Art 2 Sketchbook

It is December. There are just two weeks before finals week. Does that mean six class times together?
Yikes.
Obviously your painting is your priority. This should be enough time to finish it, so look at the rubric online, and plan to turn it in during finals.

Regarding your sketchbook, though, I still want you to be working in it with an eye towards quantity between now and the end of the semester. Even just a few minutes each day is amazing. I will view them while you work on your paintings (likely) more than once before the semester is over.
For now, if you want some inspo, consider the below.

  

It is very likely that you will see at least one of these in the future, but for now I wanted to throw out a few different views of animal images. Not because I want you to copy these, but because they are very different ways of looking at the same topic/prompt/idea.
If you are stumped as to what to do, you might use one of these ideas as a jumping off point.

Ch. 3 Sketchbook and Beyond

Hi all,
A few things as we work towards the end of the semester.
First, I have set and published the due date for Ch. 3. As it says in the assignment (yes, please read the text of the assignment), since this is due so late in the semester, you will not have the opportunity to have a re-do after the feedback is submitted to "up" your assessment. There just isn't the time for that.
With regards to Ch. 3, there will not be a "sketchbook check" assignment due date. I will be quite busy helping each of you with your upcoming paintings, and plan to come around and see what you have done (and offer feedback), but there will not be a set date for you to have two complete.
I cannot stress enough that you should work ahead and NOT WAIT until the last minute to begin these four (or five) pieces.

With regards to your sketchbook...
while I always want you to knock it out of the park, have fun, work hard, etc., please really do that here.
Next semester you will see a drastic change in the way we use our sketchbook is used and assessed. The full details won't really matter until January, but the "chapters" that we have been doing each grading period will be gone and it will become more of a working document and place of obvious practice. Stay tuned!

Also, we will be getting in to working with the apple pencil and drawing digitally on the ipad. I love doing this, so I hope it is something you look forward to!

We have a lot to do to make super significant progress on the "large"/cultural tempera painting, so let's use our time well and have fun for these last few weeks this semester.

Get all the Dots

Art 1's, a successful beginning of the year has been had - kudos to all of you, but before we completely move on, let's take a moment to review.

Remember, any drawing that you are deciding to adjust based off the given feedback will get to me asap. Ideally this would mean this week. You do have, however, up to the 15th for any corrections.
Note: the still life arrangements will go bye bye after this week, so you probably want to photograph your view of your arrangement before that happens.
If you change your drawing, upload an updated version of it to Canvas - which can be photographed with your phone or the ipad since we won't be in class when you are doing this.

I will probably not do a lot of reminding so please keep that date well at hand. Also remember that you have a 4-day weekend coming up so that somewhat limits the time you have in school as well.

Next, since we are getting into the Pen and Ink season, I have a beginning video that would be very very helpful for you to watch before you get started in class.
Remember that ink is permanent so you can't really afford to make mistakes. Scratch paper at hand will always come in handy.
If you are having problems with the links to the video here, the same video is in Canvas, so you could watch it there.

Also, pay attention to the due dates for Ch. 2 of the sketchbook. The first one doesn't come up for a while, but don't let it catch you off guard. Please.

As always, let me know what questions I can answer. Smile!

Daily Sketchbook 3/27

For the last week of March, if you are not actively engaging in your self-directed project - which we will talk more about, I want you to work on the below image.





Please begin by drawing the outline ONLY of the above blackbird.
Next I want you to work on the negative space around the bird.
What can you do to make it visually interesting?
What object(s) or pattern or use of shape or use of color or...will make it interesting?

Is it something geometric? Is it something organic? Is it a combination?
I would ask that you do not do a tree branch. I would ask that you experiment.

Since you'll have two days to work on this, what can you do that is visually appealing?

As an alternative, you may use the slightly different view from below if you like.

Daily Sketchbook 3/12

Back to that elephant.
Continuing to add on, alter, or change an existing page makes for images that can be unexpected.
They don't always have to make sense, and sometimes the pages that have less energy devoted to the items on the page can be the most interesting.
Below is a pretty simple donut. You could add some shading today, or tomorrow.
You could have this balancing on your elephant's head or back. Up to you.




Or what if you did something with the boat below?

If you used the boat below, what else would you put on the flag?


What happens if you do multiples of something? Or if you have the elephant balancing on one set of things while it is simultaneously balancing other things?

Sometimes it pays to look around

The interwebs are a great place to look and find inspiration.
It could be specific content, but it might be something kind of random - which are often the best.

Koosje Koene is one of those. Most of her images are pretty "simple" upon first glance, but you know there wouldn't be any sort of consistent style present if she hadn't done something over and over and over again.
She has some good work on her site and some great video content up on youtube - which you can see below.
There are some great and fun tips for keeping up a consistent sketchbook practice on her channel, and in the below video - which is why it is here, so I would say, check it out.

