Colored Pencil Portraits Using the GRID

Birth of Venus by Botticelli (detail)

As you all know already, we have been working on the colored pencil portraits. This is the next level of our GRID studies. The grid will enable anyone to draw a highly accurate representation of anything they desire. Some of you have realized how difficult is can be to create a portrait without the aid of a grid. It pays to spend the extra time necessary to layout a grid! This should be light handed so that it doesn't show up after you're finished coloring.

Use colors expressively! If you want to throw in a little bit of a crazy color - GO FOR IT! I will never penalize you for experimenting, even if you realize that it was not successful. So don't worry about a bad result; just be ready to explain WHY you chose to do what you did when we have our critique.

REMEMBER: THESE ARE DUE ON DEC. 11 UNLESS I SEE REMARKABLE EFFORT IN WHICH CASE I WILL EXTEND THE DUE DATE UNTIL AFTER THE CHRISTMAS BREAK.

Class Grid Project #1

Well here it is. The class made a great effort at copying Michelangelo's God even though most of the class couldn't tell what they were looking at on their grid pieces. I think we all agree that once the pieces are together it is easier to tell what changes can be made to improve each section. For example, as we discussed in the critique, the pieces that catch our attention first are those that have great contrast; dark shadows and bright highlights. Some of you who volunteered to complete two separate grid pieces and still needed to spend a little more time working on them but everyone who turned in a piece has the option of reworking them for a better grade, if you choose. Since this will be proudly on display in the hallway for all to see, I would hope that each and everyone of you make your best effort at making your piece perfect. This is a terrific class project and I hope it will serve you well on our next project. See you all in class Thursday! - Mr. Kelley