Pretty much this process can be done in paint or digital. Check out this link, but the first part of his Dwight Shrute caricature is on a previous page:
Www.layerpaint.com
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
First Assignment original document!
Just in case anyone is missing this, I thought I would post this first assignment as well.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class #1
Assignment # 1
Due at the beginning of Class next week!
Medium: any black and white liquid medium, pen and ink, brush and ink, ink wash, watercolor wash, acrylic( You can use color, but be careful it can reproduce well in black and white...it’s all about the value and contrast!
Paper: Hot Press watercolor paper, strathmore 300 Bristol,( 400 or 500 if you want to paint with Acrylic)
Sketches: The Client wishes to see 15 thumbnail sketches showing a range of thought. these sketches should be in your sketchbook and be at least 4.25 x 3" and in direct size ratio to the final. Number the sketches and give them and assignment number.
Final Art Reproduction Size: 8.5 wide x 6' tall( finished art should be done at at least 125 to 150% of reproduction size)
Presentation: The art should be signed in the art and on the back with the class and time written clearly on the back. There should be a flap taped to the art covering the piece so no damage will come to it.
Reference: Bring in examples of the reference gathered in pursuit of the assignment. You may need to get photographs of other people for body positioning and clothing. You may need to get reference on France in order to fully realize any background elements.
Client: Seattle Star Magazine: Op- Ed Movie Review Column
Description: The Client is asking for a piece of art to go alongside this review about the film Les Miserables and wishes to have at least one portrait or caricature of one of the main actors in the film included in the piece of art.
The art is a vignette and thus does not need to have a square border, but must still fit the required size ratio so it can fit under the text.
The clients is fine with you bringing in reference to the careers of the actors, the quality of their performance or even reference to the "occupy movement."
Hint: If you don't know the musical I suggest you at least read a synopsis of the story. There is tons of visual reference for the actors online and their costumes and such, but try to be clever about where you get the likenesses. Other films, magazine photos, candid photos from paparazzi mags can provide interesting and different viewpoints on a famous person. You may want to read other reviews to get a sense of the general quality of the film to inform your piece.
The text of the article reads as follows:
Here it is, “Occupy Movement: The Musical,” the French musical “Les Miserables” preaching economic revolution, the downtrodden rising up against the wealthy few and a police force hellbent on defending the status quo.
Well, that and the virtues of mercy and compassion.
Tom “The King’s Speech” Hooper brings this worldwide phenomenon to the screen with its majestic music and emotional weight intact. He takes the film outdoors and gives us a raw, sometimes wrenching remembrance of how unjust, how hungry and how bloody, dirty and smelly France was in the post-Napoleonic decades that one man spends on the run from his nemesis.
Victor Hugo’s epic is about an ex-con, Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), hardened by decades of imprisonment, converted by one great act of kindness but pursued, doggedly, by the fanatical police inspector Javert (Russell Crowe). Valjean gains purpose and compassion, but Javert is blinded by his pursuit, a man not in search of justice – merely exploiting the letter of the law.
Valjean fails to save the pathetic and persecuted prostitute Fantine (Anne Hathaway), but resolves to provide for her daughter, the curly-locked Cosette (Isabelle Allen, and later Amanda Seyfried). And when the time comes, Valjean will put his life on the line for Cosette’s first love, the young revolutionary Marius (Eddie Redmayne).
The emotions are as big as the set-pieces, from the opening – convicts hauling a huge, battered ship into drydock, singing “Look down, look down, you’ll always be a slave, look down, look down, you’re standing in your grave,” and Javert bellowing “Do not forget me, [prisoner] 24601” to Javert – to the climax, the stirring call to survive and revolt, “One Day More.”
Hooper had the actors sing live, on set, which gives this sung-through musical a lived-in feel. He shoots much of this grey and grimy world with hand-held cameras, adding to the immediacy.
The actors acquit themselves admirably, with Jackman’s Broadway tenor rubbed rough and Crowe’s gruff baritone showing range. He kind of blows Javert’s big moment – when he realizes the injustice of his ways. But everything else about him – his military bearing, his horsemanship, screams Javert.
An emaciated Hathaway is properly heartbreaking as Fantine, Redmayne (“My Week With Marilyn”) is in fine voice and the comic relief – Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter, as the corrupt innkeepers who “take care” of the young Cosette — are as adept with their big “Master of the House” number as they are the comedy.
Before starting, look up these artists to get a sense of other solutions to this problem:
Steve Brodner,Joe Chiardello, Tim Bower, Anita Kunz, Fred Harper, Peter DeSeve, CF Payne, Al Hirschfeld, Ralph Steadman, Sam Weber, James Jean, Linn Olofsdotter, Yuko Shimuzo, And more....hunt through the Society of Illustrators books and see different solutions.
Check out this interesting article:
http://weburbanist.com/2009/09/07/art-meets-storytelling-15-amazing-illustrators/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class #1
Assignment # 1
Due at the beginning of Class next week!
Medium: any black and white liquid medium, pen and ink, brush and ink, ink wash, watercolor wash, acrylic( You can use color, but be careful it can reproduce well in black and white...it’s all about the value and contrast!
Paper: Hot Press watercolor paper, strathmore 300 Bristol,( 400 or 500 if you want to paint with Acrylic)
Sketches: The Client wishes to see 15 thumbnail sketches showing a range of thought. these sketches should be in your sketchbook and be at least 4.25 x 3" and in direct size ratio to the final. Number the sketches and give them and assignment number.
