new student work

Gesture Drawing, UW-Stout student work, Daniel Kanitz, Fall 2010

I have posted new student work from Fall 2010 under the "student work" Pages Tab at the top of the blog. Check it out!

gestural expression

gestural expression

Experienced artists, even before they ask themselves, "What does the subject look like?" ask,

 "What is the subject doing?"

That is, how does the arrangement of the major parts of the figure, the flower, the lamp, or the landscape allude to movement? What suggestions are there in the subject of directed energies coursing through its forms? For virtually everything we see implies some kind and degree of moving action. Such actions are inherent in the subject's formation and structure. The gentle curve of a tree limb or a human one, the forceful thrust of a church spire or a schooner, the graceful spiral of a staircase or a seashell, all these suggest moving actions–types of animated behavior; in other words, they all disclose some kind of gestural expression.

–Nathan Goldstein, The Art of Responsive Drawing, Chapter 1, "Gestural Expression," page 3.

image:Rembrandt Van Rijn (1606-1669), Saskia Asleep, Pen, brush, and ink, 13 x 17.1 cm, The Pierpont Morgan Library, New York. I, 180.

Here is a link to Chapter 1, "Gestural Expression," from Nathan Goldstein, The Art of Responsive Drawing. 

The link will direct you to the blue drive.

The username and password are the same as your UW-Stout email.

Click here to get the chapter.

blog expectations & requirements

toothpaste for dinner

Life Drawing I students,

I went over the objectives and expectations for the blogs during the first week of class. This post is a reminder of where you can find that information again.

You can access it throughout the semester at the top of the blog on the Pages Tab titled, "blogs."

The link is here. Please read it over again. I have updated the requirements for commenting and the dates on which that begins.

It would also be a good idea to go over in your mind the reasons I'm asking you to create a blog for this course, which will give you an idea of how to approach your posting and commenting each week.

Life Drawing I ~ Spring 2011 ~ Blog Lists

Both sections of ART 301 ~ Spring 2011 have been set up in the side columns of lifedrawingone.blogspot.com.

The blogs are ordered by most recent post first, which means the person who has posted most recently has his or her blog listed at the top of the column.

Please run down the column for your section (301-001 is on the right and 301-002 is on the left). Let me know if I need to correct your link or if I accidentally missed including your blog in the list.

How to Add a Blog List to My Blog

student blog lists and commenting

Please read this entire post carefully and let me know if you have any questions.

This post contains links to the lists of student blogs for Spring 2011. On these lists you can see each student in each section of Life Drawing I for this semester with a link to his or her blog as well as the title of his or her blog.

You can also access this information throughout the semester on the Pages Tab titled "student blog url's/titles" at the top of the blog. (here). 

I have color-coded the lists. The colors represent the different blog "small groups" for the semester. These small groups relate to the commenting part of your blog work.

You are expected to comment at least once per week on the other two members of your small group (in other words, you need to make at least one comment on each of the other two students' blogs that are the same color as yours in the list). These comments are in addition to your regular weekly posting of  your 300+ word and one-image reflection. You may comment on any previous post done by your other group members.

In order to leave a comment on a blog post, what you typically need to do is click on the phrase "0 [or however many there may be] comments" at the bottom of a post. That link leads to a page where you can type your comment. Some bloggers may choose to moderate comments before posting them or making them public, so be aware that your comments may not show up immediately.

For those of you with four members in your group, you only need to comment on two members' comments per week, just alternate members you make comments on so you are commenting as equally as you can on each other member's blog.


You need to start leaving these comments beginning next weekend, at the latest Sunday, Feb. 13.

