Art 60, Fall 2006
Figure ground exercises:
Exercises are to be kept in your notebook along with studies and notes from readings, critiques, and personal observations. Bear in mind that your paper is going to be punched along one side to fit into a three ring binder. For all of theses exercises should be positioned slightly to the right. Assume that the left one half inch is devoted to holes and that the visual center of your page lies 4 ½ inches to the right of the left edge.
Similarly, you should place the image a bit above center. The image should be centered on a point ¼ inch above the center of the page.
Since you are cutting down a larger page to 8 ½ x 11 there will be scraps of Bristol paper left over. These scraps should be cut into 11 inch strips that can be used for notes by punching them and inserting them in front of the related images. You are free to invent other solutions for notes and end of the semester presentations.
Adobe software has elected to reverse the museum system of measuring height and width. We will use standard procedures and present vertical dimensions first and horizontal second. Thus, a 5x4 inch rectangle is vertically oriented. A 10x 14 ¼ rectangle is horizontal.
Discussion relevant to this exercise is on reserve in both books and electronic form. The language used in “Language of Vision” by Gyorgy Kepes has been reiterated in later books. Nathan Goldstein’s “Responsive Drawing” covers the same material but costs too much for this class.
Figure/Ground Balance:
Exercise 1: Establish (outline) a 5 x 4 inch rectangle as described above on an 11 x 8 ½ page of Bristol paper. We will cover the area outside of this rectangle with brown paper during critiques. Within this rectangle place another rectangle and fill it with black gouache. Your goal is to create an interesting arrangement that has a specified character. The black is to apparently cover half of the outlined format. Be able to describe the image as static or kinetic and why that is so.
Materials: Bristol paper, ruling pen, brush, and black gouache.
Evaluation is to be based on the following questions:
Does the black appear to occupy half of the surface?
Is the rectangle placed in an interesting position? Why?
Is the image well executed? (Paint is to be flat and edges are to be clean.)
Exercise 2: Create a second 5 x 4 inch rectangle. In this rectangle place two rectangles so that they appear to occupy half of the overall surface. Note that the “ground” may be either black or white.
Evaluation is to include the characteristics above and:
Is the simplest interpretation “two-rectangles” or are there competing forms?
Materials: Bristol paper, ruling pen, brush, and black gouache.
Exercise 3: Outline a 7 x 6 inch rectangle. In this format place four rectangles in an interesting way. Rectangles may be “implied” by closure but should be easily understood as the simplest solution. Extraneous forms should not compete with the four used for the assignment.
Materials: Bristol paper, ruling pen, brush, and black gouache.
Evaluation same as above.
Exercise 4
Part A:Practice on scrap Bristol paper or other surface. Using a charcoal pencil (HB or 2B,) create a light tone by grazing the surface of the paper gradually change this tone until you have a “50%” tone at one end and a very light tone at the other. You may use a copier to enlarge or reduce these areas of tone later. Create a rectangle that is 8 x 5 inches and ranges from one tone to another. Collaborate with you classmates so “gradients “run in different directions from student to student. (DO NOT SMUDGE…SPRAY FIX.)
Part B: on a second piece of Bristol, mark another 8x 5 rectangle. Using softer charcoal (CharKole or 4B-6B pencil) fill and smudge the rectangle. Use a kneaded eraser to remove charcoal and create a “gradient.” Apply Fixative to this tone and (once dry) repair any “defects.” Fix again. (Discuss smudged versus un-smudged tones.)
Part C: Make copies of these drawn tones and cut rectangles from the copies to assemble 3 compositions similar to the earlier ones composed of rectangles.
Glue these copied textures to heavier paper such as Bristol.
Use spray fix outside or in well ventilated areas…be considerate of others.