ASSIGNMENTS

ASSIGNMENT ONE

1. Materials Tests (labeled). IN YOUR SKETCHBOOK. Using all your drawing pencils (4H, 2H, 2B, 4B), graphite crayon, Compressed & willow charcoal sticks, gum eraser and kneaded erasers, draw one page of continuous straight lines (as straight a line as you can make). Once you start the line you cannot lift your pencil up until you get to the other side. Erase to create a white line- one for each type of eraser.

2. Contour drawings (labeled). IN YOUR SKETCHBOOK:

• Blind contour of left hand- continuous line, looking at object but not at paper
• Blind contour of right hand- same
• Modified Contour of object- continuous line, looking only occasionally at paper and making corrections as you go
• 4 Rapid Contours of person (1 min, 45 sec, 30 sec, 15 sec)
• A page with four gesture drawings, very quick sketches that capture the essential action of the subject, and attempts to show depth, weight, and some shading. Possible subjects: sketch someone washing dishes, people in the library, a dog or cat, birds on a telephone pole, people waiting in line, at the airport, etc. 

3. For Critique: ON 18 X 24" GOOD PAPER: Still life using only sighting- a completed sighted contour drawing where the subject matter you are drawing is arranged into an interesting composition that touches at least three of the four sides of the page. 

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• Use any of the materials we have tested in class.
• Subject of your choice – must be from direct observation (no photograph): can be 2 or more objects of your choice arranged as a still-life, a person sitting for you, a landscape, etc.
• Goal is to make as realistic a drawing as possible using only line (look at reading and slide show for all the ways to use line).
• Challenge: use different line values to create depth and space

ASSIGNMENT TWO 

M/W: parts 2, 3, and 4 due Monday 3/4 

T/TH: parts 2, 3, 4, and 5 due Thursday 3/7

1. Value Scales- SKETCHBOOK (done)

2. Box Drawing #1- SKETCHBOOK
Additive and Subtractive box drawing with at least 4 shades of value, remember, point-perspective and sighting can help you accurately draw the boxes. Use charcoal or pencil.

3. Box Drawing #2- SKETCHBOOK
Additive drawing of boxes with at least 10 values


4. (REVISED) 

Two- OR Three-Point Perspective Drawing- 18 x 24" paper
After reviewing two- and three-point perspective, use a full 18x24 sheet of paper and make the most complicated Two- OR Three-Point Perspective drawing you can. Fill the whole page. This should be an observational drawing. Carefully describe what you see- include much more than a series of angles. If drawing indoors, be sure to include a veiw of the ceiling!





5. Abstracting from Life- SKETCHBOOK & 18 x 24"

• Using object of your choice, in your sketchbook make at least 3 different thumbnail sketches of each of the 4 views below, for a total of 12 sketches:

1. A view of the object zoomed in so that it’s barely recognizable
2. A view of the object missing a part of it
3. A view of the object reconfigured (two separate parts of the object are connected together)
4. Combine 1 thumbnail from each of the categories above into one thumbnail composition.

• Pick your favorite thumbnail from #4 above and enlarge this on your 18 x 24″ paper. Fill the whole paper.

ASSIGNMENT THREE:

in sketchbook:

- Materials Tests (value scales, apple paintings, chromatic grays, shade squares, tint scales, mixed black square)

- 2 color wheels (one warm, one cool- if it's not neat, redo it)

- 2 Milton Avery studies (master studies)  For one, replicate the color and handling of paint as closely as possible; for the second, use subjective color (carefully and deliberately chosen by you)  and re-do the painting in a new palette. 

ON 18 X 24" WATERCOLOR PAPER (WILL BE PROVIDED):

- Multiple Views of Pikes Peak: incorporate color; choose a location you can return to at three different times of the day. Paint the same landscape three times ON SAME SIDE OF SAME PAPER, in different light.

MIDTERM PROJECT:

DUE DATES:

M/W: 3/13
T/TH:3/14

On a full sheet of 18 x 24" (or larger) paper, do one drawing from the following list using pencil or charcoal. Incorporate your knowledge of line, texture, shape, value, and perspective. If you work in charcoal, be sure to spray your drawing with fixative. Presentation counts toward your grade (no wrinkled corners, no rolling up your drawings, no finger prints, etc.) I expect to see your best work. Pace yourself and begin early- you will need to spend many hours working on your drawing. 

1. Create a new species of fish 

2. Draw your third favorite animal

3. Draw a song

4. Draw your worst nightmare

5. Design a family crest that tells something about you and your family.

6. Imagine you see pictures in the clouds.  What are they?

7. Draw what transportation will look like in the future.

8. Construct a city on another planet.

9. Draw yourself in a scene from any time in the past.

10. Design a boat/ship that you would like to travel around the world in.

11. Create a portrait of someone you know well, without a physical likeness of that person.

ASSIGNMENT FOUR:

due 4/29 

Part One: Notan (interaction of light and dark) exercises

On 12 x 18 " poster paper- handed out in class:

1. Asymmetrical Balance 
2. Expanding the square: symmetrical
3. Expanding the square: asymmetrical
4. Control of Tension 
5. Compartmented Design (rectangle problem)

Part Two: Pattern Study

In sketchbook, study samples from Italian pattern design (explained in class, then a selection will be posted on blog); Choose one pattern to work from.  Using pencil, gouache and measuring tools, isolate and replicate (in color) one unit of your chosen pattern.

Part Three: Create a Repeating Pattern 

In sketchbook, create one unit of an original three to five color repeatable pattern (explained in class) measuring 5" square, using one of the following color schemes: 

1. Analagous or Split-Analagous
2. Complimentary
3. Split Complimentary
4. Triadic
5. Discordant (pick one way to create a discordant color scheme)

Part Four: On 18 x 24" watercolor paper, make a grid in which your pattern repeats nine times- 3 times vertically, and 3 times horizontally. 


EXHIBITION REVIEW:

DUE DATE: Due with Final Portfolio on Week 16 (And a rough draft is due during Week 15)

Throughout the semester you will be learning to dissect, discuss and critique artwork using the vocabulary of visual language and the design principles and elements as your guides. For this assignment you will demonstrate your knowledge of all that you have learned in class and you will talk about work that you have seen on your own.

You will be writing a two-three page (typed, 1.5 spacing) organized and analytical review of an exhibition you attend this semester from the handout of recommended galleries and museums. This review is about the work itself, the artist/s and your critique of the work and exhibition based upon vocabulary, design principles/elements and theories learned throughout the semester.  You will need to provide a show card from the exhibition along with the review. Seamlessly include the following in the body of your paper:

• Name of Exhibition, Name of Artist, Name of Curator, Location of Exhibition(when referring to the artist/curator, first refer to them using their full name and thereafter use their last name – do not refer to them by their first name only!)
• Physical Description of the Work: a description of the art, design principles and design elements, which lets the reader imagine the work.
• Art Historical Context: Does this work use art history as a resource?  If so, what period/artist/subject does it reference? What might be the significance of this?
• Information about the artist:  This is not a biography, but information that is useful to understanding the work (ie. the artist’s work reflects their hometown, etc).
• Other people’s Interpretations of the work: This can be found in writings about the work in the gallery or museum and reviews of the show.
• Observations, Assessments, Critiques of the work:  This is where you evaluate what you see, how it makes you feel, how well the work represents the artist’s concept, what works well and what could be pushed further.
• Assessing how the show was put together:  Why is a certain body of the artist’s work put together?  For a group show, how do the artist’s works relate to each other?  Is this successful?
• Critiquing the success of the show:  How do all of these factors combine?  Are they overall successful or not?  This is your opinion.

List of Recommended Museums & Galleries

Look these galleries and museums up online to find upcoming and current exhibitions. I will tell you about other exhibitions, artist projects, or other relevant events (that you could review) throughout the semester.

Colorado Springs:
Gallery of Contemporary Art
Colorado Springs Fine Art Center
Business of Art Center / Manitou

Denver Museums & Galleries:
Denver Art Museum
Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA)
Museo de las Americas
David B. Smith Gallery
Center for the Visual Arts
Sellars Project Space
Now Here Limited
Andenken Gallery
Plus Gallery
Robischon Gallery
Rule Gallery
Space Gallery
Ironton Studios & Gallery

Other Colorado Museums:
Aspen Art Mueseum
Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art
University Colorado Art Museum
Fort Collins Museum of Contemporary Art

ARTIST PRESENTATION 




DUE DATES

- PART 1 - Due first class of Week 6 - Choose your top 3 artist picks, write them out and turn them in. List them in order of priority. No one will research the same artist as someone else.

- PART 2 - Week 14 - Artist Presentation / You must print out and hand me your works-sited page


This assignment is intended to familiarize you with a contemporary artist, or artist group. You will learn about the work they make and their processes for research and for art making. Each artist on this list makes art that deals with conflict in some way, be it political, cultural, or personal in nature.

After reviewing each artist from the list below, you will select an artist for a 8-10 minute presentation. We will use the projector in class to give this presentation. You should organize your presentation into a pdf or powerpoint format, bring a jump/thumb drive and make sure the presentation will work on other computers. I would recommend writing a paper and/or practicing a few times in advance.

You are welcome to use information published online by the artist, or by critics, interviewers, etc. However, you must use at least one book or article that has been published. Use the library for resources, the library online databases are often great for finding these sources. Don't forget to site your sources. You must have a works sited page that you hand in to me.You can use MLA guidelines for siting, or any other so long as you are thorough and consistent. You must use at least one book or magazine from the library. Also, do not rely on wikipedia for large portions of your material.

You may include the following information in your presentation, but don't limit yourself to these topics only:
- Why you chose this artist
- Very short (3-4 sentences) biography of the artist
- Choose a couple of artworks/projects to show us and talk about them.
- Describe how the artist uses conflict, what they are trying to address or say in their work, and what we might glean from this
- what inspires the artist to make work like this?
- Was there anything surprising you found in our research? Any sort of creative processes that are new and interesting to you?


