Due:
One week

Project:
Using graphite, make a figure drawing of a family member that includes the following:

• local value changes
• ​form through chiaroscuro
• suggestion of environment (figure/ground relationship)

Spend 2 - 3 hours on the drawing. It is expected to be much more detailed and refined than the figure drawings you created during class.

Objectives:

• Improve observational accuracy
• Establish accurate gesture, proportion and tonal value
• See the figure as a unified whole, and not separate parts
• Establish figure/ground relationship

Grading Criteria:

• Realism of gesture
• Realism of proportion
• Quality of line
• Variety of local value
• Sense of form through value
• Composition using figure/ground relationship
• Sense of space

Due: One week (homework)

Create a FULL VALUE drawing with graphite (pencil) that includes two hands together in some way. Consider placement to use the full picture plane in making a complete composition.

• Entirely from observation (from life)
• DO NOT trace your hand
• Draw large; fill the page of your sketchbook
• Use a full range of tonal value (lights, a range of middle tone grays, and deep dark tones). Implement chiaroscuro ("lights and darks") to make the forms appear three-dimensional.
• You may include other elements in the surroundings to enrich the composition (See the examples above.).
• You may give the background a darker tonal value to set off the highlights of the hands.

    Graded on:

• Accuracy of proportion
• Accuracy of contour line
• Full range of tonal value and strong contrast for three-dimensionality.

Option:
​Instead of graphite, you may create a charcoal and white chalk drawing. In that case, DO NOT use your sketchbook, as it will get messy and smudge. Use charcoal paper.

Due:
3 weeks


Project:
Using pencil and various other drawing media, create a series of observational figure drawings.

We will start with quick gesture drawings of one or two minutes each, focusing on the action lines and the energy of the pose. With gradually longer poses, we will learn to block in the basic shapes of the complex form that is the human body, focusing on accurate placement and proportion and noticing the relationships of parts. In the final drawing(s), we will refine the contours and include the details of the observed figure, add a range of tonal value, and suggest the figure's relationship to its environment.

Objectives:

• Improve observational accuracy
• Establish accurate gesture, proportion and tonal value
• See the figure as a unified whole, and not separate parts
• Establish figure/ground relationship

Terms / Concepts:

• Gesture
• Action Line
• Blocking in ("The Envelope")
• Foreshortening
• Proportion
• Contour

Materials:

• Model
• Drawing board
• Drawing paper (sketchbook size to 18 x 24")
• Variety of drawing media

Grading Criteria:

• Accuracy of gesture
• Accuracy of proportion
• Quality of line
• (In some) Sense of form through value
• (In some) Composition using figure/ground relationship; sense of space

Assignment:
Three graphite (pencil) contour lines drawings of your hand, in different gestural poses and from different angles.
PLUS
Three graphite (pencil) contour lines drawings of your foot, from different angles.

Entirely from observation (from life; no photographs)
You may of course use mirrors to vary the viewpoints.
DO NOT trace your hand.
Draw large; fill the page of your sketchbook with each drawing (So, 6 pages)

After completing the line drawing, you may add tonal value (shading) to create three-dimensional form if you'd like (as in the examples above).

Recommendation: Carefully draw ONE each day.

Graded on:
Accuracy of proportion
Accuracy of contour line