NATURE DRAWING
Fall 2016
ENVS 170A
Dec 6
Tuesdays, Aug 30 –
CRN 91792
1:15 pm – 5:45 pm
Allen House 104
(across from Bittersweet)
Instructor: Libby Davidson (libby.davidson@uvm.edu)
SYLLABUS
The core of this course will be spent drawing in the field, noting the special qualities of the Vermont
landscape. We will cover a wide range of methods for translating what we observe into meaningful
graphic form. This practice will be informed by the study of the prints and drawings of naturalists and
landscape artists, from eighteenth through twentieth century Eastern and Euro-American traditions to
the contemporary. Students will be guided in basic drawing techniques with which they will produce a
portfolio of drawings and a final graphic project.
Course Purpose:
•
To lay a foundation for the confident practice of field drawing.
•
To engage questions of meaning regarding our views of the natural world.
To explore the distinctive pictorial conventions in landscape art traditions.
To encourage an attentive receptivity to the natural world.
Course Text: “Nature Drawing” – Clare Leslie Walker (Kendall Hunt, 1995, ISBN 0-7872-0580-X)
Course Materials:
•
Graphite (lead) pencils (2B, 4B)
•
Both “pink” and “kneadable” erasers
•
Black ink pens (steel-tip)
•
Two 11”x 14” drawing pads (Homework assignments must be completed on
11 x 14” paper)
•
Book Bag or small water-proof portfolio for
transportation and storage of completed work
Field Materials:
•
Daypack
•
Drawing Materials, pencils, pens
•
Snacks, water
•
Hat, sunglasses, sun-block, bug repellant
•
Rain gear and waterproof sitting mat (or tough, padded, plastic bag)
•
Optional (if necessary for comfort); sling-able, camp-style folding chair
Course Meetings:
We will meet each day at the start of class at Allen House 104, directly across from Bittersweet. It is
imperative to be on time and always be prepared with both field and art materials. Class will debark to
both on-campus and off-campus sites for field drawing. Our daily schedule will include visits to field
sites from the following list:
Centennial Woods Natural Area
Red Rocks Park
Ethan Allen Homestead (Winooski Valley Park District)
Shelburne Farms
Salmon Hole and Winooski Falls
Redstone Quarry
Perkins Geology Museum
UVM Greenhouse
Whenever an on-site class needs to be postponed due to inclement weather we will attempt to reschedule that visit and substitute another on-campus (indoor) site for that particular day.
Topics and Techniques for study will include:
Flowers, seeds and fruits
Sketching for essentials
Trees; leaves, buds, bark and branches
Drawing-to-scale
Farm fields, fencerows and woods
Compositional principles
Birds and other animals
Pencil rendering and shading
Rock forms and stones
Ink drawing
Clouds and skies
Stipple, hatching and cross-hatching
Water, watercourse and the lake
Surface textures
Natural landscapes and human marks on the land
Panoramic screens
Assignments and grading:
Weekly hand-outs and posts on Blackboard will list drawing assignments, related readings and topic
areas to be covered. Unexcused absences will unfortunately reflect negatively on your grade.
Permission from the instructor must be received in order to consider an absence excused. You should
plan on attending all classes and handing in all work on time. Missed-class information must be
obtained from fellow students. Late assignments may be made up at the discretion of the instructor.
Grades will be based solely on your portfolio of drawings, demonstrating increased proficiency in
each area of study, as well as two informal written essays on assigned related topics, and a handmade
artist book due at the end of the semester.
Mid-term review:
30%
Due Oct. 11
End-term review:
30%
Due Nov. 15
Handmade Artist Book
30%
Due Dec. 6
Attendance/participation/effort
10%
100%
69
A+ 98 - 100
B+ 87 - 89
C+ 77 - 79
D+ 67 -
A 93 - 97
B 83 - 86
C 73 - 76
D 63 -
A- 90 - 92
B- 80 - 82
C- 70 - 72
D- 60 -
F 0 - 59
66
62
To help facilitate effective guidance and feed-back for your work, we will follow three practices:
•
Group sharing of drawings with questions and discussion
•
Sharing of written observations, questions and discoveries
•
Personal conferencing in class as needed
Keep your portfolio with you throughout the class with your current sketches and field-work, as well
as a fresh supply of 11 x 14” paper. Be sure to have all materials with you at all times. For both the
mid-term and end-term reviews, hand in all your drawings from the field sites and in-class exercises as
well as any sketches you’ve practiced on your own.
**Always identify each and every drawing with the date, topic, location, and most importantly,
your name. **