5/9: Final Projects ready for pick up!

Hey everyone,

I have finished grading your final projects so feel free to pick yours up anytime between now and May 16th (by 5pm at the latest)! Good luck with finals and happy almost-Summer!!

Best,

Mary 

Some Final Reminders!

Your final project, 'Expanding the Narrative', is due for our Final critique on Thursday, May 8th (also our final time meeting as a class).

I'll be finishing up your grades over the weekend or early next week, and will email you guys when your final projects are ready to pick up. And don't forget that all your work and supplies need to be out of the room by May 16th. See you all Thursday!

Best,
Mary

REMINDER: 10 In-class Figure drawings due Tuesday, May 6th, 'Expanding the Narrative' due Thursday, May 8th!

Just a reminder that this Tuesday, May 6th you'll need to turn in at least 10 Figure drawings from our in-class model sessions. At least one example should be in ink, the rest are your choice. I recommend choosing a selection of your strongest in-class figure drawings. The selection you turn in will count as one assignment grade.

Your 'Expanding the Narrative' assignment is due for our Final critique on Thursday, May 8th (also our final time meeting as a class)

Have a good weekend and I'll see you all on Tuesday!

Best,

Mary

4/22: EXPANDING THE NARRATIVE (Part 1 due Tuesday 4/29, Final drawings due Thursday 5/8)

EXPANDING THE NARRATIVE

For this assignment you will choose a short excerpt from a piece of text.  It can be as short as one page (as short as a sentence, even), but cannot exceed 3 pages.

From this piece of text, analyze the themes/imagery/symbols presented.  Then use this information to create an abstracted/expanded narrative for a series of figurative-based drawings.

The series should be at least 3 drawings, of a scale that is of relation to the subject matter/style being used.

For TUESDAY, APRIL 29th:

Choose the piece of text & make a photocopy that I can keep

Write one page/make a one page list of the themes/imagery/symbols of interest

Make a series of sketches/short proposal as to your approach for expanding this narrative

Remember to make this narrative your own.  Use figures (yourself/friends/family) to stage photographs to use as reference imagery.  At least one drawing of the series needs to be figurative, but the other drawings can be of other subject matter that is used to define/enhance the narrative you are attempting to portray.

IMPORTANT:  Narratives can be sequential or non-sequential (over the course of minutes? hours? years? back in time? with no sense of time?)

This series of drawings will be due on THURSDAY, MAY 8th

Final three weeks!!

Week 14:

4/22- CRITIQUE Figure at Full Scale, introduce Expanding the Narrative

4/24- Model (JENNY)

Week 15:

4/29- Model (JAY), 1^st part of Expanding the Narrative due

5/1- Model (JENNY)--Projector exercise

Week 16:

5/6- Model (JENNY & JAY), Selection of at least 10 in-class Figure drawings due

5/8- Final drawings for Expanding the Narrative due, FINAL CRITIQUE

4/15: FIGURE AT FULL SCALE due Tuesday 4/22

FIGURE AT FULL SCALE

DUE TUESDAY 4/22

Find a way to draw a full-scale figure in its entirety.  This could mean 1) very large sheet of paper 2) how can you fit a full-scale figure in a smaller picture plane?  how will the figure be confined to smaller space? (put together smaller panels? cut up the figure?)

Reminders for next week--TTh, April 1 & 3!

The written portion of your "Landscape of Contemporary Figuration" assignment is due on Tuesday, April 1st! "...write a one page paper explaining what you have gathered on how your artist has contributed to the contemporary context of figuration.  You can explain their content, style, methods, etc." Turn in a minimum of 1 page typed, double-spaced. Your final drawing will be due on Tuesday, April 15th!


Additionally, we'll be working in INK on both Tuesday and Thursday of the week, (Tuesday April 1st and Thursday April 3rd). Come to class both days prepared with your ink, a brush(es) and containers for water and for mixing different values to work with (I can explain how to do this if you don't know how....yogurt cups, ice cube trays, small palettes, plastic/styrofoam cups, plastic shot glasses, etc. all work well as containers). Be sure also to have your nicer quality drawing paper (NO newsprint) to use in class while working with the ink. You're welcome to bring in nicer watercolor paper or a smaller watercolor pad if you already own these items, otherwise your drawing paper, i.e. Bristol pad, will suffice.

