I Love Typography II

Yesterday I told you I had to sing a song for our first assignment in Typography class. Yes, it's true. It was our professor's idea of an icebreaker. The assignment was about type interpretation. We had to chose some lyrics from a song and interpret them only with text. No pictures, shapes, or even colors. Just black text on white background. Seemed easy enough until she threw in the caveat that there could be nothing representational in the piece. No text in the shape of kitties, bunnies, sunsets, or palm trees. Oh, and we could only use one font. [correct me if I am wrong my graphic designer friends, if I remember correctly, the font family I used is myriad pro.]

So, where does the singing come in? We have class critiques for each assignment, and for this one, our very first, where we don't know each other yet, we had to stand in front of the class and sing our song while our work was projected on the board. I volunteered to go first just to get it over with. Something I never would have done 20+ years ago. I guess courage comes with age. Of course, I had to preface my presentation with, "I am not a singer." Thank God I did go first, too, because the girl that went right after me IS a singer, and she sang her own original song! That lady has chops. Of course, I should have known, most people chickened out and just read the lyrics. I thought you were supposed to be more adventurous in your youth? Wimpy kids. ha.

I chose my favorite song, Little Wing, by Jimi Hendrix. I think you may have heard of him before. ;)
If you don't know the song, or just love it like me, you can listen to it down below.

                                                                                                   
                                              

As a bonus, because I love the song so much, I felt like giving it my full interpretation. 

This is how it makes me feel. Thank you, Jimi.

I love Typography

I am taking a typography class and I have never worked so diligently in any class before. Well, that's not entirely true. I have worked hard in all (most) of my classes, but this is the first one that I really wanted to work so diligently in, actually losing all track of time. For instance, I was the last one in class last night, literally. The professor locked the door behind her and told me not to stay too long. ha.

And don't get me wrong, I love photography, and I love to do the work, but there is just something about typography that has always interested me, since the first time I took it, way back when we actually used pen and ink on actual paper. I think I loved it then because of the feel of the pen nib on the paper. I just love it. I can't really explain it, other than it feels so good to glide that pen across the paper. I'm sure it's the same feeling an artist has when gliding their brush across the canvas, or watercolor paper, etc.

Now we do our work on the computer, and I was kind of upset when I learned that we wouldn't be working by hand in this new typography class. After we started our first assignment, using adobe illustrator, I loved it. Our professor even mentioned how we are worlds away from what I remember, and it's much more freeing with computers. The sky's the limit. Whatever crazy idea you have, you can do it almost instantly, unlike with pen and ink. So, my disappointment didn't last long at all.

Our first assignment in class; sing a song. What? Yes. I had to sing a song. Stay tuned and I'll explain.

Shi's A Heartbreaker

I am now taking a video techniques class at school and below is my first assignment. We had to make a 30 or 60 second commercial. I chose my favorite perfume, Shi, by Alfred Sung.

Yes, the bottle is half empty. I said it was my favorite, didn't I? Sadly, I somehow left it at the park and when my actress and I went back the next day to get more shots, it was gone. If I smell it on anyone there in the future, I'll know at least it found a happy home. 

The song in the commercial is The Golden Age by Beck from probably one of my favorite albums of his, Sea Change.

Wet 'n' Wild

I have a bit of catching up to do on posting work from drawing class but I just wanted to get this one posted right now.

I love, love, love working with ink and we learned a new technique last week. I really wish our teacher showed us this technique last semester because I would have used it in my final project.

It's called "wet in wet" and you first wet the area you are working on with a paint brush loaded with water. Then you dip the brush in the tiniest amount of ink and dab it into the wet paper and watch as the paper sucks it up and spreads it across the wetted surface. It's the coolest thing ever and easily my favorite of all our assignments.

The still life above is the second one I did. The first one I did is still at school. We get to display them in a showcase in the hallway for a couple of weeks. This one is my favorite, though. We each had to pick our own subjects to drawn and after I picked the rose I had second thoughts. But now I'm glad I did. I love it. I'm not even done with it but wanted to show you. I have to add more of a shadow to the right of the little cup.

