Spring Quarter 1999

Professor Nan Cibula-Jenkins

Studio B, 9:00 – 11:40

Objective:

This class is designed to further your facility with drawing through in-class ("studio") practice and homework projects. The student will explore and practice such drawing concepts as line, contour, shape, tone, volume, perspective and composition. Students will use a variety of techniques and drawing media in both the studio exercises and the homework assignments.

Professor’s Statement:

Drawing is the "lingua franca" of design. Without facility in this "language", the designer is limited to communicating like a baby with gurgles and grunts. Learning to draw is an on-going process, like learning to communicate in a language. The wider our vocabulary and the more facile our grammatical skills, the better we are at expressing ourselves and our ideas. A language cannot be learned by playing a tape recorder while we sleep. Learning a language requires a lot of unsexy memorization of grammar and vocabulary. Drawing cannot be learned by buying the materials and sitting passively in class. Learning to draw requires a lot of unsexy study and analysis of still life and figure drawing. Both skills involve a strong commitment and repeated practice by the student-- often in sessions which can feel difficult and very frustrating. In this class, we will try to improve your drawing "language" skills through studio projects and homework assignments which explore and practice the various techniques of drawing. As in learning a language, with drawing, you will get out of it, what you put into in. And if you put effort into it, you will be rewarded by having your designs "understood" and appreciated.

Course Requirements:

This course meets a maximum of ten times during the quarter. Therefore, prompt and regular attendance is important to your success in this course. Students will be assigned homework at the end of each class period, and they will be required to bring the homework assignments to the following class period for a group critique. Each student will submit a portfolio for evaluation on the final day of class. The portfolio should include all the in-class drawings done in for this class.

Grading and Evaluation:

You will be graded on the quality of your produced work, both in class and in homework projects, your participation and attendance in class, and your efforts to improve your skills in the "language" of drawing. Attendance in class is mandatory. If for some remarkable reason, you must miss class, you must notify the professor before the class. You will be required to do a comparable drawing outside of class and you will be responsible for that week’s homework assignment. Unexcused absences will lower your final grade significantly. Continued or excessive tardiness will also result in a lower grade.

--Nan Cibula-Jenkins, Room 315 Annex, Office # 773-539-2379; Home # 773-539-2379

Class Schedule:

Week 1 Light & Shadow *

(March 31) Studio: Warm-up Poses with Two Longer Poses of Nude Figure

Week 2 Light & Shadow using Grey or Black Paper*

(April 7) Studio: Gray Paper Tonal Studies of the Nude Figure

Week 3 Facial Studies *

(April 14) Studio: Clothed Model with emphasis on head and face

Homework: SB – Portrait of friend

Week 4 Texture Studies*

(April 21) Studio: Costumed Model

Homework: SB – Drawings of assigned textures

Week 5 Texture & Volume*

(April 28) Studio: Period Costumed Model

Week 6 Natural Forms/Watercolor Washes

(May 5) Studio: The Conservatory

Week 7 Landscape & Architecture

(May 12) Studio: Lincoln Park/Beach

Homework: SB – Building from life

Week 8 The Theatre Space (Architectural-Interior)

(May 19) Studio: Reskin Theatre

Homework: Drawing of your choice

Week 9 Studio: Movement and Activity

(May 26) Studio: The Zoo

Homework: SB -- Animal

Week 10 Exhibition of All Studio Work from Spring Quarter

(June 2) (Critique)

Drawing Pencils (soft B’s—from 2B through 6B)

Conte Crayon

Rotring Pen for Sketching or Drawing (or a pen with separate nibs)

Several sticks of graphite (6B or 4B)

Ebony Pencil

20x26 Drawing Board

Sketchbook (11x14 or 12 x 16)

Newsprint pad (18x24)

Drawing Paper Pad (18x24)

Grey Charcoal Papers (Ingres Brand is inexpensive) 4-5 sheets

Four Large Clips

Charkole (or soft-compressed charcoal)

Blackboard chalk (1 stick)

Plastic Eraser

Kneaded Eraser

Bottle of Black India Drawing Ink

Cotton Tipped swabs such as Q-tips

Soft Black Lithograph crayon

Cheap cardboard portfolio

Spray Fix

Box for supplies

Large wash watercolor brush (approx. size 12)

Watercolor tubes (cadium red, white, payne’s grey, cobalt blue, cadium yellow)

Bristol Board (1 or 2 sheets)

Most items are available at Pearl Paint, 225 W. Chicago, Chicago; at Sam Flax, 62 E. Randolph St., Chicago; at Goods Art Supply, Main St., Evanston (next to Vogue Fabrics) and Baraka, 2417 N. Western, Chicago.