Art 105 - Beginning Drawing Syllabus - Fall 2008
Instructor: Laura C. Hewitt Email: inae@inaeent.com URL: inaeent.com
This course is an introduction to
principles and techniques in drawing. Students will gain a working
knowledge of line, shape, perspective, proportion, volume, and
composition. This course will also introduce students to automatic
drawing, random compositions, narrative, collaborative and other
conceptual drawing techniques.
Grading System
Journal 20%
10 Drawings - completed outside of class 30%
25 Drawings - from class assignments 35%
Participation - attendance, discussion, critiques 15%
Supplies
Newsprint pads: 18 x 24 min
Drawing Paper: Strathmore or better. 18 x 24 min
3 sheets cold press watercolor paper 18 x 24 min.
Journal: notebook or sketchbook
Masking tape
Pen and ink supplies: #8 round brush, non-waterproof ink, quill pen
Pastels: non-oil soft pastels
Charcoal: assortment of compressed, black pastel sticks or Conte Crayons.
Portfolio Cover: cardboard or plastic case for drawings
Journal
The Journal is your individual written
responses to Focus Questions, Artists and Journal Assignments presented
in class. The journal can be a notebook or sketchbook. Bring it to
class each session. At the end of the semester, I expect written
responses to all Focus Questions, Artists, as well as all Journal
Assignments.
Portfolio
The Portfolio is a collection of your
drawings. All work must be signed, dated and cleanly presented. Due at
Midterm and Finals. Exact dates in Class Schedule.
Drawings Completed Outside of Class
Ten drawings, completed outside of class,
are required. Out of Class Drawings must be representational, 18 x 24
minimum and on Strathmore or better quality drawing paper. Charcoal
until midterm.
Weekly Artists to Research on Internet
There are links to the weekly artists on
the class website: http://inaeent.com, click on class. Write responses
to their work in your Journal. Please, do not write biographical
information or describe their work. Write your personal response. If
you like their work, why? If you don't like it, why not? What do you
think when viewing their work?
CLASS SCHEDULE
Week 1 - Introduction to Course
Focus Questions: What is a drawing? Why
is it useful to learn to draw "realistically"? If everyone draws the
same object "realistically", why are the drawings different?
Artists: Art Crimes, Shazia Sikander
Week 2 - Positive and Negative Space
Focus questions: Why are some things
considered difficult to draw and other things easy? What do you think
is hard to draw? Do you think it is easier to draw from life or memory
or imagination? Why?
Artists: Kara Walker, Mark Lombardi
Out of Class Drawing: Negative Space
Class activity and assignment: Making a view finder, negative space drawing.
Week 3: Volume and Proportion
Focus questions: How is a drawing
different from a photograph? How have imaging devices, like scanners
and photographs, impacted drawing?
Artists: O-Matic, Adrian Piper, William Kentridge, Walton Ford
Out of Class Drawing: Still Life
Class activity and assignment: Durer grid, still life.
Week 4: Perspective 1
Focus Questions: What is the difference between "realistic" drawing and "representational" drawing? What is an
"abstract" drawing?
Artists: Josh Dorman, Dawn Clements, Young-Hae Chang
Out of Class Drawing: 1, 2 or 3 point perspective.
Class Activity and Assignment: 1, 2 & 3 point perspective drawings.
Due: Journals, Wed
Week 5: Perspective 2
Focus Questions: Is realistic drawing important in 2008? Representational drawing? Why or why not?
Artists: Julie Heffernan, Francis Bacon
Out of Class Drawing: Multiple point and/or foreshortening
Class Activity and Assignment: Multiple point perspective drawing. Discussion of pen and ink supplies
Due: All out of class drawings
Week 6: Master Copies, Introduction to Pen and Ink
Focus questions: What constitutes
plagiarism in art today? Does it matter who created a particular work
of art? What is the difference, in your opinion, between plagiarism and
sampling? Does the presence of the artist's hand in a work of art
change its value or meaning? Is knowing who created a work of art and
why important information to have as a viewer?
Artists: John Kindness, Critical Art Ensemble
Out of Class Drawing: Free Subject in pen and ink
Class activity and assignment: Master copies, introduction to pen and ink, hatching and inkwash
Midterm Portfolios Due: Journal, 5 out of class drawings and 10 class drawings due at end of class, 15 Oct.
Week 7: Midterm Critiques
Focus questions: What is a critique? How can a critique be useful? What is the function of art critics?
Class Activity: Critiques, slide presentation, discussion of pastel supplies and various papers.
Week 8: Introduction to Color/Pastels
Focus Questions: Colors have symbolic
meanings. Green can mean growth, spring but also "green with envy". Red
can represent passion and love, but also Christian notions of sin, "red
light district". In your journal, write your symbolic impressions of 12
colors.
Artists: Andy Yoder, Ellen Gallagher
Out of Class Drawing: Still Life in color
Class Activity: Introduction to color, pastels, various papers. Color wheel, color still life.
Week 9: The Body in Representation, Figurative Drawing
Focus Questions: How have medical,
computer or machine technologies altered our perception of our bodies?
How have contemporary artists chosen to express these new
representations of the human form? What is the difference between
nudity and pornography?
Artists: Irene Hardwick Olivieri, Frida Kahlo, Oliver Herring
Out of Class Drawing: Yourself - Portrait
Class Activity: Drawing from model, introduction to anatomy
Week 10: Figurative Drawing
Focus Questions: Do you think it is important to be able to draw the human figure? Why?
Artists: Faith Wilding, Do-Ho Suh
Out of Class Drawing: Yourself - Full Figure
Class Activity: Drawing from model.
Due: Journals, Wed.
Week 11: Introduction to Surrealism
Focus Questions: Is surrealism useful for artists in 2008? Why or why not?
Artists: Hans Bellmer, Eva Hesse, Tyree Guyton
Out of Class Drawing: Free Subject using a Surrealist Technique.
Class Activities: Compositions generated by
random, chance, accident and collaboration. Compositions generated
using irrational visual language.
Due: Out of Class drawings since midterm
Week 12: Introduction to Deconstructionism
Journal Assignment: Complete assignment from handout.
Artists: REPO History, Cai Guo-Qiang, Jodi.org
Out of Class Drawing: Recombinant
Class Activity and Assignments: Collaborative Projects
Week 13: Introduction to Conceptual Art
Focus Questions: What is metamorphosis? Is there anything that is stable in our world? What?
Class Activites and Assignments: Metamorphosis Project
Final Portfolios Due: Journal, 10 out of class and 25 class drawings due at end of class, 3 Dec.
Week 14: Final Critiques
8 and 10 Dec - Critiques
15 Dec - Portfolio pickup. Students will be assigned individual pick up times.