"The lover can see, and the knowledgeable."
—Annie Dillard, "Seeing," Pilgrim at Tinker Creek

08 October 2010

homework assignment: cross contour of shell

Shell Homework #1

Drawing is due Tuesday, October 19.

Drawing should be executed on Stonehenge or other high-quality drawing paper such as hot-press watercolor paper.

Color of paper: white or any light neutral

Minimum size: 22” x 30”
Optional size: 30” x 40” and/or 38”x 50”

We will use at least four sheets. Buy at least five sheets, so you have one to practice on, especially for ink work.

CROSS CONTOUR
1.     Point of view: shell should be positioned with  a diagonal long axis from front to back (one end should be obviously closer to you than the other end).

2.     Draw the entire shell – be conscious of how you are using the page. The shell should take up as much space as possible on the page without being cropped.

3.     Sketch shell out very lightly, indicating large forms in space and arranging details such as projections and spirals.

4.     One line at a time, trace the form of the shell up, over, around, down. Follow every nook and cranny as if it were part of a landscape. Exaggerate all movement.

5.     No outline. Edge is going to be implied your cross contours.

6.     Every cross contour line you put down should be different than the one before and after. All organic form varies over a given distance.

This includes spaces between lines as well. Vary the amount of space between lines so they are not regular/machine-like.

7.     The drawing should take 5 – 6 hours. Work SLOWLY.
8.     Start light.

9.     Value of line can change to be darker in front and light in back (atmospheric perspective). Do this as you draw – not something you add at the end.

10. Use charcoal, conte, or pencil versions ofeeither. Hard and sharp.

11. Plane changes: each cc line to change direction at least once. This indicates a plane change.

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