Unit 2: Training Your Eye

Introduction to Drawing

Unit Summary

This unit teaches you how to view the world as an artist. You will learn how to notice the lines,
shapes, and values around you, how to view the individual parts that make up the whole
subject. You will learn about contour drawing, negative space, and drawing with and without a
grid.

Objectives

 Students will use multiple approaches to begin creative endeavors.

 Connect the use of positive and negative space and contour line to the process of Grid
Method.
 Be able to identify the use of contour line.
 Be able to explain the uses of the Grid Method and its purpose.
 Create a contour line portrait using the Grid Method.
Lessons
 Introduction: Training Your Eye Lecture
 Looking at Your Environment Lecture
 Contour Drawing Demo
 Positive and Negative Space Portfolio
 CURRETNLY The Grid and Proportions Portfolio

STANDARD: Prof. VA:Cr1.1

Enduring understanding- Creativity and innovative thinking are essential life skills that can be
developed. Students will use multiple approaches to begin creative endeavors.

CTSP Standard: Element 1.5

Promoting critical thinking though inquiry, problem solving, and reflection

ELD 9-10,2.1,C10b2

b. Write brief summaries of texts and experiences by using complete sentences and key words (e.g.,
from notes or graphic organizers).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.9

Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent
understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible.

Lesson
Introduction
TWD SWD
Begin class with art share (30 mins prior to  Submit work to Padlet-artwork they
the start of class) have been working on outside of
class.
 STs will have a chance to interact with
each other prior to the start of class.

Present Grid Method slide show (10 mins)

 Opens class identifying artists self
portraits
 Asks entry level assessment-
o What do you notice about these
portraits? What's the same and
what's different? Their responses will be open-ended but
o Why do we make self portraits? directed towards included details of classes
 To showcase your style hairstyle-features that made me different.
 Easy to be your own model
 Exploration of materials
 The only way to get better
is to practice!
 Show your growth over
time
Body
TWD SWD

Formative assessment-What is a contour line?

Gauge their understanding
(1 min)
Ask any clarifying questions they may have
 The outline and basic details of a subject.
(No shading)
 Shows art experiment of asking random
college students to draw portraits of (me) SW share their observations with the class
o Look at the similarities in these
portraits draw by different
people, what do you notice?
o TW explain the attention to detail
and importance of understanding
what your looking at not what you
think your seeing.

Introduce Assignment (5mins)

 Portrait Contour Drawing

 Create a 8X10 Grid lightly drawn in pencil
for Drawing 01. Create a contour line
drawing of your portrait. (D01)

 Create a second version of the same

drawing without the grid on a separate
piece of paper.(Drawing 02)

 Reflect on your experience, write about

your challenges and what you found
helpful and difficult with and without the
grid on drawings 01 & 02
STs will follow along gridding their drawing
Demo (30 min) paper. They will need to find their
 How to grid your paper photograph and complete the rest of the
o Make sure your paper is at least assignment on their own time.
8.5 x 11
o Measure a rectangle that is 8” by
10”
o Along the top and the sides of you
rectangle make one inch marks
o DRAW LIGHTLY YOU WILL ERASE
THIS LATER
o Make sure your ruler is lined up to
the edge!!
o Label each of your boxes on the
top and bottom 1-8
o label the right and left side A-J
 Finding your contour (your grid reference
photo)
 o Crop your photo to 8 x 10
o Change the photo to black and
white
o Grid your photo the same as the
paper you are going to draw on.
o Find the Outer Contour Edge of
your portrait by looking at where
your line hits spots on the grid.
o With our understanding of
Positive and negative space
(previous portfolio) we can
identify within each box what we
are truly seeing- not what our
eyes think they see.
 How to transfer your contour lines
o You can create a viewfinder by
cutting out a 1 inch square out of
a post it note and moving one box
at a time from your reference
drawing to your drawing paper.

Closure
TWD SWD
Wrap Up (5mins) Pack up for the day and are expected to
Talk about the careers that use grid methods begin working on their grid portrait outside
such as Muralists, graphic designers, of class.
architects, interior designers,
This is a tool used to make drawing easier
when that’s not the main focus (painting)
enlarging images easier ( murals) and its
good training for focusing on what is in front
of you and not what you think you see.

Review the requirements of the portfolio and

what will be on the agenda tomorrow.