I have learned that what I have not drawn, I have never really seen... Frederick Franck

Transcription

1 Ellie Irons Introduction to Drawing ART 10200, section 4KN, Spring 2013 Thursdays 9:00-11:50 am Room CG-237 Office hours by appointment Instructor contact: COURSE WEBSITE: I have learned that what I have not drawn, I have never really seen... Frederick Franck Course Description: This course serves as an introduction to the basic methods and media of drawing, asking the student to investigate multiple approaches to drawing while developing fundamental technical skills, visual problem solving abilities and a sense of personal mark-making. Students will explore line, gesture, mass, value and perspective through a variety of exercises including contour drawing, figurative studies, still life, landscape and portraiture. Media explored will include graphite, charcoal and ink (ball point and wash). There will be several short reading assignments that address conceptual issues in drawing, and one trip to a gallery or museum exhibition that is relevant to the course. Class structure: Each class period will begin with review and critique of the previous week s homework, occasionally followed by a drawing-based warm up exercise. This will generally be followed by a lecture and discussion, introducing the new techniques and concepts that will be used in the upcoming exercises and homework assignment. The bulk of the class period will be devoted to drawing studio time, including demonstration and discussion when necessary. Students are also expected to keep a sketchbook, 50+ pages, which should be filled with compositional studies, observations/notes on drawing, doodles, texture samples etc. COURSE WEBSITE: All assignments will be posted in detail on the course website, so it is essential that students check the website regularly: ellieirons.com/drawing Grades: Class participation + attendance 25% Drawing Assignments 40% Final Portfolio Review 25% Sketchbook 5% Paper (exhibition review) 5% Late work: Assignments must be turned in on time to receive full credit. Late work will be evaluated, but will loose credit accordingly (half a letter grade/week). However, lateness of work will not affect the final portfolio grade, so it s worth catching up if you fall behind!

2 2 Extra Credit: Several extra credit assignments will be offered throughout the semester. Most likely these will be exhibitions or events, and will require a written response for credit. Students may complete up to two extra credit assignments, worth two days of class participation or two missing homework assignments. Reminders Lateness and absences will effect your grade. Please turn off mobile phones, instant messaging, , etc. during class lectures and discussions. Be resourceful, do good work and don t slack off. I am required to notify you that CUNY has a strict policy against academic dishonesty, including plagiarism. Any act of academic dishonesty will be dealt with by applying the most stringent penalties permitted. Cheating includes but is not limited to receiving help during exams and submitting homework without properly acknowledging persons who assisted you. Please review the Policy on Academic Integrity posted on the CUNY website with URL: Course Learning Objectives: Develop a solid foundation in drawing from life, including skills in rendering mass, volume & perspective through multiple techniques, combining these elements to create an integrated work of art. Employ the fundamentals of visual problem solving, including traditional compositional strategies and experimental approaches. Begin to develop a personal approach to drawing, through personalized mark-making and the search for a personalized aesthetic sensibility. Explore the place of drawing in the larger art world, both historically and in the contemporary moment. Develop vocabulary and increased comfort level with discussing drawing in a critical setting. Materials List: Drawing Supplies Drawing pencils (range of hardness, at least H, HB, B, 4B) Woodless Pencils, one 2B, one 6B* Vine Charcoal, soft, at least 10 sticks* Black Conte Crayon, 2B and HB 1 Design Kneaded Eraser 1 gum eraser (Sandford Magic Rub) 1 decent quality round point brush (sable or sablette, size 10 or larger) 1 bottle of black (india) ink Waterproof ball point pen with good, smooth ink flow, like Uniball Vision Fine (not bic or a free bank pen!) Other equipment: Pencil Sharpener x-acto knife (for sharpening and trimming paper from sketchbook) Drawing Board (for 18 x 24 paper) Portfolio for carrying drawing pads/paper (at least 18 x 24 ) clips or masking tape for attaching paper to drawing boards Supplies continued next page...

3 3 Paper 18x24" Newsprint Pad* (thin paper, less expensive pad, often recycled) 18x24" Drawing Pad (like Strathmore Premium Recycled or Canson Universal 80lb Heavyweight Sketch) Spiral bound or hardcover sketchbook* (8 x 10 or other size that easily transportable- you should keep it with you! 50+ pages) Other papers as assigned Optional: Apron, Drafting Brush, chamois, blending stubs *required for Week 2 class Course Schedule: Week 1: Drawing Then and Now Thursday January 31st -Course Introductions -Lecture: A Brief History of Drawing -Discussion/Activity: Line quality -Homework: Purchase supplies! For class next week, bring newsprint pad, charcoal, and woodless pencils. No erasers necessary! -Sketchbook assignment: Choose a (smallish) object from home. Isolate it (a white background can be helpful) and spend at least 30 minutes drawing it, in pencil, in your sketchbook. Bring the object and the drawing(s) to class next week. Week 2: Approaching Line -Warmup: Homework Review -Exercises: Contour Drawing -Lecture: Approaches to Line Thursday February 7th NO CLASS February 14th (Tuesday Schedule) Week 3: Approaching Mass Through Gesture Thursday February 21st -Warmup: Homework Review -Lecture: Mass and Gesture -Exercises: Gesture drawing with graphite and charcoal. Week 4: Perspective: Siting and Foreshortening Thursday February 28th -Warmup: Gesture & Contour Drawing -Lecture: The Ellipse: Siting and Foreshortening -Exercises: Ribbon, ellipse and cylinder studies

4 4 Week 5: Value & Composition Thursday March 7th -Warm up: Gesture & Contour Drawing of ellipses -Lecture: Value and Composition -Exercises: Value scale, Thumbnail sketches, value still life drawing Week 6: Value & Composition Continued Thursday March 14th Warmup: Gesture & contour Drawing Exercise: Value still life drawing continued Mid-semester Check-ins Week 7: Integrating Perspective and Value: Cross-Hatching Thursday March 21st Warm up: Contour drawing Lecture: Cross-hatching Exercise: Cross-hatching value scale, cross-hatching still life Mid-semester Check-ins continued Spring Break March 25th- April 2nd Week 8: Linear Perspective Thursday April 4th Warmup: Value Drawing Lecture: Perspective Exercise: Box landscape Short film: Powers of Ten, by Charles and Ray Eames Midterm Paper Due (exhibition review) Week 9: One Point Perspective, The Built Environment Thursday April 11th Warmup: Contour, homework review Activity: Perspective studies and value drawing from built environment Week 10: Negative Space & Ink Thursday April 18th Warmup: 5-10 minutes of box contours Lecture: Flatness and Negative Space Exercise: Ink experiments, Reductive negative space drawing (2-3 values)

5 5 Week 11: Portraiture Thursday April 25th Warmup: Blind contour of the face, homework review Lecture: Features and Proportions Exercise: Feature and proportion studies from life Week 12: Objective versus Subjective Portraiture Thursday May 2nd Warmup: Gesture drawing from life Lecture: The Objective and Subjective Self Portrait Activity: Studies for objective self portrait Week 13: Ink Wash and the Figure/Landscape Studies Thursday May 9th Warmup: Final project workshop Activity: Ink studies from life or landscape if weather allows Week 14: Portfolio Review Thursday May 16th Warmup: Final project check in Activity: Portfolios due, Final project work session Final: Friday May 23rd 8-10:15 am Final project presentations, critiques, photographs