I also wanted to show you a very cool example of the process. Our teacher sent this video she found on youtube. He's using some kind of water bottle, but it's the same basic technique:

Drawn To You

Here are some pen and ink plant studies from my drawing 1 class.

Here is my final project I talked about in a previous post.

click images for larger view

If you remember, we had to create a creature of land, sea or air from our imagination using plants as the texture for the creatures skin/body as well as to include an anatomical bone somewhere in it. Don't ask me what the names are of the plants I used. I only know that one of them is a gingko (if you can find it). And the bone is the coccyx. I can't help it. I find humor in that bone, because I've fallen on it a lot in life, I guess.

My teacher seemed to like, what I will refer to as, "The EYE". She asked what my thought process was for it. Long story short, I wanted a winged creature coming out of a picture frame which was floating above the ocean, but in the end it kind of morphed into this all-seeing eye rising from the sea.

Here is my initial sketch where the idea of the picture frame might be a bit more apparent...or not.

See, the waves are coming out of the frame, which is blank, because I was basically stuck for an idea. I guess I'm not a natural in the creature department. Backgrounds don't seem to be a problem, though. =)

After all that, I am happy to report that I received an "A" in the class and I can't wait for drawing 2 next semester.

Drawing To A Close

The semester is just about over. I have to study for my final exam in Public Speaking, which is Monday. I've never been so happy to be finished with a class.

Now, for my drawing class? I was sad that class had to end. BUT. I'll be happily returning to the same disheveled art room in January for Drawing 2.

Here are some of the figure studies I did.

These are all the demure poses. You can go to my flickr page to see some full monty's.

Pen & Ink, I Think I've Found True Love

Last week we started working with Pen & Ink. What a way to end the semester. This is by far my favorite medium for drawing. Here are a few of the drawings I did last night. The Jug and book were drawn from a handout we were given. Do you know what the other two are? No, they are not chickens or insects. They are two different views of a vertebra from some animal. Which animal, I do not know. I forgot what the professor said. I should have taken a picture of it. It's pretty small, about 2-3 inches. I tried a quick search on-line, but couldn't find it. If anyone can figure it out, let me know.

Our final exam project is to create a new creature of land or sea in pen & ink using only plant life (leaves, branches, flowers, etc.) as the texture of its outer layers. We also have to insert a protruding bone somewhere.

Interesting? Confusing? Scary? Maybe a little. I already have a background in mind for my creature. Now I just have to search my imagination to create this strange new species. Some no-no's were: NO Fairies (sorry Maria). NO Angels. NO mermaids. And most importantly, NO "cute". 

We have until the end of the semester to finish it. We saw a slide show last night of previous student work with examples of what she does and doesn't want. This is going to be fun.

Sorry for the crappy cell phone pics, Dee. ;)

What's New?

What's new with me? I bought a condo, that's one thing. I am so excited to decorate a place of my very own. There are mounds of boxes to be unpacked, but first I have certain tasks to be completed. Last night I made a mess in the kitchen. Can you guess what's going on in the picture above? If not, I'll be talking more about it at a later date.

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For now, let's talk about Drawing class. I have quite a few drawings to post but first, let's see what I walked into last Thursday night.

These two young men in my class felt compelled to make an art installation with our easels, making them look to me like they are marching in a circle. Please excuse the fuzzy picture, as I was laughing while snapping the camera phone. They are looking pretty serious in the picture, but really, they were anything but.

I was so taken by the "easel cages" that I didn't even notice the stools and tables all lined up around the room.  Usually, the floor is never even visible in this room, as it is a jumble of easels, stools, and tables.

Here the guys become part of the installation.

See? Isn't art fun?

self portrait II

Yesterday we did another self portrait (No, I didn't get a haircut. My hair was up in a clip).

This time we used the reductive process. Using an x-acto knife or scissors, we scraped charcoal onto the surface of the paper and spread it around with a cloth. Then, we used an eraser to create the highlighted areas of our face and went back in with charcoal for the shadows and white conte crayon to add back the brightest highlights. It's harder to get as much detail this way, but I really enjoyed the process.

