Drawing Portraits

Student Work 2012

Every artist has the best model to learn how to draw faces...themselves!!!
This week you will begin sketching yourself for homework.  Take your time to study your features.  REALLY observe the shape of each feature, the proportions of your face, the space between each feature.  This sketch is due on Monday Nov. 16.   Use a photograph of yourself or look at yourself in the mirror. 

Here are some guidelines to help you understand the proportions of the face and the characteristics of the facial features.

Click on each picture to read descriptions.

Happy Halloween Roy Lichtenstein....

A Fall Still-Life

Intro to Drawing and Painting

Student Work, Fall 2013

Student Work, Fall 2014

Sketchbook Assignment-Hand Holding an Object

If you have completed your white on black lesson and your elements of design questions then you should take out your sketchbook and begin drawing your hand holding something.  This is more complicated then just drawing our hand (which we have done).   You can begin with a contour or gesture drawing, then add values.  Take a look at some examples below.

Charcoal Drawing Reflection

Complete the following reflection when you finish your Charcoal Drawing. 

Describe the elements and principles of design that are relevant for this charcoal drawing.
What do you think is the most successful part of your drawing?
What areas of your drawing would you like to improve on?  

  

White Drawing on Black Paper

Drawing and Painting

Now that you have worked with a dark value on a light background, lets try the reverse.  We will be focusing on how to show core shadows and cast shadows by leaving the paper free of charcoal.  This is an extremely difficult exercise because you will want to start with a contour drawing, BUT DONT!
If you do then you may be placing a light value where a dark one should be. It is tricky!  Check out these you-tube videos below. They are amazing!

Essential Questions

(THE BIG ONE)

How do artists learn to draw realistically?

For this lesson: 

·         How do artists represent different values in their subject/object?

·         How do artists represent the 5 elements of shading ( highlight, half-tone, core shadow, reflected light, cast shadow) on black paper?

Steps to take:

·         OBSERVE the object over and over and over again….the shape, size, texture.

·         ASK YOURSELF:  Where do you see the lightest light?  Where is the darkest dark?

·         SKETCH the object lightly.

·         SHADE the lightest areas first, leaving the dark areas where the paper shows.

·         Use your eraser to help you create the form.

White on Black Drawing 

Portrait of Steve Jobs Video

Portrait of Albert Einstein 

 

Charcoal Drawing Reflection/White on Black one object

Complete the following reflection when you finish your Charcoal Drawing. 

Describe in detail how you created contrast in your drawing.
What areas of your drawing would you like to improve on?  

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.