For this week, by request, I would like you to choose a Movie Poster to inspire you to make a new piece that you are proud of.  You could choose one of the originals or explore some of the creative alternative posters that others have designed, or even create your very own new design for a favorite movie. Graphic artists use strong design principles like strong colors and simplified images to make an impactful poster that symbolizes the movie at a glance. Please use the vertical rectangular format and have fun. The possibilities are really endless.

Here is a video with a graphic designer giving some tips and ideas about strong poster design:

Here the same designer explores posters for the Marvel action movies :

Here is one more video that explores poster design ideas:

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Here is a short video that you can view in 360 degrees to experience a hot air balloon:

As a contrast to the Value portrait drawings from last week I wanted to open up the possibilities of imagination and color using Hot Air Balloons as the subject. For this week I would like you to use a rectangular or square format, and then choose perhaps one of the postcard inspired landscapes or cityscapes above, or create your own, and bright colors and patterns to depict one or more Hot Air Balloons in a playful composition that you are proud of. Think about what you have learned about warm and cool colors as well as complementary color schemes. You can use whatever color materials that you want or have around, mixed media, collage. Have fun and let your creativity be your guide!

Here is a link to an interactive Color Wheel it covers color theory and lets you choose different color combinations based on a chosen palette:

https://www.canva.com/colors/color-wheel/

For today I would like you to try drawing a favorite cartoon character in black and white using a pencil to create a range of values from light to dark.

This is a value scale from darkest to lightest:

Here is a video showing you how to draw a cute Bugs Bunny:

Here is another one for Pikachu:

Have fun and do your best!

For this week I would like you to choose an interesting face from a black and white photo to draw. Use what you have learned about using a full range of Values from light to dark and a pencil to create a portrait that you are proud of. Any human face that you want to try will work, for this first try you might want to choose a face that you are not too invested in like a celebrity so you don’t worry too much about making a perfect likeness. I’m most interested in you exploring the forms and features to create the illusion of volume by looking at the lights and shadows.

Here is a video we will watch in class on Tuesday about the basic proportions of the facial features for a man or a woman. There are links during the video that go further into detailed tutorials on drawing eyes or the nose if you want to explore those.

Here are some examples of B&W photos that would be good for this project.

It would be good to create a format that matches your photo in order to see the negative spaces. The drawing should be at least around 6″ on the longest side. Have fun and try your best! Be ready to show me the finished drawing next Monday.

I hope you all have been able to find your way to my art class blog by now. I will post projects here each week that you can try at home during our art class time or just for fun.

This week I thought we would have some fun with drawing shadows. If it is a sunny day you can do these outside. If it is too cloudy or you are stuck inside you can use a lamp or even the flashlight on a smart phone. Try choosing some of your favorite toys and trace the outline of the shadows. After that you could shade them in with your pencil or use colors to imagine any kind of landscape, background, or environment you want. Take your time and have some fun!

Here are some more hand shadows that you can practice and have fun with. Don’t forget to get outside and get some fresh air and exercise,and remember to be kind!

Here is a link to 8 great art museums you can tour virtually with your family on line:

https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/g31815495/museums-you-can-virtually-tour-right-now/

3rd Grade for Tuesday

For today I would like you to make a drawing based on Bluebonnets. You can use these images for inspiration or find your own on-line. If you have colors at home you are welcome to use those. Have Fun!

For this second week of remote art classes I thought we would explore some techniques for describing some basic forms with value and shading. For your assignment this week you will only need a pencil, white paper, and perhaps an eraser if you have one. When you are drawing or painting, you can make your work have the illusion of volume and depth by mastering the concept of using Value, which is defined as the relative lightness or darkness of a color. It is an important tool for the designer/artist, in the way that it defines form and creates spatial illusions. Contrast of value separates objects in space, while gradation of value suggests mass and contour of a surface.

Here is an example of a Value scale from dark to light:

I’m including a few videos that we will watch in class that go over the basics of drawing with a pencil and then using shading and value to describe some simple forms.

For your project this week I would like you to choose a coffee cup to draw using what you have learned about Value and shading. It would be best to draw one from real life if you have one around your house. You can light it from one side perhaps by using a lamp or even the flashlight from your cell phone. If you don’t have a coffee cup you surely find an image online or use one of these examples. Take your time and be ready to show me your finished drawing next Monday. Have fun and do your best!

Here is another video that covers drawing a coffee cup: