Northern Virginia Community College - Annandale Campus

Spring 2012 - Syllabus for Art122, Drawing II

Instructor: Giulio Porta, Liberal Arts Division, NVCC, Annandale campus. Instructor's email  nvportg@nvcc.edu Instructors office hours: MW 8 to 9 am and 3 to 4 pm TTRF by appointment (flexible) My office is located in the CM building, room 366. My phone # is 703-323 2135. Fax 703-323 4248.  If you need to see me in person, please call or email in advance for an appointment. Please don't expect return phone calls if you are unreachable, or you mailbox is always full. I prefer email contacts.

This syllabus is identical for all sections of Art 122, including ELI, there are no prerequisites required to enroll in this course. Lecture 2 hours. Studio instruction 4 hours. Total 6 hours per week. 

Art 122 deals exclusively with the drawing of the human figure. The reason why the human figure is given such prominence in this course is because there is a general consensus to do so from all NVCC art faculties.  This attitude reflects the importance that the human figure had and still has in Fine Art.

The human figure is one of the most complex subject matters that an artist can draw. Its complexity stems from the fact that the human body is capable of an enormous variety of unique poses and expressive gesture. Because, artistically speaking, we live in the post modern era, and because multiculturalism is one of the most interesting trends that post modernism has to offer, I would like you to look a the representation of the human figure not just from your personal set of experiences related to your culture, and experience, but from a much broader perspective. This perspective should include the study of the figure a portrait by other artist throughout art history. This activity is intended not just to improve the way you draw of the human figure, but also in diversifying your style, so you may be capable to tackle a variety of potential commercial projects.

Course requirements and assignments:

The first group of drawings that you'll be asked to produce will deal with the portrayal of the human figure based on historical styles. For this group of drawings you are expected to use the styles I have selected for you as the starting point, or as the "inspiration" for your figure drawing. The execution of each drawing should reflect your understanding, study, and occasionally your interpretation of a particular style. The figures that you will draw should evoke a state of mind as well. The combination of media used should always involve color. Color, in the human figure, will play a big role in creating a particular type of an individual, pale, tan, healthy, or of a particular ethnic origin. Black and white drawings for the most part are not acceptable. I will make some suggestions and demonstrate each assignment in the classroom when possible. 

Human qualities and attributes

Regardless style, techniques, tendencies, preferences, inspiration, and idiosyncrasies, in the drawing of the human figure you must refer to a checklist of human qualities and attributes. Once you understand  what these attribute are and how they will effect the appearance of your figurative drawing, you can work toward improving on them and possibly adding new ones. Here's a list to which you can ad and subtract attributes: Color, Proportions, Balance, Gesture, Rapport, Expression, Details, Muscular Definition, Anatomical Correctness, Style (of the figure, not yours), Volume, Wholeness (Completeness).......and so on.....avoid trying to deal with attributes that are not overt and measurable just by looking at your figurative drawing, attributes such as intelligence, honestly, integrity...etc...

Drawing the whole figure versus drawing parts.

If I could leave this choice up to the average students, only the head of the figure will be drawn, and usually without a neck.

A serious art student needs to learn how to draw the anatomy of a complete figure, not just its parts. When you draw the complete figure, you address the issue of proportions in a most complete and inclusive manner. Many students will draw the figure with short legs, as they start from the head working on a drawing that cannot be fitted within the piece of paper, at that point they will cut the legs short, to make the figure fit.

The thumb nail drawings here below should give you an idea of some of the variations you can bring to your figures.

6 figurative thumb nails, on a 8 1/2" x 11' stationary. Media: ball point pen and acrylic wash.

In order to learn more about the drawing of the human figure, drawing the complete figure may not be enough. You need to temporarily abandon your way of doing things, because your area of interest and your style may lead you into a corner, which may translate for you in do the same thing over and over again.  Maybe you are obsessed with one particular style, for example comic book, the drawing of hideous monsters, or super heroes. If that is your case, you need to diversify your approach while you are taking this class, otherwise why bother. You need to develop flexibility, and attempt to draw all sorts of body types in all sorts of styles and poses. You don't have to worry about loosing your style, temporarily abandoning your style is not a big deal, you'll be able to come back to it with no problems at all anytime. And when you'll return to it your style may be stronger and more versatile.

Each of the thumb nails, you see here in these 2 section, is about 2 X 4 inches in size. Each thumb nail represents the starting point of each project. Thumbnails are relative easy to do and they are a good starting point for a larger drawing.

6 figurative thumb nails, on a 8 1/2" x 11' stationary. Media: ball point pen and acrylic wash.

The assignments list

• Ancient  such as Egyptian, ancient Greek and Roman, ancient Japan

• Primitive  art styles that usually lack of sophistication, but it can present powerful and mysterious content.

• Folk  a name given to styles produced by artist that may not have a traditional education in the art  field or choose to ignore it.