Link to ART 301-001(MWF 10:10 - 12:10) List of Student Blogs (Names, URL's, Titles of Blog)

Link to ART 301-002 (TR 2:30 - 5:35) List of Student Blogs (Names, URL's, Titles of Blog) 

Related articles

• Lessons I've learned from my Student's Blogs (educatoral.com)
• Beginners Guide to Blogging (associateblogger.com)
• Blog Tips from Grandpa CogDog (cogdogblog.com)

syllabus • spring 2011

Life Drawing I • Spring 2011
Micheels Hall 287

ART 301-001
Monday/Wednesday/Friday • 10:10 am –12:10 pm

ART 301-002
Tuesday/Thursday • 11:15 – 2:20 pm


Amy Fichter
Associate Professor
Applied Arts 306B

Office hours:
Mondays, 12:10 pm – 2:10 pm
& by appointment
ext. 5335
fichtera@uwstout.edu


Final Exam Dates:
Friday, May 13, 8:00 – 9:50 am (ART 301-001)
Friday, May 13, 2:00 – 3:50 pm (ART 301-002)

PreRequisites
Students must have completed Drawing I (ART 100) and Drawing II (ART 200) before participating in Life Drawing I (ART 301).

Course Objectives
Through participation in Life Drawing I, you will:

•Understand and use a structural approach to drawing
- Perceive three-dimensional form and translate this form to the two-dimensional picture plane

- Comprehend a subject’s planar make-up and correctly prioritize primary and secondary planes

-    Use a linear, as opposed to painterly, approach to drawing the figure, including value


• Develop a working knowledge of artistic anatomy through lectures, drawings, and clay modeling
- Draw a structural representation of the human figure utilizing long axis, cross contour, and muscle attachment lines

- Demonstrate anatomical understanding through drawing anatomical landmarks

- Build a convincing and well-crafted clay model of the muscles important for drawing

• Refine your mark-making skills and ability to make and understand how line creates a sense of space on the picture plane.
- Practice gesture drawing and contour drawing separately, in order to, ultimately, achieve a synthesis of the two

- Become aware of your own kinesthetic sense and its ability to teach yourself about the body and about drawing


• Communicate effectively about the drawing process via writing, blog posting, image sharing, class critiques, and one-on-one critiques with the instructor.
- Keep a class blog that will serve as space for posting images, text, responding to other students, and reflecting upon your learning in the course

- Be responsible to yourself and the other students in the class for having meaningful class discussions and becoming better artists through those discussions


Evaluations & Expectations
• I expect you to complete:

- In-class drawings. (30%)
- Homework drawings. Homework will be graded on the quality of the drawing and the demonstrated understanding of the topics covered in that particular assignment. (25%)
- Assigned clay building on your Maniken, both in-class and for homework. Maniken assignments will be graded on the quality of clay building, accuracy of form and attachments, and completeness of work. (25%)
- Blog assignments/weekly reflections. (20%)




Field Trip
There is a mandatory field trip for this class. The date will be announced within the first few weeks of the semester. You must make arrangements with other professors and/or work obligations to be gone from 8:00 am - 5:30 pm on this day. Please email me the names and email addresses of other professors you have on that day and I will send a note for you. I can also give a hand-written note if necessary. The only cost of the field trip for you will be food.


Attendance
It’s important that you are in class—for access to the model, to hear comments I make, and to experience drawing in a studio setting. The class happens because all of you are here working together.
Let me know via e-mail if you can’t make it to class.
Rely on your classmates to show you drawings and notes you may have missed.
After 3 absences, your grade will be lowered.
After 7 absences, you will fail the class.

Grading Policy
Your grade will be based primarily on your final e-portfolio in which you showcase your learning over the semester and best examples from the class. This e-portfolio will include gesture drawings, long drawings, images of your maniken, and written reflections.


A mid-term e-portfolio will be graded to give you an idea of your standing in the class at that point.


Your grade will also be affected by such “subjective” qualities as these:

1. are you present?
2. in mind as well as body?
3. open to suggestions?
4. helpful in class discussions?
5. awake during lecture time?


For most of the semester I am your coach/advocate. I will encourage, support, and challenge you in order for you to become a better artist.

During midterm and final grading (and in other critique sessions), my role shifts from advocate to judge. It is then my job to give you a fair and accurate gauge of where your work and class participation fit within the standards and expectations of the university and of the larger art & design professional community.

Save and document all your drawings from the semester.

