I most always demonstrate art assignments to my class. Talking and lecturing is fine but demonstrating is finer, and my students can see that I practice what I preach. Here are a sampling of student charcoal self portraits on newsprint paper. They worked from photographs. I told them to take photos with as much value contrast as possible. Most students will pull out family snaps where automatic flash units totally obliterate any strong value contrast. Some even tried to work from their driver's license! All of this, of course, handicaps them significantly. I also instructed my students to take a photo with some sort of attitude. Some did, some didn't. Unless you threaten your students (mostly the college age students) with an F grade or bodily harm, many will ignore the parameters of the assignment, and will work from flat lighted and unbelievably boring poses so as not to embarrass themselves. Apparently the embarrassing and sexually lascivious poses are saved for the social internet sites.
10 comments:
What great fun!
I like all their drawings. Very cool! They did a good job.
Paz
Looks like your students learned a great deal from you. A fun class! I look forward to coming to the class next year. I hope I am still invited!
I'm curious as to why to seem to go for the larger than life size portraits.
great job..do you teach then Betty Edward's Method?
Onpainting; Most of my students would draw very small and have their drawings fall off the bottom right corner of the page. To correct that, I tell them THAT THEY MUST FILL UP THE PAGE!!!!...so they do not end up with disgusting wimp-ass results . Also, charcoal is a great way for my students to produce drawings that have strong value contrast. I specify super black, soft charcoal.
Milind: Betty Edwards all the way!
Are you kidding me, Myrna!! Of course you are invited!!! I can hardly wait for my Fall semester h2o class!
They're all great!! Congrats to your students! To me the sign of a good teacher is that his/her students produce not only skilled artworks but also a range of art that reflects their own perspective on things. And further, that these perspectives are allowed to change and develop. Art is a journey. I see all that here! Congrats to all!
Wayne: They were a great class despite the 8AM start up time!
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