started exploring Composition.

Christian Delovino

Linda Fleming

Compositions are divided into two parts: positive areas (the objects) and negative areas (the spaces around and between the objects). The objective in the drawings above was to activate the negative areas by drawing a single object that touches two to three edges. Both drawings could have larger positive areas but they both divide the negative space into interesting shapes.

DISTAL CUES: Composing with the Ideal Solids

Graham Metcalfe

Last night we discussed the Distal Cues and their application for creating depth within a composition (see tab above for more info). Students then made drawings on hand-toned paper employing both additive and reductive drawing techniques. The objective was to pay particular attention to the negative space trying to engage with two to three edges of the paper. Notice in Graham's drawing above that he has engaged all four edges (shadows count). In addition, the objects are very well proportioned and fill the page making the negative areas between the objects relevant and more active in the overall balance and design.

ACTIVATING THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE: cropping

Joy Montague

Shiho Nakagawa

Last Wednesday we started discussing the topic of Composition, specifically different strategies for activating and engaging with the negative areas. Both of the drawings above are "cropped" views of tools emphasizing the most interesting parts rather than trying to fit the whole object on the page. By cropping the objects, the negative areas are isolated playing a more important role in the balance and visual interest of the composition.

COMPOSITION: Positive and Negative Balance / Diebenkorn Studies

Ellen Cox

Ever Arango Lopez

Last Friday morning began with a series of drawings addressing positive and negative balance. Each student drew a single item with the objective of activating the negative areas of the composition. Ellen has employed "cropping" to isolate the negative areas. Her composition spirals outward from the upper right hand corner. The keys also establish a strong bottom left to upper right diagonal with the negative areas between the keys reinforcing this push upward.
Ever's drawing has a strong downward push emanating from the upper left to the lower right. The dynamic foreshortening and directional mark-making add to the velocity of the movement.

Rainey Hoaglin

You Nara

In the afternoon, students drew from individual still life arrangements. Rainey has effectively employed atmospheric perspective in her drawing. We enter the composition at the doorknob and wander back towards the bottle. You has also established a close grouping of objects drawing us in along the backscratcher then allowing us to orbit the objects. Both objects exhibit a strong attention to the location of the objects and balance with the negative areas.

DISTAL CUES: Composing with Ideal Solids

On Friday class began with a discussion of the Ideal Solids and rendering the categories of light. After the lunch break we used the aforementioned forms to create images addressing the Distal Cues, categories of light, texture and mood. The images below illustrate two very different settings in light and atmosphere. The top image exhibits the cold, stark lighting of a wintery night. The bottom image is a warm, hazy afternoon light. In addition, both drawings effectively use diagonals within the location and placement of the objects. Eduardo has created a zig-zag up the center of the composition like a slithering snake whereas Nicole has an implied diagonal between the two spheres and triangulation with the placement of the cylinders.

Eduardo Gonzales

Nicole Stender

DISTAL CUES: Ideal Solids

Erin Deacon

Last night the class made a series of quick, gestural composition studies using the five Ideal Solid forms (cone, sphere, cylinders and cube). After completing the quick studies, the class made one large scale drawing on hand-toned paper. The objective was to employ the distal cues and to try and touch 3 to 4 edges of the paper. Erin's drawing above is well balanced and effectively employs the concepts behind the distal cues. In addition, she has skillfully used additive and reductive techniques to create textural as well as volumetric forms.

MIDTERM DRAWINGS

Here are just a few examples of the Midterm drawing exam. The objectives were to address: 1. Composition 2. Distal Cues 3. Value 4. The Categories of Light. All of theses drawings exhibit well balanced compositions with a full range of values and strong attention to the categories of light.

Jane Collier

Kate Donovan

Stevie Young

Gianna Davy

SMALL COMPOSITIONS

Siobhan Williams

Kate Donovan

Angelica Blancas-mims

Friday morning began with a series of quick, compositional studies. The changes in Siobhan's drawing are subtle but reveal her attention to the negative areas and the relationships between the objects. In the afternoon, students made a finished drawing from the studies. Kate's drawing is sharp, crisp and clear exhibiting rich, contrasting values, subtle textural changes and a well balanced design. Notice the rhythms within the cast shadows. Angelica's drawing exhibits a keen attention to the details, in particular the metallic, reflective surfaces of the objects. In addition, the minimal rendering of the space adds context without being overbearing.

SMALL COMPOSITIONS

Students continued working with small, individual compositions. Here are some examples of the more resolved drawings. The success of these compositions lies within the attention to the negative areas and the relationships between the objects. All drawings are 9 x 12 in.

Jane Collier

Naomi Lehr

Luis Rodriguez Chombo

Leah Lehr

Stevie Young

COMPOSITION:Diebenkorn Comps

Luis Rodriguez Chombo

Inspired by the compositional studies of Richard Diebenkorn, students made drawings from small, individual still-life arrangements. Although the drawing is unfinished, Luis has started with a very strong compositional arrangement. The two rectangular forms create a funnel-like shape that empties down into the keys. The rings of the keys establish a secondary rhythm hooking upward towards the right. In addition, Luis' use of cropping has allowed him to engage with all four sides of the paper.

PERSPECTIVE AND COMPOSITION

Guendalina Codella

 Friday morning began with perspective drawings of blocks in one and two-point linear perspective. Guendalina's drawing above exhibits a well balanced placement of the blocks with well rendered contours and strong textural elements. The tree-like mass in the background effectively accents the blocks while bringing depth and visual interest into the space.

Natalie Pagani

In the afternoon, students applied the principles of linear perspective to objects while considering ways in which to activate the negative space. Natalie has rendered the plumbing pieces in a bold and graphic style. The values are almost hyper-realized in their clarity which is intensified by the white stroke around the exterior of the form. The cloudy smudges and blemishes are ambiguous, simultaneously suggesting a cast shadow as well as a sense of atmosphere.

COMPOSITION: Dividing the Picture Plane

Jane Collier

Last night students made drawings of tools and machined parts. The objective was to activate the negative areas with a single object. Jane's drawing above has divided the picture plane into a series of large and small triangles. The zig-zagging clippers cut across the paper skillfully engaging and balancing the negative areas against the positive.

Heather Monnot-Griffith

Heather's drawing of the hand-mixer thrusts into the upper right corner but swings back around to the handle and then the blades. Take special note of the additive and reductive mark-making within the gear and handle. This image is almost resolved in its unfinished state. In fact, it may be overdrawn and closer to resolution if more of the tool was omitted. The ol' "Less is More" concept. In other words, the theory of closure, which allows the viewer to complete the form in their imagination with a limited amount of information.

Flattening the Picture Plane

Sarah Kelley's drawing is open and airy.  The large central flower is supported by to smaller flowers located in the bottom left and right corners.  The repetition and placement of the flowers suggests an implied triangle bringing diagonals to the image.  The inclusion of the floating spheres motif aids in  moving the eye throughout the composition.

Flattening the Picture Plane

Picture Plane referring to the surface the artist works on (i.e. paper, canvas, etc.). Jenna Freeman-Hinson's drawing is dense and compact.  The curving and wiggling forms bring energy and excitement to the image while the rich values and mark-making feed the eye with plenty of passages and forms to dig and wander through.