WET MEDIA: Wash Drawings

David

Dylan

Michelle

Last night the class made wash drawings employing mostly a "dry on dry" technique. This approach requires working in layers of the same water/ink mixture. Each layer is allowed to dry before successive layers are applied. This yields clearly defined values illustrated in David and Dylan's drawings. In contrast, Michelle has applied a "wet on wet" technique in addition to the previously mentioned method. This is how she achieved the cosmic effects with splatters and bursting shapes within the background.

INK: Clay Sculptures Drawn

Today the class made mini sculptures out of clay and then drew them.

Ari McCool

David Covarrubias

Georgia Bourdens

Luke Mello

The drawings here represent a wide range of mark-making. Ari's drawing is very textural employing very fine line work flowing over the surface of the driftwood. David has used a generalized hatching technique throughout focusing his attention on the volume of the forms. Georgia again has focused on a combination of light, form and atmosphere with a variety of mark-making. Lastly, Luke has taken a very graphic approach with a cleanly illustrated figure addressing light and form through a variety of short and long hatch marks.

INK: Tondo

Today the class made ink drawings using a Tondo format. The circular format provides a very different spatial relationship with the positive and negative areas unlike the standard rectangle or square. The movement around the format is fluid rather than broken. The negative areas are more organic creating a very dynamic connection with the contours of the still life.

Alfredo Muro Rodriguez

Georgia Bourdens

Alfredo's drawing is very graphic, clean and sharp. The contours are bold and the tonal mark-making complements the cross-contours. In addition, the negative space between the objects has been very well addressed.
Georgia's drawing is rich with light and atmosphere. She has created a very dynamic composition with bold contrasting values that are well balanced throughout the positive and negative areas. Furthermore, her mark-making is lively and varied.

INK: Bones

Angela Bald

Georgia Bourdens

Luke Mello

Last Thursday, the class made drawings of bones. The drawings above illustrate the stipple, hatch and cross-hatch techniques

INK: The Exquisite Corpse

Today the class made ink drawings while playing the Surrealist game "The Exquisite Corpse." The three drawings above illustrate the various tonal and textural mark-making techniques characteristic of pen and ink drawings. Students employed hatching and cross-hatching, stippling, scribble as well as invented patterns. Note in the drawings above the use of swelled or thick and thin lines for creating volume. In addition, the gathering or grouping of the line and stipple marks creates gradations addressing light and form.

FINAL PROJECT: The Jungle

Here are some highlights of the final projects from Spring 2016. A major difference from previous semesters is the employment of mixed mediums. All previous classes used charcoal materials only.

Shiho Nakagawa

Crysta Maguire

Elijah Schwarz

Graham Metcalfe

Gretta Collaso

Joy Montague

Jesus Cornejo

INK: Tondo Compositions and Subjective/ Space

Jim Paschal

Sabin Thapa

Friday morning began with ink drawings applied to a tondo composition. Jim's drawing above exhibits a strong, crisp light rendered with hatching and cross-hatching. Sabin's drawing, below it, is a very focused and zoomed-in composition. The negative areas are especially participatory in the arrangement. Again the drawing illustrates hatching techniques with a full range of values. Notice the repetition of the half moon or quarter round shapes throughout.

Apollonio Fontanilla

Lyric Croxford

In the afternoon, the class drew from a large still life arrangement. Apo's drawing (top) is rendered in  cartoonish contours with organic, wavy hatches addressing the wrinkles and surface variations of the objects. Lyric's drawing (bottom) is an illustrative and objective approach to addressing the light patterns and various textures. The side view of the still life allowed for a deeper rendering of the space and the ability to apply atmospheric perspective.

INK: The Subjective and Space

Amy Harris

Randall Little

Last Wednesday the class drew from a large still life arrangement. The objective was to employ a more subjective style and address the space.  Amy has focused on the contours with minimal hatching and stippling to render the surface of the objects and the background. Her attention to the space is frontal, stable and direct. Randall's drawing in contrast has more depth and dynamics because of the  diagonals and high contrasting values.

INK: Tondo Compositions

Crysta Maguire

Gretta Collaso

Martin Little

Last night the class made still life drawings within a circular format aka the "Tondo." The circular format creates a very focused and zoomed in appearance. The movement around the format is fluid in comparison to the abrupt turns of the standard rectangle or square. This creates for interesting contrasts against vertical and horizontal lines within the image. In addition, it forces the artist to make new considerations of the negative areas.

INDIA INK: The Exquisite Corpse and Bones

Last Friday began with a game of the "Exquisite Corpse." The class explored the various mark-making techniques using pen and ink. Notice in the drawings below the techniques of hatching, cross-hatiching and the use of patterns. In addition, the middle section of the top drawing is drawn with a brush.

In the afternoon, the class made drawings from bones. Ruth's drawing of an antler illustrates the hatching and cross-hatching techniques. She has very skillfully used light and dark rhythms to address the peaks and valleys of the surface. Notice the importance of the cast shadow to create the bend in the antler.

