Drawing and Painting I

This is an overview of Drawing and Painting I.

OBJECTIVES:

In this first lesson of the course, we will collect art supplies for the course, set up a workstation for course activities, and review course materials in preparation for course success.

OBJECTIVES:

In this lesson, we will learn how to use different types of pencils to create value. Value is a fundamental element of drawing with pencil. We will also learn how to apply pressure and change the direction of our pencil stroke to create even values. We will also make connections between our own drawing in the present and art of the past to appreciate the length of time on planet Earth that humans have been drawing and artists have been using marks to make meaning. 

OBJECTIVES:

We will explore the concepts of positive and negative space in this lesson. We will also re-examine the imagery of ancient cave art from Lesson 2—specifically, Cueva de las Manos (The Cave of the Hands). This example of ancient mark making will be the starting point for a drawing that incorporates positive and negative space to create strong visual contrast. We will also use overlapping to show a foreground and a background in the image. The smooth shading skills learned in the previous lesson will be further developed to achieve gradient elements similar to those in Cueva de las Manos (The Cave of the Hands). Lastly, there will be an opportunity to reflect on connections between ancient creative expression and personal creative expression. 

OBJECTIVES:

We will learn the difference between a drawing and a rendering to understand how to render in this lesson. The effects that a light source has on a three-dimensional object, an egg in this case, will be explored. We will learn about highlights, tones, and the different types of shadows in naturalistic drawing, such as core shadows, form shadows, and cast shadows, along with their corresponding values. Then, a method for lighting and setting up an object for rendering will be presented. We will apply different values with smooth shading and our different pencil types to create the illusion of form on a two-dimensional, or flat, drawing surface. We will also apply the concept of overlapping to create three-dimensional space in our rendering. Finally, art of the past that incorporates objects from daily life will be used to reflect on artists’ responses to the natural world and constructed environments.

OBJECTIVES:

One-point perspective, two-point perspective, and the origins of perspective in art will be introduced in this lesson. We will learn how to use perspective techniques to create the illusion of three-dimensional space on flat surfaces by viewing examples and drawing buildings with one- and two-point perspective. We will learn key terms, such as horizon line and vanishing point, and their application in perspective drawing. We will also view, analyze, and interpret Eastern and Western uses of perspective during the 12th and 15th centuries to gain a better understanding of how perspective was applied in the art of different cultures. Last, we will reflect on how the use of perspective in art alters the interpretation of subject matter.

OBJECTIVES:

We will continue our journey into the world of linear perspective while reviewing three-point perspective in depth. First, we will learn about the meaning, purpose, and effect of three-point perspective in art. Artists who use perspective techniques, including three-point perspective, in graphic novels and comic books will be referenced and discussed. We will then practice rendering the exterior of a building or a cityscape using three-point perspective. We will choose either a bird’s eye view or a worm’s eye view to create the rendering. To complete the lesson, we engage in a final perspective project. On the Cityscape Comics page provided, we will use the three types of linear perspective we have learned to create a three-panel story. We will write a short narrative for the story, which we will then incorporate into each panel of the Cityscape Comics page. Each panel should contain one of the three types of perspective drawing we have learned: one-point perspective, two-point perspective, and three-point perspective.

OBJECTIVES:

In this lesson, we will explore a perspective technique that was first developed several centuries ago in the East: axonometric perspective. We will learn how axonometric perspective differs from linear perspective and use it to create schematic drawings of objects. First, we will practice axonometric perspective by drawing an architectural floor plan. Next, we will use axonometric perspective to construct a schematic drawing of a video game landscape from top-down view. Last, we will explore the meaning, purpose, and effect of axonometric perspective in art by viewing artworks from different art historical periods that employ the technique.

OBJECTIVES:

This first lesson in the Creating Space unit begins our journey into concepts and methods that enable us to have greater control over how we create space within the picture plane. We will learn the meaning, use, and purpose of foreground, middle ground, and background and practice its application through a drawing exercise. We will also explore how artists have used these concepts in art created with different media, including photography, painting, computer software (digital art), and drawing, with a special focus on a particular type, or genre, of art called landscape art.

