SEMESTER AT SEA DRAWING I COURSE SYLLABUS University of Virginia, Academic Sponsor Voyage: Fall 2014 Discipline: Studio Art ARTS 1000-502: Drawing at Sea I (Section 2) Division: Lower Faculty Name: Suchitra Mattai Credit Hours: 3; Contact Hours: 38 Pre-requisites: This course has no pre-requisites. COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course will focus on the fundamentals of drawing: elements of line, gesture, composition, proportion, spatial relationships, scale, value, and texture. It is intended for beginning students as an introduction to learning to draw. During the semester, students will develop a range of skills that will enable them to sharpen their observational sensibilities and then apply them to their work. We will explore the notion of visual perception and how to record what we see. Students will be introduced to the works of historical and contemporary masters for clarification of concepts, as well as for inspiration. A series of classroom exercises will initially focus on gaining a working knowledge of fundamental drawing skills and techniques. In port, students will sketch, draw, and photograph, recording images that represent aspects of the countries and cultures encountered. student will keep a drawing journal that is a record of shipboard life and port experiences. A laptop computer and digital camera are invaluable tools for this class. COURSE OBJECTIVES: 1. Students will develop the rudimentary skills of drawing from observation 2. We will learn to effectively translate the 3-dimensional world onto a 2-dimensional picture plane 3. We will focus on line, volume, proportion, composition, perspective and value 4. Emphasis will be placed on learning to sight and express intuitive responses to the visual world with sensitivity 5. Students will learn how to develop an active studio practice 6. Students will gain an understanding of dry and wet materials, such as charcoal, conte, and ink 7. Weekly critiques will engage students in discussion and encourage dialogue about the creative process 8. Port visits and art history slide and book presentations, assigned readings, and a museum/gallery field trip will aid students in their learning process. Students will gain 1
appreciation of artists under-represented due to race, gender, religion and political point of view 9. Students are also encouraged to share found drawings of interest with the class. 10. Students will learn to appreciate, practice and recognize the importance of drawing and visual art across multiple disciplines and within multiple cultures. REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS There are no required textbooks for this class. Materials: Total Cost should be between $125-175 Paper: Media: Portfolio: Ink: Erasers: 1 drawing pad: white paper, medium or heavy weight, 16 x 20 1 artist s bound sketchbook 6 x 8 or larger (white paper) 2 sheets white rag paper: 1 (16 x 20 approximately) Arches and Stonehenge are decent brands 1 sheet black paper: Canson is a good brand, acid-free, 19 x 13 approximately 1 sheet medium gray paper: (Canson), acidfree, 19 x 13 approximately 4 sheets 8 x 10 mylar 6 pencils ranging from 6H to 6B 1 package soft vine charcoal (or box) 1 package medium vine charcoal (or box) 1 box Charkole brand compressed charcoal sticks Assorted charcoal pencils, hard, medium, and soft 1 white conté pencil 1 white conté crayon and 1 black conté crayon 1 extra fine black marker you will need a cardboard portfolio or tube to transport your work 1 jar black India ink (4 oz.) 1 kneaded eraser 2
1 white vinyl eraser (Staedtler-Mars) 1 gum eraser Brushes: Other: 1 size 4 round brush 1 roll of Artist s tape (3/4 or wider) 2 bulldog clips 2 drawing stumps( different sizes) TOPICAL OUTLINE OF COURSE Depart Southampton- August 23: B1 Introduction to Drawing slide presentation Introduction to gesture drawing slide presentation as intro to line and gesture (Pontormo, Reubens, Rembrandt, Daumier, Rodin, dekooning, etc.) -exploration of mark making -using still-life, make several line drawings considering underlying structure of objects, thinking about the unifying elements of composition such as curves, weight & balance, and movement in space Materials: white sketch pad (18 x 24 ), vine charcoal, erasers Homework: create still-life of 5 of your favorite objects of varying size and make 2 gesture drawings, each from a different perspective B2 -slide presentation of contour drawings drawing from still-life, also without looking and without removing hand from page, slowly draw the form, concentrating on nuances of line weight and sensitivity to touch Materials: white sketch pad (18 x 24 ), graphite and charcoal pencils, vine charcoal and compressed charcoal, erasers, fixative St. Petersburg: August 29- September 2 B3 Cross Contour and Volume -exploring parallel lines which move across the folds and creases of the object to model form Materials: white sketch pad (18 x 24 ), vine charcoal, charcoal pencils and conté pencils, erasers, fixative Homework: finish cross-contour drawings 3
