Art 1 & 2

Draw Montgomery Project

All Art 1&2 students are to be working on the Draw Montgomery competition project. I gave each of you the links to the competition along with the requirements in a previous posting this year. Please review that post. You were each given your scratch paper cut to size. Art 1 students are to complete an 11x14" scratch paper and the Art 2 students have 1/2 sheet of poster board to work with as long as it is larger than 11x14".

STEPS :

1. Photograph a Montgomery building or other Montgomery scene.
2. Crop this photograph until you have a pleasing composition. Your building should be the focal point so remove excess background imagery, like sky, in order to make your building the focal point. Remember, crop your photograph using the measurements that I gave you in class: 2 3/4 x 3 1/2" or 5 1/2 x 7"
3. Draw the cropped image in your sketchbook. You can remove or adjust elements from the photograph when you draw it in your sketchbook. For example, you can remove people or cars from the photograph when you draw it in your sketchbook to see if this enhances your overall composition. Once you complete a final sketch, redraw the sketch onto the larger sheet of Newsprint paper which you received in class. This larger drawing should be 11x14", the same size as your final scratch paper. The easiest way to do this is to trace the outline of your scratch paper onto the newsprint. Cut away the excess newsprint.
4. Shade the back of your newsprint with a layer of graphite. Use a wood pencil and shade it at an angle so that you shade with the side of the lead and not the point. This way you can shade much faster.
5. Place the newsprint on top of the scratch paper with the shaded graphite side down, touching the scratch paper, and you drawing face up. Make sure you tape the newsprint to the scratch paper so that it doesn't move using TWO small pieces of tape in the top corners.
6. Trace the lines of your drawing with a colored pencil so that you can see where you have traced. Press slightly harder than normal so that you transfer the graphite on the back to the scratch paper surface. You can periodically lift the newsprint to see if your transfer is successful. If not than you either need to press harder or add more graphite to the back of the newsprint.
7. Once you have transferred the drawing to the scratch paper you are ready to start scratching. You will have to purchase a scratch board drawing utensil from Hobby Lobby or Baker's Art Supply (Coliseum Blvd.) if we don't have any at school by the 14th. They are about $6. Use hatching and cross-hatching marks to scratch away the black paint from your scratch paper, leaving the white poster board underneath to show. BE CAREFUL - you cannot "unscratch" an area once it's been scratched so pay close attention to your photo reference and scratch only the areas that are needed.
8. ALL PROJECTS ARE DUE OCT. 21st. Good luck - Mr. Kelley

1st Project Deadlines

Art 3 - Wildlife Projects

As we discussed last class, your wildlife projects are to be 9x12"and in colored pencil. I handed each of you a sheet of Bristol paper for you to use. REMEMBER: you must use a separate background image in your own design that is different from the background in your animal photograph unless you are using a photograph that you personally shot.

Steps :

1 - Sketch your selected photograph in your sketchbook. You will produce your final version on a 9x12" piece of Bristol paper so make your sketch as close to 9x12" as possible to save you from having to redraw it later to a larger scale.

2 - Flip your sketch over and cover the back with a layer of graphite. I would use a wood pencil for this, not a mechanical, and I would do all the shading with the side of the lead not the point. This will allow you to cover the back with graphite much faster.

3 - now place the sketch with your drawing side up over the Bristol paper. Make sure that you secure the sketch to the Bristol paper with a couple pieces of tape to prevent the sketch from moving on top of the Bristol paper.

4 - Now trace the lines of the original sketch, applying a little more pressure than normal. You may want to trace with a colored pencil so that you can see which areas of your sketch you have traced as you go. You should peel up the corner of your sketch periodically, being careful not to shift the sketch on the Bristol paper, and check to see if the graphite back is transferring the lines you are making with your colored pencil. If not, then use more pressure or you have not applied enough graphite to the back of your sketch and may have to re-shade the entire back and try to trace again.

• After this you should have a perfect duplicate of your original sketch on your new Bristol paper. You may have to redraw a few marks to make them easier to see on the Bristol paper but otherwise you are ready to start coloring your composition.