Schedule post-Spring Break

Week 10:

3/25- Model (ELLEN), introduce Landscape of Contemporary Figuration

3/27- Model (ELLEN)

Week 11:

4/1- Model (JAY)--INK!!, Landscape of Contemporary Figuration papers due

4/3- Model (JENNY)--INK!!

Week 12:

4/8- Model (ELLEN)

4/10- Model (ELLEN)--Color media

Week 13:

4/15- Landscape of Contemporary Figuration drawings due, introduce Figure at Full Scale, Model (JENNY)

4/17- Model (JAY)

Week 14:

4/22- CRITIQUE Figure at Full Scale, introduce Expanding the Narrative

4/24- Model (JENNY)--Projector exercise

Week 15:

4/29- Model (JAY), 1^st part of Expanding the Narrative due

5/1- Model (JENNY)

Week 16:

5/6- Model (JENNY & JAY), Selection of at least 10 in-class Figure drawings due

5/8- Final drawings for Expanding the Narrative due, FINAL CRITIQUE

LANDSCAPE OF CONTEMPORARY FIGURATION (papers due Tuesday 4/1, final projects due Tuesday 4/15)

LANDSCAPE OF CONTEMPORARY FIGURATION

In this assignment we will explore contributions to contemporary figurative work.  You will choose a name of a contemporary contributor to figuration. Many of these artists have both figurative and non-figurative works.  Briefly research all contributors:

Lucian Freud 

Francis Bacon
Allison Schulnik

Mary Reid Kelley

Trenton Doyle Hancock

Jenny Seville 

John Baldessari 

Gerhard Richter 

Kerry James Marshall

Dana Schutz 

Neo Rauch 

Marlene Dumas 

Elizabeth Peyton 

Luc Tuymans 

Wengechi Mutu 

Peter Doig 

Alex Katz 

Tim Eitel 

After you pick your contributor, then you must research their work.  The Art Library at Art Building West is a great resource.  Locate images of some of their figurative work using either the library or credible online resources.  (Some of them work in ways other than figuration, it is your job to determine this in your research). Additionally, several of these artists have Art21 segments on PBS (these can be found on www.pbs.org/art21/).

Proceed to write a one page paper explaining what you have gathered on how your artist has contributed to the contemporary context of figuration.  You can explain their content, style, methods, etc.

Then choose one particular figurative piece of theirs to work from.  Re-stage the context of the piece to the best of your ability (have a friend take a photo, take a photo using your friends, etc.) and make an interpretation of the piece.  Emulate their style of mark-making, style, composition, abstraction, etc.  The piece should be at least one 30"x22" image, however, you are also permitted to make several small drawings.

Remember that color might be a useful element, but perhaps your piece would be best interpreted in charcoal.  If you have any questions on approach, please ask me.

On Tuesday, April 1st your one page write-up will be due along with the piece you chose.  Bring these materials to class to present to me.

On Tuesday, April 15th the final project will be due.

John Baldessari

Wengechi Mutu

Gerhard Richter

 Marlene Dumas

Neo Rauch

3/4: SELF PORTRAIT due Tuesday 3/11

SELF PORTRAIT

DUE TUESDAY 3/11

The best subject to practice a portrait (from life) is yourself, as it is comfortable to be meditative for a period of time on yourself as a subject.

For this assignment, I want you to add in narrative information to the drawing by changing the reflective surface in which you look to draw your own portrait.  

No mirrors.  When drawing yourself, choose a different reflective surface to look into for information. These surfaces could be, but are not limited to:

1) Window

2) Television screen

3) Computer monitor

4) A drawing/painting that has glass in front

5) Display case

6) Webcam

7) etc etc etc

Think of what narrative information the reflective surface can and will add, since you will be at times will be focusing on just seeing yourself in the surface, but at other times will be noticing different shapes/imagery that are being reflected upon/from your surface.  Add other visual information that you see fit to create a narrative in your self-portrait.

The objective is to become more familiar with drawing the head/shoulders of the figure, but also to reveal a story in your drawing.

Materials:

Good quality drawing/watercolor paper, AT LEAST 30"x22"

Any combination of materials