Final Art Reproduction Size: 8.5 wide x 6' tall( finished art should be done at at least 125 to 150% of reproduction size)
Presentation: The art should be signed in the art and on the back with the class and time written clearly on the back. There should be a flap taped to the art covering the piece so no damage will come to it.
Reference: Bring in examples of the reference gathered in pursuit of the assignment. You may need to get photographs of other people for body positioning and clothing. You may need to get reference on France in order to fully realize any background elements.
Client: Seattle Star Magazine: Op- Ed Movie Review Column
Description: The Client is asking for a piece of art to go alongside this review about the film Les Miserables and wishes to have at least one portrait or caricature of one of the main actors in the film included in the piece of art.
The art is a vignette and thus does not need to have a square border, but must still fit the required size ratio so it can fit under the text.
The clients is fine with you bringing in reference to the careers of the actors, the quality of their performance or even reference to the "occupy movement."
Hint: If you don't know the musical I suggest you at least read a synopsis of the story. There is tons of visual reference for the actors online and their costumes and such, but try to be clever about where you get the likenesses. Other films, magazine photos, candid photos from paparazzi mags can provide interesting and different viewpoints on a famous person. You may want to read other reviews to get a sense of the general quality of the film to inform your piece.
The text of the article reads as follows:
Here it is, “Occupy Movement: The Musical,” the French musical “Les Miserables” preaching economic revolution, the downtrodden rising up against the wealthy few and a police force hellbent on defending the status quo.
Well, that and the virtues of mercy and compassion.
Tom “The King’s Speech” Hooper brings this worldwide phenomenon to the screen with its majestic music and emotional weight intact. He takes the film outdoors and gives us a raw, sometimes wrenching remembrance of how unjust, how hungry and how bloody, dirty and smelly France was in the post-Napoleonic decades that one man spends on the run from his nemesis.
Victor Hugo’s epic is about an ex-con, Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), hardened by decades of imprisonment, converted by one great act of kindness but pursued, doggedly, by the fanatical police inspector Javert (Russell Crowe). Valjean gains purpose and compassion, but Javert is blinded by his pursuit, a man not in search of justice – merely exploiting the letter of the law.
Valjean fails to save the pathetic and persecuted prostitute Fantine (Anne Hathaway), but resolves to provide for her daughter, the curly-locked Cosette (Isabelle Allen, and later Amanda Seyfried). And when the time comes, Valjean will put his life on the line for Cosette’s first love, the young revolutionary Marius (Eddie Redmayne).
The emotions are as big as the set-pieces, from the opening – convicts hauling a huge, battered ship into drydock, singing “Look down, look down, you’ll always be a slave, look down, look down, you’re standing in your grave,” and Javert bellowing “Do not forget me, [prisoner] 24601” to Javert – to the climax, the stirring call to survive and revolt, “One Day More.”
Hooper had the actors sing live, on set, which gives this sung-through musical a lived-in feel. He shoots much of this grey and grimy world with hand-held cameras, adding to the immediacy.
The actors acquit themselves admirably, with Jackman’s Broadway tenor rubbed rough and Crowe’s gruff baritone showing range. He kind of blows Javert’s big moment – when he realizes the injustice of his ways. But everything else about him – his military bearing, his horsemanship, screams Javert.
An emaciated Hathaway is properly heartbreaking as Fantine, Redmayne (“My Week With Marilyn”) is in fine voice and the comic relief – Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter, as the corrupt innkeepers who “take care” of the young Cosette — are as adept with their big “Master of the House” number as they are the comedy.
Before starting, look up these artists to get a sense of other solutions to this problem:
Steve Brodner,Joe Chiardello, Tim Bower, Anita Kunz, Fred Harper, Peter DeSeve, CF Payne, Al Hirschfeld, Ralph Steadman, Sam Weber, James Jean, Linn Olofsdotter, Yuko Shimuzo, And more....hunt through the Society of Illustrators books and see different solutions.
Check out this interesting article:
http://weburbanist.com/2009/09/07/art-meets-storytelling-15-amazing-illustrators/
Syllabus and schedule for Illustration 262
Hey everyone, here is a digital copy of the paperwork I gave you last week...more to come! PLease note the schedule and read it through...there is going to be a lot of work this semester and I want to make sure we're all on top of things!
ILL 262- INTRODUCTION TO ILLUSTRATION
Syllabus - Spring 2013
Course information: ILL 262, Rm. 332 Shaffer
Sec. 001, Thursday, 8:00am. - 12:30pm.
Sec. 004. Thursday, 1:30pm. - 6:00pm.
Instructor: Steve Ellis
347 Shaffer
Office hours: Thursdays, 12:30pm. - 1:30pm or 530pm. to 630 pm.
(by appointment)
Office phone: 315.289.5771
Studio phone: 315.289.5771(please leave name & number)
e-mail: steve@hypersteve.com
Mailbox in main office (102 Shaffer)
Course Description and Rationale:
Illustration is an art of visual communication. It is a delivery system for ideas and feelings and stories. It engages our minds, our hearts and reflects our culture and the time we live in even as it sets us in history.
At it’s heart, illustration is the visual representation of story. Whether that story is a recent event in the news, a science fiction adventure, a birthday greeting or a children’s tale doesn’t matter so much as the fact that they all share a common source in story.
In this class we will expand upon the concepts and techniques learned in 261 through more intense practice and more in depth research into the art of illustration. We will explore how to take our skills as artists and apply them to the idea of story while building up those very skills to enable us to achieve that effectively. We will look at how others in the past have achieved effective and affecting work, and how contemporary illustrators continue to reflect the stories of our world.
