Syllabus

 

Life Drawing I, Arts 2323

Class Number 56870

Tuesday, Thursday 1PM – 4PM

Stafford Center

Instructor:  Steven Potter

Phone (713) 718-7700

e-mail: steven.potter@hccs.edu

Office Hours: Tuesday 11 AM to 1 PM and Thursday 4 PM to 6 PM

In office in building ‘F’ at Cash Rd. campus, before and after class, or arrange online office visit on class website

 

Catalog Description

Life drawing is a drawing course focusing on the human form. Various media and techniques will be explored while drawing from a live model. 3 credit (2 lecture, 4 lab)

 

Course Purpose

To introduce students to the observation techniques required in drawing from life. This course will concentrate on developing the student's ability to analyze proportion and volume relationships while capturing the sense of life or vitality of the human form. The exploration of various media will be an important segment of the learning process. This course will examine the interdependence of the medium and image.

 

Description of Course Content

The major drawing techniques such as blind contour, mass-line gesture, scribble gesture, structural and calligraphic studies, and sustained chiaroscuro studies will be taught and explores. Emphasis will be placed on observation techniques to enhance accurate placement and proportion of form. The student will experiment with diverse media which may include graphite, Conte, charcoal, pastel, as well as fluid media such as ink and watercolor on a variety of surfaces. Class time might include lectures, demonstrations, slide presentations, studio work, field trips, and critiques. Instruction will include discussions of anatomical structure and relationship between form and movement. The student will explore figure-ground relationships in order to develop an awareness of effective composition. While analysis, technique, and medium exploration are being stressed, the student will be encouraged to develop the expressive content of mark making.

 

Textbooks

None: the instructor will supply Some Xerox materials.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Objectives and Requirements

By the end of the semester, the student who passes with a final grade of "C" or above will have demonstrated the ability to:

 

*Complete and comprehend the objectives of all graded assignments

*Attend class regularly, missing no more than 12.5% of instruction (12 hours)

*Arrive at class promptly and with the required supplies for that day's session

*Participate in the shared responsibilities for studio cleanup

*Exhibit safe studio practices and habits

*Be prepared for and anticipate in class critiques

*Complete a minimum of 1000 words in a combination of writing assignments and / or projects

 *Demonstrate the ability to present works of exhibition quality

 *Create a series of drawings from the model that show an understanding of figure proportion

 *Place the figure in a variety of effective compositions

 *Create effective figure-ground relationships

 *Use a variety of media to portray the expression of the pose

 

 

Special  Needs

 

Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning,
psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable
accommodations must contact the Disability Services Office at the
respective college at the beginning of each semester. Faculty is
authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the
Disability Support Services Office. If you have any questions, please
contact Dr. Becky Hauri, Disability Counselor for the Southwest College, at

713-718-7909.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weekly Calendar

 

Week       Material to be covered

 

1.  Orientation, materials list, grading policies, syllabus

 

2. Studio work

 

3. Studio work

 

4. Critique 1, Studio work

 

5. Studio work

 

6. Studio work

 

7. Critique 2, Studio work

 

8. Studio work

 

9. Studio work

 

10. Critique 3, Studio work

 

11. Studio work

 

12. Student show preparation, studio work

 

13. Studio work

 

14. Studio Work

 

15. Studio Work

 

16. Final critique and comprehensive cleanup