Lantern Line Drawing

Art I 

Drawing from observation, students developed contour line drawings of a still life set up with multiple lights and lanterns.  Students then explored different ways to use line designs in their negative space to add depth and interest in their drawings.

• Composition- Defined positive & negative space to create a balanced composition
• Positive Space- Contour Lines are detailed and show accurate proportion
• Negative Space- Line Designs show variety & creativity with sharpie pen
• Effort- Took time to develop the idea & complete the project
• Craftsmanship- Neat, clean & complete

Line Drawings of Common Objects

Art I  

Drawing from observation, students developed contour line drawings of common objects using pen on paper.  Students also explored different ways to use line designs in pencil to add depth and interest in their drawings.

• Is there balance in the composition?
• Does the drawing include at least 3 contour line drawings of the object at different angles and scales?
• Are the contour line drawings of the object detailed, and display accurate proportion?
• Is there a variety of line?
• Is there depth and space in the drawing?
• Does the piece reflect care, craftsmanship, and creativity?

White Value Still Life

Art I

Using self hardening clay, students sculpted a small still life with three different forms on a base (one with a curved edge, one with a straight edge, and one free choice).  Students then used a view finder to isolate an interesting composition when drawing thumbnail sketches.  Finally students chose their most successful sketch to enlarge.  Emphasis was placed on shading and employing the techniques recently learned in class (crosshatching, stippling, contour, and blending).

• Composition- Defined positive & negative space to create a balanced composition
• Value- There is a wide range of value including: lights, mid-tones, darks
• Space- Created a sense of depth by using perspective, overlapping, and value
• Effort-  Challenged themselves with the creation of the sculpture and drawing
• Craftsmanship- Neat, clean & complete? Artist used different shading techniques

Symbolic Self Portrait

Art I

 Each student collected objects that symbolized themself either literally or metaphorically.  They then arranged the objects into a still life thinking about how the objects interacted and overlapped.  Students placed a direct light source on their still life to help them see shadows better.  Next they began drawing their still life using a viewfinder to enlarge their objects.  Different shading techniques were studied and practiced in each of the compositions.  Emphasis was placed balance, value, form, space, and depth. 

• Composition- How did this artist plan their artwork so that it is a strong composition?  
• Value- How did the artist create the illusion of form in their drawing? 
• Space-  How did the artist create a sense of depth in their drawing?
• Content-  How do you think the objects in the drawing symbolize the artist? 
• Craftsmanship-  How did the artist employ the techniques we have been working on in class and overall presentation of their work?

Color Still Life Sculpture

 Art I

Students created small individual sculptures with colored paper, glue, yarn,and blocks.    After learning to use color to create different values students drew their sculpture from observation using Prismacolor Art Stix.  Students drew two different views of their sculpture to create a diptych. 

• Do the compositions balance?
• Was the artist careful with proportion and details?
• Did the artist use a range of value to create the illusion of form?
• Is there is a sense of space and depth in the composition?
• Are effort and craftsmanship evident in the the overall presentation?

Fantasy Handscape

Art I

 This is a project where students create a surrealist drawing which must incorporate their hands.  Surrealism is a 20th century art movement that used imagery, combined in bizarre ways to create a sense of unnatural, dream-like, or sub-conscious feeling.  First students drew their own hands from careful observation.  Students combined their realistic hand drawings in a fantasy environment by using the surrealist practices of Illogical Juxtaposition, Aberrant Scale, and Levitation.  Students were encouraged to utilize the elements of art and principles of design with focus on  composition and shading.

• Hand Drawings- Observational drawing skills, attention to detail
• Composition- Originality, use of Surrealist practices
• Value- Pencil rendering & shading
• Effort- Took time to develop idea & complete project
• Craftsmanship- Neat, clean & complete, skillful use of the art tools & media

Color Pencil Self Portrait

 Art I

Students chose a colored piece of paper and coordinated colored pencils to represent their light, mid-tone, and dark values. Students drew themselves from observation using a mirror.  In the negative space students introduced a new color and displayed a pattern that represented themselves.  Students were encouraged to display personal expression through their accessories, facial expression, and negative space. 

• Proportion- Attention to detail, realism & does the work capture a likeness to the artist?
• Color, Value, and Form- Is there a good sense of lighting and shadow?
• Creativity- Facial expression and background describe your personality
• Effort- Took time to develop your idea & complete the project
• Craftsmanship- Neat, clean, & complete, skillful use of the colored pencils & paper

Interpretation of a Slide

Art I

This lesson encouraged students to loosen up and create a drawing with energy.  Students used pencil to draw an out of focus slide that is projected on a screen in front of them.  Students learned about gesture drawing and sketching in a looser manner and then slowly incorporated more detail.  As the slide became clearer the drawings evolved based on their interpretation.  Students learned to translate what they saw in front of them onto paper.  Value and mark making were focused on throughout the project.

•  Is the composition visually balanced?  Is the idea fully executed?
•  Did the artist use a range of value throughout the composition?
•  Did the artist experiment with a variety of mark making techniques?
•  Does the final piece display craftsmanship, thought, and effort?