Ruth Hickman

INK: Wash Drawing

Megan Svendsen

Ray Colby

Last night the class began working with wash. When new to this technique it is best to choose a subject with clearly defined planes, like blocks, boxes, paper bags, etc. The approach is simple. 1. Mix a solution of ink and water for the lightest gray tone (mixing ink is like all other mediums, "dark into light", in other words it is preferable to add ink to water, not the other way around). Apply this wash to the entire surface except the areas you wish to be white. Allow to dry (a hair dryer will speed things up.) 2. Using the same wash or with a bit more ink added, apply the next wash to everything except what is to remain white and the first gray. 3. Continue layering washes until you reach the desired tonalities. Note: It is important to allow the washes to dry completely between layers for the utmost clarity and definition of tone.

INK: Tondo or Circular Formats

Ashley Garr

Ian Moon-Wainwright

Megan Svendsen

Last Wednesday students had the option of working within a circular format (tondo) or a rectangle. The circular format creates a more intense focus on the objects as well as changing the dynamics of the negative space. Notice how the approach of touching or activating two to three sides of a format still applies. Ashley's drawing at the top is rich with contrasting values as well as exhibiting strong attention to the local values. Ian has opted for the rectangle and emphasizing the light patterns instead of the volumes of the forms. And Megan has applied the hatching technique at various lengths achieving even gradations. Of particular note in her drawing is the background pattern complete with a gradation.

INDIA INK: Wash drawings

Eduardo Arango Lopez

Friday morning began with small scale drawings in wash. Eduardo's drawings are tonally rich exhibiting a broad range of wash and line techniques. The objects are heavy and ground.

Eduardo Arango Lopez

You Nara

In the afternoon the class made full sheet drawings from a large scale still life. Again, Eduardo created a powerful image rich with texture and value. His marks are fluid and expressive perfectly complementing the subject and adding an air of Old West.
You's drawing in contrast presents a ghostly vision of the still life with high key valued objects and  reserving the dark values for the negative space. The composition has been compartmentalized isolating and organizing the forms as though they were placed on a shelf in a curio shop.

INDIA INK: Wash Drawings (Large Still Life)

Techi Brant

Last night students continued drawing with ink wash. Techi's drawing above is well balanced rich with values and mark-making. She has effectively activated all edges of the composition as well as the interspace negative areas. The light and dark values move the "eye" from foreground to back. The dark values support the forms and establish passages for rhythm and movement.

INDIA INK: Wash drawings

Techi Brant

Jack Ryan

Last night the class began working with India Ink and wash techniques. Techi's drawing above is rich in value exhibiting good volume and a strong sense of light. The vertical brush strokes in the background suggest an outdoor environment and a perfect contrast to the horizontal strokes predominant in the objects.
Jack's drawing is from last week. He has successfully rendered the light and volumes with the stipple technique. This too is a perfect contrast to the cross-hatch technique in the background and the rhythmic hatches within the shadows.

INDIA INK: Still Life

Daniel Orjuela Beltran

Techi Brant

Last night the class continued drawing with India ink. The objective was to address either the light or volume or a combination of the two of a complex still life arrangement. With his parallel hatched lines following the cross-contours of the forms, Daniel has equally addressed the light and the volume. The values are rich and the image is well balanced with its asymmetrical placement.
Techi's drawing is also very rich yet she has giving each object an individual character by applying a different mark-making technique. The values are strong and bold. The image has depth and the negative areas have been emphasized enhancing the juxtaposition of the varying edges.

SKETCHBOOK

Here's a page from my sketchbook playing around with some of the things addressed in last week's classes. The two drawings on the right are essentially cross-contour studies even though the "accenting" has given the appearance of hatched texture. The small drawing on the left started out as a contour drawing and developed into a line drawing with tone. All drawn with an "F" tip Faber Castell Pitt Pen. NOTE: I'll accept cross-contour studies with homework #1 too.

HOMEWORK #5: Ink Drawings in your Sketchbook

In your Sketchbook, draw 3 to 5 small objects (from observation) arranged in a composition using India ink. Employ the various techniques discussed in class. You may use only one technique or a combination. Strive for volume addressing the categories of light. You may also add wash.

WED. 3/27 INK (rocks and lemons)

Emilee Rivera

Last night, the class made ink drawings of a small still life arrangement consisting of a lemon, a rock and a small, geometric, house-like form. Students used the technique of their choosing. Emilee's drawing above illustrates the cross-hatching technique. The centralized location of the still life establishes depth giving the feeling of one peering at this tiny "cliff" from afar. The criss-crossing marks chisel out the structure of the rock while addressing light and dark areas of the forms and space. Furthermore, notice how she has addressed the contours and edges of the forms with broken (or lost and found lines) and juxtaposing light and dark values.