All Projects DUE OCT. 21

PS - If you want to spend a few bucks to make this easier, you can purchase TRANSFER PAPER from Hobby Lobby in the drawing section. This is paper that has one side already coated in a layer of graphite. Simple place this paper with the graphite coated side touching the Bristol paper and then place your sketch face up on top of the transfer paper and begin tracing. Remember not to let your papers shift and move.

Please email me if you have more questions. Good luck - Mr. Kelley

First Semester Vocabulary - Art 3

Art 3 Vocabulary

Achromatic Colors - white, black, and grays.

Analogous Colors - colors that are closely related in hue, usually found next to each other on the color wheel.

Chroma - the purity of color or its lack of white, black, or grays; a hue's intensity.

Chromatic - having color.

Color - the visual response to the different wavelengths of light, identified as red, green, blue, yellow, etc. The whiter the light, the more true the color will be.

Color Tetrad - any set of four colors that form a square or rectangle within the color wheel.

Color Triad - any three colors in the color wheel that form an equilateral triangle.

Complimentary Colors - two colors directly opposite each other on the color wheel.

Contrast - contrast refers to colors, values, textures, shapes, and other elements which create visual excitement and interest through their oppositions.

High-Key Color - any color which has a value level of middle gray or lighter.

Hue - color; a specific wavelength of light.

Intensity - the saturation, strength, or purity of a color. A vivid color is of high intensity as opposed to a dull color which is of low intensity.

Monochromatic - having only one color or a range of one color's values from white to black.

Primary Color - A fundamental color which cannot be separated into any other colors. When mixed, primary colors can produce all other colors on the color wheel. They are Red, Blue, Yellow.

Secondary Color - a color produced by a mixture of two primary colors.

Split Complimentary - a color and the two colors on either side of its complimentary.

Tertiary Color - color resulting from the mixture of two secondary colors.

Value - the relative lightness or darkness of a color.

Tint - a light value of a color; to add white to a color.

Shade - the dark value of a color; to add black to a color.

First Semester Vocabulary - Art 1 & 2

Art 1 & 2 Vocabulary

Asymmetry - An image that is not similar in appearance when divided vertically or horizontally.

Biomorphic Shape - an irregular shape that resembles the natural curves found in living organism

Composition - an arrangement of all the elements of design which achieves a unified whole.

Craftsmanship - taking time to make sure a project is done well; cleanliness.

Elements of Design: line, shape, color, value, and texture. These are the basic ingredients that an artist uses to produce art.

Geometric Shape - shapes that obey the laws of geometry; triangles, squares, circles, etc.

Hatching - repeated parallel lines used to create value.

Cross-Hatching - more than one set of parallel lines which cross each other at different angles to create value.

Stippling - the process of painting, engraving, or drawing by use of dots or small marks to create values.

Horizon Line - the line where the sky meets the ground.

Negative Space - the empty space around all positive elements in a piece of art.

Perspective - any graphic system used to create the illusion of three-dimensional images on a two-dimensional surface. Types include linear and atmospheric.

Principles of Design: balance, movement, rhythm, contrast, emphasis, proportion and unity.

Symmetry - the exact duplication of appearance on either side of a division line either vertically or horizontally.

Vanishing Point - a point at an infinite distance on the horizon line at which any two or more lines that represent parallel lines will converge.

Contour - the outer edge of forms which implies three dimensions. (Think of it like a coloring book illustration without the color.)

Focal Point - the center of interest.

The GRID System - A useful method of scaling up a drawing on the painting surface using a series of perpendicular grid lines to create rectangles.

Subject Matter - the subject of the artwork, such as landscape, still life, portrait, etc.

Assignments and Homework

Art I:

HOMEWORK - You should bring three pictures to class of Downtown and/or Riverwalk Architecture. I will help you decide which image will be the most successful for our Scratch Paper project. These will be used for the Draw Montgomery Competition in April. Here is what the Draw Montgomery website says about what to use for the contest:

Entrants are encouraged to use the wealth of historic buildings and architectural styles found in and around the Montgomery Downtown and Riverfront areas. We encourage participants to look carefully at our city and creatively interpret what they see, while conveying awareness of good design and its impact.

