Building Our Lanterns

Supplemental Art Training

I collaborated with a local university to offer students a free 8 week long botanical drawing course on Saturdays.  Here they are on their first day at "college" watching the professor give a demonstration. 

Applying Design and Color Scheme Knowledge

Students first learned measurements and gridding process to enlarge and transfer their patterns, designs, or photos onto their page.

Then students were able to select color schemes and paint their patterns and designs, with attention to opacity, smooth edges, and color correctness. 

Understanding and Applying Aerial Perspective

Students started by identifying through example imagery what makes certain objects look further away in nature.  Once the techniques (objects getting smaller, reducing in color saturation, and moving towards the horizon line) were discussed, students began to plan an aerial perspective of their own.  Students also looked at conceptual and symbolic imagery, and decided if they wanted to create a surreal or symbolic world in their landscape, or if they wanted their image to remain more traditional.  

Once plans were in place, student began gathering much of their own source imagery, and completed their aerial perspective landscapes in colored pencil. Requirements included representing depth through reduced size and color saturation of objects, as well as the placement of those objects in relation to the horizon line, and using smooth layers of colored pencils.

Understanding Non Objective Works

Students looked at works by Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky and contemporary American artist Moe Brooker and then, while listening to soft jazz, designed their own non-objective piece infusing self expression and emotional content into the work.

Kandinsky once said "Of all the arts, abstract painting is the most difficult. It demands that you know how to draw well, that you have a heightened sensitivity for composition and for colors, and that you be a true poet. This last is essential." Students considered their own purpose in creating meaningful work.

Understanding and Apply One Point Perspective

Students were responsible for completing vocabulary terms for homework.  These terms were used regularly throughout assignment.

One Point perspective terms:

Vanishing Point -
Horizon Line -
Parallel Lines -
Perpendicular Lines -
Converge -
Recede -
View Point -

Aerial perspective terms:

Foreground -
Middleground -
Background -
Contrast -
Line of Sight -
Saturated -
Angle -

Then students completed homework assignment using at least five shapes to demonstrate"vanishing point" and "one point perspective".  Demonstration was completed by teacher in class on Oct 25th and 26th.   Homework due Oct 29th and Oct 30th.

 

After several direct instruct lessons and practice sessions, students moved in the school hallway and applied the concepts to a drawing. Students selected the section of the hallway to complete. At the point of these photos students have moved back into the classroom and are retracing their own lines with sharpie.

Understanding and Applying Value

Students completed value scales to learn control and value quality.

Then applied these techniques to object studies.

Students then began to sketch their first still life, with attention to good composition and light pencil pressure.

Students begin to shade their work, addressing technical skills such as smooth value transitions, smooth pencil shadings and 8 distinct values.

Introduction to Drawing

For my Art 1students, I begin instruction with technical drawing skills.  Learning to "see", as opposed to relying on symbols and imaginary lines will provide the artist with a framework for development.  The process consists of blind contour, upside down drawing, and value studies.