Through weekly Demonstrations, Critiques, lectures and visual presentations we will introduce the methods that illustrators have used throughout the history of the field. Through assignments students will be expected to experiment, share, take risks and grow as artists over the course of the class. Beginning the development of an individual voice as an artist and illustrator is the eventual goal of this class.
Course Materials:
Materials you will need will be introduced throughout the semester. Try out as many different materials as you can comfortably get your hands on and see what materials will best suit you. Unless specified, purchase them from any source you wish. SU Bookstore, Syracuse Blueprint, and Commercial Art Supply are a few local providers. Online Art catalogues such as Blick are also a good source where bargains may be found, but it may be difficult to arrange timing of assignments with shipping.
Assignments:
Assignments will be a weekly occurrence. There will be three major types of assignments.
The first will be sketchbook assignments which are less intensive weekly projects to work on in your sketchbook.
The second will be exercises to be done either in the sketchbook or on comparable size media( in case the sketchbook paper can’t handle the medium) You should expect at least 3 - 4 hours of work in sketchbooks and exercise assignments per week.
Third will be major assignments which will take multiple weeks and require the most time and care. You should expect to be working at least ten to twelve hours outside the class on these projects for class. There will frequently be a critique of a final assignment in the same class as a discussion of sketches for the next assignment. The art of survival as an illustrator is one of juggling projects and clients while making each client believe that they are your only one. Treat your assignments with care, follow the instructions for size, timing and deadline. The skill of taking care of your teacher is similar to the skill of taking care of a client.
Resources:
1. Get to know Jan Mackay, our lab technician, on the 3rd floor (service window business hours are Mon. - Fri. 9:00am. - 5:00pm.). She is responsible for use of the computer clusters and print-outs. You must pay for services there with a blue "chit", which may be purchased in the Schine Student Center
2. You may also use the computer cluster in Rms.329. See the posted schedule for times.
3. Three spray booths are available in Rm.341 for spray-fixing and airbrushing.
4. Bird Library has a wealth of visual resources on the 4th floor including a plethora of visual information relevant to our field. Illustration is a research field. Get to know what’s available to aid you. Don't ignore the Moon Library at SUNY ESF (behind the Carrier Dome). The main city library, in the downtown Galleria Mall, has an extensive scrap file, design and illustration annuals, an excellent children's section, videos, art books, and visually oriented books which can help immensely.
Attendance:
Attendance is required. One absence for the semester will be tolerated; however, you are still responsible for turning in assignments on time! (See "Grading") Two absences, for any reason, will lower your final grade by one letter grade. You will FAIL the course in the event of a third absence! Mechanical failures (alarm clocks, car failure, etc.) are not valid excuses.
You are expected to arrive on time and remain until the end of class. If you are bored or have nothing to do, you have come unprepared and should probably consider switching to a class in which you have some interest. Lateness of an hour or more will count as an absence. Chronic lateness or skipping out early will also count towards an absence and will lower your grade.
Grading:
Grading is based on assignments, attitude, work in class, participation, attendance, and final review. Sketches, reference and the following of instructions can be as powerful to a grade as the final piece. The presentation of assignments reflects attitude and is part of the grade.
Grades are not given. They are earned and recorded according to your efforts. The final grade will be an average of all grades earned during the semester. If you have any concerns about your progress at any time during the semester, please contact your me.
Attendance at your final review is required to pass the course. All assignments must be completed to pass the course.
Grading Standards:
A achievement is outstanding relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements
B achievement is significantly above the level necessary to meet course requirements
C achievement meets the course requirements in every respect
D achievement is worthy of credit even though it fails to meet the course requirements
F achievement is not worthy of credit or was not completed / represents failure
Grade Distribution:
assignment: 25%
assignment: 25%
assignments): 20%
Sketchbook assignment:10%
Participation/professional conduct: 10%
Final Survey: 10%
Grading:
There will be 3 components that make up your grade: participation/preparedness for class, working in class and assignments.
(25%) Classroom participation/preparedness is based on a point system. I will subtract points for poor attitude, not being prepared (with the proper materials), lateness, leaving early, not participating in critiques.
(35%) Working in Class the paintings and drawings you produce in class.
(40%) Assignments will, of course, be based on how well and how timely you completed your assignments.
Incompletes:
Incompletes will be granted only in extenuating circumstances. If you have a valid medical excuse or family emergency, and you've completed the bulk of course work for the semester, an incomplete is possible. You are responsible for initiating the paper work for an incomplete.
Copyright Infringement: Please see university policy on plagiarism, but the policy in here, is that if the work does not significantly deviate from a reference it could be deemed as copyright infringement or plagiarism and will not be tolerated.
Needs:
Any student who needs special consideration in the course due to a disability of any sort, please make an appointment to discuss accommodations.
Students who are in need of disability-related academic accommodations must register with the Office of Disability Services (ODS), 804 University Avenue, Rm.309, 315/443-4498. Students with authorized disability-related accommodations should provide a current Accommodations Authorization Letter from ODS to the instructor and review those accommodations with the instructor.
Sketchbook:
A big objective of this class is for you to begin to use drawing as a way of entering, inhabiting and describing your world.
Drawing is the most important skill for an illustrator and the human ( or anthropomorphized object/animal) is the single most important element of 99% of the illustration work out there. The only way to improve your drawings is to draw all the time in your sketchbooks notebooks, textbooks, napkins at restaurants, everywhere. Draw people, plants animals, anything you can get your hands on. It’s like a muscle, if you work out and train, the bigger stronger and more honed you get. Look around the world and observe and draw everything: Be a sponge soak in as much as you can. The more you understand and know about the world the more you will be able to draw.