OBJECTIVES:

This lesson reviews many of the various techniques and concepts we have learned so far while focusing specifically on their application for creating space. These techniques and concepts include the following: overlap; shading; scale; value and atmospheric perspective; placement; foreground, middle ground, and background; one-point perspective; two-point perspective; three-point perspective, and axonometric perspective. As part of the review, we will practice using each in short, creative exercises. Lastly, we will apply our knowledge of these techniques and concepts to evaluate the work of Symbolist artists.

OBJECTIVES:

This is the first lesson in which we will learn key concepts for creating dynamic composition within the picture plane. These concepts are the following: focal point, overlap, off-centering, repetition, scale, and crop. We will practice these concepts in short sketching exercises using simple shapes before moving on to more advanced practice. We will also learn how to use an important art tool, a viewfinder, to define our composition before rendering details in an artwork. In preparation for advanced practice, we will learn about the use of narrative in a popular art genre, still life, in order to set up our own still life with objects that tell a story. We will use the viewfinder to define a dynamic composition using at least three of the composition concepts we learned and draw the still life with that composition.

OBJECTIVES:

We will learn about distortion and foreshortening in this lesson, two techniques for manipulating space in naturalistic and imaginative ways. We will view and analyze examples of distortion and foreshortening in art history to better understand how to apply these techniques in our own practice. We will also practice these techniques in two small-scale drawings, one of which will apply distortion in an imaginative way and one of which will apply foreshortening in a naturalistic way.

OBJECTIVES:

This is the first lesson in the Drawing with Photos unit, in which we discuss artistic techniques for integrating photos into artwork. We will learn about the responsible use of photos as an artist and how to avoid plagiarism in creative work. We will also learn the history and application of the grid method, an ancient technique for copying, scaling, and transferring images. We will apply this technique to transform a photograph into a drawing.

OBJECTIVES:

In this second lesson of the Drawing with Photos unit, we will learn how to scale, or resize, images using the grid method. We will also practice using photo references responsibly to create an original artwork. The artwork will be based on a small collage we create by combining multiple images, which will then be scaled to a larger drawing with the grid method. Our understanding and application of the grid method will be informed by the artistic process of artists who have used the grid method to plan and scale images throughout art history.

OBJECTIVES:

We will learn how to draw parts of the human face in this lesson, the first in The Human Form unit. Specifically, we will learn how to draw eyebrows, eyes, lips, ears, the nose, the mouth, and hair with step-by-step instruction in preparation for drawing the entire human face in the next lesson. We will also view anatomical studies from artists of the past who made the study of anatomy an integral part of their artistic practice, with the goal of understanding how the study of anatomy relates to drawing the human form.

OBJECTIVES:

In this lesson, we will combine parts of the human face that we learned to draw in the previous lesson. We will learn about facial proportions and how to map the face in order to draw anatomically correct facial proportions. We will practice drawing a frontal view of the entire face according to anatomically correct proportions in a short exercise. Artists’ anatomical studies will also be viewed and analyzed in relation to their artistic depictions of the human form.

OBJECTIVES:

We will build on what we have learned to create a series of self-portraits from three views: frontal view, profile view, and three-quarter view. We will learn how to draw these views using simple shapes and the facial proportion map from the previous lesson. The subject of the three self-portraits will be identity, with each view representing one of three aspects of identity: personal identity, family identity, and social identity. To understand how identity may be expressed through portraiture, we will explore how Harlem Renaissance artists represented the identities of their subjects in portraits.

OBJECTIVES:

In this lesson, we will learn how to draw the human body with anatomically correct proportions. A system for estimating the general height and length of the human body and constructing the body with simple shapes will be presented. Different versions of the idealized human form in art from multiple cultures will be reviewed to understand how systems of human proportion may also reflect cultural values. We will critique these different systems and determine their relevance for evaluating the artistic portrayal of the human body across cultures.