Cheers.

Notes on class and sketchbooks from today (Art 1 version): 2/12/18

I'm in a bit of a conundrum lately and this post is an attempt to try to communicate and figure it out all at the same time.

First, today was a great day in class.
I have mentioned to some of my colleagues and friends that I am thoroughly enjoying my Art 1 class this year. I'm not sure that you realize it, but every class is different - not just from one period to another, but from one year to another. I would say that the combination of personalities, diligence, ability to work together, kindness, etc. are all strong with my first period this year...so yay for you. For real!

Second, as an educator I am always trying to give you experiences that are interesting and valuable.
I am trying to challenge you and get you to see the world in a way that is different from how you typically would. I truly believe this is part of my job. Challenging what you know should be something you strive to experience throughout your life (#lifelesson)
Even more than that I try to build a community with (and for) you. I want to get to know you and have you get to know each other. It might sound cheesy, but I do care about you.

None of these things we do in class are difficult per se, but in truth, they aren't easy either.
They aren't easy in that it requires thoughtfulness and willingness and attention.

I know you have the time, and here I will again mention the use of tutorial and after school - both of which are underutilized by too many of you. I have heard some of you say how busy you are from other teachers at tutorial, but you should be giving equal weight to all of your courses. Sometimes "time" is the only magic you need. Well, time without distraction. And yes, this is when I mention the negative nature of the mobile and wireless devices we are surrounded with on the daily.

But I digress...

One of the things some of us teachers have noticed in recent years is that there seems to be a higher percentage of students that just want to get the work done. They just want to move on to the next thing so they can be finished. "What do I need to do to get an 'A'?"
Oh man have we heard that a lot.
Hopefully you know me well enough to know that this isn't an appropriate question. It's about the learning, not about the grade.

Let's talk about that learning.
Let's talk about those sketchbooks.
I have tried to express how valuable those sketchbooks are, and how much of the actual learning comes in them.
I have tried to express that the frequency of the sketchbooks allow us to stay sharp with our skills while also increasing the proficiency of those skills. I don't need you to be perfect, but I need you to chase the idea of being better.

Now it's time for an illustration.
Pen and ink. This is one of my favorite media, and if you follow me on instagram you would see this. The techniques we learned at the beginning of the year (hatch, stipple, fill-in) all need practice. If I am asking for a pen and ink drawing - or to have pen and ink to be combined with something like watercolor - I should see you practicing those techniques.

To illustrate further, one of the things I definitely said was that when we are using stipple or hatch we should NOT be outlining in ink.
Additionally, one of your Ch. 4 entries was to get more practice with watercolor (a media we just used in a project) and pen and ink (a media many of you will want to use in your next project - even though you may not realize it yet).
This is what we call practice, right?
This is where we get better so that the pieces which wind up on display have sophistication and improvement shown.

I was surprised at how many of those entries really didn't show a sophisticated use of shading. I just wonder, "why not?"

What kind of stands out even more, though, was the portrait of a human or animal that asked you to work from a photograph, print out that photo reference, and attach it to the facing page.
Remember, a photograph comes from a camera and is not a reproduction of a drawing/painting.
Also, if you are asked to print it out, why wouldn't you?
You should never tell your teacher, "My printer ran out of ink." This is an excuse (and only shows you do not feel the need to hold yourself accountable). If you have five weeks to work on an assignment, why would you (presumably) wait until the night before to print out your image? This just doesn't make any sense.
If you're like me and you don't have a printer at home, do you need to ask a friend for help? Do you need to go to Kinko's? Or Walgreens? Maybe a parent can print it at work?
Problem solving is key to success, and waiting to the last minute doesn't allow you to be as successful as you could be.

Fortunately you are not dinged for bringing something in late, but I will mark something as incomplete if you haven't followed the very explicit directions. I will reassess later - after you have made corrections/completions.

For myself though, separate from the physical act of drawing from a photograph being, at times, better than drawing from a screen, what is there to learn from printing out the image?
Yes, I question what I ask you to do. (I try to do the same things I ask of you.)
Well, there is follow through - which you need in order to be successful in life, and there is accountability.
If you can just not do something and there is no adverse affect, why do it?
Well, what if it is just the right thing to do?
What if it is intended to help someone else?
(Maybe a lesson we can learn is that doing something for others is the quickest path to happiness and joy?)
Maybe that person is me, the teacher, the one you are trying to show your creativity, growth, and sophistication to?
Is it possible that I can make all kinds of incorrect judgements about a piece of art that is supposed to look like a photograph if I don't have a reference? Is it possible that I might give you all kinds of bad advice about how you might make your drawing better if I don't have something to reference?

