Mrs. Pickens
spickens@forsyth.k12.ga.us
Visual Arts WFHS 2013-14
Sketchbook Assignment
WHY keep a Sketchbook or a Visual Journal?
Most artists keep sketchbooks. In them, they experiment with ideas and collect drawings of things around them and things
that they enjoy. Sketchbooks are like visual diaries for artists. Artists often use them for planning and developing their
work.
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The most famous sketchbooks are those of Leonardo da Vinci. His sketchbooks are filled with drawings,
diagrams and written notes of things he saw and ideas he came up with.
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Picasso produced 178 sketchbooks in his lifetime! He often used his sketchbooks to explore ideas and make
compositional studies until he found the right idea or subject for a larger painting.
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I did not realize until I was in college that sketchbooks are for more than just drawings! They can be a
journal…a diary of my thought process – I can refer back to for more ideas later. I used to just draw in
sketchbooks, NOW: I draw, paint, write, collage, and attach anything that gives me an idea or expresses
who I am as an artist and person! Pictures, photos, poems, lyrics, etc…
SKETCHBOOK/VISUAL JOURNAL GUIDELINES (how you will be graded)
√+’s = excellent, went over and above, successful
√-’s = lacking, could have put more effort and thought into work
√’s = did what you were asked, tried something new, good work, could use some verve
with design
0 = no work, not completed,
absent and showed no work when
returned
All sketchbooks are due on
Friday’s (dates/assignments
posted in Angel). Each Friday you
will get one of the above marks as
feedback. At the end of 5 weeks,
a summative grade will be given
for the sketchbook assignments.
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Mrs. Pickens
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spickens@forsyth.k12.ga.us
Visual Arts WFHS 2013-14
Late work will NOT be accepted!
o Missing assignments will be recorded as zeros, don’t go there! Remember, practice makes perfect!
o IF you are absent on a Friday, be prepared to show the sketchbook assignment on the first day of your
return.***It is YOUR responsibility to be sure it is given to the teacher to be graded!!***
Assignments must be attached to your sketchbook to be graded. Loose assignments and assignments on notebook
paper will NOT be accepted.
FILL THE PAGE! Each composition should touch the edges of your paper.
3D objects are allowed – even encouraged – think about a relief, collage, etc…
Unless otherwise noted, ALWAYS include a wide range of values (even in color work)!
Always think about BALANCE and where is the EMPHASIS? What should we focus on as a viewer?
Spend AT LEAST 30 minutes to 1 hour PER ASSIGNMENT (have I mentioned that practice makes perfect)
o Drawings from observation are preferred – meaning you should LOOK at the object(s) while you are
drawing them…try NOT to draw from memory.
o You can work on these in class when waiting on a new assignment or completed your work.
I want your sketchbook to be a storehouse FULL of pages to trigger your creativity and ideas!
You can mess up as much as you want as long as you fill the page and try again.
How to “mine” for ideas and get started:
“Mine” for items in your magazines, purse and various places within your personal space. Put them in a large envelope or
shoebox. Once you’ve gathered a good collection, whenever you need to “journal” an idea, go and select an image. Paste
in into the sketchbook and write about it. What do you think drew you to the image at this particular time in your life?
What message does the image have for you? What other images does this on call to mind? What memories, hopes, dreams
does it evoke? And move on from there…let your imagination soar!
Each page should include 3 distinct “parts”:
 Visual Ideas: Somewhere in the work should be direct visual transfers, such as cut and paste or collaging, think
about using Xerox copies, newspapers, magazine images, and the internet to find things that interest YOU!
 Your Response: IN WORDS: Somewhere in the work should be words incorporated, YOUR writing about the
visuals, WHY is it important? WHY is it good, or bad? WHAT does it say about you? quotes, lyrics, etc…
 Your Response: VISUALLY: Somewhere in the work there should be some kind of sketches, drawings, painting
responses from YOU. Maybe you will make a composition from the idea…translate the idea into your own visual
style…I want you to EXPERIMENT with media!
Bring your notebook and visual journals to class EVERYDAY.
You will be able to complete class assignments in these sketchbooks as well.
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Mrs. Pickens
spickens@forsyth.k12.ga.us
Visual Arts WFHS 2013-14
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Mrs. Pickens
spickens@forsyth.k12.ga.us
Visual Arts WFHS 2013-14
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Mrs. Pickens
spickens@forsyth.k12.ga.us
Visual Arts WFHS 2013-14
Sketchbook Prompts (use the prompts or “mine” for an idea)
#1 Due: Friday, August 16
Negative space studies (9)
#2 Due: Friday, August 23
Fingerprints
#3 Due: Friday, Aug 30
Direct Observational work – look at something and draw it!
#4 Due: Friday, Sept. 6
Today I feel…
#5 Due: Friday, Sept. 13
Rubbings of textures.
These 5 entries will be for the 1st Sketchbook project grade …1 missing will hurt your grade!
#6 Due: Friday, Sept. 20
Grateful for…
#7 Due: Friday, Sept. 27
Contour Art Work
#8 Due: Friday, October 4
An Adventure
#9 Due: Friday, October 11
A Dream
#10 Due: Friday, October 25
A ticket to…
These 5 entries will be for the 2nd Sketchbook project grade …1 missing will hurt your grade!
#11 Due: Friday, Nov 1
It’s almost…
#12 Due: Friday, Nov 8
You can see or hear…
#13 Due: Friday, Nov. 15
Imagine yourself…
#14 Due: Friday, Nov 22
I am…!
#15 Due: Friday, Dec 6
YUM, this recipe…
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Mrs. Pickens
spickens@forsyth.k12.ga.us
Visual Arts WFHS 2013-14
These 5 entries will be for the 3rd Sketchbook project grade …1 missing will hurt your grade!
#16 Due: Friday, Jan 10
A Game…
#17 Due: Friday, Jan 17
Me fear is…
#18 Due: Friday, Jan 24
Sounds of music
#19 Due: Friday, Feb 7
The taste of…
#20 Due: Friday, Feb 21
Words with friends-they give you a word, you describe it visually
These 5 entries will be for the 4th Sketchbook project grade …1 missing will hurt your grade!
#21 Due: Friday, Feb 28
On the Table…
#22 Due: Friday, March 7
You will never believe this…
#23 Due: Friday, March 21
It is time for…
#24 Due: Friday, April 11
The growth of…
#25 Due: Friday, April 18
Read a story. Illustrate.
These 5 entries will be for the 5th Sketchbook project grade …1 missing will hurt your grade!
#26 Due: Friday, April 25
So today I…
#27 Due: Friday, May 2
Before I die…
#28 Due: Friday, May 9
A little extra effort means…
#29 Due: Friday, May 16
Quote it
#30 Due: Friday, Never
You are Free!!!!!!!
These 5 entries will be for the 6th Sketchbook project grade …1 missing will hurt your grade!
Give your sketchbook to your mother and ask her to put it up in a safe place. Go back and look at it again in a
year. You will see how much you have grown as a person and an artist! Never throw it away!
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