Syllabus Fall 2020

Drawing for Illustration Final Project

Drawing for Illustration Final Project


Concept: Create a detailed drawing with 2 figures in a background from multiple reference materials.

Rules for project:
-The figures need to believably be in the space they are occupying
-You can have one figure in foreground and another in background
-use reference in folders as last possible option, try to use reference you take with your own camera at home.
-Remember to use lamps and lighting to create interesting imagery.
-for the background use reference from your own stockpile of photos or from online resources, but do not take a photo from the internet only, your image must have multiple references. 
-make sure to match up the perspective from figures and background so that they all match and the space is believable.
- create a story in the image, create a relationship between figure and an object or other person in the image. The story can be a moment of reflection or an idea, use props ( coffee cup, costumes, chair, book  etc...) to help build your story.
- use controlled even marks to create rendering( no scratchy lines unless the texture of the object is best described that way.)
-Render hair as shape
-Allow figure to blend into or come out of the background by using value control

Grading
Grading for project will rely on students ability to display an understanding of anatomy, perspective, detail of hands and face, cloth and folds, creating space around the figure and lighting, ability to use drawing to tell a story. 



Final Review

Will take place Monday May 4th between 9 and 12. Each student will have 10 minutes. The reviews will be 10 minute slots.

For review your portfolio of images should be loaded onto your folder on Drive, and should include:
-Final Drawing
-1 portrait from class or homework
-9 other pieces of drawing from class that show understanding of principles from class, anatomy, gesture, rendering, structure etc.
- bring sketchbook of 100 hands to show( don't bother scanning just hold up to zoom camera)

Have a great summer, I hope I will see you in person this fall!

Steve

Notes for classes

Are all in the drive folders marked with the "April xx class reference, demos, video" according to date a projects, the homework will be in there too. Here are some cool videos to watch on drawing. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJYGFwGhHnA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoqu5SEFqRI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmqFbgKWoao

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-8ED4DW6A0&t=9s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TG86GIxE0A&t=30s

Have fun! The reference for this weeks homeowrk will be in the folder 

Figure construction demo- female

Step 1: gesture and blocking in basic shapes thinking about spheres and tubes rather than flat lines. Drawing around the object,  I'm also considering how the figure fits on the page and in space. Note the hash marks on the edges to delineate space. 

Step 2: I start to block in the forms using tubes and looking for overlaps where one basic shape lays over the other. I use strips lines to show volume, always thinking about drawing volumes.

Step 3: Now I block in the harder parts, this is why we draw big, because details like faces and hands are difficult to convey on smaller pieces of paper. I look for the planes and angles of the head, and basically block in the basic shapes of the hands and feet. Note that i am going beyond the original exterior hash lines that I had made for the space of the drawing. I need to work on big enough paper that I can have some wiggle room on where things might go beyond the edges of the space I allocated for the drawing. Not also that I have establish the figure in space by placing the hand below the feet. This shows that the hands are closer to us and that the horizon line is higher than than the feet probably centered around the hips. 

 

 Step 4: I use a darker pencil to begin "tubing out" fingers, still remembering that they have bones structure so they don't look like sausage fingers.

Step 5: Now I can draw with a darker line. choosing only the lines I wish to keep rather than redrawing everything. often I will use line weight to denote area where the body is in shadow. note that I am using contour lines and NOT outlines. Contours move from the outside to the inside of the figure always conscious of volumes.  One way to remember is every line on one side needs to relate to a line on the opposite side. This is balance. 

 Step 6: Now I start thinking about shading. I gently block in the biggest most basic shadow shapes. If the shapes cover over detail thats fins as long as the shapes still consider the volumes of the figure.

Step 7: I start to clean up the drawing and get rid of the extra lines..I recognize I went beyond the original space hash marks on the page, I'm glad I used a big enough paper to work with. On a final illustration piece I might have to traces this down onto another sheet of paper. 

 Step 8: I have removes the red lines and will clean up the black.  I don't want the tubes on the arms, but i have basically a good single tone and line drawing. Note the second image here, If I chose to make a more high contrast version, you can see how the shadow shapes are formed to create volume.

Step 9: Now I must begin thinking about final rendering. Do I soften some lines? Do I put reflected light into shadows with my eraser?

Figure in space, foreshortening and perspective.

I looked at my drawing class notes from class and I feel like if you weren't following along, you would be lost so, I'm attaching some other resources to help you understand figure in space. I hope these help. I'm looking forward to seeing how your drawings come along on Monday. I think we'll be meeting on Zoom this time...hopefully it will be easier for everyone. 

Link to shared folder

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/119HA2YT015Hb_WEnmH4EmPaxMLpUaeKC?usp=sharing

HI everyone!

We ARE continuing classes! I'm trying to figure out exactly how, but I have a plan. You will be responsible for most class time work and homework on your own. That said I will do my best to help you along the way. 

We will use blackboard on myslice for the class. I have to set it up and make sure we are good to go by tomorrow, but we should all be able to meet there at 9 am- 10:30am. From there I will give a demo. If you are in a different timezone, don't fret, I will try to record every session. I will need to see work from you that shows you followed along with my demo. Thats how we will keep track of class participation. You will draw what I draw when I draw it during demos. If I give an assignment as " classwork" you need  to finish it even if it goes beyond the time of class. We will turn in homework via photos sent to this gdrive

IF you don't have large paper- for big drawings use an entire spread of your sketchbook to draw a scene.

According to our schedule we should be here, class work is in regular type, homework is in bold:

1. 3/23- Classwork-  draw models from Croquis Cafe. Drawing a portrait with toned paper/ soft materials. How to get a 3-d feel from 2-d reference.  How to render. Create a large single portrait with hands using camera techniques from the portrait photo post from three weeks ago. send me photo of set up and final drawing.  Look at demo here:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gNvRjjgjRuehw899-7peuBXUbVHkzw1D/view?usp=sharing

  -10 figures from "Croquis Cafe" draw some straight, then exaggerate and have fun. 

2. 3/30- Classwork- the figure in space exaggeration and movement- force-  getting movement from a still photo  10 finished figures for class work on large paper . action photos will be provided. 

  25 drawings of reptiles on 5 pages focus on texture in sketchbook(try exaggerating and inventing reptiles as good as the early drawings) 

3. 4/6- figure in environment. how to create realistic feeling space. 5 finished figures in space, with features of environment from reference or life.  

25 drawing of horses in sketchbook (try exaggerating and inventing horses as good as the early drawings) 

4. 4/13- working with costumes figure. how cloth works to define human form 5  finished figures in clothing from reference or life - create your own large drawing from home. photograph or draw from life with family member 

25 drawings of wolves/ large breed dogs from reference in sketchbook(try exaggerating and inventing wolves as good as the early drawings) 

5. 4/20- how to create a natural figure in a natural space from two separate references. Take your own photo from life, and find a fantastic environment to place figure in. Make the figure feel believable in that space. This should be a large piece

25 drawings of cars from photos or life. in Sketchbook ( start real then make up your own)

6. 4/27 Drawing figures in new space. Draw 5  figures interacting in naturalistic space from multiple references- Humans relating.  Think about acting and character. use costuming and anythign else to make you rpiece interesting. I suggest getting your own photos!

25 drawings of flying vehicles ( start real then make up your own)

May 4th Final art due. We will discuss what I need to see. 

I will do my best to be available to you via email at the SU email stellis@syr.edu.