Famous Oil Painting

(Taken from an email sent to the Art 3 students on the occasion of their beginning their famous oil painting copy) 


If you've already gotten approval for your oil painting project you don't need to read further.

Thank you, and you're welcome.

For those of you who haven't...yes, keep reading.

I have had several of you come up to me with ideas for artists that you'd like to do that won't work and I would like to explain a little more about what this project is all about.

But in a way, I have to back up, so bear with me.

This project is about becoming a better painter, yes. As I've stated, I want your use of the medium to improve; I want your use of color to improve.
These are all good and noble things, and if you put the diligence into it that I know you are capable of, you will have an impressive end product, trust me.

However, there is something else you should be aware of that you maybe aren't considering.
Tradition. History - if you would rather think of it like this.

The art world is full of people being famous for just being famous just like people in the public eye today. And there are good painters who have fallen through the cracks and not received the kind of notoriety that they may have deserved.
Unfortunately this is life.

Just because you like someone's painting doesn't mean it will work for this project.
Just because someone can handle a paintbrush well doesn't make them a great artist. (The corollary for this being, just because you have a camera doesn't make you a photographer/artist.)

I want you to dig in to the history of painting and the history of art. I want you to have someone that "knows" what they are doing and how it is connected to the history of their medium. I want you to be aware of the fact that painting from other people's paintings is a storied tradition and an invaluable learning process.

This project is not just about making something "pretty". While this is all fine and good, there needs to be more to it than that if I am willing to devote a good chunk of our school year towards this endeavor.

You will have to find some historical facts out about your artist. This is easier when they are recognized by museums and the art world at large, and not just the internet.
The internet can recognize anyone and make anyone famous, and most of those people don't really deserve that recognition.

These "famous painters" are also, largely, famous for much more than just being able to handle a paintbrush. Such as creating works that used the medium in a completely unique manner; or dealing with a philosophy that had some significance behind it; or having a "new" outlook on a subject matter; or dealt with a difficult subject matter and used aesthetics/beauty  in a "different" sort of way.

Yes, I know, you may not like this answer. I'm sorry. Well, not really, but I hope you catch my drift.

"Famous Oil Paintings" is a terrible Google search topic. It doesn't mean anything. You need to get into the subject more than that. Have one artist lead you to another, for example - which is why that list on the class site is there.

For example, the first art book I ever bought when I was in college was on Gustav Klimt. In reading that book - yes, while looking at the pictures just as much - I found out about Egon Schiele and Oscar Kokoschka for the first time. They are great painters from the early 20th century that were of the same time/place as Klimt and have been recognized since that time for very good reason.

But that was just the very beginning of my own personal knowledge.
Now I'm asking for yours to start.

Set. Go.

Smith

In the Works

Those designs the Art 2 & 3 classes made this week? Yes, those designs. Ms. Pearson came and picked them up today and the judging has begun. There are a few meetings to discuss them next week and they may be in production in the very near future.

I don't know how many designs are going to be printed, but I am very impressed by the quantity of outstanding work that was turned in.

Stay tuned.

Fundraiser

It's official, our next fundraiser for the Europe field trip will be happening on Nov. 17th at Willow Glen Yoga in downtown Willow Glen at 1pm.

More details to follow.

Ice Cream*

I scream, you scream, we all scream for...typography!

We started the class for Art 2's today doing some typography and color exercises online in the library before beginning sketches for our latest project.
Please connect to the Kerning, Shape Style, and Color exercises from the "Latest and Greatest" portion of the class site HERE. Go through the exercises. Have fun. Love life.

We are working on a "los gatos", "lg", "lghs", "wildcat" something-or-other themed design to be available in the student store.
You can focus on type or image or both. It's up to you. It is also up to you to decide on the type of garment your type might go on (shirt, sweatshirt, hat, etc.).

Your sketches are due Tues and your final image will be due on Thurs.

Happy Friday.

*there is no actual ice cream associate with this post, nor, for that matter, the class in general (though I am a big fan of Ben & Jerry's Coffee Heath Bar Crunch - just saying).