B4 Contour as Expressive/Sighting and Measuring -hand drawings focusing on differences in line weight and fluid and broken lines as you move from (soft) inside lines to (more defined) outside lines -Mystery of the Wrapped Object drawing -collection of sketchbooks -learning to utilize horizontal and vertical axes to determine location and direction in space (using hands of clock and geometric angles) Materials: white sketch pad (18 x 24 ), graphite and charcoal pencils, vine charcoal and compressed charcoal, erasers, fixative Gdansk, Poland, Rostock, Germany: September 5-9 B5 Complex Sighting and Measuring -using liquid media consider relationships, such as scale, and position of objects in space, introduction of viewfinder -conté and charcoal pencils, white pad of paper, erasers, fixative, brush, acrylic gesso, 1 sheet black paper (Canson, 19 x 23 ), ink, tape Homework: create a dramatic still-life set up outside with objects of varying size and shapes Antwerp: September 14-16 Le Havre: September 17-19 B6 Introduction to Perspective -practice critique assignment will be introduced -slide and book presentation of historical perspective systems, both rudimentary and complex (including Renaissance examples of one point perspective through contemporary multiple point perspective as well as alternative Egyptian, Persian, South Asian and East Asian systems); discussion of context and intuition in relation to scientific systems One Point Perspective -investigating the relationship of volumes in space through establishment of horizon line and elements of converging lines, relative scale and distance (foreshortening), overlapping of forms -using a still life consisting of blocks parallel to the floor, practice one point perspective drawing Materials: white paper sketchpad (18 x 24 ), vine charcoal, graphite and charcoal pencils, eraser, and fixative 4
B7 Two Point Perspective -Ship Hallway drawing Materials: white paper sketchpad (18 x 24 ), vine charcoal, graphite and charcoal pencils, erasers, and fixative Homework: complete hallway drawing Dublin: September 24-27 B8 B9 Multiple Point Perspective - using ladder with objects, explore multiple point perspective with introduction of leaning forms and tubes Materials: white paper sketchpad (18 x 24 ), vine charcoal, graphite and charcoal pencils, conté pencils, eraser, and fixative Introduction to Value -revealing form through lightness/darkness Materials: white paper sketchpad, vine charcoal, charcoal pencils, white conte, erasers, tape Lisbon: October 1-2 In transit: October 3 Cadiz: October 4-5 B10 Introduction to Value continued -collect sketchbooks -bring in toy/colorful object for next class Homework: complete Introduction to Value project Casablanca: October 8-11 B11 Aerial Perspective -combining a distant landscape and a closer object, determine how to express varying degrees of clarity through value as one moves back into space to effectively emphasize distance Materials: 22 x 30 white rag paper, vine charcoal, Charkole, graphite and charcoal pencils, erasers, and fixative 5
B12 Aerial Perspective drawing continued Mid-Term Individual Reviews -bring in all work done thus far for review Homework: Complete Aerial Perspective drawing Dakar: October 16-19 B13 White on White Still Life -slide presentation of value drawings, discussion of light and modeling, cast shadows, reduction of color into value (Caravaggio, Poussin etc.) -from white on white still-life with extreme lighting (sheets, eggs, etc.) focus on shifts in value and composition, create value scale and use paper tone, make thumbnail sketches Materials: dark gray paper, white conté crayons, vine charcoal, Charkole, graphite and charcoal pencils, erasers B14 continue White on White Still Life Homework: research/response paper; work on White on White Still Life Takoradi: October 25-26 Tema: October 27-28 B15 B16 continue White on White Still-life Homework: finish White on White Still-life Self-Portrait Materials: white paper sketchpad (18 x 24 ), vine charcoal, graphite and charcoal pencils, conté pencils, eraser, fixative Homework: finish Self-Portrait Study Day: November 2 B17 Topography of Our Journey -create a value drawing which describes a story from the trip thus far -use photographs, images from memory and observational drawing B18 Continue Topography of Journey Drawing 6
