Art basics

Art is work. It should be fun, it should be enjoyable, but it is still work! There are steps to be followed, rules to adhere to, and techniques to learn.

When I create a painting, a drawing, a linocut, or even a sculpture, I follow the steps that I teach in class. I expect ALL students to follow the same steps and rules. The steps I follow are:

1. Thumbnail Sketches - a minimum of 4-5 small sketches used work out composition, elements, principles, and subject. These should be quick sketches with little detail. This will be explained in class and examples given.

2. Rough Draft - after thumbnails are completed and a design/composition has been decided upon, the next step is to develop the best sketch into a rough draft. The rough is more detailed than a thumbnail and should accurately display the idea of the work in a visual format.

3. Color Rough - not always necessary, but sometimes a color rough is useful in decideing upon a color scheme.

4. Final Draft - This is your final, completed artwork. Unless otherwise instructed, I expect all students to leave a ruler-width border around their paper on final drafts. This gives a much neater and completed appearance to the work.