Syllabus ARTS 1316: Drawing Foundations Fall 2010 | 8.19.10-12.06.

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Professor Contact Information

Kristen Cochran, Office 2.116 | p.206.353.5332 | e.knc103020@utdallas.edu | w.kristencochran.com

Class Hours/Location
Monday 10:30am-1:15 pm, AS 1.118

Office Hours
Immediately after class or by appointment.

Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites and/or Restrictions

No Pre-requisites

COURSE DESCRIPTION

“Drawing: the act of making a mark by dragging a tool across a receptive background, usually a piece of
paper”, hardly conjures the impressions left us by the great masters such a da vince, Delocroix, or Rubens.
In this class we will investigate a variety of drawing techniques, drawing’s interpretive nature and the
potential uses implied by the language of drawing in both a contemporary as well as historical context.

This class will focus on the initiation and cultivation of the basic drawing skills used in achieving a visually
literate foundation in communicative and interpretive skills. This will include eye/ hand coordination skills,
rendering techniques, composition, drawing construction, proportion and perspective. We will integrate
this into the use and investigation of drawing schematically, metaphorically, descriptively, and
atmospherically.

This class invites the curious novice to explore the potential of this right brain approach to communicating.
Those seeking to advance their already developed drawing skills will be challenged to specific portfolio
projects.

STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES/OUTCOMES

1. Students will illustrate the practice of basic drawing skills and techniques including hand skills and
material use.

2. Students will identify drawing terms along with historic and contemporary artist references.

3. Students will engage in the interpretive concepts of realistic spatial development, eye hand coordination
and right brain analysis.

4. Students will evaluate drawings through critical dialogue both as a group and individually.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS / EVALUATION CRITERIA

Performance will be evaluated through attendance, effort in objective, level of individual improvement, level
of attention and care in class assignments, creative application and aptitude. Final grades will be assessed by
a cumulative portfolio review at the end of the semester.

This course may be taken on a credit/ no credit basis by non art and performance majors.
SUPPLIES/FEES

A $75.00 lab fee will provide the student with most of the necessary materials for this class. Class supply kits
are pre-made and can be purchased at Asel Art Supply (http://aselart.com/loc.html). Additional materials
may be required and will be announced in class as needed. Bring ALL of your supplies to every class. You
will be provided a large flat file drawer for your materials.

What’s in your Asel Kit:

1 Micron Pen: Black .45

1 Micron Pen Black .30
1 Micron Pen Blue .30
1 Roller Ball pen royal blue #37528
1 Roller Ball pen blue #38173
1 Roller Ball pen black #37321
1 Roller Ball pen white #37819
2 4" Foam Brushes
2 2" Foam Brushes
1 pack Princeton art and brush set #9144
1 oz Higgins Black permanent ink (with screw cap) #44041
1 60ml tube Titanium White Acrylic paint #2320644
2 Ebony Pencils #28449
1 Staedtler pencil sharpener #512081A6
5 General's charcoal pencils: HB, 2B, 4B, 6B, and White
1 pack thin vine charcoal
1/2 pack compressed charcoal sticks
1 each: Kimberly graphite pencils: 8B, 4B, 2B, HB, 4H, 8H
1 Cretacolor graphite lead stick soft
1 Cretacolor graphite lead stick medium
1 Cretacolor nero stick soft
1 Cretacolor nero stick medium
1 4B graphite stick #15-40-504
1 2B graphite stick (thick) #15-40-602
1 Woodless pencil Natural sepia #FA750.11
1 Woodless pencil brown #FA750.23
2 3" Bull dog clips
1 Staedtler plastic eraser
2 Prang small gum erasers
1 Mercur gray kneaded eraser
1 Strathmore 18x24" Drawing Pad
1 Biggie Drawing Pad 70lb 9"x11"
1 roll masking tape (3/4"?)

TEXTS
REQUIRED:
There is no required text. There will be selected readings, reserve book lists and handouts.

RECOMMENDED:
Drawing Essentials: A Guide to Drawing From Observation by Deborah Rockman: Paperback, 320 pgs.
ISBN-10: 0195314328 or ISBN-13: 978-0195314328
Vitamin D: New Perspective in Drawing by Emma Dexter: Hardcover 352 pgs. ISBN-10: 0714845450,
ISBN-13: 978-0714845456
Drawing Now: Eight Propositions by Laura Hoptman: Hardcover 192 pgs. ISBN-10: 0870703625, ISBN-13:
978-0870703621
The Drawing Book A Survey of Drawing: The Primary Means of Expression by Tania Kovats: Paperback 317
pgs. ISBN-10: 1904772811, ISBN-13: 978-1904772811

ATTENDANCE POLICY
Class attendance is mandatory. Attendance in a studio art course is essential, since most of the learning
takes place in class as you investigate and discuss concepts and skills with your instructor and classmates.

ABSENCES
After 3 unexcused absences, each additional absence will result in subtraction of a full letter grade. (i.e. If
you have an A in the course, your 4th absence would bring your grade from an A to a B. Your 5th absence
will bring your grade down to a C.) 6 unexcused absences results in automatic failure of the course – Grade
= F. If you will be absent from class, please contact me beforehand to discuss this via email, text or phone
call. Absences will only be excused when you provide a note from a doctor or from Campus Life.