• Cubism  is a representational modern style that includes geometric simplifications.

• Art Deco  a highly stylized style influenced by cubism containing clever blends of the organic with the geometric.

• Expressionistic a style that attempts to represents the human figure in a strongly emotional context.

• Fauve  a "modern" remake of primitive art done employing strong unconventional colors.

• Eastern  the highly stylized art produced by cultures east of the Mediterranean.

• Classical  an art style that represent the departure from the ancient world, its contribution to drawing includes revolutionary shading techniques like etching and cross etching simulating the illusion volume as described by light and shadow.

• Mannerist-Baroque a style containing sophisticated distortions such as the elongation of human anatomy.   

• Modern art represents a number of unconventional styles.

• Pop Art  or popular art, an art form that takes its inspiration from commercial graphics of the lowest order.

• Comic book style  in a sense like Pop art, this styles takes its inspiration from comic book art.

• Representational, Realistic, and Photo realistic: a style influenced and dedicated to naturalism, descriptiveness and the emulation of photography.

• Symbolic a style that uses realistic symbolic imagery to tell a story or present a situation.

If you are in this course's web/hybrid version pick any 8 projects from 15 listed here above.

The second group of drawings consist of 3 drawings and is mandatory for all.

The total number of drawing required for this course's hybrid version is 11.

The second group of drawings.

• The skeleton  

• The muscles  

• The complete figure 

In this second group of drawing, you'll be asked to deal with specific structural/anatomical and stylistic issues regarding the drawing of the human figure, such as the drawing of the skeleton, the muscles, and a complete figure. The drawing of the skeleton and muscles will address not just the issue of structure but also that of anatomical volume. The complete figure with clothes will address the issue of style. These drawing could be those of the same person, and they can be traced one from the other.

Doing these drawing ones will have a minimal impact on your ability of drawing the human figure. But they are a starting point. To get good at it you need to draw hundreds of figure, study anatomy and how other artists have drawn the figure throughout history.

These drawings, if executed in the classroom, must be done life size on 4  18" x 24" pieces of paper taper together. 

For this course's ELI version, you can limit the size to that of 4 pieces of paper 8 1/2" X 11". In both cases keep the long side of the paper horizontal. Four pieces of paper 8 1/2" X 11" taped together horizontally will give a format compatible with the proportion of an average standing figure. Because you'll be photographing and emailing you work to me, the size of your paper may not matter that much. There's a lot to be said about working life size, there's nothing like it for developing brain hand coordination as well as using your own figure as a model. On the other hand if are short of time you can work smaller than life size, and I will not penalize you.

The drawing of these figures will be achieved by working from anatomy books, photographs, but mainly by emulating the great  masters of the past from the ancient world to the 20th century.

It's up to you to make this process more effective by taking notes, more specifically you should try to duplicate the drawings I do as demonstrations in the classroom. Those drawings can be used as a starting point for your drawings. You should develop and use a vocabulary directed toward describing human qualities that are visible and measurable, such as physical balance, proportions, color, muscular definition, gesture, anatomical details, rapport, and style (the style of your figure, not that of your drawing). Style is dictated by clothing and hair dos. You'll need to point out to me which qualities you may have achieved in the drawing of your figures.

My grading rationale can be found here: Grading

Assessment (for the traditional classroom course)

The evaluation of your work will take place at the end of each class. You must initiate the process and show me that you understand its importance. If you leave the classroom without showing your work to me, you will receive a minus, 5 minuses can decrease your grade of one letter grade. I need to see your work in order to evaluate it, even if occasionally I may not have anything specific to say. I need to see it to build a memory of your production. During class, or at home, try to focus your thoughts about articulating the kind of visual experience, concepts, style, and techniques your work is about. You are in college now, you need to learn how to do that. As your production develops, I'll expect you to take some responsibility in its regards, talk about your work as "my work" don't refer to it as "classroom projects", "something we did", or I "made you do". If you do so you are shift the responsibility concerning what you have done from you to me. from that attitude I can only gather that you didn't understand the project, and I didn't do anything about it, that attitude can only connect to a long list a negatives that will not work in your favor.

"do rag dude"

Giulio Porta 2002

If you are intimidated by the human figure, most probably you are too concerned about what is right and what is wrong, those thoughts may prevent you from directing more energy toward your work. It's possible that the issue of learning how to draw may not be resolved by taking a course of this sort, no matter how the course is structured, no matter if you are drawing from live models or not, you may not see a dramatic improvement in your work within a semester. You can boost your confidence by not being so concern about every line you draw, let it go, work with a tool that can give you a broad bold line, like a brush. IMITATE, find someone to look up to, and imitate. Be bold, corrections can be made later. If my words don't succeed in boosting your confidence, give yourself time, look at modern art, but learn from all art forms of the past as well.

I hope that these drawings by Auguste Rodin will inspire you in not being  "tight", or "precise" in your initial approach to a drawing.