LIST OF ARTISTS

-Center for Land Use Interpretation (CLUI) - Interesting art group dealing with land-use

-Dinh Q. Lê - Woven Photography - work is about war, socio-political issues

- JR - Posters and Street Art - work deals with socio-political issues

-Raymond Pettibone - Drawing/Painting - work deals with socio-political, identity, sexuality, and gender

-Tim Knowles - Multi-Media Artist - work is about experience and place

-Song Dong - Installation artist, work deals with consumerism and politics

-Guerilla Girls - Performance group, work deals with gender equality

-Temporary Services - Collaborative social art group - work deals with socio-political issues

-Michael Rackowitz - Sculpture/Social Art - work deals with class and socio-political issues

-Kara Walker - Installation/Mixed-Media - work deals with race, stereotypes, gender, identity

-Caroline Woolard - Social Artist - work deals with education, transaction, and relationships

-Fred Wilson - Installation - work deals with race, class, and socio-political issues

-Chris Ofili - Paintings - work deals with heritage and identity issues

-Tala Madani - Paintings - work deal with sexuality, gender, and stereotypes

-Harrell Fletcher - Social art - work deals with high/low art, community, and socio-political issues

-Nina Katchadourian - multi-media - "uninvited collaborations with nature"


 -Joseph Beuys - Sculpture/Social Art - work deals with nationality, democracy, and socialism

-Rick Lowe - Community/Social art - Founder of Project Row Houses, artist in residency and community art

- Graffiti Research Lab - Graffiti - work explores possibilities of graffiti

-Eleanor Antin - Multi-Media - work deals with identity

-Coco Fusco - Performance Artist - work deals with race and socio-political issues

-Krzysztof Wodiczko - Social/Multi-Media art - work deals with class, socio-political issues

-Jeremy Deller - Social/Installation art - work deals with war and socio-political issues

- Barbara Kruger - Collage Work - work deals with women's issues and consumerism

-Shinique Smith - Multimedia Artist - calligraphic, graffiti like work

-Leon Golub - Paintings - political issues and war

-Elliott Earls - Graphic Designer - work deals with typography and socio-political issues

-Kehinde Wiley - Paintings - gender, identity, race, socio-political issues

-Candy Chang - Street Art - work deals with public space and socio-political issues

-Yoko Ono - Performance art, work has dealt with identity and socio-political issues

-William Kentridge - Drawing/Animation, work deals with identity and socio-political issues

-Cai Guo-Qiang - Multi-media art, gunpowder, work can deal with socio-political issues

-Group Material - Social art group, work deals with community and high/low art

-Mike Kelley - Textile, collage, work often deals with socio-political issues

-Shepard Fairey - Street Art - wheat paste posters

-Santiago Sierra - Social Art, work deals with class and exploitation

-Feng Mengbo - Photography/Video art - work deals with identity and political issues

-Stephanie Syjuco - Sculptor/Social Art, work makes often statements about high/low art

-Philip Guston - Paintings, work deals with identity and socio-political themes

-Gordon Matta-Clark - Sculptor and Installation, work is socio-political

-Sally Mann - Photography - work deals with identity

-Keith Haring - Street Art - from graffiti to murals and public sculpture

-Edgar Heap of Birds - Multimedia Artist, work deals at times with racism and identity

-Lorna Simpson - Multimedia artist, work deals with race, identity

-Richard Long - "Walking Artist" - work deals with place and experience

-Adrian Piper - Conceptual Artist, work deals with race and public

-Rirkrit Tiravanija - Social Artist - work deals with relationships and social issues

-Jaune Quick-to-See Smith - Mixed Media Artist, work deals with identity and racism

-Chris Johanson - Drawing/Painting - work can deal with socio-political issues

-William Eggelston - Photography - leader in forefront of contemporary color photo, work deals with identity and socio-political issues

-Francis Alys - Social/video artist, work often deals with community and politics

-Mark Bradford - Multimidea artist, work deals with race, identity, and politics

-Artur Zmijewski - Social/film art, work deals with culture, identity, and hierarchy

- Hamish Fulton - Proclaimed the "Walking Artist"

-Luis Gonzalez Palma - Photography, art deals with Indigenous Mayan and Mestizo people’s plight in Guatemala

-The Yes Men - Collaborative social art group, work deals with consumerism and capitalism

-Ellen Gallagher - Mixed media artist, work can deal with identity and racial politics

-Shazia Sikander - Mixed media artist, work deals with sexuality, feminism, and politics

-Superflex - Collaborative arts group, works deals with community, politics, energy, and socio-political issues

-Carrie Mae Weems - Film/video artist, work deals with gender relations and racism

-Howard Finster - Painting -  Work has religious/spiritual themes

-Jimmy Durham -  Sculpture/Mixed Media - work deals with socio-political issues

-Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook - Multimedia artist, work deals with identity, women, gender roles