Drawing Portfolio. Advanced Placement Studio Art. Drawing embodies a genuine and independent way of thinking. Phillip Rawson

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1 Advanced Placement Studio Art Drawing Portfolio Drawing embodies a genuine and independent way of thinking. Phillip Rawson In this course you will investigate some of the practical, expressive and theoretical problems of drawing. You will draw from observation, from memory, and from imagination. The purpose of the course is to guide you to a mastery of the craft of drawing and to help you develop an understanding of what constitutes aesthetic quality in drawing. We will use a combination of directed drawing assignments, self-directed drawing and individual and group critiques to realize these ends. Class sessions will involve individual drawing, demonstrations of methods, materials and techniques, individual and group discussions, slide viewings and readings. Independent work outside the studio will involve attendance at cultural events, drawing on-site at various locations, and drawing at home. You should realize that participation in this course requires a substantial commitment of time and energy. Your ultimate success will depend upon your understanding of art making as a cyclical process. This creative cycle will require informed and critical thought as well as spirited, committed execution. I expect that all of you will go beyond merely completing the work and produce thoughtful, engaging work. I expect that you will revise and develop your work in light of critique discussions. You will develop a substantial body of artwork as you explore each of the three elements of the AP portfolio; Breadth, Concentration, and Quality. You will be involved with each of these sections from the outset, and each academic quarter will require a specific number of works. Note that you must meet the quarterly deadlines and all requirements in order to receive a passing grade for the quarter. AP scoring guides will be used to evaluate your artwork. Each section of the portfolio has an underlying question, or questions. Answering these questions will require both critical and creative thought and the personal initiative to inform yourself on the issues. The visual and conceptual work in each section constitutes your answers. For Concentration, the focus is within: What are the visual elements of my visual language? How do I develop my visual language? What is the innate pictorial idea or visual principle supporting the visual language I use? How do I grasp and then extend the pictorial idea? For Breadth, the focus is without: What are the grand pictorial ideas and expressive methods outside of my experience and my visual concerns? How can I use these profitably to deepen my understanding of drawing? What are others doing well? For Quality, the focus is the art itself: What constitutes aesthetic quality? What counts as evidence of aesthetic quality in drawing? Does my drawing show evidence of this? Have I developed meaning in my work? On the following pages I have indicated the major discussion topics, image themes, visual concepts and assignments for the 4 academic quarters.

2 Quarter 1 Emphasis on Breadth section Discussion Topics: the continuing conversation Review of portfolio structure: defining breadth, concentration and quality. Studio practices: review of documentation, critique methods, studio safety, materials. Creative process: visual and technical research for breadth projects. Questions of artistic integrity and ethics: appropriation versus visual invention. Underlying questions for Breadth, personal responses. Viewing contemporary drawings, various artists approaches. Conceptual Themes: the ideas behind the drawings Visual and organizational qualities of lines. Formal and compositional problems. Expressive marks and lines; notational drawing. Subject matter: The human figure and objects in the world, light and shadow Observational drawing methods and techniques. History of still life imagery. Drawing Assignments: the expression of the artist s idea, and learning to be attentive to the sensuous qualities of the materials. These drawing assignments are thematic. They are to be considered points of departure for personal explorations. Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4 Theme: Equal to the Real. Drawing to explore forms in space. Materials: Large and small formats, various papers. Pencil, graphite stick, eraser, charcoal, ink and ink wash, oil pastel, acrylic paints. Formal emphasis: expressive mark and line, light and form, notational marks, spatial dynamics. Studio Sessions: Daily directed drawing from the still life. A. Linear (dry & wet) B. Tonal (dry & wet) C. Color and space Individual initiatives: several sketchbook pages of drawings per week on this theme using a variety of marking tools in both B&W and color. Then at least 2 refined drawings in larger formats expanding on your sketchbook discoveries. Accountability: Group critique, weekly progress checks, individual evaluations of portfolio, parts A,B,C. Weeks 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Theme: The Human Form, the Human Metaphor. Create a figure sculpture involved in a recognizable activity. Create narrative drawings from individual and grouped sculptures. Materials: Sculpture, wood, wire screen, plaster cloth and plaster. Drawings: collage, graphite, oil pastel, charcoal, conte crayon. Formal emphasis: For sculpture, implied dynamic movement of the figure, surface development, volumetric unity. For drawings: using visual contrasts to develop the implication of movement in the composition, storytelling. Studio sessions: Weeks 5 and 6, develop and refine the sculpture. Weeks 7, 8, 9, create drawings interpreting the sculptures and sculpture groups. Some drawings will be directed, some will be free responses. Individual initiatives: several sketchbook pages of drawings per week on the theme using a variety of suitable materials and media. Then two refined drawings in larger formats based on sketchbook images. Accountability: Group critique, weekly progress checks, individual evaluations of portfolio.

