Week 3-Shading a cube and more complex structures

This week, we covered drawing and shading a cube. Mrs. Luker showed the class how to draw a basic cube shape step by step:



We talked about how the flat side closest to the light would be lightest, as it is reflecting the most light from the lamp. The other sides would be a bit darker and the side facing away from the light source is the darkest of all. We talked about shading to show light and dark and volume being careful not to scribble to shade or press too hard with the pencil, which would make your drawing look like you were shading a black or dark gray cube.

Some kids were looking at the cube in a silhouette-like manner because the cube was in front of the light. In this case, their cube does end up looking dark gray because the side in shadow is facing them.



Then I had the class put together a structure with simple wooden blocks to draw from. They could choose to focus on part of the structure that interested them most.







Next week, we will start a watercolor landscape. During the first class we will draw from a photograph using the skills we have learned in the first three weeks. During the following weeks we will cover some watercolor techniques and eventually paint our landscape drawing.

Week 2- Shading Light and Dark

This week we focused on shading light and dark with simple objects. I forgot my camera this week so I took the following photo at home:



First I set the ball up with a light source just like last week's still life. I talked about how light travels over the round object. The sphere is lightest closest to the light source and darkest further away. However, there's also back-lighting and the very edge of the ball furthest away from the light source. In some cases back-lighting is more apparent and it all depends on your vantage point. I switched the light source to the opposite side so that the kids would have a different vantage point. Same object, different shading with light and dark.

Then, I set up the cone and talked about how light hits that object. We did the same exercise shading light and dark with the cone and I also switched the light source so that they could do it again from a different vantage point.

The point of this exercise, is to understand how light affects solid objects. As an artist, you are hoping to show that the object is 3 dimensional and has volume on your 2 dimensional piece of paper.



I could tell that some of the kids were getting a little bored with the exercises and that's understandable. I explained that by doing shading light and dark on these simple objects, it will help them show light and dark on more complex objects in future drawings. Drawing exercises like this are like practice with sports. You don't play games without practice....at least not well. It's the same thing with art. These lessons are the foundation of good drawing skills.

And as an artist, it's your job to find beauty in the mundane. Any object can be interesting if you look hard enough. :)

Next time we'll work on shading a cube and I'll also bring more complex objects. After Thanksgiving break, I hope to introduce color theory with watercolors.

Our First Day- Simple Still Life

Since this was our first class together, I thought it would be best to start with some basic drawing skills and set up a still life for the students to draw from. The still life consisted of 4 glass bottles with one light source.



We talked about the size and shape of the objects and how they relate to each other. We went over how to measure and gauge the distance between objects and how the flat sided bottles differ from the round cylindrical bottle shapes. We also talked about foreground, mid-ground and background and how to draw objects that in a way that tells the viewer where the objects are in space.

I briefly went over negative space and how it relates to positive space and how it helps you draw objects. In our still life, the bottles are the positive space and the space around them is the negative space.

Here's some of the students work:




Next week we'll go over shading with light and dark with a light source and another simple still life.

In the future we'll do some projects, including watercolor, painting with either acrylic or oil on canvas, and also sculpture. We'll probably tackle some of these larger projects over the course of a few weeks after the first of the year. Between now and then we'll cover the basics of drawing, light and dark, and maybe introduce some color theory.