And it's a doozy!
For this semester of remote learning I created 45 demonstration videos (a couple have been shared here on the blog). I got the first 7 weeks of the course completely done before classes started at the end of August, and then they started to catch up! I posted this last one last week...just in time. I have a wonderful sense of accomplishment of course, but what this whole process actually allowed me to do was audit my own course. I mean that in the most bland way possible- how long does it really take to do all this? Does the sequence of events make sense? Do the quick sketchbook prompts support the classwork and homework projects? Of course, I know how to do all this already and have been practicing quite a bit over the years, but even doubling the amount of time it takes me to do something, if students manage their time, it is, in fact, do-able. I do think we can we do fewer little color theory squares maybe? Just a thought.
The final project for this course is a culmination of most of the term, and my metric for gauging improvement. Students have 1 calendar month to get the whole thing done, from research, through ideation, technique practice and then the final composition.
For you educators curious about the actual assignment:
Purpose: The goal of this final assignment is to incorporate as many of the skills & techniques that we have covered in this class as possible. This project will serve as my best gauge of your overall improvement.
Paper: 15” x 20” illustration board
Media: watercolor (with the possibility of using acrylic for the metal part & the possibility of using charcoal pencils & pencil for shadows. Discuss these with me first.)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
The finished composition must include the following:
The perimeter has a margin- either the masked edge of the illustration board (½"- 1" wide) or a cut matte to frame it.
A back wall with texture or treatment.
The back wall has window/s & through the window/s there is far background and a near background that defines the horizon line.
The floor is tiled squares.
The space is framed on either side with swags of fabric (you can use a patterned fabric here if you wish).
The entire composition is framed in faux painted metallic frame.
In this room, include a costumed figure, around 8” tall with the face showing & at least one patterned fabric (or pattern the curtain, above). The clothes should be clear enough so that a shop could build it.
Light it. The light source does not need to be seen, but figure out what would catch a highlight or cast a shadow. If appropriate, add a shadow to pop the frame on top of the rest of the composition.
The various components will be assigned randomly and may or may not be related thematically. You control the scale of the elements, the number of times the window/s appear & the size of the opening/s. You also control the value & palette. Research each element, finding 2-3 examples that will be synthesized into your design. Also, find one additional piece of inspirational research that informs the mood, temperature or color of the whole piece. Allow the surrealism and potential humor to shine! Remember the whole point is for me to see how you’ve improved in each area.
SCHEDULE
Nov. 2 Research selection game. Elements will be assigned, and then you have time to think about your composition & find your research.
Nov. 16 & 18 Come to class with all research materials and a game plan. Bring transfer paper, illustration board, tracing paper, pencils, erasers, ruler, pencil sharpener. Begin layout. Compose a line drawing that encompasses all of the requirements.
Thanksgiving Break Nov 21-29
Nov. 30 Come to class with a completed layout and several photocopies. In charcoal & pencil, or gray markers, start black & white value study of composition. OR, work digitally by importing your line drawing into the app to complete a black and white value study
Dec. 2 In class presentation of black & white study. Upload your value study to Padlet. Begin working in color & make any corrections to composition.
Dec. 7 Continue color paint samples of various techniques, discuss painting game plan.
Dec. 9 Continue with project; paint from the background forward; mask as needed; light it. Practice each technique first.
December 18th 5pm- Upload your final project to Padlet.
This is a huge exercise in planning. In what order will you draw what, mask it, & paint it? Keep it neat! Don’t be afraid to start over & learn from your mistakes…do not wait until the last minute to work on this. It will be most successful if you allow certain steps to dry completely before proceeding.
For those of you who remember randomly selecting numbers from the plastic Panda Express box, I found web-based spinners. It got a little competitive.