BREADTH PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENTS
Summer Homework: Complete 3 by the first day of school. May be done in any media.A Self Portrait Expressing a Mood - How can you use color to convey mood? What style will work best for you in this work? Do some research online or at a museum to see how different artists create self-portraits and what techniques and media they use. Consider an odd/extreme angle and/or the use of strong light/dark contrast to further express mood
A “Scape” Work - Find a place around your house or nearby where you think the setting would create a good piece of artwork. This can be a sea-scape, or land-scape, or city-scape, as long as as you are creating from direct observation. I do not want a traditional landscape. I DO want you to draw from an interesting perspective, change the colors around or otherwise re-create a traditional “scape” style on a new and interesting way.
Expressive Landscape - This can be near your home or a place you visit on vacation. Make every effort to work plein air — meaning drawing or painting outdoors. You will have better light and will be able to focus on the color you actually see.
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Draped Figure - Have a person (friend or family member) sit draped in clothing with lots of folds or draped lines. If you can’t find clothing like this, drape them in a bed sheet or thin blanket. The point is to show correct proportions of the figure and to carefully render the intricate folds of the fabric, showing how it drapes over the figure. Remember composition is important and you cannot ignore the background in this study.
A Drawing of an Unusual Interior - For example look inside a closet or cabinet, in the refrigerator, under the car’s hood or inside the medicine cabinet, or junk drawer.
Cafe Drawing - