Portraits of People and Pets, Division 1
Portraiture can be technical and realistic, expressive and caricatured, or maybe many things at once! This winter in Portraits of People and Pets, students approached drawings of faces and animals with an understanding of how to capture naturalism, while still exploring the ways artists develop their own techniques to create individualized styles. The use of traditional practices such as continuous line and contour drawings, accurate facial proportion, and observational drawing helped provide a grounding for more expressive interpretations.
Students began the term by giggling (and focusing!) through a regimen of fast drawings, repeated drafts, and how to exaggerate characteristics. For another project, they used continuous line drawings as a foundation for more detailed naturalism with color and texture. To prepare for their final Chimera drawings, they drew drafts of self-portraits and a chosen animal from observation to become familiar with the differences and similarities in features. They explored ways to blend themselves with the animals in a variety of ways, with a range of humor and formality among the approaches.
As is common for most art classes at Meridian, students kept a sketchbook for homework assignments and classwork. The regular practice of observational drawing and reflection on their progress helps students see and appreciate their growth.
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