Observational Drawing, Division 3
This trimester in Observational Drawing, students were able to work more intensely with long-term drawing in the classroom, while also practicing a regular sketchbook habit at home. We began the term by looking at a blurred, abstracted black-and-white image, drawing and revising as that image came incrementally into focus. This exercise in charcoal was designed to force students to work exclusively from observation, withholding judgment about the subject of the work and what preconceived ideas they might have about what it should look like. The final in-focus slide of the image revealed an upside-down original illustration of the March Hare.
The term project involved choosing a photograph as source material for a large-scale fragment. Using a viewfinder, students sketched several drafts of different compositions to decide on their strongest for a final. After deciding on how much to increase the scale, students calculated dimensions, laid out the composition, and completed the drawing with rigorous attention to detail, value, and organization of their pencil marks.
Throughout the term, students continued their regular sketchbook practice of 2-and-28 minute drawings. These were always from observation, and students were dedicated to using these drawings to grow their abilities, understanding, and stamina. Many of the 28-minute drawings far exceeded that time minimum, resulting in stunningly studied and detailed drawings done without feedback, demonstrating the students’ increasing independence.
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