The bottom right grayish area is what the charcoal first looks like when you spread it on. I really like the eraser marks all around the outline of my head. It looks like an etching. Well, I guess it is etching in a way.

self portrait

No, this is definitely not the skeleton picture I was supposed to post Friday. That crappy cell phone picture really came out bad, so you'll just have to look at my crappy cell phone picture of a self portrait for now.

Those of you that don't know me will just have to trust me when I say that everyone in class said it looks just like me. And it's probably pretty fitting for Halloween right now with that scary look on my face. ;)

Skeletal

Here is my attempt at drawing a Skeleton. It was not fun at all. Too complicated trying to get every bone in the right place. But then, I bet if I didn't try so hard, it wouldn't even matter. Would it?

No Bones About It

We had to draw this young lady last night. I will post my feeble attempt later tonight.

If anyone noticed, I haven't posted a drawing in a while. The last few classes were all about 1 point and 2 point perspective, vanishing points, horizon lines, etc. Pretty cool stuff that I remember from 20 years ago. It is relatively easy stuff. Then, Tuesday night we had to draw several boxes on a table. Of course, you can't use the perspective you learned, because your vanishing points would be way off the page, so you basically have to wing it. Who knew drawing boxes would be so difficult? You draw a bottle and no one really notices right away if it's off a little, but with a box, it's instantly apparent when something's not right. It was a frustrating night.  At least it was for me. So far that was my least favorite day in class.

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Foo's random curiosities: Why is it that we call it Northern Virginia and they call it Upstate New York? Upstate Virginia? Northern New York? Doesn't sound right, does it?

Back To School: Charcoal Still Life

Today's drawing:

pencil on drawing paper (click on image for larger view)

Class Critique

Back for more Drawing class.

I really would like to take a picture of everyone's individual work. I love the point in class, after about 2 hours of drawing, that we put them all together for a critique.  It's pretty amazing to see things from everyone elses perspective.

Teacher said my objects are slightly leaning to one side. Also, she said the draping was really nice on the lower left and then she said, "As I walk up to it, I lose it." Meaning, everything falls apart? It stinks? Who knows. I figure I'm more impressionistic in my attack. Meaning, it's a mess up close, but if you stand back? Not too bad. And if you take a cell phone picture? Even better. I have no idea why my coffee cup is so much taller than the real one, though. hm. Teacher didn't even mention that.

charcoal/white conte crayon on drawing paper

*click on pictures for larger views

More Drapery

We were "drawing the drapes" again last night. (No Mom, this is not a t-shirt.)

I was not feeling it this time either, but I try not to think about it too much anymore and just jump right in and get busy. I must say, it actually looks pretty good in a cell phone picture. It's a nice little mess in real life, though. There is one young lady in my class who's style I love and she is so hard on herself; the sign of a great talent if you ask me. It's usually the ones that think they are good, who in reality suck. ha.

charcoal/white conte crayon on drawing paper

Draw the drapes Amelia Bedilia!

For those that need an Amelia Bedelia refresher, she's the "literal-minded housekeeper".

I was not feeling this assignment when we began tonight, but once I stepped back from the drawing (2 solid hours later), it actually looked pretty good. This drawing was with pencil. We get to draw it with charcoal next class. Man that stuff is messy. One girl in my class said she wraps her charcoal up with a piece of cloth. No way I could do that. But then, she has a light touch...unlike me.

Feels good to be creative.

I'm a student again. This time it's for real. I've taken a course here and there in the past couple of years after receiving an associates degree in Commercial Art in ninetee-{cough,mumble,cough}-inety three, but now it's with the intention of boosting my not so great GPA. I have hopes of (dreams of) going to a university. What do I want to take there? My mind goes from one subject to the next. Film, fine arts, theatre, computer arts. I can't decide. I'm just going to take classes that I love (and those that I need, i.e. the speech class) and have faith that one thing will lead to another and a path will open up before me. 

I'd like to share what I'm learning (and loving) in Drawing class. It feels really good to be creative again and to realize how much more fun it is to draw now than the first time around. Now, I am not so uptight about the fact that I'm not perfect at it. I'm just doing my best, which, I must say, is better than I thought I was capable.