Thanksgiving Week

Homework:
Please do two drawings of one street view at different times of the day: one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Please note the following points:

• Color perspective



• Color mixing



• Composition

Please use pencils and color/wartercolor pencils, and do the drawings on two sheets of 14x17 sketch papers. It is suggested that it will be easier to take photos of the street view, and then do the drawings accordingly.

Week 9

(Due to the big project that we will be intensively doing for the next two weeks, we only have one homework in the following two week. No copy sketchs and graphic journals.)
Homework:

Choose to do one drawing from the following three building photos. Consider choosing from all the techniques that we already learned in the semester, especially perspective. Use pencil, colorpencil and maybe pen. On 14x17 sketchbook, in color.

Dueday: November 9 before class.

Week 8 - Color Theories

First of all, I would like you to review the color theories that we learned in class (a lot of concepts for you to memorize.) Here, you can view what we have learned in class about color theories from here.


Homework:
Try out your water color pencil and write the names with neat handwriting. Follow the following examples: 1) The way of shading with your color pencils from dry to wet (use water and brush to blend) and 2) Lettering for hand-writing.

Do the practice on your 9x12 sketchbook. Lie out all the colors you have got from your watercolor pencils. Shade and blend individual colors from dry to wet. Find out some transition relations between neighbor color shades, rather than in random order, for example, put different kinds of greens together, and then transit to yellow or blue, which are close to the color green. Write the color names following the lettering instruction. Use a pencil to draw the lines for your writing (see the example), then use a pen to write. The major title could be like "My watercolor pencil colors," or you could be creative on this. Always keep your paper clean and nice looking!

Copy sketches:
Choose one of the following three sketches to do on your 14x17 sketchbook paper.

Graphic Journals:
Do one of your graphic journals with color.

Week 7 - Multimedia (Adobe Photoshop)

Homework 1:

Use a pencil (B or 2B), sharpen it, and drawing your hand holding something with contour lines only. Hold your hand away from the paper. Look at your hand, not the paper (90% of the time, you should occasionally glance at the paper for control and to acquire more accurate proportion.) Imagine you are touching the surface of your hand with the point of the pencil as you draw. Draw slowly and deliberately. Vary the pressure of the pencil as you move the line over the page. Try to avoid picking up the pencil as you draw, keep it contact with the surface of the page. Draw as close to life size as possible, on 9x12 sketchbook. (See examples below.)

Homework 2:

Simple Still Life drawing. Select several familiar objects (4 to 6 pieces) and arrange on your desk as a small still life. Draw your composition in contour line with pencils. Please avoid tone and texture. Simplify detail and focus on the surface as well as outline of the objects observed. Draw on 9x12 sketchbook.

When you choose drawing objects, please consider mixing their shapes (tall, short, linear, mass, big and small) and pleasant composition of the still life (remember the triangle composition principle that I mentioned in class before?) See examples below.

Copy sketch:

Please use pens to copy the following sketch on grid paper.

Graphic Journal:

Please do one of the graphic journals to draw your roommate (whole body in anything position, not just drawing their face), using contour lines only. Please see the examples below.

Week 6 - Pencil shading techniques

Homework:
1. Scan all your drawings that you've done from this class in this semester. Next week, we are going to learn how to make portfolio in Adobe Photoshop. So you are supposed to get ready by saving your drawings in JPEG or JPG files in your flash drive and bringing them to class. The architecture library on 9th floor in architecture building has very good scanners. We will use your scanned files on Monday class.

2. Draw one of your winter shoes. Please see the example of the glove drawing below. When your draw your shoe, you are supposed to get as much detail as possible like the glove drawing. Shapen your pencils first and always keep your pencils sharp. When you shade, don't blend with your finger or any tool. Just show the natural lines and shading strokes. Do this on 14x17 sketchbook. The drawing should be about the same size as your shoe.

2. Copy Sketches.
Choose one of the two examples below to copy. Do them use pencils on 14x17 sketchbook.

3. Graphic Journal.

Do one of the graphic journals by using "cross contour" to your hand holding a drink (anykind is fine). Please see the example below. Use pencils. Don't forget to write text and date on your journals.

Midterm Grades

Week 5 - Mid-term exam

Dear all, from the link below, you will find our mid-term exam requirement in a pdf document.
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B_xt4LFwO7EqYTYwZGY2MzUtYjU1MC00ZmIzLWI2NjAtY2IxZmI0Y2Q4ZDY5&hl=en_US

Good luck

Week 4 - Field Sketches

These week we only have this one mission - do field sketches.

Please draw 6 sketches:
2 for buildings on campus
1 for one sculpture on campus
1 for a small portion of a plant (micro study)
1 for coffeeshop drawing
1 for your transportation tool (car, bike or skateboard, etc.)

Pencils only, draw on 14x17 sketchpad. Staple all six drawings together when you turn in.

