2D UNIT II: Marks and Lines
Signature
Style studio fundamentals:
To gain experience in working with various tools, mediums, gestures,
and styles in order to extend one's expressive vocabulary and
sense of design. concepts: To introduce
the work of well known artists who employ a "signature style"
through the marks they make. To show how the way in which we
make marks in large measure determines our personal style. types of marks and lines:
point, dot, mark, line, stippling,
cross-hatch, calligraphic
line, hand-writing, expressive line, mechanical or "ruled"
lines, parallel lines, actual line vs. implied
line, "psychic"
line qualities/methods: hard-edged,
smudged, bleeding, softened, transparent, opaque, blended, gestural/expressive
line, even/uneven pressure, line weight, line quality, sumi-e,
etc. tools: graphite (pencils,
sticks), charcoal (compressed, vine, conte), india ink, felt-tip
pen, Speedball pen, nibs, crow-quill,
technical pen (e.g., rapidograph, ceramicron), stylus,
ruling pen, fountain pen, silverpoint,
calligraphy brush, sign-painter's brush, erasers of all kinds,
finger, computer (viz. Photoshop). exercises: samplers,
thumbnail sketches, doodles, Materials Preliminary: 1. Before coming to
class, review the thematic concept of Identity
as found on the website. Also read the discussion on "Marks
and Lines" for Unit II. 2. Using the library
or the Internet, research an artist that you feel has a strong
"signature style." Good examples include Jackson Pollock,
Mark Tobey, Helen Frankenthaler, Agnes Martin, Georges Seurat,
Keith Haring, Pablo Picasso, Bridget Riley, Emile Nolde, Wassily
Kandinsky, Kathe Kollwitz. If you prefer, look to various non-western
cultural sources such as Australian Aboriginal painting or Japanese
Sumi-e painting. The point is to immerse yourself and become
"expert" in a particular approach to applying media
to a surface. If you have a question about a particular artist's
appropriateness for this assignment, see the instructor. Remember,
we are looking for an approach to media--not particular content.
And try to limit yourself to works in black and white. 3. Outfit your toolbox
with as many mark-making tools that you can find. Don't limit
yourself to conventional art supplies! Bring your materials to
class to work...including your biology paper and other papers. Project: 1. Experiment! Using
biology paper as well as other papers, try out different tools,
various liquid media, and gestures. Vary your speed, pressure,
the angle of the tool. Try to exploit the potential of the tool
to its best advantage. How light a mark can you make? How bold
and daring? Can you draw a perfectly straight line without a
ruler? A right angle? A circle? Can you control your tool to
create a series of parallel lines? Experiment with different
hatching or stippling (shading) techniques to create varying
degrees of density on your paper. Try making your own tools--like
whittled sticks, pieces of a comb, carved erasers, or hand-made
brushes. Dip them in india ink or paint, or use stamp-pads. 2. Develop a series
of small non-objective
drawings (approximately 6" x 6") that illustrate at
least six different "styles" or approaches to
creating marks and lines. Keep the designs simple--these little
drawings should show off the quality of the marks and lines,
not focus on "composition" or represention. Limit your
designs to parallel lines, fields of marks, simple transitions,
concentric rings, wave patterns and the like. This series will
function as a "sampler" than you can refer back to.
Mount the drawings on biology paper and put them in your notebook. Student
Example: Jenny Vicens 3. Create a composition
using TWO stylistic techniques. Using a 15 x 20 board, you will
be creating a drawing that provides a visual comparison between
two well-known artists (or stylistic conventions). Your job will
be to create a transition between these two styles to create
a work of your own design. On the back of the board, paste copies
of both original works in their entirety for reference. Starting
from another set of photocopies or computer print-outs of the
same images, crop the works such that a viewer's attention is
focused on the abstract quality of lines and marks being employed.
It may be necessary to change the scale of the artworks to be
effective. This sounds nearly sacriligeous, but allow yourself
to appropriate the artist's "signature style" markmaking
technique. Consider their relationship from a compositional perspective.
Now, you will be developing a composition that combines stylistic
elements from each source image into a composition of your own
design. You must use the full board (leave a one inch margin
if you like...or, if you prefer, let the image "bleed"
right to the edge). Don't be afraid to draw directly on your
copies to practice. Select media and tool(s) that are suitable
to blend with your chosen artists/cultures. Entry-level performance
(C): Did the artist explore
a minimum range of tools and media? Does the final composition
use two differing styles? Apprentice-level peformance
(B): Wide range of tools
and media explored. Exercises done with care and notebook effectively
illustrates good range of experimentation. Artist demonstrates
possibilites of mark-making through use of good design and/or
strong expressive approaches. Evidence of careful research of
artists/cultures. Final composition accurately reflects source
artists/cultures and creates effective transition between two
different styles. Professional-level performance
(A): Exceeds expectations
of assignment. Extraordinary level of creativity and/or technical
achievement. Unusual conceptual twist. Boundary breaking.
Project IIA
Objectives
Project Overview
Your challenge is to plan
and execute a composition that reflects your attitudes to the
question of "style." After exploring different tools,
media, and gestures in a series of exercises, you will develop
a work that creates a seamless transition between two different
"signature styles."
Project References
--Discussion in 2D Unit
II: http://www.asu.edu/cfa/wwwcourses/art/SOACore/markslive.htm
Vocabulary
biology paper and other
papers, 15" x 20" cold press illustration board (student
grade), x-acto knife, scissors, rubber cement or graphic arts
paste, steel ruler, various mark making implements and media,
xerox machine or computer with printer.
Process
Assessment