Materials
Newsprint 18" x 24" or 24” x 36”
Canson "Biggie" white drawing paper (Biggie pad) 18” x 24” or larger
Strathmore drawing pad, 80 lb. (24 sheets, I think) *OPTIONAL
Drawing board
Clips
Charcoal/Charcoal pencils
Conte/Conte pencils
X-acto knife with extra blades
Sandpaper (medium grit)
Pencil sharpener
White plastic eraser
Clic eraser (refillable)
Masking tape
Clay tools

1.    Paring knife [http://www.amazon.com/NorPro-Norpro-923-Paring-Knife/dp/B000HEFC3O]
2.    X-acto knife
3.    Kemper ribbon tool [http://www.dickblick.com/1/1/42395-r2-kemper-ribbon-tools.html#photos]
4.    Cutting board [http://www.tiger-cub.co.uk/epages/es109259.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/es109259_shop/Products/301081]
5.    Flower clay roller (kemper) [http://www.nationalartcraft.com/images/sub-0625-02.jpg]
6.    Clay gun (kemper) [http://www.nationalartcraft.com/images/sub-0625-03.jpg] *optional

Atlas of Human Musculature in Clay (volumes 1 – 5), Jon Zahourek, ed. Kenneth Morgareidge, Zahourek Systems, Inc., 1994.

In addition to the texts, each student will be checked out a half Maniken for his/her use during the semester. The Manikens are property of UW-Stout Instructional Resources Services. You are responsible for the Maniken checked out to you. If any part of the Maniken is missing, lost, damaged, etc., the student will be financially responsible to replace it through IRS.

Videos
World Famous Lectures on Artistic Anatomy & Figure Drawing
Robert Beverly Hale

Lecture 1 Rib Cage 78 Minutes
Lecture 2 Pelvis 81 minutes
Lecture 3 Leg 74 minutes
Lecture 4 Foot 72 minutes
Lecture 5 Shoulder Girdle I 77 minutes
Lecture 6 Shoulder Girdle ll 68 minutes
Lecture 7 Arm 76 minutes
Lecture 8 Hand 80 minutes
Lecture 9 Head/Skull 80 minutes
Lecture 10 Head and Features 97 minutes

These are available for checkout in the library.

Art Education Artifacts
The course objectives of this course meet:
• Wisconsin Standard 1: The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches.
• UW Stout School of Education Domain 1a: Demonstrating knowledge of content and pedagogy.
• Wisconsin Standard 9: The teacher is a reflective practitioner.
Portfolio Artifact: best work as determined by student and professor
• Art education students will be required to reflect in writing on this artifact.
• Art education students will be required to upload papers and digital images of their studio works into their e-portfolios.

field trip scheduled

The Life Drawing I field trip for this semester will take place on Tuesday, November 23.

We will leave from the Loading Dock area of Applied Arts at 9:30 am (come early to get a good seat on the bus!).

We will then head to the Walker Art Center, be there from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm, and then travel to the Bell Museum of Natural History on the University of Minnesota campus.

We will be at the Bell Museum for two hours. While there, you will complete a drawing of one of the specimens. They have many wonderful taxidermy animals, skeletons, bones, and a few live animals.

We will head back to Menomonie at 3:30 and plan to arrive here between 5:00 and 5:30 pm.

Please make arrangements with other faculty and employers so you can be gone from 9:30 am - 5:30 pm on the 23rd.

I will send out an email to other faculty members letting them know why you will be gone, but you should notify them as well, and make up any work you will miss before we go.

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.

clay assignment #2: abdominals

abdominals
(due Tuesday, October 12)

quadratus lumborum,
vol. 5: pp. 60-61
make sure you build both triangles of this muscle

external obliques,
vol. 5: pp. 78-79

rectus abdominis,
vol. 5: pp. 72-73
indicate navel and tendinous inscriptions

visiting artist

 

Pins, 2006.

Sterling silver, steel, magnet wire, and electronic components, 1.5 x 7 x 4.5 inches. 
Kinetic: eighteen steel sewing pins strike the wearer on the neck and vocal tract as she speaks.

Visitng artist Erica Duffy-Voss will give a presentation about her work on Monday, October 4 at 10:30 am in Applied Arts 210.

Duffy-Voss teaches in the Metals area at the University of Northern Iowa. She will be showing a four-screen video installation "stutter"  in the larger of the Furlong Galleries October 4th - November 12.

While the Installation that she is exhibiting is video, her work is quite diverse, and her presentation will include metals, video and sculpture. Her website: 

Erica Duffy-Voss