Course Description

Major, Minor credit. Prerequisite for all art and design courses. An introduction to the discipline of drawing. Development of drawing skills leading to an understanding of the structure of forms on the picture plane, figure-ground relationships, line, value and texture. Studio problems of visualization, composition and analysis in various black and white media. Lab Fee $30

 

Course Learning Objectives

1. Introduction to several drawing processes and materials.

2. Develop a working knowledge of design elements and principles.

3. Introduction to the properties of paper; surface quality, weight, and archival standards.

4. Evaluate art critically, both orally and written, utilizing a visual vocabulary.

5. Develop a basic understanding of documentation of artwork and its purpose for artists.

 

Course Learning Outcomes

1. Students will produce a series of drawings that include a wide range of drawing media and techniques.

2. Students will produce drawings that successfully use design element and principles.

3. Students will select appropriate archival papers for final drawings.

4. Students will actively participate in class critiques and write exhibition reviews using terminology appropriate to the course.

5. Students will document class drawings.

 

Final Digital Portfolio

All art and design students are required to establish and maintain a Digital Portfolio in which all artwork created during your time at Converse is documented. Documentation techniques will be covered in the class and students expected to document all drawings created in the course. The work and portfolio will be reviewed and graded for accuracy and quality. 

 

Exhibition Reviews

Two written reviews of exhibitions of professional artwork. The review must be at least 250 words. Grammar and spelling will be checked as well as content, thoroughness, and observation. Only one review can be from the Milliken Art Gallery. Any review done for another class cannot be duplicated for this class. You are expected to participate in a minimum of two Spartanburg Downtown Gallery Walks. You may also attend Greenville or Asheville’s First Friday gallery walks in lieu of the Spartanburg art walks

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• Student Samples

  • ArtWalk 01.pdf

  • ArtWalk 02.pdf

 

Skill Building Exercises

 

Exercise 1: Kinetic drawing technique. 

Draw at least 5 studies of composition.  Allow the objects shape to influence the negative space marks.

 

Exercise 2: Negative space of basic 3D forms

For this drawing exercise you need to find basic forms. Create three separate drawings on 3 pages. Use 3 objects based on: cylinder, cube and cone. It is important to concentrate on the negative space.  

 

Exercise 3: Light and shadow. Draw an Egg 3 times on 3 separate sheets of paper.

Make sure to include:

• Spectacular Highlight

• Diffused Highlight

• Form Shadow

• Core Shadow

• Reflective Highlight

• Casting Shadow

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Exercise 4: Cross contour

Cross contour can be applied in one direction or in a mix of directions. Make sure the mark’s follow the surface of the form. Try to visually describe the volume and exact shape of the objects by concentrating on seeing and drawing the Cross Contours.

 

Exercise 5: Folded cloth. Please submit 3 drawings of folded cloth.

• All 3 drawings must be fully rendered

• 1 drawing of draped cloth on white ground

• 1 drawing of draped cloth on grey ground

• 1 drawings of folded cloth, plus one hard object like a vase on white or grey ground.

 

Exercise 6: Draw a Highly Reflective Object.

Make sure to include:

• Spectacular Highlight

  • Diffused Highlight

  • Form Shadow

  • Core Shadow

  • Reflective Highlight

  • Casting Shadow

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Exercise 7: Texture Samples

• Draw 16 different textures in 2x2” squares.

• You may work in graphite, charcoal or mix them.

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Exercise 8: Texture rocks, grass and water.

Study the following:

• Light and Shadow

• Texture

• You may work in graphite, charcoal or mix them.

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Exercise 9: Texture tree, leaf and pinecone.

Study the following:

• Light and Shadow

• Texture

• You may work in graphite, charcoal or mix them.

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Exercise 10: Block Letters in one-point perspective

• Draw your initials in 2-inch block style letters and then turn them into "3-D" one-point perspective drawing.

• Draw the horizon line and vanishing point

• Using a ruler, raw the orthogonal lines to the vanishing point.

• Draw the parallel lines in between the orthogonal lines.

 

Exercise 11: 2-point perspective-Draw an abstract set of intersecting boxes.

• Draw block shapes in two-point perspective drawing.

• Draw the horizon line and two vanishing points.

• Using a ruler, raw the orthogonal lines to the vanishing point from the block shapes.

• Draw the parallel lines in between the orthogonal lines.

• Begin the under drawing with an H4 or H2, then over draw with a B2 or B4 for the final edges of the illusion.

 

Exercise 12: 2-point perspective-Include a barn and a fence.

• Draw a horizon line and place two vanishing points on it.

• Make sure that all side edges travel to the appropriate vanishing point.

• As a rule of thumb, left side planes travel to the left vanishing point.

• Right side planes travel to the right-side vanishing point.

• Pay close attention to contour accuracy.

• This drawing should be completed in graphite.

 

Exercise 13: 3-Point Perspective of a Building Exterior

• Accurately draw three-dimensional objects in space using 3-point perspective.

• The building exterior drawing should include corners, doors, doorways, windows and textures.

 

Exercise 14: Facial Features. Draw three versions of eyes, nose, lips, and mouth in the following styles.

• Realistic

• Cartoon

• Abstract 

 

Exercise 15: Expressive Eyes. Draw nine eyes from different genders and races. Focus on:

• Shapes

• Lines

• Details

 

Exercise 16: The nose. Draw nine noses from different genders and races. Focus on:

• Shapes

• Angles

• Lines

• Details

 

Exercise 17: The mouth. Draw nine mouth images from different genders and races.

Focus on:

• Shapes

• Angles

• Lines

• Details

 

Exercise 18: The ear. Draw nine ears’ images from different genders and races.

Focus on:

• Shapes

• Angles

• Lines

• Details

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Course Projects

 

Project 1: Organizational Drawing - accuracy, negative space, placement, and relationships.

In this drawing assignment there are three basic elements of a composition: format, positive and negative space. The positive space is easiest to understand. Generally, it is the space occupied by your subject. Conversely, negative space is the space that is not your subject.

The final drawing will contain a mix of objects and make use of both positive and negative space. (e.g., Objects – bottles, Teapots, bowls).

 

Steps to success

• Format size 16 x 20 inches. 

• Format may be horizontal OR vertical.

• At least 5 objects must be used (Rule-of-Odds).

• Golden Mean must be used.

• The composition will be divided approximately in half with positive and negative space.

• One half to be rendered with value (shaded).

• The other half will be rendered open (white) space with the background rendered.

• Medium: Charcoal, Conte and Graphite on Toned Ground.

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