COLOR PENCILS: Reverse Drawing

Yesterday the class made drawings using white pencils on black paper. When using toned paper it is beneficial to take advantage of the papers value. With black paper, the shadows are already present. Therefore, the artist works from dark light. This requires thinking in reverse to working with dark materials on white paper.

Crystal

 Crystal has created a very stable composition by engaging the top and bottom edges of the paper. The large scale of the objects fills the composition activating the negative areas and establishing rhythmic value patterns.

Jose

 Jose has very keenly observed the subtle tonal variations within the transparent objects. The values are bold and striking. The centered composition allows him to address the still life in its entirety.

Laura

Laura has also employed "cropping" to great effect with her composition. This Cubist inspired drawing is composed of many positive and negative shapes interlocked together. Observe how she uses brighter values in the negative areas and switches to diffused values with the transparent, positive areas.

IMPROVISATION: continued

Yesterday the class completed work on the "Improvisation" drawings. Monday we will begin work on Color beginning with colored pencil drawings on black paper.

Jeff

Jeff's drawing illustrates the manipulation of an open ended spatula. The progression is very well paced revealing a gradual curling of the tines. Each frame exhibits strong attention to the negative areas which have been activated primarily by "cropping the object."

Laura

Laura has also used "cropping" with the addition of rendering soft patches of value to accentuate key points around and across the object. In addition, her handling of "accenting" along the contours is very complementary to the values adding volume and dynamics.

IMPROVISATION

Today the class began a series of compositional studies exploring positive and negative relationships as well as improvisational form. One view is of a cropped object. The successive views illustrate the object being stretched, twisted, bloated etc. in an effort to "activate" and engage the negative areas. We will critique these drawings at the end of class tomorrow.

First Class Meeting

Today we discussed the syllabus and materials. Most importantly we created "The List". The items are above with directions.