Studio Visit With Zak Smith

Ingres, Hockney, and Smith

Here are a few examples from each of the three artists I asked you guys to look at. Don't depend purely on what I'm providing you here, though. Go out and find images from these guys on your own and study what they're doing with their use of line variation.

Jean-Auguste Dominique Ingres

What do you notice about the way Ingres uses line in these portraits to place emphasis in the areas where he wants us to look or to define the form of the figure as existing in three-dimensional space? Is he using a different quality of line on the faces than on clothing? Look at his handling of arms. Notice how with the simple use of a darker, heavier line on one side of the arm and a thin, crisp line on the other side gives the illusion of form and weight. Study these drawings yourself and see what else you discover.

David Hockney

In these drawings, and others like them, Hockney is using a single fine-point pen. One would think that it would be difficult to manage any line variation from such a precision tool, but he dose it. Hockney had a great amount of control and patience, therefore when he needed a darker or heavier line he would repeatedly trace and retrace the line until he was satisfied with it. He doesn't do it with every single line on the picture plane, or else the drawing would be visually flat. Scan the drawings for line variations and see if you can figure out what effect each different kind of line is achieving.

Zak Smith

Smith is an extreme case. It is stating the obvious to point out that all of these drawings make IMMENSE use of line variation. Your job is to study them and observe the ways that line variation creates a push-and-pull of space. Also, how is Smith using line variation and positive/negative space relationships to maintain visual interest?

1-Point Perspective

Click here for a link to a gallery of 1-point perspective drawings done in past Drawing 1 classes.

My Apologies...

I apologize to anyone who sent me your blog url but you're only just now seeing it listed on the page here today. I am usually far more prompt than this, but the past few day were ridiculous.

As atonement for this egregious oversight on my part, allow me to present this little video of a gallery visit with artist Inka Essenhigh:

And this studio visit with Sanford Biggers:

Something I Forgot To Mention In Class

MP3 players, CD players, and radios--essentially anything with a set of earphones--are not allowed in the classroom. I bent this rule last semester and it was HORRIBLY abused. I'm not fond of having to yell at you to get your attention. I also am not a fan of repeating myself over and over again because I have people in the room whose ears are occupied. Therefore, I'm putting a stop to it. Blame the group who came the semester before you.

I will ALWAYS have music playing during class. You may not like everything that I play--in fact you may hate about 70% of it--but I have a very WIDE and eclectic selection, so there will always be something different. If you don't like what you hear...well...buck up and deal with it until the next CD gets played.

Reminder About Homework And The Materials You Need For Thursday

Outside Assignment:
o Divide paper into at least eight horizontal bands that fill the page. Fill each band with vertical lines that explore different line weights and methods of drawing. Don’t try to draw objects or things. Consider weight, speed, and positive/negative relationships. Lines can touch but not cross.
o Materials
• One 18”x24” sheet of bond paper
• 4B, 6B drawing pencils
• Eraser
o Create a pocket inside the back cover of your sketchbook (staple or tape a piece of cardboard)
o Place syllabus in pocket
o Find at least one article explaining 1, 2, 3-point perspective and place in pocket
o BLOG: Follow directions on “Drawing 1 Class Blog” assignment sheet

What you need to bring to class on Thursday:

4B, 6B drawing pencils

Eraser
Yardstick
White bond paper (18”x24”)

Your sketchbook with pocket, syllabus, and articles

Your finished homework assignment

Drawing Board

Here are some good examples from past students who completed this assignment:

See you Thursday.

Welcome

Alright folks, this is where we begin. If you are reading this, then I trust you have followed the directions I gave you and have established your own class blog. Please DO NOT forget to e-mail me the url address of your blog. I will be placing links to everyone's blogs in the "Student Blogs" section to the right. This will allow everyone to more easily locate your information and provide a central hub from which all of the blogs can be accessed. It would be best if I had your url BEFORE THURSDAY so that I can actually see everyone's blogs before class.

Your class blog is an important part of the workload in this class. I personally feel that technology is such an integral and all-encompassing aspect of our lives, careers, and even social interactions, that to deny its influence--even when studying an institution as old and traditional as drawing--is ridiculous. Therefore, this blog counts as a percentage of your grade in this class. A small percentage, to be sure, but enough to push a plus or minus behind a letter grade, or it could be that one deciding factor that pushes a grade from, for example, a C+ to a B. So, please don't neglect it.

With that said, here's a review of your homework assignment for the week:

Materials: One 18"x24" sheet of bond paper, 4B & 6B drawing pencils, metal yardstick, eraser.

Assignment
1. Divide paper into at least eight horizontal bands that fill the page. Fill each band with vertical lines that explore different line weights and methods of drawing. Don't try to draw objects or things. Consider weight, speed, and positive/negative relationships. Lines can touch but not cross. Consider the paintings of Barnett Newman (although you will not be using color and I expect to see more lines per band than many of his paintings have).

2. Create a pocket inside the back cover of your sketchbook (staple or tape a piece of cardboard). Place syllabus in that pocket:

3. Find at least one article explaining 1, 2, 3-point perspective (more than one article would be smart) and place in the sketchbook pocket.

4. Follow the directions on the "Drawing 1 Class Blog" assignment sheet. (If you're here reading this, I assume you've already completed this section.)