Rio de Janeiro: November 7-9 In-transit: November 10-11 Salvador: November 12-14 B19 Final Project in class work -a reflective self-portrait describing how the journey has affected you B20 Final Project in class work Study Day: November 19 B21 Final Project in class work Bridgetown: November 22-24 B22 Final Project in class work B23 Final Project in class work Havana: November 29- December 2: Study Day- December 3 B24 Final Critique 7
FIELD WORK Field lab attendance is mandatory for all students enrolled in this course. Please do not book individual travel plans or a Semester at Sea sponsored trip on the day of our field lab. This field lab is planned on Wednesday, 1 October. FIELD LAB (At least 20 percent of the contact hours for each course, to be led by the instructor.) Art and Design in Lisbon Students will view historical works of art and design through a tour of the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, the Museum of Design and Fashion, and the National Tile Museum. Students will gather cultural and aesthetic information through sketches, extended drawings, photographs, postcards, and printed materials. Working in sketchbook journals and using a variety of drawing tools and techniques, students will complete studies of art objects, architecture of the city and the ocean. Through the day students will engage in class critiques to share information and engage in critical dialogue. ACADEMIC OBJECTIVES 1.Gather knowledge of historical and contemporary art. 2. Observe and sketch cultural objects and architecture. 3. Participate in individual, small group and collective critiques to share observations. FIELD ASSIGNMENTS Students will write response papers to their experiences in port and develop a sketchbook/journal for resource material used as the basis for visual projects. Students are also expected to engage in a series of critiques of artwork. Port experiences will serve as research for visual assignments. METHODS OF EVALUATION / GRADING RUBRIC The aforementioned factors will be evaluated as follows: In-class assignments: 40% Homework assignments: 25% Field Assignments (Sketchbook/journal/trips) 20% Participation in class and critiques 15% (Participation grade includes involvement in class and critiques, class presentations and assigned critical comments) The factors that will be considered in the evaluation process are as follows 1. Demonstration of a working process utilizing techniques covered in class. 2. Level of involvement in the process 3. Strength of design (includes presentation/craftsmanship) 4. Response to and use of critical suggestions in an effective manner 5. Adherence to assigned parameters 6. Artistic merit 8
METHODS OF EVALUATION: Students will be evaluated by how well he/she has met and challenged their project proposal goals. A = Outstanding 95 to100 A- = Excellent 94 to 90 B+ = Exemplary 86 to 89 B = Meritorious 85 B- = Very Good 84 to 80 C+ = Above Average 76 to 79 C = Average 75 C- = Below Average 74 to 70 D+ = Well Bellow Average 66 to 69 D = Well Bellow Average 65 D- = Well Bellow Average 64 to 60 F = Failing 59 RESERVE LIBRARY LIST AUTHOR: Nathan Goldstein TITLE: The Art of Responsive Drawing PUBLISHER: Prentice Hall ISBN #: 9780130486295 DATE/EDITION: 1998/5 th edition AUTHOR: Otto Ocvirk TITLE: Art Fundamentals: Theory and Practice PUBLISHER: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages ISBN#: 0073526525 DATE/EDITION: 2008 /11 th AUTHOR: Brian Curtis TITLE: Drawing Form Observation PUBLISHER: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages ISBN#: 0077356276 DATE/EDITION: 2009/2 nd AUTHOR: Emma Dexter TITLE: Vitamin D: New Perspectives in Drawing PUBLISHER: Phaidon ISBN #: 978-0714845456 DATE/EDITION: 2005 AUTHOR: TITLE: Christian Rattemeyer Vitamin D2 9
PUBLISHER: Phaidon ISBN #: ISBN-13: 9780714865287 DATE/EDITION: 2013 ART21 PBS DVDs Seasons 1-6 ELECTRONIC COURSE MATERIALS AUTHOR: Nathan Goldstein ARTICLE/CHAPTER TITLE: The Art of Responsive Drawing, Chapter 1 HONOR CODE Semester at Sea students enroll in an academic program administered by the University of Virginia, and thus bind themselves to the University s honor code. The code prohibits all acts of lying, cheating, and stealing. Please consult the Voyager s Handbook for further explanation of what constitutes an honor offense. Each written assignment for this course must be pledged by the student as follows: On my honor as a student, I pledge that I have neither given nor received aid on this assignment. The pledge must be signed, or, in the case of an electronic file, signed [signed]. 10