If I'm giving advice that isn't applicable, how can you get better through our shared experience?

In other words, the right thing to do is for me to give you as many opportunities to show your growth (and use of positive and helpful feedback) as possible, and then after you do the work towards taking advantage of those opportunities, I give you (more) usable feedback.
If you give me work/references, and I give you feedback, and then you use that feedback on the next piece, and I give you more feedback, and you use that feedback...you see how we are creating a loop here?
We need to help each other so that we can help each other improve.

This is all good stuff, so please, let me help you.

You all have the ability to make really good projects, and you are all kind humans (which is why I want you to sign up for Art 2 nest year :) ), but you still need to do the work.
I try to make the topics and themes interesting, and I try to give you say in what you will create. I really think a pretty good job has been done on this front, and while you may not agree, please know that it has been a work in progress for years and I really have tried to do my best for you.

Now that this post is significantly long, what next?
Well, we will do some sort of self assessment on Wednesday. If you want to add to, or have a do-over before or after then, please feel free. Some of you should certainly take advantage of this, but some of you definitely don't need to. At that late of a point, I may or may not be able to have this chapter influence your progress report mark, but I don't worry about that since it is just a progress report.
What would be helpful is to ask questions if you are not sure.

I don't like posts like this, but as much as I desire to be friendly to you, I am responsible for holding you accountable, and at some point someone has to be "the adult in the room" and "call a spade a spade" and do the hard work of expressing that not everything was done as it should have been (as it could have been done).

Please read the comments that might have been left for you and know that they are intended to be helpful.
Lastly, know that these words don't apply to everyone - and certainly not everyone all the time. Some of you rocked it in Ch. 4. I applaud you.
Others sort of rocked it, but could stand to tweak things a bit.
Some of you, well, it seems you forgot what rocks were over these past several weeks were.

Yes, that's supposed to be a funny ending. It's the best I've got right now.

Smile!

Daily Sketchbook 11/14

It's another art history day but I want you to follow a few directions.

Please read all of the directions before you begin.

• First, you'll need to go to The Lonely Palette website and begin THIS VAN GOGH EPISODE and skip forward to the 3 min mark.
• Next, set the timer for 13 minutes. (yes, I want each of you to set your own timer on your own ipad)
• While you are listening to the first portion of this podcast, draw the first image* you see at the bottom of the page in your sketchbook 
• Yes, you need to use headphones
• When your timer goes off, take a photo of your drawing and upload it for your daily sketchbook
• I would love for you to finish listening to this episode, but you can do that as you work on your painting as well

You do not need to listen to all 22 minutes of the episode, and I do not want you to take the entire episode length to draw and upload. However, I do want you to spend the above referenced 13 minutes to draw, so please get started asap and draw for the entire time until your timer goes off.
Smile. Art is fun.
Oh, sorry Sabine, I know you don't like her voice, but I do think it is an interesting podcast.



*I mean the below image

Daily Sketchbook 10/30

Remember that page you put some watercolor on several days ago that you were asked not to draw on top of?
Great, go to the following page of German Expressionism woodcuts and choose a not too complex image to begin drawing on top of that watercolored page.
Ultimately I'll want you to fill in the black parts, but I don't expect that will happen today. Does that give you a clue as to what you'll be working on for Wed.? Great. Another continuation day!

Daily Sketchbook 10/16 (and for 10/18)

Here is a two parter for you. Mostly to reinforce that you can build something quite interesting from small chunks of time, as small chunks gradually build up to something much more significant and complex.
Use the below image to create a portrait that is intermingling with nature.
It can be a straight copy of the below image, or you could utilize a different piece of plant, or you could use a different portrait (maybe yourself?!).
Note the media - ball point pen. You can do this, or not. It's up to you.
You might sketch out in pencil one day and add ink/shading the next, or you might go straight to ink and get it as close as possible.
Remember - esp if you are going straight to ink, it isn't about getting as much done in one sitting as possible, but paying attention to the character of the work that you are doing.

Daily Sketchbook 9/6

I know we will only do a "traditional" daily sketchbook entry in class once this week, but I would like to challenge you do take one of the below bear drawings and begin it in your sketchbook. I don't expect it to be finished in terms of full shading, but you can get the gist of it down in pencil.
Next I would ask that you keep adding to it.
Ultimately I'd like to see a bear with some sort of human element added to the composition.
This could take you several days of daily sketchbook work, really. Between getting the bear and the human element sketched out. Then getting it inked. Then what? What else could make the page look interesting?

Don't forget, Friday when you come to class I will have something for us all to do for the first few minutes of class (even though you won't need to do a "daily sketchbook" activity to upload to Canvas). Please just be at your seat ready to participate.

Daily Sketchbook 5/16

Open up the Procreate app and choose the pencil tool.
From here you have one of two options based off the idea of reflections.

