ARTS 111: Drawing I (2-D)
Credit Hours: (3)
Instructional Method: One hour lecture; three hour and half hours lab.
Note(s): Humanistic or Artistic Expression designated course.
Introduction to visual concepts. Development of skills needed to produce expressive drawings.
Detailed Description of Course Content
Art 205 is a competency based course in drawing. It introduces a student to the conceptual
and manipulative basics of drawing. These fundamentals are divided into four areas.
The first area is concerned with technical facts about materials and tools and the
skills to learn for using them to satisfy creative needs. Competency in this area
is peripheral to or supportive of expressive drawing but will not be considered central
to it. The remaining three areas deal with concepts and skills central to the development
of drawings that give expression to personal vision.
They are:
1). Description Elements. The ability to perceive and graphically state a subject's
planes and structure, lines, values, masses, directions or movements, spatial relationships
and size relationships.
2). Abstract Conditions. The ability to establish visual relationships and forces
among parts and elements of a drawing which give it an effective expressive order.
3). Empathy and Expression. The ability to respond to the dynamic and emotive qualities
of a visual phenomenon and graphically demonstrate that personal vision.
The human figure and the still life are the primary subjects of study. Drawings are
to be from "life" and established "master" drawings.
Detailed Description of Conduct of Course
Much of the class instruction will be received through supervised studio experiences.
Most of a student's time will be spent drawing. Drawing exercises are designed to
develop, enhance and sustain the skills which bear upon the drawing process. The primary
task of the instructor is to correct faults, suggest improvements, and point out successes
in a student's drawing while he is drawing.
Brief comments, discussions or demonstrations will introduce concepts, terms, drawing
media, technical experiments, and specific drawing objectives.
To form the habit of perceiving, thinking about and using visual concepts a student
will be given regularly scheduled out-of-class assignments that require the repetition
of conceptual and manipulative skills learned in class.
Goals and Objectives of the Course
The FUNDAMENTAL OBJECTIVE of this course is to permit a student to develop skills
for making effective expressive drawings. To do so a student must be able to see and
then graphically state the essential conditions of subjects (structural, gestural,
tonal, etc.) and establish visual and expressive interactions among the parts of drawings.
Equally important, drawings must be conceived in ways that allow other people to experience
the artist's insight into a subject's objective and emotive qualities. That is, the
student must be concerned with demonstrable skills.
Upon successful completion of Art 205 the student will demonstrate:
1). The ability to see, feel and graphically describe the gestural character of subjects.
(One to five minute drawings from the live model, critical analyses of master drawings,
"empathy" exercises.)
2). The ability to use line to state spatial and structural conditions and describe
the rhythmical and directional energies of subjects. (Study of directional axes and
edges of objects, contour and cross-contour drawing exercises, planar analysis exercises,
perspective exercises, "master" studies, gesture drawing exercises.)
3). The ability to correctly state the size, shape and location of the parts of a
subject. This includes the ability to perceive and draw the perspective or foreshortening
principles at work in a view of a subject. ("Compare, locate and measure" studies,
structural analysis studies, "flat" shape studies, studies of the directional axes
and edges of objects, contour studies, anatomy studies, gesture drawings, clay modeling,
positive/negative shape studies, research.)
4). The ability to use value to show the local tone and texture of objects to show
illumination, to create shapes and volumes, and to create mood. (Chiaroscuro studies,
renderings, "painterly" drawings, study of "master" drawings, structural analysis
exercises, "eraser" drawing exercises.)
5). The ability to see and establish similarities and contrasts, tension and harmony
among parts of a drawing in ways that effectively convey expressive interests, balance
and unity. (Critiques, study of "master" drawings and paintings, lectures, readings
and observations. Exercises emphasizing the compositional function of art elements
and the potential forces among parts of drawings. Exercises emphasizing the compositional
function of art elements and the potential forces among parts of drawings. Exercises
emphasizing the descriptive and EXPRESSIVE function of drawing marks.)
6). The ability to respond to and graphically describe the emotive character of the
subject. (Gesture drawings, sustained study of a subject.)
7). A working understanding of human anatomy. (Drawing from the clothed and unclothed
model, study of the muscles and skeleton of the human body, study of "master" drawings.)
8). Openness to the range and nature of wet and dry media and their expressive potentials.
9). The ability to critique art works using universally acceptable criteria. (Vocabulary
study and testing, verbal critiques, readings, and short lectures.)
Assessment Measures
A variety of interrelated factors are considered in assessing a student's performance
within the objectives of the course. First, a student's drawings must demonstrate
the objectives of specific drawing assignments. Second, the instructor determines
the student's level of competency for all the objectives of the course as demonstrated
by a portfolio of in-class and out-of-class work. This review puts greater emphasis
and importance on the drawings done in the final quarter of the semester which presumably
demonstrates a student's highest degree of accomplishment.
"Critical skills" will be determined by a student's participation in verbal critiques
and/or written critiques.
Lastly, enthusiasm for learning and openness to improving skills influence the final
grade. To determine this the following questions will be asked. Did the student's
work as a whole demonstrate a serious effort to improve skills and understand concepts?
Was he open to new ideas and suggestions for improvement? Did the student do all assigned
problems? Was he rarely if ever absent? Did he come on time and work the full class
period? Did he put out the maximum that he was capable of, rather than the minimum
that he could get away with?
Other Course Information
The student will be expected to verbally critique his own work and the work of other
students. The student will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of studio safety and
courtesy. The student will be expected to acquire and bring to class the proper tools
and materials for all exercises.
Review and Approval
October 2, 2012
March 18, 2005 Reviewed by Steve Arbury, Chair
June, 2023