OBJECTIVES:

As opposed to previous lessons in this unit that emphasized systems of human proportion, this lesson focuses on drawing through direct observation. We will learn how to study the human figure in motion through direct observation to capture anatomically correct body gestures in art. We will draw sequences of body movement and view how artists throughout history have applied graphic study of body movement in their art.

OBJECTIVES:

This lesson marks a shift away from drawing with pencil to drawing with other media. Specifically, this is the first lesson in the Drawing With Pen unit, in which an overview of pen types and their use throughout art history is presented. We will also learn different techniques to create value with pen, which are different from previous techniques we learned with pencil. We will practice hatching, cross-hatching, contour-hatching, stippling, and scumbling to create light and shadow on a flat surface.

OBJECTIVES:

We will continue our exploration of pen and ink as an artistic medium for drawing. We will focus specifically on the quality of the pen mark and how it may be used to create pattern in art. Adinkra from the Asante of Ghana will inform our understanding of motif, symbol, and pattern in pictorial language. We will subsequently apply our understanding to create our own symbolic language expressed through linear and radial patterns with pen and ink.

OBJECTIVES:

In this lesson, we will learn how to render naturalistic form with pen and ink. We will combine our knowledge of symbol, motif, pattern, and pen techniques for creating value in one creative project. Our creative task will be to transform a simple still life form—specifically, dishware—into unique expressions of our culture for future human generations. We will draw on the ancient history of Mayan ceramic art to inform the creative expression of our own culture on ceramic dishware.

OBJECTIVES:

We will continue to develop our skills with pen and ink by rendering more complex forms in this unit titled The Natural World. The present lesson focuses specifically on the botanical world. We will illustrate plant life, or flora, using the pen techniques we learned and practiced in the previous unit. We will also learn about botanical illustration to inform our observational drawing and naturalistic rendering of flora. The presentation style of this type of illustration will also guide us in planning the presentation of our own botanical rendering.

OBJECTIVES:

We will continue rendering complex forms with pen and ink. We will focus on zoological rendering and view zoological illustration of the past as inspiration. We will reflect on the potential of this art genre to impact the beliefs, values, and behaviors of a society. We will then create a zoological illustration of an animal in our environment and include identifying information about the animal.

OBJECTIVES:

This lesson marks the beginning of image creation with color in the second half of the course. We will learn how to use colored pencils, a popular medium for drawing with color, and complete a series of color blending exercises. Since we have been drawing exclusively in grayscale up to this point, we will also learn how to create value and render form with color. A brief overview of color systems throughout art history will also be provided to inform our own study of color with colored pencils, which is a relatively new medium developed for widespread artistic use during the early 20th century.

OBJECTIVES:

We will continue exploring color and its application with colored pencils in this lesson. We will learn about color symbolism, its role in artistic expression, and how the meaning of color varies by cultural context. We will also view mandalas from Tibetan artists who use color symbolism to express spiritual concepts. Our study of Tibetan mandalas will serve as a starting point for our own application of color symbolism in a mandala of personal meaning.

OBJECTIVES:

In this lesson, we will advance in our study of color and its properties through more complex color mixing exercises. We will complete mineralogical illustrations of semiprecious and precious stones for in-depth exploration of color rendering. In mixing colors and creating color palettes to match the natural world, we will also have the opportunity to explore color harmony and how it is shaped by our unique perception. As inspiration, we will view the work of abstract artists who employ color as a main vehicle to communicate meaning in their artwork.

OBJECTIVES:

We will apply the colored pencil techniques we learned to draw from our imagination and express our personal artistic vision. To cultivate original ideas, we will learn and practice a technique for strengthening creativity: stream-of-consciousness drawing. Our stream-of-consciousness drawing will then serve as the basis for a more developed, imaginative rendering that depicts a dream world of our own design. As inspiration, we will reflect on the work of artists throughout art history who have expressed their own unique artistic visions through the visual illustration of imaginary worlds.

OBJECTIVES:

We will continue drawing from imagination and rendering with color by creating fantastical (hybrid) creatures. We will also learn how to combine multiple photo references to create new, imagined, and hybrid forms while avoiding plagiarism. Artworks of the past that depict fantastical creatures will inform our development of original creatures from our own imagination.