Option 1: get a mirror from the tool cabinet and begin drawing a self portrait (but I know the Art 3's are already doing this for a project, in a way, so there is also...)

Option 2: get a reflective object from the still life cabinet that is metal or glass and draw that object while also paying special attention to how that object is reflecting things on its surface.

If you have another object that would work for this idea you may run it by me.

When you are finished, export your drawing as a jpg and upload it to Canvas please.

Daily Sketchbook 5/2 & 5/4

If it was me I would grab my pen and ink and go straight to it, but that's just me. No pencil needed.
Below you will find your inspiration for the week. You may use one or both of the images but your task is to make something interesting with the below inspiration.

Dailly Sketchbook 2/10

Add something to your drawing from Wed. - the colored pencil/hand/tool drawing.
Do you create some shading with a complementary color?
Do you redraw on the same page for more practice?
Do you add something to the drawing so that it looks like the tool is doing something?
Do you do something entirely different?
Have fun. Go!

Daily Sketchbook 1/23

At some point we'll be done with these studies, but for now, do the same full page and pencil only work for me while you enjoy the process.

Daily Sketchbook 1/12

We continue this week with a continuation of studies in your sketchbook.
Use one of the below images to begin reproducing in pencil only as best you can in 13 minutes. Upload a photo of your entire sketchbook page when time is up.

 

Oh yeah, with the below image, focus on the bottom two rows, not the top and super simplified row.

Daily Sketchbook 1/10

It's a week of studies. Well, I only get to see you in class twice each of these first two weeks this semester because of a holiday next week...so let's get started.
Use one of the following two images as your example, and begin replicating the images you see. Use ONLY a pencil and use an entire page in your sketchbook.

Daily Sketchbook 12/15

Get out your pen and ink and your sketchbook.
Yes, your real, old school, dip pen and ink.
Do not draw out your sketch in pencil before you begin.
Use one of the images below as your inspiration.
Get as far as you can in your fifteen minutes.
Have fun.

Daily Sketcbhook 11/29

Go back to your daily sketchbook page from 10/12 (the one where you added watercolor to your sandcastle drawing.

Keep your book open to that page while simultaneously opening the procreate app on the ipad.

Begin replicating your sandcastle painting in that procreate app and see how close you can get it to look in the next 13 minutes.

Remember that you can create layers for diff areas, and you can adjust the opacity of a brush/tool/layer with the slider on the side of the screen.

When time is up, export the image as a jpg and upload that image to Canvas.

Coming back to class during tutorial on an "off" day and finding your ipad and continuing to work on this image so that you get better with drawing on the ipad is always a good idea. Hint hint.

Daily Sketchbook 11/7

This was published a couple of weeks ago. Hopefully you have watched the included videos ahead of time and already begun percolating some ideas in your cranial cavity.



"What I see for the future..."

That's the theme put out by Google for this year's doodle contest. First I want to get in to what they write before talking about the prizes - which I think you'll be interested in.

First, "challenge student to look at how they will make a difference in creating the world of tomorrow."

1. Have students explore the industries and technologies that are shaping our future, such as:

• transportation (driverless cars, commercial space travel)
• renewable energy (windmill power)
• technology (3D printing, artificial intelligence)

2. As students research, have them consider what things will be like in the future: How will people communicate with family and friends How will they commute to school and work? Will there be world peace and equality?

3. Ask students to select one emerging technology/trend that would change their daily lives in the future. Challenge the students to think about how they can help advance the cause through their efforts in the future.

4. Have students create a presentation sharing how they could tackle this issue and make an impact in the future.


This is a lot to take in. BEFORE I give you their template, I just want you to brainstorm. See what you might be interested in portraying by collecting ideas from everyone at your table group. Make a list (words and images) that you may use as a jumping off point.
That may be as far as you get today. This is ok.

Speaking of inspiration, they have THIS VIDEO that is pretty interesting in terms of ideation and working methods, some of which may sound familiar.

That first video is "imagine" and THIS SECOND VIDEO is called "create". I especially love this second one. You may want to watch it more than once. Just saying.

I would view this prompt as a process. You can take several (non-class) days to work on this - which I kind of suggest, and you may also use this as one of your study drawings for the month of November.


For this daily sketchbook, I have the Google template on my desk. You may begin drawing/doodling on it once you read the text, or you may end up spending most of your time watching the linked videos (and not get much done on the template. You may also begin brainstorming content and ideas in your sketchbook as notes for working on your Google design.
Because of this, there are a few options you may include for your daily sketchbook.
One might simply be a screenshot from the ipad of the video(s) as you watch them (though this is certainly the path of least resistance; one may be of you working on the template; one may be of the template next to your brainstorming on a page in your sketchbook.