Work Day 3- Critique on First Assignment

Today is the classes first assignment critique.  "ON STAGE" is the title for this assignment.  This assignment was open ended, meaning they could use any medium and any spin they so chose to develop an art piece called "ON STAGE".

There was an excitement with in the classroom today.  The students were eager to hang their works for art on the display wall before the class began. 

The professor arrived at 2:10 on the dot  and spent 30 minutes discussing a few things with the students, before the critique began.  She brought up a very important topic,  That  she has not been seeing students utilize the studio space to work outside of class.  She stressed the importance of being in the drawing studio often.  Make the studio work for them.  It allows time for open dialogue between fellow colleagues and there are drawing materials for use in the studio.  There is ample space to work.
She also shared that the students can earn extra credit for going to art openings, lectures and museums.   She stressed the importance of attending these types of events. 
She shared that scholarships applications and writings are due Jan and Feb.  She stressed that all students should be applying for them.  It is foolish not too.
The professor discussed the types of assignments given at the 100 level.  The assignments are there to help lead you along and for the students to develop"Self-study".  The students should make the assignments work for them.

It is now 2;45 and we are starting the class critique................

"Fine Artist ask and create the question and then they answer that question"!!!!!

The purpose of critique:  To find out what the impact is to a larger audience.

The students first have to take a moment and write down what their strength is in their work and what the weakness is in their work of art.

Each student has to stand up in front of the class and discuss the weakness and strength of their art work titled "ON STAGE".  As a group we will also discuss formal qualities: Value structure, tone, shape, scale, perspective and anything having to do with form. Also Content: symbolism, the idea.
Does the content and form match up?

Examples:

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Levi: (in his words) Strength: He is drawn to faces. Weakness: Needs help to draw because these drawing materials are new. Class comments: His paper is like "Oxygen", the images come out of the page. Professors comment: As the maker...be medigating or mediating in your artwork. Look up depression artist...the "WPA".

Racheal: Strength: Contrast of the lighting Weakness: The drawing is sloppy and she doesn't like it. The students feel she is being too hard on herself. The professors notes the stylized fashion of her work of art and shares that that is Okay.

Serina: Strength: She is happy about the contrast. Weakness: Should have spent more time to make the image look more like metal. Class comments: add more reflections, change up her tools to render better. The piece has a lot of potential

Some final thoughts and words to wrap up the day.

Ideas and suggestions like, " Work backwards on the page", " be more adventurious with their materials", Students are being too safe with their work and style, " Learn to take risk", " make the assignments work for you".

Word for the day SIGNIFIER: which means something in art that points to something outside the art!!!!!!

Overall: the class was thoroughly engaged with discussion and they were supportive of one another.

I learned today that I would not pack so much into one class as the professor did.  I felt it was a bit overwhelming and thoughts were all over the place at times.  Time became limited and the last few students got shorter critique.