PROJECT: Watercolor Series. Due Monday, May 4th Samimy; Tuesday, May5th Lambert

Project Description

Create six representational compositions in watercolor and pen that work as a thematic series. You will focus on your exploration with the watercolor medium to produce a group of six (6) small paintings addressing the idea of place, and using the following starting points.:

• Architecture (urban, suburban, rural)
• Landscape/Seascape
• Botanical/Biological

All six paintings must work together to communicate your idea regarding place. This can be literal, or conceptual. 

Examples of literal places include: your yard, south beach, fairchild tropical gardens, a vacant lot in your neighborhood, etc

Examples of conceptual places include: the idea of home, the idea of nature, the point where man and nature collide, the idea of country/patriotism, etc.

Rubric

You will be evaluated on the following:

• 25 pts- Homework/creative process (Thumbnails, comprehensives, title, theme)
• 30 pts- Quality of Compositions (Design Elements, focal points, eye movement)
• 30 pts- Quality of Painting/Rendering (Craftsmanship, technique)
• 15 pts- Concept/theme (communication of your idea)

Process

Class Day one- 

Four full pages of thumbnails 2" x 3"

12 comprehensives (full color) 4"x 6"

6 final compositions (hard pencil) 4" x 6"

(Finish the above for Homework, and start on your paintings at home)

Class Day Two-

Final Day of Painting. 

Due at end of class. Monday, May 4th- Samimy. Tuesday, May 5th Lambert

Examples

Look up watercolor artists. Start with William Turner watercolor studies. 

PROJECT: Proportional Color Inventory. Due April 23rd Lambert, April 28th Samimy.

Description

There are colors everywhere- nature, architecture, artwork, design, etc. The goal of this exercise is to train your eye to pick out and recreate colors from the visual world around you.

Starting with a found image, you will generate a color inventory based on the 8-10 most used colors in the composition. These will be arranged in order from least-used, to most-used (and proportional).  

After making the inventory, you will create an abstract composition using the same colors, and in the same proportion, as the source image.  In addition to learning how to see, and duplicate color, this exercise will help you find color combinations that you might not otherwise consider, and aid in your ability to represent the countless tones of a visual source.

Due

Critique at start of class-  April 23rd Lambert, April 28th Samimy.

Process

Choose one image from the auction catalogues in class. Be sure to pick an image with somewhere between 8-10 various hues/colors. 

Try to find an image with color combinations that you usually don't use. You will use this to create your proportional color inventory. A proportional inventory will show the approximate measurement of colors present from dominant (greatest amount) to least dominant (smallest amount). 

PROPORTIONAL INVENTORY

Make a proportional inventory with countable number of tones (primed textiles, woodcuts, or silkscreen prints are good sources.)

Create a color palette (about 6 X 3 inches) that matches colors and estimates proportions. Design a composition of your own using the colors and proportions of the inventory.

Materials

• Bristol 9"x12" for your abstract painting
• White Poster Board for mounting
• Magazine reproduction of art historical reference
• Bristol 3"x9" for your proportional color inventory

Schedule

Day 1- Class time

1. Find appropriate reproduction of art historical work from magazine.
2. Create proportional Color Inventory.
3. Begin thumbnails for abstract composition

Homework- 

1. Complete a single page of thumbnails for your abstract composition. Be sure these have the same aspect ratio as the final (9"x12") compositon. The aspect ratio is 3x4.
2. Using your best three thumbnails, create three comprehensive compositions showing value and placement of color. Be sure these maintain the 3x4 aspect ratio.
3. Pick the best of these three compositions, and draw it out on your 9"x12" bristol board. This must be completed before coming to class.

Day 2- Class time

1. Paint your final composition. 
2. If you finish early, you may start mounting your work on the poster board.

Homework-

1. Mount all elements (magazine image, color inventory, and your painting) on the white poster board. 

Demonstration

http://vimeo.com/51149732

HTML Color Inventory Finder

Students' samples

 

*This project is taken from David Hornung's Color: A workshop for artists and designers

PROJECT: Atmospheric Perspective. Due April 13- Samimy, April 14- Lambert

Project Description

Create two paintings of  urban/architecture/cityscape that give the illusion of depth, using both linear and atmospheric perspective. You compositions will be drawn from life. You may take a photo of the composition to use as a reference for determining value (light/shadow). 

The goal of this project is to apply what you have learned throughout the year regarding color theory, the basic design components, composition, and painting technique to create a convincing landscape that shows depth.  

Schedule

Homework- Step A. 

Draw at least two pages of thumbnails (accurate and lots of variety). From these thumbnails, move on to 3 detailed comprehensive sketches for each 9x12 composition. 

You will need two pages of thumbnails, and 6 detailed comprehensive sketches before moving on with the painting. 

Note: Each of the three detailed sketches must be of a different cityscape, and from different viewpoints. These will be graded.

Homework- Step B. 

Choose the best two compositions and redraw them on 9x12 bristol board. Be sure to address the following compositional concerns:

1. What will my main focal point(s) be? How can I use line, shape and color to direct the viewer there?
2. How is my eye moving around the page? Is the composition 'broken'- meaning, does your eye get stuck anywhere? If so, how can I fix the composition?
3. Do the lines, shapes, and colors work together to create a sense of depth?

Studio Day 1- color schemes and begin painting

Work on color schemes in your sketchbook. You must reference the color wheel when deciding on your colors. Have notes written in your sketchbook to answer the following questions:

1. Which paints did you use to mix your colors? 
2. What color schemes will you use, and where?(analogous in background, triad in middle ground, split compliment in foreground, etc) 
3. How will you reduce the intensity/saturation as you move from foreground, through middle ground, to background? 
4. How will you create more contrast in the foreground, and less in the background?
5. Have you taken notes and written everything down?

Studio Day 2- Work on paintings. 

You will have 2 hours to paint your composition. Be sure to have your sketchbook notes and composition with you. 

1:10pm- set up paints, etc. while I review the assignment. 

1:30pm- painting session

3:30pm- clean up

3:45pm- dismissal

Studio Day 3- Finish paintings. 

You will have 2 hours to paint your composition. Be sure to have your sketchbook notes and composition with you. 

1:10pm- set up paints, etc. while I review the assignment. 

1:30pm- painting session

3:30pm- clean up

3:45pm- dismissal

Rubric

You will be assessed on both your process (time-management, being prepared, following all steps), and your finished project. 

Project will be graded according to: composition, your ability to create a sense of depth, craftsmanship/technique, and creativity. 

What is Atmospheric Perspective?

http://www.arthints.com/what-is-atmospheric-perspective/

http://thehelpfulartteacher.blogspot.com/2010/11/landscapes-continuedatmospheric.html

Student Samples