Never be frustrated by a bad drawing…just draw over it and keep moving.
I would suggest you also use your sketchbook as a visual diary, and a storehouse for your ideas.
These will serve to help you create the visual vocabulary necessary to be able to create works of your own. They can also be an extremely useful storehouse of sketches, reference and notes for assignments and classes
Your sketchbook should be at the very least, the size of a 9 x 12 Sketchbook. Any smaller is too small to use for anything. Try out the paper in the sketchbook before you just grab one. The texture and tooth of the paper will change the quality of your drawings.
Course Assignments Schedule
Week 1 Jan. 17
Review Spring Syllabus
In Class: Drawing with Tone and Line Working with the Model.Structural drawing. Poster(Black vs. White) Drawing.
Handouts: 1st Assignment : Editorial Illo with Famous Portrait Black and White
Supplies for Next week: pencils graphite sticks pastel paper, sketch/wash pencils, derwent pencils Canson Pastel Paper. Newsprint
Sketchbook: Composition reproductions from pro illustrators in list. Use tone to recreate color works to analyze tone and composition. Tonal range study.
Week 2 Jan. 24: Working with Space/ Perspective
In Class: Working with perspective, using special techniques for perspective building. Using photos.
Critique: Editorial Illo/portrait
Handouts: 2nd Assignment Political Portrait Editorial Illustration Black and White with single color wash
Loomis perspective drawings
Supplies for Next week: pencils graphite sticks, pastel paper, sketch/wash pencils, derwent pencils Canson Pastel Paper. Newsprint, black and white colored pencils. Ink and brush Ruler!
Sketchbook: One perspective drawing based on buildings in SU area. Hall of Languages, Crouse, Hendricks
Reproduce perspective figures from Loomis Book
Week 3 Jan.31 Drawing Figures in Space/ Perspective
InClass: Drawing figures in space Foreshortening, shadow and light masses. Combining Model and Reference. Drawing Hands!
Handout: 3rd Assignment: Coffee Bags illustrations. Dark Medium and light/Decaf roast
Review: Political Illustration
Supplies for Next week: Paint(Primary colors( Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Yellow Light,Cadmium Yellow Deep, Cerulean blue, French UltraMarine, Greens, white/black), palette paper, several sheets of gessoed paper/canvas/ strathmore 500 bristol
Sketchbook: Draw Ten Hands. Composition reproductions from pro illustrators in list. Use tonal dry media to recreate color works to analyze tone and composition
Week 4: Feb. 7
In Class: Paint TonePainting from the model.Talking value and tint and shadow color Primary color, white, black and complementary color. Talk about color mixing, creating tints and shadow colors. Talk about warm and cool colors
Critiques:
Review Progress: 3rd Assignment
Supplies for Next week: pencils graphite sticks, pastel paper, sketch/wash pencils, derwent pencils Canson Pastel Paper. Newsprint, black and white colored pencils. Ink and brush Ruler! full body animal photos!
Sketchbook: Tonal Composition reproductions from pro illustrators in list. Use tonal dry media to recreate color works to analyze tone and composition
Week 5 Feb.14
In class: Character Design Drawing. Using character descriptions, gathering reference and designing characters. Learning constructive anatomy
Critique: 3rd Assignment
Handout: 4th Assignment
Supplies for next week: pencils graphite sticks, pastel paper, sketch/wash pencils, derwent pencils Canson Pastel Paper. Newsprint, black and white colored pencils. Ink and brush Ruler! Full body Animal photos!
Sketchbook: Character design. Research animal or person and do ten drawings analyzing movement and design/ anatomy of animal/ person
Week 6 Feb. 21
In class: Character Design Part 2
More constructive anatomy for design from animals and people.
Review: 4th assignment drawing
Supplies for next week pencils graphite sticks, pastel paper, sketch/wash pencils, derwent pencils Canson Pastel Paper. Newsprint, black and white colored pencils. Ink and brush Ruler!
Sketchbook: Color analysis of same illustrations from two weeks ago. Focus on color/ value/ tone look out for color families
Week 7 Feb 28
Assignment:Children’s books!
Composition1
In Class: analyzing and recreating compositions, using composition to tell a story. Basing Composition on basic Line, Geometrics, symbols, fulcrum principle, formal and informal composition.
Critiques: 4th assignment
Hand out: 5th Assignment: Childrens Letter Books (A is for etc...)
Supplies for next week: pencils graphite sticks, pastel paper, sketch/wash pencils, derwent pencils Canson Pastel Paper. Newsprint, black and white colored pencils. Ink and brush Ruler!
Sketchbook: Using photograph as basis for loose painting reproduce a photo from your own ref file. 8 x 10. focus on color not detail!
Week 8 March 7
In Class: Composition 2 Draw in class from model with composition/tone
Review: Childrens book compositions.
Supplies for next week- Ink, bristol paper, quill pens, inking brushes/brushpens
Sketchbook: Reproduce one color piece from classic illustrator from list as color study
Spring Break March 11-15
Week 9 March. 21 Comics!
In Class: Storytelling using panels to create story. Design Composition page composition panel to panel concepts, timing sentences.
Handouts Comics Storytelling! 6th Assignment
Critiques: 5th assignment
Supplies: Ink, bristol paper, quill pens, inking brushes/brushpens. Ruler!
