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Still Life Painting: Cereal Boxes

1/31/2018

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Project:
Using acrylics, paint a still life comprised of two cereal boxes or other packages.

Objectives:

Improve observational accuracy
Build a strong composition
Notice (and recreate) subtle color changes
Mix colors with specificity and accuracy
Establish form via chiaroscuro and color changes
Improve your ability to create a rich range of tonal value
Become skillful with painting
Learn proper maintenance of painting tools

Materials:

Boxes (two package designs)
Drawing paper
Pencil or charcoal
Canvas or canvas panel
Bristle brushes
palette
acrylic paints
water container
paper towel or rags
brush cleaner
(Easel)

Grading Criteria:

Composition
Accuracy
Recreation of nuances of color and value
Color Harmony
"Completeness" - Craftsmanship

To Start:
Draw thumbnails and/or rough drafts of the composition, in pencil or charcoal on paper, blocking out the basic arrangement of lights and darks

Self Critique Questions
What questions do you need to ask yourself on an ongoing basis to improve your chances for success?

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Midyear Assignments

1/7/2018

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Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa, oil paint on poplar wood panel, c. 1503-1517

https://www.leonardodavinci.net/

1.
Homework for this week: due this Thursday (January 11):

A single graphite drawing of your two hands, in gestural poses
(This is practice for part of your midyear exam project (#3 below).)

Try to understand how the bones and muscles of the hand work
Draw the contours of your hands accurately.
Indicate three-dimensional structure and form by including some tonal value; one light source
Entirely from observation (life; no photographs)
Hands could be interacting with each other
Refer to Bridgman’s or another anatomy book (in classroom)
Draw large; fill the page -- compose the page
At least sketchbook size
DO NOT trace your hands

Graded on:

Accuracy of proportion,
Accuracy of contour line;
Quality of line (dark, light, thin, thick as necessary);
Indication of structure/form via value;
Composition of picture plane (i.e. draw to fit/fill the paper)

2. Complete charcoal self portrait and chalk on black paper self portrait (no later than the end of Tuesday, January 9, so that you have time for your midyear project during the remaining classes this week.)

Turn in all your self-portraits as a body of work. Separate them with large sheets of tracing paper, and place them in a large oaktag "folder":

Blind contour drawings
Individual features, combined as collage
Charcoal drawings - tonal value only
Chalk on black paper

3. Midyear exam project -- You will start this in class after completion of your chalk drawing. Work on it in class later this week, and as homework over the weekend; It will be due at the end of the period on exam day (Tuesday, January 16).:

Self portrait with Hand and Landscape
(Refer to the style/placement of Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and Albrecht Durer's Self Portrait, Age 26)

Three-quarter length self portrait (head, neck, shoulders, arm, down to waist)
Three-quarter view (from side of head, both eyes, side of nose, one ear showing)
At least one hand fully visible,
Landscape in background (from observation -- yard of your home, neighborhood or school from a window)
Indicate three-dimensional structure and form by including some tonal value
Medium: graphite (pencil), conte, or charcoal
At least sketchbook size; larger is recommended

Graded on:

Accuracy of proportion,
Accuracy of contour line;
Quality of line (dark, light, thin, thick as necessary);
Indication of form via tonal value;
Three-dimensional space (foreground, middle-, background)
Figure/ground relationship -- self portrait and landscape working together, not interfering with one another
Composition of picture plane

4. Spray, mount and label all self portraits

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Still Life Painting: Cereal Boxes

Midyear Assignments

Mr. Ratkevich

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