Sketchbook Assignment:
(scroll to the bottom to make sure you do all assignments)
You will not improve at drawing until you learn to pay attention to the shape, size, and angle of lines.
If I told you to draw a flower, you would probably just draw your idea of a flower that you learned as a young child. An artist would find a real flower or photo of a flower and draw each curve, line, and dot, not "petal, stem, and leaf."
A classic drawing challenge is to copy an image while looking at it upside down. This prevents your brain from saying the name of the object you're drawing, like "foot," and accesses the part of your brain that simply draws what you see and not what you THINK you see. All art is composed of lines, curves, and dots.
EXERCISE 1
In your sketchbook, copy the upside down picture below, capturing each detail. There is a print out of it in your sketchbook folder. Turn it around when you finish to see how you did!
If I told you to draw a flower, you would probably just draw your idea of a flower that you learned as a young child. An artist would find a real flower or photo of a flower and draw each curve, line, and dot, not "petal, stem, and leaf."
A classic drawing challenge is to copy an image while looking at it upside down. This prevents your brain from saying the name of the object you're drawing, like "foot," and accesses the part of your brain that simply draws what you see and not what you THINK you see. All art is composed of lines, curves, and dots.
EXERCISE 1
In your sketchbook, copy the upside down picture below, capturing each detail. There is a print out of it in your sketchbook folder. Turn it around when you finish to see how you did!
EXERCISE 2
Set up 3 objects in a still life, like a book, cup, and banana. With your pencil (no erasing), draw a continuous line drawing in you sketchbook, trying not to lift your pencil off the paper. Let your eyes slowly (VERY slowly) follow the edge of each object as your hand moves at the same time. The goal is not accuracy (it will look really wonky!), it is to teach your eye to see the edge of an object. Try not to think about the object you're drawing, like "banana" but to just see curves, lines, and dots. Here is an example:
Set up 3 objects in a still life, like a book, cup, and banana. With your pencil (no erasing), draw a continuous line drawing in you sketchbook, trying not to lift your pencil off the paper. Let your eyes slowly (VERY slowly) follow the edge of each object as your hand moves at the same time. The goal is not accuracy (it will look really wonky!), it is to teach your eye to see the edge of an object. Try not to think about the object you're drawing, like "banana" but to just see curves, lines, and dots. Here is an example:
Art Appreciation Assignment:
ART COLLABORATION & PUBLIC ART
Use the link to watch the video I created to show the process of an art collaboration. My friend, Josh Laack, who is a carpenter, and I worked together to create an art installation for our church sanctuary. I made six giant canvases using a pour paint technique, and Josh used his CNC machine to cut words from plywood. Then we put it all together and installed it in our church right after COVID lockdowns ended.
After watching the video, answer these questions on the lined paper in your sketchbook:
1. Art is usually a solitary endeavor. What would be some advantages of collaborating with another person?
2. This is an example of public art. My daughter painted an ice cream mural on the side of the South Flapdoodles building, which is also public art. If you were to create art for the public to enjoy, what might you create and where would it be installed? You can dream big! You can even sketch your idea if you'd like.
VIDEO LINK: youtu.be/gOO125HITJo?si=9y4h34kMr31iUi3s
After watching the video, answer these questions on the lined paper in your sketchbook:
1. Art is usually a solitary endeavor. What would be some advantages of collaborating with another person?
2. This is an example of public art. My daughter painted an ice cream mural on the side of the South Flapdoodles building, which is also public art. If you were to create art for the public to enjoy, what might you create and where would it be installed? You can dream big! You can even sketch your idea if you'd like.
VIDEO LINK: youtu.be/gOO125HITJo?si=9y4h34kMr31iUi3s