Examples Of Homework Due April 26

Sketchbook Examples

An Archive Artist: Brian Belott

Brian Belott is an artist who collects and archives anything he can get his hands on. Whenever we get to the collage assignments in this class I think of him. The first video below is a studio visit with him. The second video documents a huge collage he built. Below that is an odd collaborative performance piece of his called "The Wordless Chorus."

Artist April Gornik Talks About Working From Photographs

So, there are often those who have asked me if we aren't breaking some cardinal rule by making drawings based on photographs rather than on direct observation. Well, there are plenty of artists out there that draw and/or paint with photographs as source material. Listen to April Gornik as she talks about her exhibition "Out Of Africa." When she describes her reasons for utilizing photographic source material, see what you think.

The Artists Working With Limited Values From Class

Fernando Bryce

Vik Muniz

Elizabeth Peyton

Artist Working On Toned Paper

Here are a few examples of established artists who use mark-making on toned paper similarly to the way you are using it in this class. Notice that not all of these artists are using warm toned paper and not all of them use exclusively black and white conte. Still they are good examples to observe and from which to learn.

Edgar Degas

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

John Currin

In-Class Examples Of Mark-Making On Fawn Paper

Just Because He's Fun: California Collage Artist DANGER

THIS Visits: Danger from Incase on Vimeo.

Homework Due March 28

Outside Assignment:
o Landscape on the spot
o Make a drawing from nature using crosshatching
o Materials
• Pencil, sharpened stick and ink, Bristol (18”x24” or larger)
o BRING PORTRAIT PHOTOS TO CLASS
• Portrait photo of an anonymous person
• Look for strong light source, dramatic value range
o BLOG: Take some photos of the location you have chosen to draw. Post these images on your blog and write about your experience completing the assignment.

Edward Gorey Animation

When I was a kid in the 80s, there was a show on PBS called MYSTERY! (it still exists, but it's an occasional showcase of Masterpiece Theatre now). The intro to this show had a cool little animation based on the illustrations and sense of humor of Edward Gorey. Check it out:

Creating Value With Ink Mark-Making: Edward Gorey

If you are not familiar with Edward Gorey...then WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU??? Seriously though, look him up. He was an illustrator (he died in 2000) with a very macabre sense of humor. If illustration is your thing, you should DEFINITELY research him. Here, I give some examples of his work, because if ever there were a master of building value through a series of ink marks, it was Gorey.

WELCOME BACK!

Welcome back everyone. I hope that your spring break went well and that you were able to enjoy the company of family and friends. If travel wasn't possible for you, I hope that at least you were able to make the most of your time during what I am sure was a much-need break from the grind if nothing else.

We are getting down to the wire now. The first half of the semester is gone, and we have six more weeks of class before you turn in your portfolios on May 5. THAT'S IT! Where is the semester going? Doesn't it seem like just yesterday you were giving your muscles a workout erasing through layers of charcoal, making a mess all over the studio and your home, and picking black boogers out of your nose? I should hope that you feel your work is far more confident now. And hopefully you see why it was important to START there before moving on to more advanced drawings rather than diving straight in without any scuba gear.

So, then, allow me to give you a few quick reminders here so you can be ready for what's coming up:

1. Don't forget that April 26 is the final day to turn in any assignments you have reworked for the possibility of a better grade. I know that seems like forever away, but you'd be surprised how quickly it can sneak up on you. That day I will accept any reworked assignment from any point in the semester, but I will NOT accept late drawings that weren't turned in on the date they were originally due. I don't have the time nor patience to grade, in addition to the reworked assignments, a bunch of drawings that were due weeks ago that you never turned in. This isn't make-up time. This is a final-shot chance to improve your grade through good, honest, hard work. So, don't let it just pass you by.

2. Make sure to have the correct materials for class each day. PLEASE DO NOT RAID THE STORE RIGHT BEFORE CLASS. Both groups have done a wonderful job of this so far this semester. So, this isn't really meant as a scolding. I just make sure to always give this gentle reminder at midterm every semester.

3. Remember that we have an assignment coming up in which you will create a drawing based on a portrait photo of an anonymous person. We will talk about it more in class this week, but if you haven't begun looking for possible images, you need to get moving.

4. On the whole, both groups have been progressing impressively well. So, as we proceed into the second half of the semester, please keep up (or even improve) the work ethic I've seen so far and don't slack. If you do that, you may find yourself, by the end of this class accomplishing things that will surprise even you.

So, again, welcome back! Now, let's get back to work!

YOUR Chance To Critique ME

(If you've had me in class before, you've already seen these.)

I thought this could be an interesting experiment. Below, I have images taken from old (very old in some cases) sketchbooks of mine when I was a student. Some are from undergrad classes and some are classes I took while attending grad school here at MCA (I won't say which are which). Some are from drawing classes and some are not. So, after you get your graded sketchbooks back from me, feel free to browse through my old sketchbook pages here and see if I practiced then what I'm preaching to you now. Then, feel free to critique by posting a comment. It's your turn now. My feelings aren't going to be hurt. So, anything you see that needs to be criticized, praised, or taken out into the street and flogged, you can point it out without fear.