Water Drawing
Water, Water Everywhere.
Make a drawing where the picture surface consists of nothing but water. Use the ocean, a pool, a stream, etc. as your source. Because this drawing lacks cues, like ducks, or the far edge of a pond, you must rely on keen observation to and technique to create a convincing sense of space. Look carefully at the spacing and arrangement of wavelets in the water. This sort of exercise might be done in a very realistic manner (Vija Celmins), or in a more playful, inventive fashion (David Hockney pool paintings).
Make a drawing where the picture surface consists of nothing but water. Use the ocean, a pool, a stream, etc. as your source. Because this drawing lacks cues, like ducks, or the far edge of a pond, you must rely on keen observation to and technique to create a convincing sense of space. Look carefully at the spacing and arrangement of wavelets in the water. This sort of exercise might be done in a very realistic manner (Vija Celmins), or in a more playful, inventive fashion (David Hockney pool paintings).
Running on Empty by
Dorette Amell
Running on Empty.
Use one 18" X 24" sheet of paper and one pen for this drawing. The rules are simple: draw until your pen runs out of ink. When your pen is dry, your drawing is finished. Subject matter is totally up to you. Since you have no idea when you will be finished, you must address compositional issues throughout the course of the drawing. Or to phrase it differently, you must think about your entire page and work all over the page from the onset.
Instructor notes: Anna Hepler, an instructor at Bowdoin College shared this assignment with me. This drawing can be completed in class. On average it takes students 2-3 hours to run the pen dry. I purchase a 24-pack of cheap pens at the office supply store. Since it is desirable for the pens to run out of ink, in this case low quality is our preference. This is very much a process oriented drawing. Because the student does not know when the pen will run out of ink, they cannot (or should not) work in a sequential, or piecemeal fashion. Furthermore the student has to work aggressively to ensure that the pen eventually will run out of ink, and this is a healthy approach in any drawing.
Use one 18" X 24" sheet of paper and one pen for this drawing. The rules are simple: draw until your pen runs out of ink. When your pen is dry, your drawing is finished. Subject matter is totally up to you. Since you have no idea when you will be finished, you must address compositional issues throughout the course of the drawing. Or to phrase it differently, you must think about your entire page and work all over the page from the onset.
Instructor notes: Anna Hepler, an instructor at Bowdoin College shared this assignment with me. This drawing can be completed in class. On average it takes students 2-3 hours to run the pen dry. I purchase a 24-pack of cheap pens at the office supply store. Since it is desirable for the pens to run out of ink, in this case low quality is our preference. This is very much a process oriented drawing. Because the student does not know when the pen will run out of ink, they cannot (or should not) work in a sequential, or piecemeal fashion. Furthermore the student has to work aggressively to ensure that the pen eventually will run out of ink, and this is a healthy approach in any drawing.
Temporary Graffitti
Temporary Graffiti.
Among other motives, graffiti artists seek to make art that can be seen and enjoyed by everyone. In that respect, their motives are egalitarian. Graffiti artists, however live in constant fear of reprisals for their deeds. So we will ratchet down the intensity a bit. In the spirit of temporary tattoos you will make temporary graffiti which will be placed within a small area of downtown. The parameters are broad. Your work can be displayed in a shop window; it can be photocopied and stapled onto telephone poles, it a can be a chalk drawing on the sidewalk. It cannot be a standard display in a gallery, coffee shop, etc.
Be careful not to run afoul of the law. Do not deface the property of others.
Source artists: Banksy, Shepard Fairey
Instructor notes: In our city (Portland, Maine) I mapped out a small, interesting area of downtown and provided each student with a copy. The area does not need to be large. After work was placed, we walked the streets as a class to check out the drawings everyone had made.
Among other motives, graffiti artists seek to make art that can be seen and enjoyed by everyone. In that respect, their motives are egalitarian. Graffiti artists, however live in constant fear of reprisals for their deeds. So we will ratchet down the intensity a bit. In the spirit of temporary tattoos you will make temporary graffiti which will be placed within a small area of downtown. The parameters are broad. Your work can be displayed in a shop window; it can be photocopied and stapled onto telephone poles, it a can be a chalk drawing on the sidewalk. It cannot be a standard display in a gallery, coffee shop, etc.
Be careful not to run afoul of the law. Do not deface the property of others.
Source artists: Banksy, Shepard Fairey
Instructor notes: In our city (Portland, Maine) I mapped out a small, interesting area of downtown and provided each student with a copy. The area does not need to be large. After work was placed, we walked the streets as a class to check out the drawings everyone had made.
2D/3D Drawing
A 2D/3D Drawing.
Work on one of the standard photocopy-sized papers (8.5 x 11" or 11 x 14"). Create a drawing that can be cut out and folded into a three dimensional form. All instructions should be self-evident or should be printed directly onto the page. The form can be simple or complex. We should see an interesting and effective marriage of form and the drawing on the surface of the form. You will have to devise the way in which the form is constructed (through gluing, stapling, folding, slots and tabs, etc.).
You cannot simply think your way through this assignment. At some point you have to pick up scissors and paper and work through this. Another consideration: For your concept would it be appropriate to print imagery on both sides of the paper? Coherent directions for assembly will factor into your grade.
