Realism Drawing Unit

History

Audrey Flack was one of the first photorealist painters to be included in the Museum of Modern
Art’s permanent collection. In meticulous, complex arrangements of fruit, flowers, candles,
makeup, and ladies’ accouterments, Flacks loaded symbolic tableaus address stereotypes of the
female ideal. Flack is an avowed feminist, and many of her artworks seek to reinvent their
subjects and source material.

Wheel of Fortune Audrey Flack

Rolls Royce Lady Audrey Flack

Crayola Audrey Flack 1972-73

Siena Cathedral Audrey Flack 1971
Untitled Audrey Flack

Francis O’Toole is a realist artist based in Dublin Ireland. He actually became an artist because
of a suggestion from his mother. After a fatal crash that took a year to recover from, Francis
got mixed into the wrong crowd. His mother was getting worried about him and suggested that
he painted. He slowly started to like painting, and eventually decided to study in Florence for
four years to become one of the best realist artists today.
Homeless Hero Francis O’Toole 2016

Autumn Francis O’Toole

Untitled Francis O’Toole
Unfinished Study Francis O’Toole 2008

Mario Robinson originally grew up in Oklahoma, and moved to New Jersey at age 12. His
artistic talent was first noticed in 5th grade, and he took off with his craft in his pre teen years.
He would look to the old masters like Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Degas to improve his paintings.

American Dream Mario Robinson

Blue Daze Mario Robinson

Freedom Mario Robinson

Mrs. Grossman Mario Robinson

Criticism

There will be a worksheet to turn in with the final project that answers the following questions:

Why did you pick the subject of this artwork?

What do you like about the artwork?

What would you fix or change about this artwork?

At the end of the unit there will be a full class critique where students can ask each other
questions or make comments about each other’s work. This will also be an opportunity for the
teacher to ask some aesthetics questions to the students.

At the end of each week 20 minutes will be set aside for table groups to talk to each other
about their artwork and their progress. Students are also given an opportunity to ask each
other questions or make comments about each other’s work.

Product
Create a realistic drawing that represents one or more of your hobbies. You must use color and
have more than one subject in your drawing.

Students will learn how to draw realistically, how to create dimension through shading and
drawing skills, and learn about how to use color more in depth.

Students will have the freedom to pick what they draw and how to draw it while still working in
the requirements of a realistic drawing that represents a hobby or two of theirs.

Aesthetics

Questions the teacher will ask students during the full class critique:

How does this picture represent you and your hobbies?

How did you decide on your subject for this project?

Questions the teacher will ask students while learning about other realism artists:

Why would the artist want to paint this?

Does this evoke any emotion?
What is the first thing you notice about this artwork?