COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course will allow you to explore the visual form and concepts involved in drawing. Drawing is used by artists to process ideas and create final pieces. You will develop further skills in mark making and image manipulation using a variety of tools. Historical and contemporary approaches to drawing will be presented and practiced with the goal of developing your personal vision in your work. Emphasis will be placed on enjoyment and sensitivity to the processes of: drawing; creative risk-taking; engagement with ideas and materials; and the endurance needed to finish a project.

GOALS AND CRITERIA:

Commitment as shown by involvement, participation in class critiques, effort, attendance and attitude. Expect to spend at least as much time outside of class as in class on your projects (to receive an average grade of C).
Progress as shown by development of your personal concepts, creativity and skills.
Ability to manipulate visual form according to your own insights with quality results.

REQUIREMENTS / EVALUATION METHODS:

ATTENDANCE: Due to the nature of the course, ie., demonstrations, spontaneous discussions, slides and lectures and overall drawing time, it is essential that you be present every class period. You will learn from the instructor and each other and the consistency of the group is important. The only acceptable absences are urgent medical needs or family emergencies. Ambulatory illnesses, taking friends to the airport, leaving early for vacation, etc... will NOT be excused. More than three of these unexcused absences will cause your final grade to drop by one third of a grade for each extra absence. If you are absent on a day before or after a break it will count as two absences. Attendance will be taken on a regular basis at the beginning of each class. three tardies will equal one absence. If you are late to class, it sib your responsibility to see me after class to be marked present. Clean-up will start at ten minutes before the hour and not before. Leaving early without permission also constitutes an absence. You must be present the day of a critique to get credit for an assignment due that day.

GENERAL ASSIGNMENT INFORMATION:

Group and individual critiques form the basis of feedback on your work. These are supplemented with comments and numerical grades when assignments are handed in. Individual meetings are used as needed. Each assignment will be graded on how closely it meets the general goals of the course and the specific goals of the assignment. Work not turned in on the due date will drop a whole grade for each day it is late. If you are absent the day of a critique you will receive an F on the assignment. It is better to hand in unfinished work on time. You may revise and resubmit work, with the new grade averaged in with the first to create your final grade for the assignment. (You will have until the end of the semester to resubmit these if you so choose.)

Critiques:
Your participation in critiques is so valuable to the rest of the class that is will affect your grade on that assignment. I consider it part of the completion of that assignment. This means volunteering comments even if you are shy, and being considerate of others if you are not. I can always tell if a student is paying attention to the discussions.

Short term and long term assignments:
These will occur earlier and later in the semester respectively and will be graded separately from the sketchbook.

Self-Object or Self-Portrait Sketchbook:
You will also be asked to keep a visual journal in the form of drawings of an object or objects which are representative of you or of self portraits. These will be assigned about one or two per week and will be based on a technique or theme addressed in class that week. Also you might do in the sketchbook homework exercises depending on the nature of the exercise.

MEETING WITH THE INSTRUCTOR:

I am a strong believer in clear communication between my student and me. You may meet with me during my office hours to discuss any class concerns. If you have a conflict with these hours with other classes, we may make an appointment to meet at another time. I am here in tandem with your hard work and commitment to help you do your best drawing possible.

DISABILITIES:

If you have a disability and therefore may have a need for accommodations to participate in this course, please feel free to discuss you concerns in private with me AND be sure to contact Erin Salva, PBX 5453, in the Office Of the Dean for Academic Advising or e-mail her at SALVAE@kenyon.edu.

DISCLAIMER FOR READING DAYS:

Because this class does not have a final exam, the last assignment will be due the last day of class. However, if I see that more time is necessary to work on this project, I may extend the due date to finals week and it will therefore, require work on reading days. This statement disclaims the college rule of no assignments allowed during the week before finals and on reading days.

STUDIO POLICY:

In a community work area, it is necessary to be extra cautious about clean-up. An open bottle of ink may ruin a week's worth of work. Paper towels, scrap paper, tables, etc... should be cleaned up for other classes that need to use the room. Supplies that are not locked up may very likely "disappear."

TEXTS: There is no textbook for this class, but following are books which I recommend as references for the fields of drawing and design:

1. Drawing, a Contemporary Approach, T.C. Betti and T. SaleHolt, Rhinehart and Winston, third Edition, NY
2. Design Basics, David Lauer, Holt, Rhinehart and Winston, NY, 1979
3. Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, Betty Edwards, J.P. Tarcher, Inc., Los Angeles, 1979
4. Drawing on the Artist Within, Betty Edwards, Simon and Schuster, Inc., 1980
5. The Natural Way to Draw, Kimon Nicolades

MATERIALS: (purchase at Kenyon Bookstore --small signs with the name of the course and my name will be hanging near the materials)

Graphite pencils 6B, 4B, 2B, 2H, H
Vine charcoal --#42, 2-4sticks
Compressed charcoal -- square shaped, 4 sticks
Kneaded erasure
Pencil-like erasure
Plastic erasure
Charcoal pencil, 2B or 4B
Conte Crayons, 2 black, 2 white
Pilot pen, fine point - find in front of Bookstore with other pens
Bottle of black waterproof Higgins India ink, 1oz.
Can of matt fixative spray
White artist's drafting tape
Paper for Self-Object project -- 5 sheets of Canson; in neutral color
Pad of newsprint, 18"x24"
Pad of white drawing paper, 18"x24"
Ring bound sketch book, 11"x14"
Portfolio, black, hardback, at least 18"x24"
Metal ruler -- 18" or longer
Scissors -- 8" or larger
Exacto knife -- #1 with blades
Paper blending stumps -- #1 and #4
Flat container for tools to fit in storage drawer -- zip lock bags work as well
Spray adhesive
Archival box (for Self-Object project) -- 15"x11.5"

Optional: Graphic sticks -- 6B, 4B
                 Binder clips to hold paper on drawing board

 

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