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This is Mid-term Day! The students displayed their 10 drawings where they could find space. The drawings where displayed all over the classroom and into the hallway and stairwell. This is a big day for all of them.
After they displayed their work they were able to leave while Maryann graded their work. They where required to pick-up the drawings by 5pm this day. Maryann explained a bit to me how she grades. The students have a sheet that list studies that are required to be complete during this semester. The students picked ten of their best and turned them in for the mid-term grade. Strategy is the most important focus for this assignment, then she looks for techniques, darks to lights, figure ground relationship, focal point and expression as well as proportion. Many of the students struggled with understanding the study. For example, if it was a torso drawing, some of them just drew the stomach. The torso is from above the breast to mid thigh. Strategic planning is key here and sadly many of the students did not do well on this. There were a lot of C- given. But knowing this is just the mid-term the students have an opportunity to redo any of the drawings that they did not do well on. I did not stay for the entire grading. Maryann prefers to do it alone. For me seeing the students work hung together was a great eye opener to how they have grown as figurative artist. There is a distinct style that they all have. It is very fun for me to see and be a part of this learning process.
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Krisi is our model today. But before the class began drawing Maryann started with announcements and discussion. The main points where:
The students must take a survey of art class if they are to major in art. The midterm is on Thursday Maryann will be leaving the skeleton out this evening to allow the student to draw from it to complete the midterm assignment. The students can redo any one of their drawings for a better grade. Do not forget about the extra credit- Going to lectures, art museums and galleries. Write a brief report of what they learned and viewed. Make sure that you label your drawings correctly. This is clearly/legibly written on the lower right hand side of the drawing, with your name, and the date and the name of the study. After the announcements the student did a series of warm-ups and then they went into 2 longer poses. I am seeing such evidence of their growth in drawing the figure. I am quite proud!!! They all work very hard and it is evident. Today is a Critique day on the students Dyptic Assignment.
The students had 2 different chapters to read from the book the History of Pictoral Space. These chapters focused on different artistic time periods and how pictoral space grew and changed over time depending on the artistic movement at the time. The were required to produce a dyptic, depicting what they learned from the chapter that they read. The students could use any medium for this assignment. In fact it was encouraged that they get experimental with media. By the beginning of class the student had their dyptic's hung and displayed for the critique. This critique lasted the entire class period. Before the critique started they took tem minutes to write a brief summary of the chapters that they read. Doing this allowed the students to get clear so they could present to the class what they learned, as we discuss their works of art. Points expanded upon where: Grecco Roman, the Middle Ages, High Renaissance, Abstract Expressionism, Post Modernism, etc... The class got a good art history lesson today. Maryann stresses on a regular basis that the students need to learn their time period for art. This will help them defend their work and grow as artist. It is just as important to know the history of art as it is to be a good artist. Today was a success and I feel the students work really hard on this assignment. I think they are proud and learn valuable information. In the beginning of class today we focused on Art History. Maryann's knowledge is vast and breaks down the order of historical art and the movements that changed and impacted change.
To follow are cliff notes of Mayann's lecture... Western art and culture......... Up until Duchampe one will find a strong emphasis on classicism, balance, the make gaze and goddesses. During the 20th century beauty changes. The focus is more about the sciences and how things fit together. The lecture then turns to letting the students know that knowing their audience is important when creating the art. Remember to let the audience participate by way of the beauty in your mark making. Artist to look up: Joseph Beuy's Rembrandt's self portraits Jim Dine- his early works Kiki Smith Announcements: Dyptic project is due on October 23rd. This project required the students to read 2 chapters that where assigned to each student, from the required reading. Maryann stresses that they really know their chapters because they will be presenting them in class along with the Dyptic that relates to the chapter and what they have learned. The Mid-term of 10 studies is due on Oct. 30th. The rest of the class we did a quick critque on the progress of the students work. They posted their favorite drawing on the wall. And Maryann quickly ran through each one and made suggestions. The rest of the day was a free drawing time. I can tell the students are advancing quite well. Some of the students that could not get past the contour lines are now creating volume with in the drawing of the female subject. I am proud of them!!!! There are a few students that do not seem whiling to move beyond their comfort zone and are not advancing quickly. I have a tendency to leave these students alone because they do not seem interested in changing at all. Overall it was a good day...long but good. Today the students spent 25 minutes in the beginning of the class hanging their homework assignment. There assignment was to create "25 of an idea". They where able to use any medium and it could be 2d or 3d. Maryann is wanting her students to stretch and create unique imagery and technique. I see that this is a bit of a challenge for many of the students, but they succeeded in getting the assignment done. They will critique themselves and the other students in written form before the next class and then turn it in at the beginning of next class.
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| Today was our first day of drawing from a Male model. Maryann had an important meeting to go to therefor I led the class for today. I began with a recap of the things they learned from the couple of days before. Gesture (draw like smoke), lightly and freely. Make great use of the tools, draw with light pressure in the beginning, use your ERASER!!!. I started them with 5 2 minute warm-ups. This is to get them to loosen up. I had them draw with both hands again. They always laugh at this but I think it is fun to them. They giggle and then focus. After the warm-ups they took a break. Once the students gathered back around, we discussed atmospheric perspective, grounding the figure, getting the whole figure on the page, use the point and the side of their tool and do not forget about the eraser. I think changing up the model was a challenge for the students at first. They were getting comfortable with the female that they got to draw for weeks. But I think they are progressing with placement of the figure, grounding it and getting proportion. They had 2 25 minute poses for the rest of the class. We had good music playing today . Maryann came back to class and we chatted about how they were doing and had me still lead the class til the end. I am grateful for assisting her class. She is a joy to work with and I am learning a ton from her. Good drawing day! |
I have just begun my journey in the Masters of Fine Art Program at The University of Montana. I am currently "Shadowing" an art professor in her class to observe and learn what being a professor all about. As part of this process I have created this blog to document what I am learning.
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