A Successful Layout

What is good about this layout? 

STILL LIFE IN CHARCOAL

EQ:  How do artists learn to draw realistically? How does contrast help to create realism in drawing?  How do  value changes create the illusion of form? How does cropping make a drawing more interesting?

The objectives for this lesson are to create a charcoal drawing of the still life of objects that have ellipses in their form.  

To do this you must:

·      Draw a thumbnail sketch of your composition in your sketchbook.  Ask yourself, what can I emphasize?  How can I make an interesting composition?

·      Use a willow charcoal (lightest one) to draw your sketch.  You are blocking everything is, so draw lightly in order to erase any mistakes.

·      LOOK for the lightest light and the darkest dark.  Start building values beginning with the medium value. 

·      Identify where the most contrast is in the piece. Have you shown that in your drawing.

·      Get darker more compressed charcoals to create deeper values.

·      Take your time and observe.  All the information in front of you.  

Adding Values...moving beyond line

Intro to Drawing and Painting

Now that you are becoming more observant and have completed gesture drawings and contour drawings we will start creating three-dimensional images by adding values and thinking about perspective.   A good place to start is by drawing cylinder-like objects,  We will be focusing this week on creating representational drawings of cups and flower pots, paying close attention to where the light hits the objects and how highlights, core shadows,  reflected light, and cast shadows create depth on a two-dimensional surface.



Previous student work:

View the link below  to a wonderful tutorial on drawing ellipses:

http://sibleyfineart.com/tutorial--draw-ellipses.htm



5 Elements of Shading

Intro to Drawing and Painting

Complete a pencil drawing in your sketchbook of a sphere or egg that clearly shows the 5 elements of shading. Make sure your object is lit from one side (preferably) from above.  This exercise will help you understand how to draw objects realistically, it is a stepping stone to a LARGER more ELABORATE drawing. Take a look at the "shading document" to better understand these elements.  This assignment is due on Due October 2.  

Walsh After School Art Enrichment

Workshops for 5th and 6th Grade Students

"Fall into ART"

For the artist that loves to explore nature.  Students will use clay, pastels, pencil, watercolors, and found objects to create artwork inspired by the season. Students will take time to observe ”art” in nature during this  multifaceted workshop.   Cost: $70

Meets Wednesdays at Walsh 3-4:30
10/7, 10/14, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18 (10/21 off) 6 weeks

"ENDANGERED SPECIES SCULPTURE"

Artists will use their voices to raise awareness while they learn  to make a 3d Sculpture of a threatened or endangered species. Artist will use wire, plaster, paper and a variety of recycled and traditional art materials. 

Students will also create magnets and stickers to get the word out about their special animals!!
Cost: $70

Meets Thursdays at Walsh 3-4:30

10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5, 11/12 6 weeks

FOR MORE INFORMATION CLICK HERE

TO REGISTER CLICK HERE

Joy to the World -CD Cover Design Contest

"Joy to the WORLD; Our December Prayer"

The choir will be traveling abroad this year. Gifting there music to the world.  Think about the month of December and how we try to give to our friends, family, and the community.

  For a sketchbook assignment make a drawing of something that represents the vibe of the season, cd, and message of the music on the CD.  Your artwork may appear on the cover of the CD!

One song they will be performing is 'Our December Prayer", by Idina Menzel. 

Click the picture to listen to the song.

Read the lyrics...maybe images for the CD cover will come to mind. 

In the touch of a friend, in the breath of a child,

In the eyes of a soldier coming home to his mother's grateful smile,

In the sight of falling snow, and the memories it brings,

In the season when you find some peace, in the simple tender things,

Open your heart and look around,

 listen listen

Hear the song within the silence,

See the beauty when there's nothing there,

Sing a song within a silence that hope and love are everywhere,

And when the quiet night is falling watch an angel dancing in the air

To the song, the song within the silence a December Prayer,

A December Prayer.

In the strength of your hand as it holds unto mine,

And the promise that we're not alone in this place and time,

In the gifts that you give I am humbled and amazed

Far beyond this day and time of year

We are in a state of grace.

Open your heart and look around,

 listen listen

Hear the song within the silence,

See the beauty when there's nothing there,

Sing a song within a silence that hope and love are everywhere,

And when the quiet night is falling watch an angel dancing in the air

To the song, the song within the silence a December Prayer,

A December Prayer

Listen listen

Hear the song within the silence,

See the beauty when there's nothing there,

Sing a song within a silence that hope and love are everywhere,

And when the quiet night is falling watch an angel dancing in the air

To the song, the song within the silence a December Prayer,

A December Prayer.

Contour Drawing

Intro to Drawing

Last week in class we warmed up to drawing again by doing several gesture drawings.  The quick lines that we drew are quite the opposite of what we will be doing when we are creating contour drawings. We will look carefully at the edges of our subject and draw slowly.

Mona Brookes, author of Drawing for Older Children and Teens, writes:

"By following what appears to be the outline edges of an object, you can create an impression of it.  Contour Drawing is a style of realistic drawing, but it doesn't capture the kind of three-dimensionality that you can achieve with shading."

Below notice the way Pablo Picasso uses a line to represent most of the edges of the figure below.  He tried to keep the correct proportions and successfully portrays the physical characteristics of the model.  Learning how to create contour drawings is a fundamental skill that all artists should develop. 

We will also try a couple Blind Contour drawings.  This is when you draw using one continuous line and do not look at your paper. 

Class warm up exercise:   Draw several contour drawings of your hand.  Try very hard to just draw edges with a line. Do not shade in at all!  Think about the negative and positive space on your paper.  Think about proportions  (how big are your fingers compared to your hand). PLEASE refrain from talking during this exercise, you really need to focus.

Sketchbook Assignment: Draw 5 small contour drawings.  Shoes,plants, people, chairs...etc.  Extra Credit:  Drawing of a foot  Due 9/25





Contour Drawing



Outline

GREAT SITE TO VIEW FOR LINE WORK IN ART

Creative Sentence Structure

This exercise from Josten's Digital Classroom really illustrates the importance of variety in sentence structure. You will be required to complete this exercise by  Friday September 18th.                              
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective techniques, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

 “This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. The writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It’s like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety. Now listen. I will vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use sentences of medium length. And sometimes, when I am certain the reader is rested, I 
will engage him with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the cymbals — sounds that say listen to this, it is important.” — Gary Provost

Considering this quote, write about the photo of students racing to their lockers (this one)  or find one of your own in the "Back to School Folder". Then, reread your work and try to vary your sentence length. Edit your work, considering not only punctuation and grammar, but also descriptive detail and sequence.

(from Jostens Digital classroom)