OBJECTIVES:

This lesson marks the beginning of our study of painting techniques and applications. We will learn about painting materials, including their history, properties, care, and how they are used by artists. We will then experiment using different types of brushes with watercolor pencils to create value strips in color as an introductory painting exercise.

OBJECTIVES:

We will explore the connection between drawing and painting, how each is distinct, and how drawing techniques may be applied to construct a painting. We will create an artwork that combines drawing and painting techniques to explore these areas and depict an image of two worlds. Unfinished artworks that reveal the drawings underneath paintings will help us to understand how artists of the past applied drawing techniques to construct their paintings.

OBJECTIVES:

Focused attention will be given to watercolor techniques in this lesson. We will learn how to select and use watercolor materials to create gradations of color and value, a foundational skill for rendering complex form with watercolors in future lessons. We will practice the techniques we learn by creating an imaginary map of a future world informed by the issues of our present era. The work of mapmakers from the past will be studied to understand how maps may be expressions of fact, fiction, and worldview.

OBJECTIVES:

In this lesson, we will apply techniques for creating value and color with watercolors to render naturalistic form. As an extension of our future world map project, we will imagine the future humans who live there—including their mode of dress, transportation, and housing—and render them in watercolor. This requires us to engage in a specific form of art, concept art, which we will learn about and understand through the work of contemporary concept artists for literature, film, television, animation, and video games.

OBJECTIVES:

We will learn how to construct a watercolor painting in a series of layers to create a book cover illustration. The book cover illustration will depict the world in which the future human character we designed in the previous lesson lives. This will require us to engage in world design, a practice common to concept art. As inspiration, we will view examples of book cover design from the late 19th to early 20th century, a period when books only existed as physical objects outside of the digital realm.

OBJECTIVES:

This lesson provides an introduction to acrylic painting. We will learn about the unique properties of acrylic paint and experiment with its use. We will also view poster art from the past and learn how it is used to address issues of social justice. We will then create a poster for a social justice issue of personal significance with acrylic paint.

OBJECTIVES:

We will delve more deeply into acrylic painting techniques and learn how to blend color to create value and render naturalistic form in this lesson. We will practice these techniques in an autobiographical still life painting that will function as a time capsule for our future, older self. As inspiration, we will view autobiographical still life paintings from artists of the past.

OBJECTIVES:

In this lesson, we will focus on the construction of an acrylic painting in layers. We will learn how to use an underpainting and grisaille to help us realize a creative vision on canvas. We will undertake a structured process of art making from idea development to creation that engages all the knowledge we have acquired in the course thus far in order to paint an original, fantastical landscape from our imagination. To inform our creative project, we will view and organize a collection of fantastical landscape artworks from contemporary artists.

OBJECTIVES:

In this first lesson within the last course unit, we will begin the process of creating an art portfolio through art critiques. Art criticism and a process for critiquing artwork will be defined. We will apply these definitions to engage in self- and peer evaluation of personal artwork. The information we gather from art critiques will be used to identify skill and concept areas for further artistic development. We will also analyze different interpretations of another artist’s work to develop our own critical analysis of the work.

OBJECTIVES:

We will learn how to incorporate critique feedback into our personal development as artists. We will practice using feedback to identify a skill or idea that we will then use to create an artwork for an art portfolio. The role of critique in portfolio development and the function of an art portfolio will be presented. 

OBJECTIVES:

In this lesson, we will learn how a body of work is defined in art. We will then assemble a body of work with new artwork and a selection of artwork we created in previous lessons to show our artistic growth throughout the course. We will present this body of work in an exhibition we create as part of the next and last lesson of the course.

OBJECTIVES:

In this last lesson of the course, we will learn how to prepare artwork for presentation. Specifically, we will learn about matting, framing, labeling, and hanging artwork for an art show. We will write a proposal for a home exhibition of the artwork selected in the previous lesson with members of our household. Then, we will install the body of work to showcase our artistic growth throughout this course. Last, we will give a short “artist talk” about the artwork to family and friends.