Source artists: origami, paper airplanes
Instructor notes: This is a very challenging assignment. Students frequently need a lot of input as they work through this one. I find that paper quality makes a difference. Students might want to invest in heavier paper. When it comes time for evaluation, I ask each student to assemble the work of another. This is very telling and indicates whether or not directions were presented coherently.
In grappling with this assignment students have no choice but to "think with their hands". They cannot ponder their way through this. They have to pick up some paper, experiment, and learn from their mistakes.
Work on one of the standard photocopy-sized papers (8.5 x 11" or 11 x 14"). Create a drawing that can be cut out and folded into a three dimensional form. All instructions should be self-evident or should be printed directly onto the page. The form can be simple or complex. We should see an interesting and effective marriage of form and the drawing on the surface of the form. You will have to devise the way in which the form is constructed (through gluing, stapling, folding, slots and tabs, etc.).
You cannot simply think your way through this assignment. At some point you have to pick up scissors and paper and work through this. Another consideration: For your concept would it be appropriate to print imagery on both sides of the paper? Coherent directions for assembly will factor into your grade.
Source artists: origami, paper airplanes
Instructor notes: This is a very challenging assignment. Students frequently need a lot of input as they work through this one. I find that paper quality makes a difference. Students might want to invest in heavier paper. When it comes time for evaluation, I ask each student to assemble the work of another. This is very telling and indicates whether or not directions were presented coherently.
In grappling with this assignment students have no choice but to "think with their hands". They cannot ponder their way through this. They have to pick up some paper, experiment, and learn from their mistakes.
Drawing by Rachel Fisk
50 Sheets of Paper.
For this drawing you will utilize exactly fifty sheets of paper.
There are many ways that you might approach this drawing: You might draw fifty little images and arrange them like a constellation across the wall. You might join fifty sheets of paper together and draw one large image. You can collage fifty smaller fragments of discarded drawings to make one large drawing. You can make a little fifty-page flip animation book. You might layer fifty sheets of paper, one over another and selectively cut through some pages to reveal imagery beneath.
In creating this drawing, trial and error will be an essential part of your process. You will have to test the waters, grapple with materials, and try some things out on a small scale. No matter what your
approach, the use of multiple pages/panels should be an obvious and blatant component of the picture.
Source artists: Doug and Mike Starn, Jennifer Bartlett, Pat Steir, Robert Longo, Jonathan Borofsky
For this drawing you will utilize exactly fifty sheets of paper.
There are many ways that you might approach this drawing: You might draw fifty little images and arrange them like a constellation across the wall. You might join fifty sheets of paper together and draw one large image. You can collage fifty smaller fragments of discarded drawings to make one large drawing. You can make a little fifty-page flip animation book. You might layer fifty sheets of paper, one over another and selectively cut through some pages to reveal imagery beneath.
In creating this drawing, trial and error will be an essential part of your process. You will have to test the waters, grapple with materials, and try some things out on a small scale. No matter what your
approach, the use of multiple pages/panels should be an obvious and blatant component of the picture.
Source artists: Doug and Mike Starn, Jennifer Bartlett, Pat Steir, Robert Longo, Jonathan Borofsky
Drawings by Emily Sheldon
Half-life Drawings.
Every artist has an optimal time frame for making a picture. Some artists function best when they work slowly and deliberately. Others work best when they work quickly and spontaneously. This assignment forces the issue, hopefully shedding some light on the working process of each student.
All of the drawings in this exercise will be done on the same size paper. Your subject matter will be the same for each drawing.
Drawing 1: Subject matter and medium are entirely up to you. Spend exactly two hours on this drawing. Be disciplined. If you have to fill the time by making random marks, then do so. If you are not "finished" in two hours just stop where you are.
Your second drawing will be completed in exactly one hour. The subject and size will be the same as your first. Before beginning work on this drawing, take a long look at the first drawing. Give careful consideration to the parts that worked and the parts that did not. Edit out any unnecessary information. Fix visual problems. Make adjustments to the composition if necessary. Change mediums if need be.
Your third drawing will be drawn in one half hour. The subject will be the same. Edit. Adjust. Fix. Reexamine. Your fourth drawing will be completed in fifteen minutes. Edit. Etc. Your fifth drawing will be completed in 8 minutes.
Source artists: Matisse, Mondrian
Instructor notes: This is a very interesting, eye-opener of an exercise. I tried to convice my class that Emily's 8 minute drawing was in some ways superior to all of her others. They were not buying it!
Every artist has an optimal time frame for making a picture. Some artists function best when they work slowly and deliberately. Others work best when they work quickly and spontaneously. This assignment forces the issue, hopefully shedding some light on the working process of each student.
All of the drawings in this exercise will be done on the same size paper. Your subject matter will be the same for each drawing.
Drawing 1: Subject matter and medium are entirely up to you. Spend exactly two hours on this drawing. Be disciplined. If you have to fill the time by making random marks, then do so. If you are not "finished" in two hours just stop where you are.
