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What Will I Create?
What Will I Create?
For this project, you will be strengthening your observation skills in order to create a finished contour line drawing (value is optional) of a toy of your choice.
The finished piece will be drawn as accurately as possible in terms of scale and proportion using techniques learned in class. The completed work will be drawn from direct observation of the toy as viewed right in front of you.
Artistic Concept
Artistic Concept
A concept is an abstract idea. Artists use different concepts to take those ideas from abstraction to reality. The concepts being explored through the lens of the Observational Drawing: Toy - is Perseverance and Practice.
Perseverance lies in an artist's ability to find something that is important to them and/or important to a client or targeted audience to devote their attention, time, and creativity to. It lies in an artist's ability to develop and sustain focus on an artwork, process, and medium through trial, error, and repeated practice.
Practice lies in an artist's ability to keep trying at improving and learning more and more about a particular art form, technique, or medium over and over again with a growth mindset. Practice, especially when "stuck" or frustrated, can be difficult to sustain or focus on, but is necessary for artist's to grow, improve, and develop. Practice is a habit that needs to be developed over time to be able to "stick with it" through successes and failures to see a project through to completion.
Show What You Know
Show What You Know
Draw a whole toy of your choice directly from observation. Be as realistic as you can be in your drawing to what you see in front of you in reality. Take into consideration your current knowledge of proportion, scale, and especially composition.
Elements of Art & Design
Elements of Art & Design
The elements and principles of art and design are the foundation on which all art is created. They can be thought of like a sentence. There has to be words in order to make a sentence; no words, no sentence. The elements of art are like the words. Without the elements - line, shape, color, value, texture, space, and form - there is no art. That doesn't mean that all elements of art must be used in an individual artwork, just like not every word has to be used in a sentence, but at least one must be present.
The Observational Drawing: Toy project will focus on the following element of art & design:
Discover some interesting aspects about the element of art & design: line
Learn more about line by completing the line guided practice sheet.
What did you learn about line and how might you use that knowledge in this piece?
Principles of Art & Design
Principles of Art & Design
If we think of the elements and principles of art & design like a sentence, with the words being a metaphor for the elements, then the principles of art & design are the ways in which the words are arranged. The way in which you arrange the words of a sentence dictates the feel and meaning of it. More descriptive words, and the sentence gives more detail; less words, and the sentence reads sharp or abrupt. The principles of art and design are the way in which an artwork is arranged. Does it appear uneasy, or relaxed? Without the principles of design - pattern and repetition, contrast, movement, emphasis, balance, rhythm, and unity - an artwork would not have a unique look and personality to it. The principles of art and design are more subjective as well. This means that they can be viewed and interpreted by one person differently than they are viewed and interpreted by another.
The Observational Drawing: Toy project will focus on the following principles of art & design:
Discover interesting aspects of the principle of art & design: unity. Explore different ways to create unity in a composition.
Learn more about unity by completing the unity guided practice sheet.
Composition
Composition
Composition refers to the arrangement of the elements of art & design according to the principles of art & design in any given artwork.
Composition is the key to creating a strong, aesthetically pleasing artwork in any medium.
Artistic Conventions
Artistic Conventions
A convention is an accepted way in which something is done. It's a variety of things that artists do to create a piece of artwork. Artists use their knowledge of the numerous different artistic conventions with corresponding methods and techniques to portray meaning in an artwork.
Each unit will explore different artistic conventions. In this example, the artist is using the artistic conventions that this project will explore - scale and proportion. Scale can be seen in the size of the toy's feet compared to the size of the toy's head. Proportion can be seen in the comparison between the toy's arms and legs.
Scale
Scale
This convention refers to the artist's use of size to the advantage of the artwork. Scale refers to the difference between two similar elements of art & design. Forms can be scaled up - and get bigger, or scaled down - and get smaller. Scale can be a comparison between two different artworks/forms.
Proportion
Proportion
This convention refers to the artist's use of the elements of art & design to create an object, person, or thing that appears balanced when compared to another part of that object or the composition as a whole. Proportion should be adjusted as needed to create visual interest.
Getting Started
Getting Started
Blocking In With Simple Shapes
Blocking In With Simple Shapes
Quick Draw!
Quick Draw!
To help us practice our craft we will be warming up with quick drawing tasks.
Fold a piece of newsprint paper into half lengthwise. Then fold the newsprint paper in half again. This will divide your page into four quarters. Draw a toy, directly from observation, in each square using only simple shapes to block in the form as demonstrated in the accompanying video and in class. Each drawing will be timed - 5 min. for the first quarter, 2 minutes for the second and third quarters, and 1 minute for the last quarter.
Measuring Proportion
When measuring proportion with a drawing tool you have to start with an area on the object to base your measurements on. You decide, but pick something that is easy to measure and be consistent.
Hold your drawing tool up to that area with one end on the very edge of it. Mark with your thumb or finger on your drawing tool the opposite edge of that area.
(See the image above.)
Measuring Proportion
Keeping that initial measurement marked on your drawing tool with your thumb or finger, use it to check other areas of the object to see how big or small they are in comparison.
Is the new area that you are checking the same size? Is it half the size? Is it two times the size? Make a mental note, or write down how big it is compared to your initial measurement. Check it with what you've drawn in your drawing.
(See the image above.)
Measuring Angles
Your drawing tool can also be used to check the angles between different areas on the object.
Hold your drawing tool straight and rotate it to match the angle you are measuring like the hands of a clock.
Don't point the drawing tool back towards the object or forward towards you to check the angle - only rotate it around like the hands of a clock.
(See the image above.)
Measuring Angles
Check the angles between various areas of the object frequently.
Compare the angle you see in front of you using the drawing tool to the angle you have drawn on your drawing.
Is it the same, is it different? Correct any areas that need to be fixed according to what you see from direct observation and measuring.
(See image above.)
Drawing Technique:
Drawing Technique:
Learn the art terms that are associated with light and shadow and how to create them using shading techniques.
time-lapse video of a shaded drawing - chapter book illustration
Objectives
Objectives
National Art Standards
National Art Standards
Want to Know More?
Want to Know More?
instructional videos on value in drawings
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