11/25/2013

Beginning Drawing

-Consider holding individual conferences with students after they submit drawings to discuss their grades (beyond the typed feedback / rubric / group critique). Students could even “sign up” for a time slot.

Introduction to Printmaking

-Individual conferences (see “Beginning Drawing” section)

-Scheduling the second to last critique as an individual critique that coincides with an individual conference regarding the final project is the way to go. Students get more attention from me regarding previous work, and we can plan for the final project.

2D Foundations

-I introduced the final project before concluding the current project (which isn’t weighted heavier than previous projects, as is the case in other classes - the final project in 2D is simply the last project). Given the fact we lost a day for the visiting artist as well as student conferences, the students were at varying places in the current project. Some of theme needed more time for the current project while others could use the time to get started on the final project. I don’t know if it’s the way to go for the final 2D project in every circumstance, but it’s a good strategy for such scheduling challenges (in any class).

General Art History

-Due to time constraints, I may eliminate one chapter (chapter 20). I did this in the face-to-face version of this class in the spring as well. In the future, I would prefer not to do this.

General Art

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11/19/2013

Beginning Drawing

-I think allowing students an extra week on the final project will be useful for them. They can still develop drawing for their in-class portfolio (if need be), but they can also invest more into the final project.

Introduction to Printmaking

-It seems as though the solar plates we currently have are better suited to “relief” etching. The thick level of emulsion is a key indicator. I didn’t see a different product on the site, however, Ron indicated there might be.

2D Foundations

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General Art History

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General Art

-A student recommended I conduct collaborative demonstrations in the sense that students create as I create (They bind a book as I bind a book, they work with a material as I work with a material, etc.).

-The Premo Sculpey is VERY hard. It can be worked (conditioned), however, I should warn students before they buy. It might actually work best in a reductive manner.

-For the Sculpey demo it was good to bring Sculpey at different states (baked and soft). As a reminder, you showed the following: Slab construction, additive building, reductive carving, armature (wire / Aluminum foil), sanding, and painting (including tape masking). Bring a wax paper sheet next time.

11/11/2013

Beginning Drawing

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Introduction to Printmaking

-REALLY stress paper size in terms of registering paper for the multiple color linoleum block printing. Paper NEEDS to be the same size (some students are printing on non-rectangular sheets of paper

-Instill a greater sense of editioning and paper size throughout the semester. Students generally tear their paper much too small.

-Sharpie from preliminary drawings on linoleum blocks transfer. Recommend students wash thoroughly before printing. Perhaps a pencil drawing is better.

-Don’t soak paper before printing linoleum blocks. Soaking helps transfer the ink, however, it also resizes the paper (which negatively impacts the registration system)

-Dark transparencies need a longer exposure / Lighter transparencies need a shorter exposure

2D Foundations

-I probably tried to cram too much into the first day of Logo Mojo (technical presentation, concept presentation, technical demo, and brainstorm may be too much). Consider starting with the brainstorm first. I ran out of time, and it was rushed and not nearly as effective as in the past. That way, if we run out of time, I can simply skip the technical presentation (and still do the technical demonstration).

General Art History

-For the weeks of the Unit #2 and Unit #3 Tests it has worked well to simply allow students to study and take the test. Previously, I have assigned a “Sketchbook Assignment” as well as  “Discussion Thread.” There are plenty of weeks in the semester to get through those assignments / threads. No need to pile on the week of a test.

General Art

-For the fabric project, show needle felting too.

-Consider structuring the class in a way in which you give the assignment the week before so student can not only bring in materials pertaining to the project, but bring in SPECIFIC materials for their ideas. This is especially relevant to the fabric proejct. It is all well and good for them to bring in fabric – however, once they know what their idea is they will need specific fabric for their specific idea.

11/4/2013

Beginning Drawing

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Introduction to Printmaking

-Solar plates can be a challenge. Ron has indicated their exposure / development has varied from semester to semester. “Printmaking in the Sun” (Dan Welden) is a useful reference text that essentially serves as an instruction manual. Even as I showed students transparencies, plates, and prints – there was great confusion about the process. The major issue seemed to be that students didn’t realize there was an exposure component AND a development component (so many questions came after the exposure discussion that students didn’t realize there was another step that visibly / physically changes the plate). Give students 2 plates to work with (a 5X7 inch plate costs $10). Group this with the relief project and give students 2 linoleum blocks to work with as well. Here are a couple thoughts on solar plates:

-Transparencies need to be much, much, much lighter in value than you would think (based on experience with any other photochemical process).

-Open biting occurs when an area on the image you wish to be black is exposed and reveals a recessed open space that won’t hold ink (and therefore prints white). Texture is required to make it print black. Therefore the “double” exposure (1) one minute for a halftone / texture directly on the plate 2) second exposure for image) is required. This is also why transparencies need to be light in value.

-In a transparency, the image area blocks light, dissolves in solvent (water), creates texture, and prints darker.

-In a transparency, the negative area receives light, hardens, remains after the solvent application, remains smooth, and holds less ink.

-There is both a “relief” exposure / development and an “intaglio” exposure / development. The intaglio method is more akin to other photo-printmaking techniques. The “relief” exposure essentially creates a negative of the transparency. The dark areas in a transparency rinse away in the developer, creating recessed areas in the plate that don’t print. The areas that remain are rolled with ink and print.

2D Foundations

-Students had mixed results painting their forms directly for the “Not Another Color Wheel” project (as opposed to painting color swatches and cutting shapes from them). The advantage is that it’s more direct. The disadvantage is the technical objectives suffer (opacity, homogenous mixtures, etc.).

General Art History

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General Art

-Showing one stitch and one book form was an effective use of time. Consider creating a presentation with a number of other book forms. I think there would have been enough time to create paste paper in class as well. Consider purchasing a class set of sewing needles and threads / ribbon.