Sketchbook: Reproduce in ink: Black and white images from 3 comics panels from these 3 artists Mike Mignola, Kevin Nowlan, Frank Miller, Becky Cloonan, Kirby, Frazetta, Linda Medley, Sarah Glidden, Joe Sacco
Week10 March 28
In Class: Drawing compositions with figure. Figure evaluation and construction Using Model and or photos!
Review:Progress on Assignment 6
Hand outs:
Supplies for next week: pencils strathmore 500 bristol, sketch/wash pencils, derwent pencils Newsprint, Colored inks, watercolor, colored pencils toothbrush, goauche, Ink and brush Ruler!
Sketchbook: Reproduce Black and white images from 3 comics panels from these 3 artists Bill Watterson, Brian Hitch, and Darwyn Cooke
Week 11 Apr 4 Composing with Collage
In Class: Review of famous Movie Poster artists. Working with mixed media, models and photos to compose and draw.
Critique: Assignment 6: Comics Assignment
Handouts: Assignment 7:Movie Poster
Supplies for next week- Acrylic paint and or goauche- Primary Paint(Primary colors( Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Yellow Light,Cadmium Yellow Deep, Cerulean blue, French UltraMarine, Greens, white/black) colors warm and cool and black and white.Strathmore 500 Bristol.
Sketchbook: create three compositions drawings from Drew Struzan, Bob Peak, Jack Davis, Saul Bass Reynold Brown
Week 12 Apr 11 Movie Poster 2
In Class: Painting with 2 colors (Primary and one complement with black and white) from Model and photo.
Toning Palette, Painting into UndertoneCritiques:
Supplies for next week- Acrylic paint and or goauche- Primary Paint(Primary colors( Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Yellow Light,Cadmium Yellow Deep, Cerulean blue, French UltraMarine, Greens, white/black) colors warm and cool and black and white.Strathmore 500 Bristol.
Sketchbook:Draw 8 x 10 pencil drawing of a figure with a reflection , try to use reflections in a unique and interesting way
Week 13 Apr 18
In Class:Painting with 3 colors, Toning Palette, Painting into Undertone
Critique : Assignment 7: Movie Poster
Supplies for next week- Acrylic paint and or goauche- Primary Paint(Primary colors( Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Yellow Light,Cadmium Yellow Deep, Cerulean blue, French UltraMarine, Greens, white/black)colors warm and cool and black and white.Strathmore 500 Bristol.
Handouts: Assignment for Assignment 8: Historical Fantasy Painting( Steampunk, Jules Verne/ HG Wells!)
Sketchbook: Figure with a vehicle Three figures talking together in a space
Week 14 Apr 25th Full Painting Research Historical Fantasy Painting
In Class: Painting From Model in Acrylic or Goauche with full color and background.
Review Sketches and reference for Assignment 8: historical piece Critiques
Supplies for next week-
Sketchbook: 2 pages of sketches of costumes from era of history piece
Week 15 May 2
In Class: Work in class on Historical Painting
Review finished drawings and color comps for Assignment 8. Historical painting
Supplies for next week-
Sophomore Survey May 1 Historical Painting Due
ILL 262- INTRODUCTION TO ILLUSTRATION
Syllabus - Spring 2013
Course information: ILL 262, Rm. 332 Shaffer
Sec. 001, Thursday, 8:00am. - 12:30pm.
Sec. 004. Thursday, 1:30pm. - 6:00pm.
Instructor: Steve Ellis
347 Shaffer
Office hours: Thursdays, 12:30pm. - 1:30pm or 530pm. to 630 pm.
(by appointment)
Office phone: 315.289.5771
Studio phone: 315.289.5771(please leave name & number)
e-mail: steve@hypersteve.com
Mailbox in main office (102 Shaffer)
Course Description and Rationale:
Illustration is an art of visual communication. It is a delivery system for ideas and feelings and stories. It engages our minds, our hearts and reflects our culture and the time we live in even as it sets us in history.
At it’s heart, illustration is the visual representation of story. Whether that story is a recent event in the news, a science fiction adventure, a birthday greeting or a children’s tale doesn’t matter so much as the fact that they all share a common source in story.
In this class we will expand upon the concepts and techniques learned in 261 through more intense practice and more in depth research into the art of illustration. We will explore how to take our skills as artists and apply them to the idea of story while building up those very skills to enable us to achieve that effectively. We will look at how others in the past have achieved effective and affecting work, and how contemporary illustrators continue to reflect the stories of our world.
Through weekly Demonstrations, Critiques, lectures and visual presentations we will introduce the methods that illustrators have used throughout the history of the field. Through assignments students will be expected to experiment, share, take risks and grow as artists over the course of the class. Beginning the development of an individual voice as an artist and illustrator is the eventual goal of this class.
Course Materials:
Materials you will need will be introduced throughout the semester. Try out as many different materials as you can comfortably get your hands on and see what materials will best suit you. Unless specified, purchase them from any source you wish. SU Bookstore, Syracuse Blueprint, and Commercial Art Supply are a few local providers. Online Art catalogues such as Blick are also a good source where bargains may be found, but it may be difficult to arrange timing of assignments with shipping.
Assignments:
Assignments will be a weekly occurrence. There will be three major types of assignments.
The first will be sketchbook assignments which are less intensive weekly projects to work on in your sketchbook.
The second will be exercises to be done either in the sketchbook or on comparable size media( in case the sketchbook paper can’t handle the medium) You should expect at least 3 - 4 hours of work in sketchbooks and exercise assignments per week.