Even if this "loose style" may not appeal to you, it needs to be given serious considerations. This "loose style" can be the starting point of your drawing, a drawing that cane be refined later. With the excepting of drafting a drawing hardly ever begins or is conceived in a refined state.

The fact is that any drawing has the potential of being reworked, edges can be redefined, trimmed, expanded, improved. If you have the ability of doing so you can develop a drawing in stages applying "progressive refinement" to it. Or you can leave things as they are, and enjoy the staining effects of the water has created accidentally.

Why then some students have great difficulties working on top of an existing drawing, and insisting in shading within lines, even when the lines themselves maybe in the wrong place to begin with? It is possible that the sharp and clean manner that we use in communicating with words and writing, are effecting the way we think about a drawing? I would definitely say yes to that question.

When writing we don't scribble over letters, making some darker, we don't give lines of letters a variable personal styles, it's a matter of fact type writers and spell check software have been invented to make our writing as clear and as "correct" as possible.

Drawing doesn't share the rules designed for verbal and written communication. The nature of the rules or guidelines that exist in drawing is very different, the time and space issue can be narrowed and compacted on one piece of paper, where the entire process from beginning to end can be visible. This is not quite the case with verbal and written communication.

Materials and supplies for the classroom version:  

• one 18" x 24" inexpensive watercolor paper sketch pad. You will need about 30 pieces of paper to get through this course. If all this paper will come from one sketch pad or two, that will be entirely up to you, and what you buy.
• one round # 10 watercolor brush.
• Acrylic paint: Titanium White, Mars Black, Cadmium Red Medium, Cadmium Yellow, Cobalt Blue, Burned Umber, Hookers or Sap Green. 
• ink pens, ball point or cylindrical tip, no need for drafting pens. You can use these pens to draw details that maybe difficult to draw with the brush.
• drafting tools are acceptable but not required, with the exception of a compass. 
• No soft and dusty materials are allowed in the classroom,  Soft and dusty media, are still widely use by instructors in the classroom as a tribute to drawing traditions of  the past, but very little responsibility is taken to ensure that this volatile medium does not get out of hand, which is usually the case. Charcoal is a medium that most likely you will not pursue at home on your own, as you may move on to painting, sculpture, CG and other media. Soft dusty media are not essential tools in your tool box. Their role and strength can be substituted with acrylic washes. There is more to be learned about using the brush than rubbing charcoal on a piece of paper. Also fixative sprays are known hazard to your health.
• you will need to purchase one of the following: a book on human anatomy, a body builder magazine, or drawing books dealing with the human figure illustrated using personal styles.

• you will need to submit only 8 from the 15 projects of the first group, which are the drawings based on historical styles.
• the second group, the anatomical studies, could be done on four 8 1/2" x 11" pieces of paper taped together. These drawings are mandatory. Keep in mind that if you are going to photograph your work the size of the paper may not be an issue at all.
• The TOTAL # of drawings to be submitted is 11.

About the paper. Several 8 1/2"  X 11" sheets of paper, stationary, color paper, paper bags cut to size, or even newspaper, may do. Your work should be submitted to me as follows: 1) via e mail, work can be scanned, or photographed digitally, saved to file and attached to an email addressed to me nvportg@nvcc.edu. The size of the digital images that you will submit should not exceed 500 pixels in width, the format must be a .JPG. If you have no means of reducing the size of an image, send me what you have.

If you own a CG program you can use it to reduce the sized of the file, as well as the amount of data, by using the command File > Save for the Web.  Do not take them in a painting program and retouch them!  2) via USPS, in an envelope large enough so the drawing will not be folded, mailed drawing will not be returned unless you can pick them up in person.  Please read more about work submission requirements at http://www.nvcc.edu/home/nvportg/web_based_home_study_courses.htm

To be, and to keep yourself in good standing, I need to receive your work at least every two weeks, there are no specific dates in this syllabus, you do have some flexibility, but do not fall behind. Every two weeks means just that.

• When submitting your work and you are using a scanner to digitize the image, light colors (tints) may not scan well, or scan at all. I recommend to use ink more extensively, and some black/gray acrylic washes, skipping the emphasis given to pencil. If you insist in using pencils, you may want to press harder, and use darker softer pencils.
• you are welcome to come occasionally to my classroom courses, if you need the type of help I cannot give you on line.
• you will need to purchase one of the following: a book on human anatomy, body builder magazines, or drawing books dealing with the human figure illustrated in general terms. This book may include drawings done by other artists. If you have the luxury of having someone posing for you, that will be fine.
• You are always welcome to come to my regularly scheduled class.

Classroom- Lab Rules and Guidelines. it applies only to traditional classroom students.

If you need further clarifications concerning an art term describing an art movement or style, or you need more information about it, please look it up in the Art Lex.  http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/Intro.html