YOU NEED A MINIMUM OF 3 PHOTOS FOR YOUR HOMEWORK GRADE.

We will make the scratch paper ourselves and we will transfer your drawing of the building to the scratch paper. You will then scratch away the black surface of the Scratch Paper to reveal the white poster board underneath.

Art 1 students will use 11x14" paper.

Art 2 students (Zach and Adrianna) can chose to use 16x20" or 18x24" paper.

Draw Montgomery Contest - Click Here.

ART 3

Homework- students are required to find 3 pictures of the wildlife option of their choice. Remember that we talked about three possible contests this year which will use Alabama wildlife.

Here are the various contests:

1) William R. Ireland Youth Wildlife Art Contest - Click Here

2) Federal Duck Stamp Contest - Click Here

3) National State-Fish Art Contest - Click Here

You should decide which of these that you'd like to enter and then choose the appropriate photo references (3 minimum) and then you must choose 3 habitat images to use in the final project. These habitats must be appropriate for the species that you elected to paint/draw. So no bullfrogs in the Himalayan Mountains.

2009-10 School Year

I'm glad to have the new school year on its way. I look forward to seeing great artworks this year. I welcome back the art students of last year and look forward to teaching our newest art students. I have high hopes for you this year with a greater focus on art competitions and events.

I want everyone to remember that your syllabus includes a list of initial supplies which you will need for class each week. The most important of these is your sketchbook and pencils. Many times in class I will ask you to work on sketches for projects and if you do not have your sketchbook to do so it will negatively affect your grade.

Also - remember that I need the bottom portion of your syllabus signed by you and your parent(s) along with an email address which can be used on this class website. This information will be counted as a Minor grade.

Art 1 - you are working on the hatching, cross-hatching, stippling, and blending exercise. This is due Sep.16th.
To see the blog post for this exercise click here.

Art 2&3 - We will be starting on our first project Wednesday so HAVE YOUR SKETCHBOOKS! We will also finalize our project ideas for the rest of the year.

See you all in class - Mr. Kelley

Wire Sculpture Figurines

Wire Gesture Sculptures

Objectives: Students will:
*Learn about Human proportion
*Discuss the Principle- Balance- in relation to 3-dimensional forms
*Learn about gesture sketching, as well as action poses.

Materials:
*18 gauge aluminum wire
*2x4’s cut into squares, or other object for bases. (We will use a heavy duty stapler to attach figures to base)
*Wire cutters
*Twist-eez colored wire, or telephone/cable wires (optional)

Motivation:
*Students will draw from life - then turn one of their sketches into a three dimensional work of art.

Procedure
*Begin by discussing proportion in the human body- how long the arms and legs are, how wide is the torso, how many heads are in a body, etc. Also discuss the joints- neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, hips, ankles.
*Talk about movement and action within a person. What are interesting actions, or movement? Bring up dancing, sports, etc.
*Have students think of several different ideas for an action pose, to use for their sculpture.
Get students warmed up by discussing and practicing gesture sketches- so they get the basic ideas of the body.

*To begin, the students start with the body part touching the base (the foot - if the figure is standing).
*From the foot the student’s need to create a “bone.”
*The bone will go up to the hip, and then the students will create “muscle” (wrapping the wire down the bone, and back up to end at the hip).
*Students then create a hip to go to the other leg, create a bone, foot and then muscle. *Create a spine, then wrap the muscle down the spine, and backup to end at the neck. Remember to compare your figure's proportions; the torso should be wider in size than the legs, as it is in real life.
*This continues for the whole body, and then the students make the head last.
*Tuck the end of the wire into the body.

Critique work - discuss work of Alexander Calder and contemporary wire sculpture - Compare and contrast student work to the work of Calder and others.

This will be the last project due before summer break. I will post the exact deadline later.

Talk to me if there are any problems. DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE!!!!

-Mr. Kelley