Third will be major assignments which will take multiple weeks and require the most time and care. You should expect to be working at least ten to twelve hours outside the class on these projects for class. There will frequently be a critique of a final assignment in the same class as a discussion of sketches for the next assignment. The art of survival as an illustrator is one of juggling projects and clients while making each client believe that they are your only one. Treat your assignments with care, follow the instructions for size, timing and deadline. The skill of taking care of your teacher is similar to the skill of taking care of a client.
Resources:
1. Get to know Jan Mackay, our lab technician, on the 3rd floor (service window business hours are Mon. - Fri. 9:00am. - 5:00pm.). She is responsible for use of the computer clusters and print-outs. You must pay for services there with a blue "chit", which may be purchased in the Schine Student Center
2. You may also use the computer cluster in Rms.329. See the posted schedule for times.
3. Three spray booths are available in Rm.341 for spray-fixing and airbrushing.
4. Bird Library has a wealth of visual resources on the 4th floor including a plethora of visual information relevant to our field. Illustration is a research field. Get to know what’s available to aid you. Don't ignore the Moon Library at SUNY ESF (behind the Carrier Dome). The main city library, in the downtown Galleria Mall, has an extensive scrap file, design and illustration annuals, an excellent children's section, videos, art books, and visually oriented books which can help immensely.
Attendance:
Attendance is required. One absence for the semester will be tolerated; however, you are still responsible for turning in assignments on time! (See "Grading") Two absences, for any reason, will lower your final grade by one letter grade. You will FAIL the course in the event of a third absence! Mechanical failures (alarm clocks, car failure, etc.) are not valid excuses.
You are expected to arrive on time and remain until the end of class. If you are bored or have nothing to do, you have come unprepared and should probably consider switching to a class in which you have some interest. Lateness of an hour or more will count as an absence. Chronic lateness or skipping out early will also count towards an absence and will lower your grade.
Grading:
Grading is based on assignments, attitude, work in class, participation, attendance, and final review. Sketches, reference and the following of instructions can be as powerful to a grade as the final piece. The presentation of assignments reflects attitude and is part of the grade.
Grades are not given. They are earned and recorded according to your efforts. The final grade will be an average of all grades earned during the semester. If you have any concerns about your progress at any time during the semester, please contact your me.
Attendance at your final review is required to pass the course. All assignments must be completed to pass the course.
Grading Standards:
A achievement is outstanding relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements
B achievement is significantly above the level necessary to meet course requirements
C achievement meets the course requirements in every respect
D achievement is worthy of credit even though it fails to meet the course requirements
F achievement is not worthy of credit or was not completed / represents failure
Grade Distribution:
assignment: 25%
assignment: 25%
assignments): 20%
Sketchbook assignment:10%
Participation/professional conduct: 10%
Final Survey: 10%
Grading:
There will be 3 components that make up your grade: participation/preparedness for class, working in class and assignments.
(25%) Classroom participation/preparedness is based on a point system. I will subtract points for poor attitude, not being prepared (with the proper materials), lateness, leaving early, not participating in critiques.
(35%) Working in Class the paintings and drawings you produce in class.
(40%) Assignments will, of course, be based on how well and how timely you completed your assignments.
Incompletes:
Incompletes will be granted only in extenuating circumstances. If you have a valid medical excuse or family emergency, and you've completed the bulk of course work for the semester, an incomplete is possible. You are responsible for initiating the paper work for an incomplete.
Copyright Infringement: Please see university policy on plagiarism, but the policy in here, is that if the work does not significantly deviate from a reference it could be deemed as copyright infringement or plagiarism and will not be tolerated.
Needs:
Any student who needs special consideration in the course due to a disability of any sort, please make an appointment to discuss accommodations.
Students who are in need of disability-related academic accommodations must register with the Office of Disability Services (ODS), 804 University Avenue, Rm.309, 315/443-4498. Students with authorized disability-related accommodations should provide a current Accommodations Authorization Letter from ODS to the instructor and review those accommodations with the instructor.
Sketchbook:
A big objective of this class is for you to begin to use drawing as a way of entering, inhabiting and describing your world.
Drawing is the most important skill for an illustrator and the human ( or anthropomorphized object/animal) is the single most important element of 99% of the illustration work out there. The only way to improve your drawings is to draw all the time in your sketchbooks notebooks, textbooks, napkins at restaurants, everywhere. Draw people, plants animals, anything you can get your hands on. It’s like a muscle, if you work out and train, the bigger stronger and more honed you get. Look around the world and observe and draw everything: Be a sponge soak in as much as you can. The more you understand and know about the world the more you will be able to draw.
Never be frustrated by a bad drawing…just draw over it and keep moving.
I would suggest you also use your sketchbook as a visual diary, and a storehouse for your ideas.
These will serve to help you create the visual vocabulary necessary to be able to create works of your own. They can also be an extremely useful storehouse of sketches, reference and notes for assignments and classes
Your sketchbook should be at the very least, the size of a 9 x 12 Sketchbook. Any smaller is too small to use for anything. Try out the paper in the sketchbook before you just grab one. The texture and tooth of the paper will change the quality of your drawings.
Course Assignments Schedule
Week 1 Jan. 17
Review Spring Syllabus
In Class: Drawing with Tone and Line Working with the Model.Structural drawing. Poster(Black vs. White) Drawing.
Handouts: 1st Assignment : Editorial Illo with Famous Portrait Black and White
Supplies for Next week: pencils graphite sticks pastel paper, sketch/wash pencils, derwent pencils Canson Pastel Paper. Newsprint
Sketchbook: Composition reproductions from pro illustrators in list. Use tone to recreate color works to analyze tone and composition. Tonal range study.
