So I find this weeks discussion topic REALLY interesting and I want to know other people's opinon on the topic of finding a balance between realistic technical sketching and self-expression. This is something I think a lot about and really struggle with when I make lesson plans. I know from personal experience as a student that I would get really frusterated when I had an idea in my head of a good sketch but did not have the techniqual skills to execute it in a way that gave the idea any justice. So I have always wondered the best way to balance these to subjects.
I have never liked the traditional techniqual drawing assignments. I have always found them boring and impersonal but I understand their importance. I think in my classes I will definitly assign things like value sketches and skill lives but with things that are important to them. For example, in the book Ordinary to Extraordinary they show a lesson about making a small still life of objects that are meaningful to them. I feel like students would find more pride in bringing home this types of working and finding them relfective.
I also think it's important to build on the student's skills. I would think that it would be very benefical to the students to begin the semester in more skill-based lessons like the still lives and then move towards something more expressive as the year goes on. Another way you could balance skill and expression would be to have skill-based sketchbook assignments for homework and then work on more expressive works in class. With this however, you would have to still designate classroom time for instruction on the techniqcal skills. Because the truth is that although the skill-based stuff is boring it is VERY important to improvement and getting to the point where you can express yourself accurately.
John Singer Sargent is my personal favorite sketch artist. There is so much depth and emotion is his sketches. I love his use of tone and the line quality is really expressive. This one is my absolute favortie:
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I LOVE THAT DRAWING! and love your post
ReplyDeleteI was thinking something similiar and I know we did this a lot was putting emphasis on skill and practice techniques in our sketch books and using those skills in a grander project. That whats sketch books are for, to practice. Good idea.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you it's not always easy to bring excitement into the same old techniques. But we do need to address them, but I think you brought up a good point. Allowing students to bring in their own items for a still life or letting them pick a picture to draw a face from would be great. They like what they are drawing and therefore their emotions will be involved. I think we all struggle with this issue so dont feel alone.
ReplyDeleteI agree too, that more traditional drawing techniques that art students should learn can be quiet boring and not really meaningful to students but like you also said its important to learn these skills. I know in chapter three of From Ordinary to Extraordinary, they have some really good drawing lessons that incorporate perspective, value, still life while still making the lessons challenging and personal.
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