SUBJECTIVE VALUE

David Covarrubias

Erik Dellabruna

Harrison Nixon

Yesterday the class completed the Subjective Use of Value drawings. David's drawing at the top exhibits a totem-like sculpture of representational and abstract shapes and forms. The values are rich, balanced and varied. Notice how the shapes are locked in the center and appear to standout against the background.
Erik's drawing illustrates a surreal landscape as if one is peering out through the mouth of a cave. The overlapping shapes and rich, black values help project the depth and atmosphere of the drawing.
Harrison's drawing is a dynamic composition reminiscent of a folk tale. He has effectively established multiple rhythms by repeating the bird feet and beaks as well as similar values and textures.

VALUE: Subjective Use of Value

Erik Dellabruna: work in progress

Yesterday the class began exploring the element Value in depth. Value refers to the gradations between light and dark. For this project, the class initiated drawings through "automatic drawing," a technique employed by the Surrealist artists of the 1920's. The objective is to create an enclosed composition of large and medium shapes. Once the sketch is complete, the shapes are filled with varying values of light and dark as well as different additive and reductive drawing techniques with charcoal and erasers. The drawing above has a very good foundation. The direction to explore now would be to vary the textural qualities more.

VALUE: Distal Cues and Subjective Use of Value

Linda Fleming

Priyesh Shrestha

Last Friday morning began with a discussion on the Distal Cues (see info above). Linda's drawing, top, illustrates overlapping forms, cropped to engage with the edges of the composition and rich values addressing the cross-contours and light.
Priyesh's drawing illustrates a low-key value range as opposed to Linda's high-key values. Again, the forms are overlapping and engaging with all four sides of the composition strengthening the negative areas.

Beni Rodriguez

Devon Ste. Marie-Rubin

In the afternoon, we discussed the various applications of the element Value. The project was to use value subjectively. Beni's dynamic composition is rich in value with advancing lights and receding darks. Notice how he has accented some of the darkest elements with a white line along the contours.
In contrast, Devon's drawing is very fluid, like viewing a rolling landscape on an afternoon drive. The values are well balanced and complimentary to the rhythms of the shapes. In addition, some of the tonalities are combined with a short hatch adding an increased textural element.

VALUE: Subjective

Last night we discussed the art element Value. Value refers to the gradations between light and dark. Value may be used to address light and volume but it may also enhance the dramatic effects of an image too. The project last night was to use value subjectively. That is to use value according to the demands of design rather than placing values based on factual representation. Every student started by employing "automatic" drawing. This is a surrealist approach where the artist draws intuitively without any preconceived idea of what the end result will be.

Chrysta Maguire

 Chrysta's drawing is reminiscent of an deep under water carnival of flashing lights and sea life. Notice how she has used similarity to create rhythms throughout the composition.

John Larroque

John has employed very bold, flat tonalities complemented with bold contours. The values are clean and crisp interlocking together like the pieces of a puzzle.

VALUE: Subjective use of value

Last night we began our investigation of Value, the gradations between light and dark. The drawings we made used value subjectively. Placement was determined by the demands of the design in order to achieve the best compositional balance. The objective was to create a design that used a minimum of (10) values and explored various applications. Daniel has effectively used value and shape to create a dark and menacing image of bat shaped gaps and squirming worm-like forms. The dark tonal range adds to the nightmarish mood.
Stanton has also a employed a low key (dark) value range. Again the values are very complementary to the ogling eyes and the monstrous, looming form. The cropped image makes for a very confrontational encounter where the spider-like creature is about to pounce on its prey.

Daniel Orjuela Beltran

Stanton Williams

VALUE: Subjective Use of Value

Meghann Lyon

Last night began with a discussion of the various uses of Value (the gradations between light and dark). Value may be used to address light, volume, mood and dramatic effect. The project last night was to use value subjectively. In other words, students were not bound to the local values of the objects. Instead, aesthetic decisions were based on the demands of the design for establishing value patterns and balance. Meghann's drawing exhibits a low key value range suggestive a nocturnal scenario. She has established rhythms of similarity of values and shapes as well. Notice the placement of the teeth in the skulls as well as those floating in the upper right hand corner.

SUBJECTIVE VALUE

Serena Dunn (Monday/ Wednesday)

Students began work on the Subjective Value drawings. This project is loosely based on the concepts of Cubism and Surrealism. The objective is to create a fractured composition of many, interlocking shapes - like a puzzle. That's the Cubist part. To basically breakdown and reassemble your subject randomly, again, like scattered puzzle pieces. But first, the process starts with the Surrealist approach to drawing called Automatism. Making large arm movements (drawing from you shoulder), draw across the paper, zig-zagging and looping back, cropping and enclosing shapes. If you follow the edges of the shapes in the two drawings here, you should get the idea. From there the image may take the form of a Cubist-like portrait or remain a non-objective design. It's important to find the image within the lines rather than "project" your idea onto the paper. The shapes are then filled with values applied additively as well as reductively using a variety of charcoal materials.
Serena's drawing above is texturally rich exhibiting a variety of mark-making techniques. The composition swoops and swirls around like rising and falling waves. As the curling forms part, passages of patterns and smaller forms are revealed.

Christina Rehberg (Friday)

Christina's drawing exhibits a tornado-like swirling rhythm. The high contrast between the black and white areas makes the drawing "pop." The shapes are very well balanced between size and value creating a unified and clear composition.

TUES. 2/14 SUBJECTIVE USE OF VALUE

Brenda Laoxana

Kannha Hemsouvanh

Value is used "subjectively" when the artist bases his or her decisions on intuition and the demands of the design. In other words, values are used to create volume, rhythm and psychological or dramatic impact. Brenda's drawing exhibits a strong rhythm directed by the subtle use of line wandering through and around the forms. This is complemented by the triangular and diagonal placement of similar values and textures that also help direct the "eye." Kannha's drawing is a very dynamic, moving and confrontational view of a portrait in turmoil. The combination of pointed and curvilinear forms creates a sense of movement and animation as if the facial features were liquid and fluid. His use of value propels the design while bringing volume and depth to the image.