Week 2 Jan. 24: Working with Space/ Perspective
In Class: Working with perspective, using special techniques for perspective building. Using photos.
Critique: Editorial Illo/portrait
Handouts: 2nd Assignment Political Portrait Editorial Illustration Black and White with single color wash
Loomis perspective drawings
Supplies for Next week: pencils graphite sticks, pastel paper, sketch/wash pencils, derwent pencils Canson Pastel Paper. Newsprint, black and white colored pencils. Ink and brush Ruler!
Sketchbook: One perspective drawing based on buildings in SU area. Hall of Languages, Crouse, Hendricks
Reproduce perspective figures from Loomis Book
Week 3 Jan.31 Drawing Figures in Space/ Perspective
InClass: Drawing figures in space Foreshortening, shadow and light masses. Combining Model and Reference. Drawing Hands!
Handout: 3rd Assignment: Coffee Bags illustrations. Dark Medium and light/Decaf roast
Review: Political Illustration
Supplies for Next week: Paint(Primary colors( Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Yellow Light,Cadmium Yellow Deep, Cerulean blue, French UltraMarine, Greens, white/black), palette paper, several sheets of gessoed paper/canvas/ strathmore 500 bristol
Sketchbook: Draw Ten Hands. Composition reproductions from pro illustrators in list. Use tonal dry media to recreate color works to analyze tone and composition
Week 4: Feb. 7
In Class: Paint TonePainting from the model.Talking value and tint and shadow color Primary color, white, black and complementary color. Talk about color mixing, creating tints and shadow colors. Talk about warm and cool colors
Critiques:
Review Progress: 3rd Assignment
Supplies for Next week: pencils graphite sticks, pastel paper, sketch/wash pencils, derwent pencils Canson Pastel Paper. Newsprint, black and white colored pencils. Ink and brush Ruler! full body animal photos!
Sketchbook: Tonal Composition reproductions from pro illustrators in list. Use tonal dry media to recreate color works to analyze tone and composition
Week 5 Feb.14
In class: Character Design Drawing. Using character descriptions, gathering reference and designing characters. Learning constructive anatomy
Critique: 3rd Assignment
Handout: 4th Assignment
Supplies for next week: pencils graphite sticks, pastel paper, sketch/wash pencils, derwent pencils Canson Pastel Paper. Newsprint, black and white colored pencils. Ink and brush Ruler! Full body Animal photos!
Sketchbook: Character design. Research animal or person and do ten drawings analyzing movement and design/ anatomy of animal/ person
Week 6 Feb. 21
In class: Character Design Part 2
More constructive anatomy for design from animals and people.
Review: 4th assignment drawing
Supplies for next week pencils graphite sticks, pastel paper, sketch/wash pencils, derwent pencils Canson Pastel Paper. Newsprint, black and white colored pencils. Ink and brush Ruler!
Sketchbook: Color analysis of same illustrations from two weeks ago. Focus on color/ value/ tone look out for color families
Week 7 Feb 28
Assignment:Children’s books!
Composition1
In Class: analyzing and recreating compositions, using composition to tell a story. Basing Composition on basic Line, Geometrics, symbols, fulcrum principle, formal and informal composition.
Critiques: 4th assignment
Hand out: 5th Assignment: Childrens Letter Books (A is for etc...)
Supplies for next week: pencils graphite sticks, pastel paper, sketch/wash pencils, derwent pencils Canson Pastel Paper. Newsprint, black and white colored pencils. Ink and brush Ruler!
Sketchbook: Using photograph as basis for loose painting reproduce a photo from your own ref file. 8 x 10. focus on color not detail!
Week 8 March 7
In Class: Composition 2 Draw in class from model with composition/tone
Review: Childrens book compositions.
Supplies for next week- Ink, bristol paper, quill pens, inking brushes/brushpens
Sketchbook: Reproduce one color piece from classic illustrator from list as color study
Spring Break March 11-15
Week 9 March. 21 Comics!
In Class: Storytelling using panels to create story. Design Composition page composition panel to panel concepts, timing sentences.
Handouts Comics Storytelling! 6th Assignment
Critiques: 5th assignment
Supplies: Ink, bristol paper, quill pens, inking brushes/brushpens. Ruler!
Sketchbook: Reproduce in ink: Black and white images from 3 comics panels from these 3 artists Mike Mignola, Kevin Nowlan, Frank Miller, Becky Cloonan, Kirby, Frazetta, Linda Medley, Sarah Glidden, Joe Sacco
Week10 March 28
In Class: Drawing compositions with figure. Figure evaluation and construction Using Model and or photos!
Review:Progress on Assignment 6
Hand outs:
Supplies for next week: pencils strathmore 500 bristol, sketch/wash pencils, derwent pencils Newsprint, Colored inks, watercolor, colored pencils toothbrush, goauche, Ink and brush Ruler!
Sketchbook: Reproduce Black and white images from 3 comics panels from these 3 artists Bill Watterson, Brian Hitch, and Darwyn Cooke
Week 11 Apr 4 Composing with Collage
In Class: Review of famous Movie Poster artists. Working with mixed media, models and photos to compose and draw.
Critique: Assignment 6: Comics Assignment
Handouts: Assignment 7:Movie Poster
Supplies for next week- Acrylic paint and or goauche- Primary Paint(Primary colors( Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Yellow Light,Cadmium Yellow Deep, Cerulean blue, French UltraMarine, Greens, white/black) colors warm and cool and black and white.Strathmore 500 Bristol.
Sketchbook: create three compositions drawings from Drew Struzan, Bob Peak, Jack Davis, Saul Bass Reynold Brown
Week 12 Apr 11 Movie Poster 2
In Class: Painting with 2 colors (Primary and one complement with black and white) from Model and photo.
Toning Palette, Painting into UndertoneCritiques:
Supplies for next week- Acrylic paint and or goauche- Primary Paint(Primary colors( Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Yellow Light,Cadmium Yellow Deep, Cerulean blue, French UltraMarine, Greens, white/black) colors warm and cool and black and white.Strathmore 500 Bristol.
Sketchbook:Draw 8 x 10 pencil drawing of a figure with a reflection , try to use reflections in a unique and interesting way
Week 13 Apr 18
In Class:Painting with 3 colors, Toning Palette, Painting into Undertone
Critique : Assignment 7: Movie Poster
Supplies for next week- Acrylic paint and or goauche- Primary Paint(Primary colors( Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Yellow Light,Cadmium Yellow Deep, Cerulean blue, French UltraMarine, Greens, white/black)colors warm and cool and black and white.Strathmore 500 Bristol.
Handouts: Assignment for Assignment 8: Historical Fantasy Painting( Steampunk, Jules Verne/ HG Wells!)
Sketchbook: Figure with a vehicle Three figures talking together in a space
Week 14 Apr 25th Full Painting Research Historical Fantasy Painting
In Class: Painting From Model in Acrylic or Goauche with full color and background.
Review Sketches and reference for Assignment 8: historical piece Critiques
Supplies for next week-
Sketchbook: 2 pages of sketches of costumes from era of history piece
Week 15 May 2
In Class: Work in class on Historical Painting
Review finished drawings and color comps for Assignment 8. Historical painting
Supplies for next week-
Sophomore Survey May 1 Historical Painting Due
Friday, January 18, 2013
Editorial Illustration, more clarity on homework assignments!
In the interest of clarity with regard to the homework assignments I gave to you this week, I wanted to get into a little more explanation of what an Editorial Illustration is and can be.
Editorial illustration:
So what’s an editorial illustration? This type of work has a deep history in political satire, especially. (Just Google “political cartoons” to see what’s been and being done.) Editorial illustration, though, extends beyond the world of politics. Every day, newspapers and magazines print illustrations alongside their articles to illuminate some element of the concepts for the reader.
Editorial illustrations then are an artists response to the text of the editorial. The illustrator is tasked with interpreting the text into a visual that accentuates some important point made in the article. Frequently, but not always, this will involve caricature and likenesses, but not always( In this assignment you are to definitely use likeness as part of the work.
Here are some names of some more editorial illustrators you can check out to get more thoughts about the field.
Art Spiegelman
Adrian Tomine
Mark Zingarelli
Tim Bower
Anthony Freda
Niklas Asker
Steven Brodner
James Bennet
Gary Kelley
CF Payne
Fred Harper
Rudy Gutierrez
There are more on the sheet I provided and chekcing out the websites of agents like Richard Solomon can give you an idea of the diverse artists and styles of the artists who work in editorial.
Sketchbook Assignment:
T reiterate the homework assignment for sketchbooks( which is on the schedule portion of the syllabus I handed out yesterday, due next week is five tonal drawings( preferable one to two per page in your sketchbook) based on paintings by famous illustrators from the past. The purpose of this part of the assignment is to analyze and become familiar with the use of tone and value, and how illustrators can use tone and value to direct the eye of the viewer to the point of interest in the illustration.
you will notice that illustrators use high contrast areas n the area of interest and muted tonal areas in areas of less interest to the point of the image. In this way they manipulate the eyes of the reader to follow the story of the illustration.
Have fun with this and use dry media, like pencil and eraser and graphite to accomplish these.
I'll be looking at these first thing in class next week before we start drawing!
Editorial illustration:
So what’s an editorial illustration? This type of work has a deep history in political satire, especially. (Just Google “political cartoons” to see what’s been and being done.) Editorial illustration, though, extends beyond the world of politics. Every day, newspapers and magazines print illustrations alongside their articles to illuminate some element of the concepts for the reader.
Editorial illustrations then are an artists response to the text of the editorial. The illustrator is tasked with interpreting the text into a visual that accentuates some important point made in the article. Frequently, but not always, this will involve caricature and likenesses, but not always( In this assignment you are to definitely use likeness as part of the work.
Here are some names of some more editorial illustrators you can check out to get more thoughts about the field.
Art Spiegelman
Adrian Tomine
Mark Zingarelli
Tim Bower
Anthony Freda
Niklas Asker
Steven Brodner
James Bennet
Gary Kelley
CF Payne
Fred Harper
Rudy Gutierrez
There are more on the sheet I provided and chekcing out the websites of agents like Richard Solomon can give you an idea of the diverse artists and styles of the artists who work in editorial.
Sketchbook Assignment:
T reiterate the homework assignment for sketchbooks( which is on the schedule portion of the syllabus I handed out yesterday, due next week is five tonal drawings( preferable one to two per page in your sketchbook) based on paintings by famous illustrators from the past. The purpose of this part of the assignment is to analyze and become familiar with the use of tone and value, and how illustrators can use tone and value to direct the eye of the viewer to the point of interest in the illustration.
you will notice that illustrators use high contrast areas n the area of interest and muted tonal areas in areas of less interest to the point of the image. In this way they manipulate the eyes of the reader to follow the story of the illustration.
Have fun with this and use dry media, like pencil and eraser and graphite to accomplish these.
I'll be looking at these first thing in class next week before we start drawing!
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