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Autumn Paige Today the class completed work on the Gradation Paintings. The objective was to explore the application of a value scale within design. Next week we will apply this concept to images addressing atmospheric perspective. The powerpoint presentation is on Canvas. Below is the original film still of Lon Chaney as "The Wolfman" and my demo. You may use a photo or create your own composition. Come to class with some ideas. I'll give detailed instructions next week.

Autumn- work in progress Today the class started work on Value paintings addressing Gradations: the smooth, gradual transition from light to dark. Students made simple designs with ten spaces for the ten tonalities of a value scale. We will continue working on these paintings Wednesday.

Paprika (work in progress) On Wednesday the class continued working on their atmospheric perspective paintings. We will critique these first thing on Monday before moving onto discussing COLOR. You will need black and white paint as well as primary red, yellow and blue.

On Monday the class began paintings employing the properties of atmospheric perspective. Using silhouettes, the paintings illustrate closed values addressing 10 different values; black, white and eight shades of gray. Somewhere in the design should be a value scale.

Dennis Ismena Sam Today was the last class session for working on the "Rhythm and Repetition" project. The three drawings above have distinctive characteristics. Dennis' drawing illustrates three-dimensional shapes packed into the space. In addition, he has included a number of textural areas. Ismena's drawing has a whirling pattern of pinwheel like shapes as well as a stacked quality of rectangular elements. Sam's drawing illustrates an overall pattern of six values with the addition of larger clusters forming oval shapes hovering within the mass.

Gabriela (work in progress) On Monday the classes finished their " Puzzle Parts " projects ending with a critique. On Wednesday we started our investigation into Value . The drawing above is an example of the first value project - Rhythm and Repetition . By tracing a stencil, students fill the paper overlapping and cropping the shape. A composition is then refined by erasing, moving and adding lines. Once the composition is  complete, flat, modulated and transparent values are subjectively applied to the shapes in a manner that establishes a value pattern through similarity .

Last Thursday and Monday the class worked on paintings with the objective of creating a three-dimensional sense of space. Students addressed and employed the Distal Cues to varying degrees. Jessica has created a beautifully crafted painting of a couple exiting a room and entering a deep, open landscape. The values and shapes are bold and well defined. She has skillfully balanced organic shapes against the stability of the vertical and horizontal shapes constructing the architecture. Kimberly has very effectively used value to create very stark and dramatic lighting conditions. The image is reminiscent of a snow covered landscape illuminated by a crisp winter moon. The values are rich and clearly defined. She too has used the Distal Cues with great effect.

Alex Austyn This week we began exploring Value . Drawing from a still life, the class made continuous line drawings creating compositions of enclosed positive and negative areas. These shapes were then filled with "closed values" of black, white and two shades of gray. The objective was to establish a rhythm and movement through similarity of value and shape.

Last Wednesday we critiqued the paintings addressing atmospheric perspective.  Katelynn has effectively used value to address the atmospheric perspective. In addition, her use of value is very complementary to the subject. The dark values in the ominous, tangled foreground of roots and trees provides the perfect exit into the more inviting space of lighter values spreading throughout the canyon. Katelynn Pizzio After the critique the class began their color wheels and sketches for color schemes.

Phillip Vidal On Tuesday, the class began working on their midterm project. This is a two part project. This first part was to draw at least (4) thumbnail sketches from various locations around and within the art building. Students were to observe the intersecting lines, patterns and textures of the architecture, landscape and the objects occupying those spaces. In addition, students tried to create images with varying degrees of value from mostly dark to mostly light as well as equally balanced light and dark areas.

Last Friday we began our investigation of the element Value . Value refers to the gradations between light and dark. Values may be used to render light, volume and textures. Value may also be used subjectively for dramatic effect or to strengthen a design. The project above was initiated by tracing two or three stencils over and over, layering and cropping creating a tangled web of lines. Next lines were erased, added and redirected in an effort to create new shapes within a balanced composition. The shapes and spaces were then filled with flat, modulated and transparent values using graphite pencils.

Cody Wilson Last Friday the class began addressing Value and Space. The painting above is an example of two-dimensional space. In 2-d space the pictorial depth is limited. Attention is place on the surface of the picture plane rather than creating the illusion of depth. Although unfinished, Cody's painting has addressed the four values of the project and established a rhythm between them. Notice how your eyes are lead from one shape of a particular value to the next. Remember that we look for similarity within shapes, values, colors, textures, etc.

James Christenson Last Friday we began our investigation of the art element VALUE . The objective was to create a continuous field composition applying values to the shapes according to the demands of the design. Each student started with 2 to 3 stencils that were traced to overlap and fill the page creating large and small shapes. Lines were then erased, added and moved to strengthen the composition. Although Jame's drawing is unfinished, you can see that he has already begun to balance the composition by applying similar tonalities across the paper. This will ensure a more balanced composition rather than if he had just started working across the paper left to right. *The class will next Friday's morning session to complete these drawings.

Brian Watts Yesterday students finished up their shallow space compositions and started a deep space or 3-dimensional space painting.  Unlike 2-dimensional or shallow space which concentrates on the surface, the elements within a deep space will appear to recede into the picture plane. Stronger contrasts in value will yield a deeper sense of space. In Brian's painting above, depth is achieved by the use of a gradation in the background as well as the size change of the cubes (bigger in the foreground, smaller in the background). Students will have the first hour of class to finish their paintings before the critique and we move onto COLOR .

Merrill Vargo Last Wednesday the class made value studies with the objective of creating a limited or shallow space. Shallow space compositions concentrate on the surface of the picture plane often flattening the elements. Notice in Merrill's painting above how the tonalities change in value as the shapes overlap and cross the composition. This allows the positive and negative areas to trade roles as well thus making the space ambiguous and flattened.

Ma Samson Students continued working on the R and R project for the first two hours of class. After a critique they did some touch up work before the lecture on Value and Space . In the last half hour, students started their designs for the Flattened Space painting. In the drawing above, Ma has created a space opening onto another like the parting of clouds revealing the blue sky behind. Her whimsical shapes suggest a playful, joyous and fantastical space complemented by her use of high key values.  Furthermore, the overlapping shapes, gradations and cast shadows create a sense of depth. Whereas, the flat, closed-values push back the negative areas adding a sense of transparency as well as clarity.

Kelly Sherwood Today students made line drawings with the intent of creating the illusion of space. The constraints were to use a specific number and type of shapes and render them with either vertical parallel lines or horizontal parallel lines. There are no outside contours rather the shapes are defined by continuous lines across the composition of varying values. So this project in Line is very much a project in Value as well. Kelly has very skillfully placed dark values in a manner that moves diagonally across the composition creating a dynamic as well spacious image. In addition, her treatment of overlapping shapes and transparency adds an extra level of visual interest. The inclusion of cast shadows has given the design a sense of light or time .