Drawing Two: Figure Drawing

Spring 2011, Tuesday and Thursday, 8 am – 11:00 am, Drawing Room

Professor Kell Black Office – Trahern 421 (near the elevator) blackk@apsu.edu 931-
221-7358

Office Hours - Tuesdays 2:15 – 3:15, Fridays 1:15 – 2:15. Other hours by appointment

Catalog Statement:

Drawing the human form and study of anatomy in composition.

Course Objectives:

To equip students with the necessary technical and perceptive skills to render the nude figure.

Content Outline

Students will further the skills learned in Drawing One in the context of the human nude. These
are:

Line – the perception of edges

Shape – the perception of spaces

Sight measuring – the perception of relationships

Value – the perception of lights and shadows

Composition – the perception of the whole

Procedures

Most class sessions begin with a brief overview or presentation followed by a short
lecture/demonstration. The majority of class time is devoted to drawing.

Attendance

Attendance is required at all classes. It is impossible to make up the work on your own. The
student may miss one week (two classes) without penalty. After that the final grade will be
lowered one grade for every additional absence. There are no excused absences, except those as
covered by the university’s policy for athletes, band members and those with accommodations on
record in Student Sertvices. Attendance is taken at the beginning of class. If you are not present
when roll is called it your responsibility to notify me of your arrival during break. A tardy arrival
is considered half an absence.

Basis and Methods for Grading

Drawing is a discipline with a long and detailed history. In fact, drawings are one of the first
records of human civilization, and there are some anthropologists who would argue that all
humans are ‘hard-wired’ to draw. Drawing is something that we, as a species, have been doing
for thousands and thousands of years.
There are many kinds of drawing, including cartooning, illustration, architectural rendering,
doodling, automatic drawing, drawing for animation, manga, drawing for tattoos and others. All
are valid

means of communication. In this class, however, we are concerned with only one kind of
drawing –
academic realism. The goals of academic realism are straightforward and have been codified
over the last 500 years. These goals are: fidelity to subject, technique, and composition. The
course demands patience and extreme concentration. If you are looking for an easy A or for a
class simply to fill your schedule, this is not the class for you.

There are only five things to learn, but they may take a lifetime to master. With perseverance and
discipline, you can expect to become a competent draftsman in one or two semesters.

Basis and Methods for Grading

F = late or missed work

D = poor; work that does not meet the minimum requirements as stated

C = satisfactory; work that meets the basic requirements in terms of concept and execution

B = very good; work that exceeds the basic requirements in concept and execution

A = excellent work; work that far exceeds the basic requirements in concept and execution

Clarification

Students are often under the misconception that they enter the class with an A and that all they
have to do is not ‘goof up’ to hold onto that grade. Not true. The student enters the class with a
zero and works up from there. All grades are earned.

Students often believe that grades are based on ‘hard work’ and ‘effort,’ even if the final result is
poor. Again, not true. The grade is a reflection of the work itself, not the attendant effort. If the
work is average, the grade is average, despite exceptional effort. It is true that the best work is
often the result of the best effort, but the opposite is not always true: one’s best efforts do not
always result in the best work, and long and tedious hours may be spent doing something wrong.
The result may be your best work, but that is does not necessarily make it the best work in the
class.

Your work is not a summary of your worth as a person, although we often put unnecessary and
unrealistic pressures on ourselves in thinking so. A good person can do bad work, and a creep
may draw like an angel. Again, the grade reflects the drawing and not the draftsman’s
personality.

Students also often believe that they are competing only against themselves and not against
others. In art as in all academic disciplines, you are judged against all that has come before you.
You compete against Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael and the history and standards of drawing,
as well as yourself and your classmates. Just as in geometry, where one is held to the same
standards as Pythagoras and the whole history of the discipline, academic drawing has a codified
set of objective standards and you are evaluated against these.

Each major drawing will receive a numerical and a letter grade based on a rubric of four or more
categories. This rubric will be made available to the student at the beginning of each project.
As stated above, grades reflect the student’s mastery of representation, composition and
technique.

Grades will be given after every extended drawing, and the student will receive a written grade at
midterms.

The student will turn in a final portfolio at the end of the semester with all graded drawings from
the semester. It is your responsibility to take care of your work.

Late Work

Late work is not accepted. No kidding. Drawings are due at the beginning of class on the date
specified.

In-class Drawing

Most of our time will be spent drawing the nude human figure. Technical demonstrations and
lectures will be given when necessary. College drawing classes are different from high school art
classes in that this is a time for concentrated work, not socializing. Please respect the serious but
not solemn work-like atmosphere of the studio. Therefore please from chatting during the
drawing sessions since drawing requires total concentration.

Anyone who violates this simple request will be asked to leave.

Sketchbook

Students are required to draw every day in their sketchbooks. 105 pages of sketchbook drawings
are required to receive a passing grade in the course. Details are explained in a separate
document.

Written Assignments

Bi-weekly essay assignments are designed to encourage you to look at and think about a wide
variety of drawings. You will find details at the drawing two website.

http://drawingtwo.wordpress.com

Grade Breakdown

In-class work – 45%

Sketchbook – 45%

Written assignments – 10%

Time Management

We meet as a class for six hours a week and you should budget six hours a week for drawing in
the sketchbook. The bi-weekly written assignments should no more than an hour to complete.

Classroom Management
Disabilities Policy. Any student who has a disability that may affect his/her academic
performance is encouraged to make an appointment with me to discuss this matter, or you may
contact Disability Services; Telephone 221-6230; voice 221-6278; voice tty.

Academic Misconduct. The Students are expected to conduct themselves appropriately at all
times. Academic and classroom misconduct will not be tolerated. Students must read the "Code
of Student Conduct" in the new Student Handbook for the understanding of what will be expected
of them within the academic setting.

Policy on Minors. Minors (any non-student under that age of 18) accompanying staff, faculty,
students, or visitors on campus are not permitted in the classroom.

The use and display of cell phones, text messaging devices and pagers is not permitted. Students
using the above devices will be asked to leave according to the rules as outlined in the Student
Handbook.

Follow these rules:

Be on time. Class begins at 8 am and ends at 11 am. You are late at 8:01.

Work hard. There are no lazy professional artists. The lazy ones are out of work.

Meet deadlines. No excuses. Life intrudes.

Use your time wisely. Things always go wrong so leave time to fix them.

Be polite and considerate of your peers.

No whining. If you don’t want to work hard then drop the course.

Learn how to take criticism. Don’t defend the work. Listen and take notes.

Check phone and text message ONLY during break, otherwise you will be asked to leave. (See
important note below.)

Please do not wear your iPod or any other personal music device except when specifically
allowed. During these times please keep the volume at a low level.

Please refrain from talking during the drawing sessions.

Please do not touch the model.

The student is responsible for all materials. The university does not supply extra pencils, erasers,
paper, etc. Students who are unprepared will be considered absent.

Caveat

The content contained in this syllabus is subject to change.