spickens@forsyth.k12.ga.us Visual Arts WFHS 2012-13 Mrs. Pickens
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.
 I didn’t 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…
√+’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 spickens@forsyth.k12.ga.us Visual Arts WFHS 2012-13
Late work will NOT be accepted! o Missing assignments will be recorded as zeros, don’t go there! Remember, practice makes perfect!
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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!!***
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Assignments must be attached to your sketchbook to be graded. Loose assignments and assignments on notebook paper will NOT be accepted.
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FILL THE PAGE! Each composition should touch the edges of your paper.
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3D objects are allowed – even encouraged – think about a relief, collage, etc…
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Unless otherwise noted, ALWAYS include a wide range of values (even in color work)!
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Always think about BALANCE and where is the EMPHASIS? What should we focus on as a viewer?
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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.
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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.
“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”:
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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!
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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…
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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!
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Mrs. Pickens spickens@forsyth.k12.ga.us Visual Arts WFHS 2012-13
(use the prompts or “mine” for an idea)
#1 Due: Friday, August 17 th Negative space studies (9)
#2 Due: Friday, August 24 th
Fingerprints
#3 Due: Friday, Aug 31 Direct Observational work – look at something and draw it!
#4 Due: Friday, Sept. 7 Donuts 25 minimum direct observations
#5 Due: Friday, Sept. 14 Rubbings of textures.
These 5 entries will be for the 1 st Sketchbook project grade …1 missing will hurt your grade!
Explore color #6 Due: Friday, Sept. 21
#7 Due: Friday, Sept. 28 Contour Art Work
#8 Due: Friday, October 5
#9 Due: Friday, October 12
Only sticky notes
Dirty Dishes – images of the sink…collage and drawing
#10 Due: Friday, October 17/18 Design your ideal desk for home or school
(early release week-when you have this class)
These 5 entries will be for the 2 nd Sketchbook project grade …1 missing will hurt your grade!
#11 Due: Friday, October 26 Egg(s)
#12 Due: Friday, Nov 2 Excuses for not having homework
#13 Due: Friday, Nov. 9
#14 Due: Friday, Nov 16
#15 Due: Friday, Nov 30
A dream
Invented Object – you invent it, mechanical or organic, think space!
Value–Direct Observational Drawing – Draw what you see using values!
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Mrs. Pickens spickens@forsyth.k12.ga.us Visual Arts WFHS 2012-13
These 5 entries will be for the 3 rd Sketchbook project grade …1 missing will hurt your grade!
#16 Due: Friday, Dec. 7
Portraiture…work on portraiture in a creative manner!
Math based #17 Due: Friday, Dec. 14
New Semester
#18 Due: Friday, January 11 Glue
#19 Due: Friday, January 18 Doodles
#20 Due: Friday, January 25 Words with friends-they write a word you describe it visually
These 5 entries will be for the 4 th Sketchbook project grade …1 missing will hurt your grade!
#21 Due: Friday, February 1 Toothpaste 360-redesign using total opposite concept
#22 Due: Friday, February 8 Cartooning – create your own characters!
#23 Due: Friday, February 22 Tracings
Drop it on the paper #24 Due: Friday, March 1
#25 Due: Friday, March 8 Read a story. Illustrate.
These 5 entries will be for the 5 th Sketchbook project grade …1 missing will hurt your grade!
Art history – use another artist as inspiration for your work this week #26 Due: Friday, March 15
#27 Due: Friday, March 22 Door knobs
#28 Due: Friday, March 29
#29 Due: Friday, April 12
In a wrapper
Take a walk
#30 Due: Friday, April 19
“Any way you slice it”
These 5 entries will be for the 6 th Sketchbook project grade …1 missing will hurt your grade!
#31 Due: Friday, April 26 “Fish out of water”
#32 Due: Friday, May 3 8 mins of memory (eyes closed, write descriptors, erase draw, pencil draw, shade without every looking at the paper)
#33 Due: Friday, May 10 Dream Tree House
#34 Due: Friday, May 17 6pm
#35 Due: Friday, May 24 Collage
These 5 entries will be for the last Sketchbook project grade …1 missing will hurt your grade!
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Mrs. Pickens spickens@forsyth.k12.ga.us Visual Arts WFHS 2012-13
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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Mrs. Pickens spickens@forsyth.k12.ga.us Visual Arts WFHS 2012-13
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