Alternative Self Portraits

The next out-of-class project has been assigned and everyone is well on their way to having a new "best effort" for our November 5 critique. Some examples of this project from last spring can be found by going back to April 8, 2009 to the "Hidden Places" post.  In fact there are a few of those shooting into the purse images that are also subjects this go-around. I know there was some frustration with the previous project because there was so much of the same thing (i.e., popcorn, grapes, goldfish, sunflower seeds, etc.), but this time I expect you'll enjoy the process more since you are doing more self-exploration with the images. The critique will be more engaging as well since there will have to be some discussion about "who" we are in those drawings. Hope they're going well, there are ten more days for this self exploration, make the quality of time good.

The last Course

Kevin's grapes.

Heather's Goldfish.

Gilbert's Popcorn.

Craig's Pineapple.

Brittany's Sushi.

Here are some of the food drawings that came in this week after some revisions based on critique comments. They look pretty yummy!

Yum, yum!

Will Goolsby's Sunflower Seeds

Tana Tidd's Chex Mix

Sam Chumley's Saltines

Lori Richie's Nutter Butter

Kirsten Goodman's European Waffers

Grace Stetenbenz's Animal Crackers

The midterm drawing projects of food magnification have arrived on the table and there are several tasty images. This was, of course, a big project and took considerable time and effort, lots of looking and lots of mark-making, but I think it's a project that always indicates a considerable level of development in the working process of beginning drawing students. If for nothing else but to recognize that the effort will expand skills significantly, skills in drawing and skills in seeing and recognizing the subtleties of our world.  Commitment to be the best you can be in any project, in any studio class, is always the ultimate goal, and there were many fine examples of that in this group of images. I have included a few with this post that were at a stage of finishedness (is that a word?). I'll look forward to seeing how they all get finished and resolved by next Thursday.

FOOD MAGNIFICATION

Tomorrow will be an in-class working day for the food project.  While you're working on your drawings, I'll meet with each of you for a brief look and discussion about where the drawing is, where it's going, and what needs to happen to get it there.  Again, this is a time intensive project, so investing a few hours a day is a really good plan.

A good test to measure how your drawing is going is to take two pieces of white paper, cut a one inch square in one and a three inch square in the other.  Then place the one inch square over one of the gridded sections of your image, and the three inch square over the corresponding square of your drawing. Now squint your eyes and see if the drawing matches the value range of the image you're working from.  If they match, you're in good shape.

See you tomorrow.