3 1 large format drawing of the space and surfaces under a natural or man-made canopy. Use charcoal, charcoal wash and a variety of marking tools. Formal emphasis: rhythmic placement of light and dark forms to develop pictorial space. Individual initiatives: 8 sketchbook pages per week of studies drawn in different locations and reflecting the theme. Use a variety of dry and wet marking materials. Expand sketchbook discoveries, make at least 2 12 x 18 drawings on prepared surfaces. 1 B&W, 1 color. Group critique. Weeks 4 and 5 Marks and surfaces, close observation and drawing of assemblage of textured forms. One 18 x 24 drawing on a prepared surface. Use pen and ink, ink wash and brush, and homemade marking tools. Formal emphasis: develop surface texture and shallow pictorial space with marks revealing the surface characteristics of the forms you observe. Individual initiatives: 8 sketchbook pages per week of texture studies drawn from a variety of natural and manmade forms. 2 study drawings, 9 x 12 on tagboard, one drawing pen and ink only, one drawing using homemade drawing tool only. Group critique. Weeks 5 and 6 Organizational Line: Connecting Form and Shape to Space. Develop a suite of at least 5 large-format and 5 small-format figurative drawings using variations of the method. Use a variety of marking tools to work in color and black and white. Formal emphasis: Use rhythmic line and line variation to develop the receding edges and forms of the observed figures. Vary the use of mediums; color, black and white, wet and dry. Individual initiatives: 8 sketchbook pages per week of contour and rhythmic line drawings of single figures and figures in groups. Use a variety of self-contained pens. Group critique. Weeks 7,8,9 Independent concentration projects. Present concentration theme and present at least 3 completed concentration works. Documentation, portfolio reviews, written critique reflections on progress. Young Arts portfolios. Quarter 2 emphasis on Breadth and Concentration sections Discussion topics: the continuing conversation Underlying questions for concentration and quality, further approaches to breadth. Development of personal imagery and image sources. Reflections on the drawing process and on personal artistic development. Viewing and discussing contemporary and historic drawings. Conceptual Themes: the ideas behind the drawings Scaling; micro and macro views of a form. Narrative drawings. Individual concentration themes. Process, layered surfaces and composition all-over drawing.

4 Drawing assignments: the expression of the artist s idea Weeks 1, 2 and 3 A diptych exploring a living form at the microscopic and macroscopic levels. A large format color drawing. Use color pencil, prismacolor bars, gouache, oil bar, oil pastel or other color medium appropriate to your subject. Formal emphasis: close observation and accurate color rendering of the form at two scale levels, unification of the diptych through appropriate surface manipulation and color coordination. Individual initiatives: 8 pages per week of color studies of a variety of forms at different scales. 2 small gauche studies per week. Image file collections. Group critique. Weeks 4, 5, 6 10 Days, a suite of 10 drawings. Daily studio drawings based solely upon one s visual notes and memories of a recurring event you observe daily. Sketchbook recordings daily. Each studio drawing 18 x 24, or larger, on prepared surfaces. Use a variety of drawing materials and approaches as appropriate. 5 drawings in color, 5 drawings in B&W. Formal emphasis: development of personal marks and notations, development of movement, rhythmic placement of lights and darks to develop unified compositions, development of rich, layered drawing surfaces, Group critique. Weeks,7 and 8 Individual work on concentration drawing projects. At least 1 major studio project reflecting the development of your concentration theme is required each week. Individual initiative: 8 to 10 sketchbook pages of studies and preparatory work for the concentration drawing, or assigned drawing. At least 3 small drawings per week developed from sketchbook discoveries and done at home are required. These small drawings may be related to either breadth or concentration concerns. Group critique and individual critiques. In sketchbook, weekly written self-critique of completed work. Week 9 Individual formal portfolio reviews. Documentation of artworks. Continuation of independent concentration projects. Quarter 3 Breadth, Concentration and Quality Discussion topics: the continuing conversation Further approaches to concentration, breadth and quality questions. Varieties of space in contemporary and historic drawings. The projection of Time and Process in drawing. The elements of Interpretation and their relation to drawing. Conceptual themes: the ideas behind the drawings: Light, space and the illusion of motion. Empathy and drawing living form, the Life Cycle. Approaching abstraction, visual systems.