Week 3 - Light, Shadow and Texture

Homework:
Please choose six types of surfaces that you could see on campus to do micro-drawing practice. Micro drawing, namely, is to focus on small area, observe carefully and do drawings. You could draw wood, fabric, soil, rock, brick wall, concrete, the surface of your dorm door, trash can, tree trunk surface, etc. Try avoid using contour lines, but rather form shape with light, shadow/shade and texture. The most important thing is OBSERVE and draw, not imagine and draw.

Do this on your 14x17 sketchbook paper. All six drawings on one paper, and follow the template is shown as below. All types of pencil as necessary. Write the surface name on top of each box.

Copy sketches.

Both on 9x12" sketchbook. Pencil only. Follow the steps to produce the final drawing.

Graphic Journal

Please do one of the graphic journal to draw your favorite shoe (draw one is fine) or your school bag. Pay attention to the shade, shadow and texture. Draw it as closest as you could to the real stuff.

Week 3 - Perspective 2 (Applications of perspective and modified perspective)

Homework:
Group project-modified perspective

When you do the project, please
1) understand the concept of "modified perspective" (i.e. draw 2d image in 3d spatial environment) first and discuss with your group members;
2) choose a viewpoint that is easy for everybody to look your piece;
3) Do not draw directly to the surface of our public environment. Any damage or polution to the environment is on your own responsibility. Please consider draw on paper first and then stick the drawing paper on the building stucture surface, if you have to use our building structure.
4) just do in our architecture college building.

Three photos:

1) the finished project taken from the viewpoint,

2) the finished project taken not from the viewpoint, and

3) group working picture when the project is in process.

When each group present your project, you are supposed to answer the following questions:

1) How did you come up with this idea?

2) Why did you pick this image to draw?

3) Why did you choose this space to draw (or on these surfaces)?

4) How much time did you spend in the project?

5) Who did what?

6) What did you learn from the project about perspective?

7) Any other gainings from the project?

Copy sketches:

Both on the 9x12" sketchbook. Please use pen.

1.

2.

Journals:

Please do one of the two journals using one or two point perspective to draw an indoor space (for example, your dorm, hallway, cafeteria, store, or ...).

Date, writing, and borders are required for each journal!

Week 2 - Perspective

First of all, before you start any drawing, leave at least 1/2 inch wide border on four sides of your paper.

Homework:
In class, we have practised one-point perspective drawings. Now, you have to do a little bit research on two-point perspective: concepts and some of the techniques to draw two-point perspective. Here is your task: do two drawings about ONE thing from your drawing tool kit, one drawing using one-point perspective and the other drawing using two-point perspective. Draw details the more closer to reality the better.

Do it on one piece of grid paper. Each drawing use half of a paper. Use pencil (but not limited to just one kind of pencie) just draw the outlines, no shading and shadowing needed for now.


Copy sketches:

Two for this week. Both on 9x12" sketchbook. Use pens, and black marker, if necessary. But you can use pencil first to draft, and then cover pencil lines with pens.

It is important that you should pay attention to the thickness and darkness (Line Weights) of the lines in these example sketches. Copy the exact line weight styles from the example sketches using different pens that have various thickness (the thickness is marked on the lid of a pen, e.g. .005, .01, .02, .03, .05, .08).

The second sketch is going to take a lot of time, so please don't wait till the last minute to do it.

Graphic Journal:

Please do one of the journals to draw your computer mouse, plus 1) using one-point perspective; 2) use continuous line. (Hint: draw a one-point perspective box first, and then add details using continuous line.)

Date and text are required for both journals.

Week 1 - Lines

This week we started with getting formiliar with your pencil. And then we learned about lines.

Class one - long and short regular lines.Class Two - Continuous contour lines


After-class assignment:

1) Homework: take a picture your yourself in a "cool" pose! Print it out in color on a paper that is no bigger than 8.5x11". Bring to Wednesday class.

2) Sketch for copy is showed as below. Please use the grid paper and 2B and 4B (for the darker shadow) pencils to complete it. Leave 2 blocks wide border on each side. Draw cleans lines. Write your name in pencil before you turn in.

3) Graphic Journals: Please do one of the journals with continuous contour lines to draw small objects. Put three pieces small objects together, and be sure to play with the positing relationship among the objects until you think they look harmonious together. Use continuous lines to draw and don't forget to write something! You know that the second journal could be about anything, right?

Here are some examples for graphic jornals:

Please post any comments or questions here!

Course schedule and weekly homework format

Welcome Students!

This semester, I am teaching two classes. One class meets at 9:00 to 11:50 am, and another meets at 6:00 to 8:50 pm, both on Mondays and Wednesdays. Please remember your classroom door code for your convinience:
Morning class - Room 501 - Code: 931354*
Evening class - Room 311 - Code: 183196*
(Don't forget to press the star:)

During the semester, each of you will get a locker in the classroom, where you can store your drawing tools. Please make sure you have your drawing tools ready for each class period.

As the course starts, we will meet face-to-face in classroom for lectures and practice. After class homework will be posted here in this blog. Each of you are welcome to post your comments!

Welcome to the course!