LG Design

A quick overview that will pertain to the advanced art students and the next project (for the student store here at school):

• Think about what article you would like to conceptualize an idea for (t-shirt, sweatshirt, hat, etc)
• generate many (MANY) sketches in your sketchbook (more than five)
• think of text/typography, theme, "wildcat", etc
• is there a "theme"
• vaguely be aware of color (aim for a 2 color design, knowing that a 3rd color is, or can be, the garment color
• you can be funny/humorous
• think about what you would like to wear yourself (while it can be funny, it needs to be a "legitimate" design)

From the Band Teacher

It isn't band candy - though that is now available, I have snickers for sale for one dollar, too.
Help us get to Europe in April.

But this video is completely hilarious.

Sketchbook & Pre-Figure(ing)

Art 3's, this is what we did after the first 45 min of class today.

Step 1: go through magazines and get pictures of human figures (sorry, just a portrait/face will not work as you need to see most of the figure)

Step 2: cut them out with scissors or an x-acto knife to get rid of the background

Step 3: paste them into a dbl pg spread of your sketchbook

     

after step three your sketchbook should look like this (below)

 

Step 4: we will cover next time

Art 2, Round 2

Art 2's, the next round of Study Drawings, due on Wed, Sept. 26th have the following topics:

A tree(s)
A self-portrait
Adventure

Have fun. Be awesome.

Extra Credit?

If you are interested in earning some extra credit for first semester, there is an opportunity.

Salvador is in charge of getting the fall play's sets and such done and he needs some help painting a large cafe exterior.
He has the idea and will supply the supplies, but he needs some help with the actual painting process.

If you would like to help I can put you in touch with him.
I don't think it will be difficult, but it will take some out of class time to complete. This is why I am offering extra credit for you to help your peers out.

First Week Recap / Update

I'm guessing you are either really happy to have yet another update regarding the art classes so far this school year or you are really sick of getting so much information from me already.

Well, either way, don't get used to it.
Really I'm just quite pleased with the way the first week has played out, and I want you to get used to going to the class site and the class blog.

In other words, I'm going to continue to give updates here and keep everyone posted on the class calendar, but I don't usually email this often.

So what has happened this week? Grab a cup of tea, sit back, and let me wow you with the amazing-ness that is are the art classes.


We have drawn stuff.
I know, fascinating. You can thank me for the fantastic nature of my teaching at back to school night!

I have taken money from children.
So much fun. One of my favorite things to do.

Aren't you jealous you are not in my art class? See what you are missing out on?!


In all seriousness, though...
Yes, almost everyone has provided the materials cost thus far. Thank you thank you thank you. This allows me to pay the debts the school has accrued while purchasing all of the supplies for the year.
If your kid(s) have not told you what they have received in exchange for their parent's hard earned dollars, ask them.
It is not money for nothing.

Everyone has turned something in to me (except the Art 4's) so far, and I know pretty much everyone's name - which I am very proud of.
Granted, I will likely forget some of the Art 1 names come Monday, but I am trying and doing my homework. For real.

The beginning of the year is all about learning how to see, learning tricks of the trade of representational drawing, and reinforcing known skills (or learning new ones). I have asked all of the students to draw from observation and many of them to draw from memory so far.
There are no grades yet, but those are coming (check Aeries for that).

Don't forget to mark your calendars for Back to School Night, which is coming up on Thurs., Sept. 6th. I believe it begins at 7, but don't quote me on that. You should come join me so you know the ridiculousness you allow your kids to be subjected to while in my class every other day (though I like to think of it as awesome-ness, I'll let you be the judge).
Plus, if I have to give up my evening to be here, you might as well join me. I mean really, what better things do you have to do on a Thursday night?

(For those of you who don't know me, that is supposed to be a joke, but I'm having a difficult time finding the "sarcastic" font here in blogger. I love meeting you all and truly look forward to that night every year.)

If you have any other questions, please email me.
Please do not call me and leave a voice mail. (This line is not a joke.)

True story, I just checked my voice mail two days ago and I had more than fifteen messages dating back to November of 2011. Yes, almost one year ago.
I rarely check my voice mail, but I am pretty stellar at getting back to emails. Just saying.

Since this is getting long and I am feeling lazy, I will sign off now. I hope you have a fantabulous weekend, and I'm sure your not-at-all-surly-teenager will be happy to fill you in on all the details of this exhausting week.