5 Drawing assignments: the expression of the artist s idea: Weeks 1 and 2 Have a hectic A suite of 5 drawings depicting movement and activity through time at a visually busy intersection, construction site or industrial setting. Use any drawing medium appropriate to your conception. Formal emphasis: use of energetic marks and richly developed grounds, strong light and dark or color contrasts to develop movement across the composition, development of pictorial space, and use of the telling detail to depict the unfolding of a process. Drawing format is open. Individual initiative: 8 sketchbook pages per week on the theme. These will be on-site studies in a variety of media. Further, you are to create and show unedited video recordings of the activity on the site. You will develop your drawing imagery with the help of these recordings. Group critique and individual critiques. In sketchbook, weekly written reflections personal development. Weeks 3, 4 and 5 Individual work on concentration drawing projects. At least 1 major studio drawing reflecting the development of the concentration theme is required each week. Individual initiative: 8 to 10 sketchbook pages of free drawing and preparatory studies for the concentration drawing. At least three small drawings per week developed from sketchbook discoveries and done at home are required. These small drawings may be related to either breadth or concentration work. Group critique at week 5. Individual critiques weekly. Weeks 6, 7 and 8 Dust to Dust One major interpretive drawing and a suite of 10 smaller exploratory and interpretive drawings investigating the various visual and poetic aspects of the human life cycle. The drawing approach, as well as the materials are dependent upon your conception of the project. Visual research should include drawing from life, observational drawing with the aid of perceptual instruments (microscopes, ultra-sound, video recording, photography ), skeletal studies, and studies of human interaction. At least 8 to 10 pages of these studies are required each week along with 3 or 4 of the smaller finished drawings. Formal emphasis: use of color and color coordination to develop mood in support of an interpretive scheme, development of richly worked surfaces, development and application of marks appropriate to the conception of the drawing. Individual critiques weekly, group critique week 8. Week 9 Individual portfolio reviews. Documentation. Written reflections. Individual concentration work. Quarter 4 Concluding Quality, Concentration and Breadth All work for the AP Drawing portfolio must be completed by April 30, AP/College Board deadline for upload of digital portions of the portfolio and packing and shipping of the artwork is during the first week of May. No extensions on either deadline. Discussion Topics: the continuing conversation Development of personal imagery and image sources Art and social involvement, art in the community, exhibition. Further reflections on drawing; materiality and form. Conceptual Themes: the ideas behind the drawings Expressive value of drawing materials and artist s touch. Open versus closed pictorial space.

6 Spontaneous invention of mark and form. Visual contrasts as analogs for material contrasts. Weeks 1 and 2 Portable Funk :100 small drawings/paintings investigating the transposition of the physical and visual characteristics of an assemblage of contrasting forms. Each drawing should be 6 x 6, or of a similar size. Use the widest possible variety of drawing media and drawing surfaces.. Present the 100 drawings as one composition mounted on cardboard. Formal emphasis: Creation of space through strong color, tonal, line and material contrasts. Development of visual, formal equivalents for the visual characteristics of the forms in the assemblage. Individual initiative: 8 to 10 pages of sketchbook pages supportive of final concentration and breadth works. Group critique at week 2, individual critiques weekly. Week 3 2 Open and 2 Closed A suite of 2 drawings/paintings exploring the visual and expressive differences between highly structured, closed pictorial spaces and loosely structured, open, pictorial spaces. Still life, landscape or personal constructions may be sources. Formal emphasis: Development of pictorial spaces, layered imagery, collage and drawing application of personal marking process. Individual initiative: 8 to 10 pages of personal investigations of the theme. Group critique week 4, individual critiques weekly. Written self-critiques of the drawings. Weeks 4,5 Completion of all remaining tasks for AP portfolio. The CRHS deadline for each section of the portfolio, including all documentation, all aspects of digital registration, and all preparation of quality-section work is Monday, April 30, There will be no extensions to this deadline. Failure to meet this deadline will result in a grade of F for the quarter. Weeks 6, 7, 8, 9 Portable Funk :50 small drawings/paintings investigating the transposition of the physical and visual characteristics of an assemblage of contrasting forms. Each drawing should be 6 x 6, or of a similar size. Use the widest possible variety of drawing media and drawing surfaces.. Present the 50 drawings as one composition mounted. Formal emphasis: Creation of space through strong color, tonal, line and material contrasts. Development of visual, formal equivalents for the visual characteristics of the forms in the assemblage. Exhibition of Portable Funk. Studio clean up. Curate and install Pallet Version 4 end of year exhibit.