Your second drawing will be completed in exactly one hour. The subject and size will be the same as your first. Before beginning work on this drawing, take a long look at the first drawing. Give careful consideration to the parts that worked and the parts that did not. Edit out any unnecessary information. Fix visual problems. Make adjustments to the composition if necessary. Change mediums if need be.
Your third drawing will be drawn in one half hour. The subject will be the same. Edit. Adjust. Fix. Reexamine. Your fourth drawing will be completed in fifteen minutes. Edit. Etc. Your fifth drawing will be completed in 8 minutes.
Source artists: Matisse, Mondrian
Instructor notes: This is a very interesting, eye-opener of an exercise. I tried to convice my class that Emily's 8 minute drawing was in some ways superior to all of her others. They were not buying it!
Mail Art
Mail Art.
Mail art has been around for a long time, and as the name implies it involves sending art through the postal system. As such it relies on stamps, cancellation marks, address labels, and the random abuse of mail carriers to add interest to the image. The envelope itself provides the primary surface for this drawing.
Embellish an envelope/postcard with drawing, collage, rubber stamps, etc. Send it away with explicit instructions for the receiver to reuse the envelope and to somehow add additional drawing information to the surface. This means that the new sender will have to add new postage and somehow deal with covering up or reworking the original address label. All of this stuff becomes part of the creative process and you will have to work out the details. The piece will ultimately be sent back to you and you will dazzle us all with it.
Additional things to think about:
1. Postage- multiple stamps of smaller increments can add interest.
2. International postage- those stamps from the Ivory Coast are cool. Got any friends there?
3. Round robin- route the piece to two or three local artist friends for a heavily layered look.
Instructor notes: Procrastinators will absolutely get killed by this assignment. Make sure they send the mail art on its way well before the critique deadline.
Mail art has been around for a long time, and as the name implies it involves sending art through the postal system. As such it relies on stamps, cancellation marks, address labels, and the random abuse of mail carriers to add interest to the image. The envelope itself provides the primary surface for this drawing.
Embellish an envelope/postcard with drawing, collage, rubber stamps, etc. Send it away with explicit instructions for the receiver to reuse the envelope and to somehow add additional drawing information to the surface. This means that the new sender will have to add new postage and somehow deal with covering up or reworking the original address label. All of this stuff becomes part of the creative process and you will have to work out the details. The piece will ultimately be sent back to you and you will dazzle us all with it.
Additional things to think about:
1. Postage- multiple stamps of smaller increments can add interest.
2. International postage- those stamps from the Ivory Coast are cool. Got any friends there?
3. Round robin- route the piece to two or three local artist friends for a heavily layered look.
Instructor notes: Procrastinators will absolutely get killed by this assignment. Make sure they send the mail art on its way well before the critique deadline.
Drawing by Santiago Farias
Layers of Information.
Artists constantly respond to changes in the visual environment. With the over-abundance of visual information in advertising, and with the proliferation of layering tools in programs like Photoshop, layered drawings and paintings have become ubiquitous. Make a piece that explores the notion of layering as a way to add visual impact to the drawing. Work on a very durable paper that can handle a great deal of mark making as well as different media. As you begin this drawing, progress with the attitude that whatever you put on the page might be covered in subsequent steps. Altering your media from one layer to the next will add to the impact of your drawing. As you work you will want to think about what you reveal and what you conceal.
Source artists: Sigmar Polke, graffiti, Lari Pittman, Basquait
Artists constantly respond to changes in the visual environment. With the over-abundance of visual information in advertising, and with the proliferation of layering tools in programs like Photoshop, layered drawings and paintings have become ubiquitous. Make a piece that explores the notion of layering as a way to add visual impact to the drawing. Work on a very durable paper that can handle a great deal of mark making as well as different media. As you begin this drawing, progress with the attitude that whatever you put on the page might be covered in subsequent steps. Altering your media from one layer to the next will add to the impact of your drawing. As you work you will want to think about what you reveal and what you conceal.
Source artists: Sigmar Polke, graffiti, Lari Pittman, Basquait
Burnt parchment paper, chalk line, and caulk.
Drawing With Non-Art Mediums.
In this drawing you will use mediums not found in the art supply store. Make a drawing out of coffee grounds, mud, burnt candlewick, tape, crushed berries, etc. Be resourceful. You can find your supplies in the hardware store, the kitchen, or out in nature. Anything that makes a mark is acceptable. Try to use a found ground/surface too. You might "draw" on an old detergent box, a discarded sardine tin, a leaf, or a piece of bark. Look for unexpected colors and patterns in your ground and incorporate them into the drawing.
Source artists: Anselm Kiefer, Andy Goldsworthy
In this drawing you will use mediums not found in the art supply store. Make a drawing out of coffee grounds, mud, burnt candlewick, tape, crushed berries, etc. Be resourceful. You can find your supplies in the hardware store, the kitchen, or out in nature. Anything that makes a mark is acceptable. Try to use a found ground/surface too. You might "draw" on an old detergent box, a discarded sardine tin, a leaf, or a piece of bark. Look for unexpected colors and patterns in your ground and incorporate them into the drawing.
Source artists: Anselm Kiefer, Andy Goldsworthy