TARDINESS
Punctuality is mandatory. Arriving to class 10 minutes or more late results in a tardy. Every 3 tardies will be
equivalent to a full class absence.

METHOD
This course will consist of in-class drawing, homework drawing assignments, group critiques, slide
presentations and readings.

HOMEWORK
In addition to in-class exercises and studies, students will be expected to complete weekly take-home
assignments based on the preliminary course schedule, and to be assigned each week. Bring your
completed homework assignment to the following class unless directed otherwise. Always sign your full
name on your work (you can do this on the back of your drawings if you’d like).

ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Use of electronic devices during class, including iPods and cell phones, is prohibited. Students who text or
answer calls during class will be required to leave for the remainder of class and this will count as a full
class absence. If you need to attend to an urgent matter that requires the use of your phone, come and talk to
me about it.

POLICIES
www.go.utdallas.edu/syllabus-policies

CLASS SCHEDULE
This schedule is subject to change

8.18.10 Class Introduction with Professor Metz. Supply list run-through and out-of class still life
drawing assigned.
8.30.10 Introduction with Professor Cochran
Flat file assignments
Syllabus, course expectations, supply review, vocabulary, turn in homework
In class: tomfoolery “signature”, gesture and blind contour: objects
 Homework 1: materials and objects
Create a series of small non-objective works exploring the physical properties and
expressive potential of your materials (see handout). Due 9.13.10.
Homework 2: Bring 3 “evocative objects” to class. These objects should be small to
medium-sized (hand-held), not precious but meaningful to you in some way.

9.6.10 NO CLASS, LABOR DAY HOLIDAY complete assignment 2 this week.

9.13.10 Review and turn in non-objective material studies, object contours and gesture studies.
In class: 1) introduction and slide review: drawing fundamentals: line, value, shape,
postive/negative space, composition, contour. Hand out Evocative Object reading due
9.20.10.
2) demo/make viewfinder
3) contour drawings from evocative objects: blind, sustained, various perspectives, etc.
Homework: Choose your most meaningful evocative object and draw it increased in scale
in your 18x24” Strathmore drawing pad. Use 3 mediums to create one large image of your
object on the same page. These are blind contours; do fuss over the product.

Three contour drawings in Biggie drawing pad: kitchen tool, lamp, your foot

9.20.10 In class: 1) Introduce view finder, picture plane, sighting, proportion, composition and
organization drawing.
2) still life: organizational line drawings: sighting, proportion, composition
Homework: Use your view finder to complete two 18x24” organizational drawings (and
complementary thumbnail sketches) of the same still life seen from two different
perspectives. Draw one in graphite and one in pen. Use 3-5 objects from home to make up
your still life.
Reading: TBD
Bring in 1 white or cream colored object.

9.27.10 In class: 1) Review composition, texture and value, slide review.

2) Value scale in pencil, value scale in charcoal, value scale in ink
3) Objects and their value: draw 4 value sketches of “still life in white”.
Homework: Value study: Choose one in class value sketch to make a larger18x24”
drawing focusing on composition, sighting and value.
Bring water container to next class.

10.04.10 In class: Still life: Focus on value and composition using ink. Complete 4 ink thumbnail
sketches and 1 18x24” drawing.
Homework: Finish in class ink value drawing. Using your in-class ink drawing, create three
new compositions by cropping the larger drawing with your viewfinder. Make 3 “close-up”
drawings on your 9x12” Biggie drawing pad. Choose your media.

10.11.10 In class: Critique I: DRAWING OBJECTS: materials, line, contour, value, proportion,
composition
Homework: Reading TBD.
Bring plant to next class.

(10.15. 10) Midterm grades

10. 18.10 In class: Introduction: Edge, positive form and negative space, slide review
Animate objects: Botanic still life: small studies
 Homework: 2 9x12 botanic drawings focusing on outlines and edges, 2 9x12 botanic still
life drawings focusing on positive and negative space using value. Choose strongest
drawing for next in class project.

10.25.10 In class: Work day. Create 1 large (30x40”) botanic drawing from homework sketches using
your choice of media. Focus on positive and negative space.
Homework: Complete large botanic drawing, bring cardboard to next class.

11.01.10 In class: Continue positive/negative space. Slide review. Find interesting compositional
solutions to plant still life.
Homework: Collage negative space drawings

11.08.10.1 Critique II: ANIMATE OBJECT Plant life: positive and negative spaces

11.15.10 In class: Introduce space, depth, one and two point perspective.
Create cardboard cubes. Exterior perspective drawings using cube still life.
Homework: Complete Exterior perspective, cube drawings.

11.22.10 In class: Introduce exterior perspective, room

Begin two point perspective room drawing.
Homework: Complete perspective room drawing.

11.29.10.1 In class: Introduce personal project parameters, slide review

Set up still life if necessary
Homework: personal project planning

12.06.10 In class: Work day: personal project

Homework: personal project

12.13.10 Final Critique: Personal project DATE /TIME TBD

ART related LINKS

http://www.pbs.org/art21/index.html
artruby.com
contemporaryartdaily.com
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/arts/
http://brooklynrail.org/
http://www.dallasmuseumofart.org/index.htm
http://www.nashersculpturecenter.org/
http://www.moma.org/
http://www.moca.org/
http://www.artinamericamagazine.com/
http://www.frieze.com/
http://artforum.com/
http://www.metmuseum.org/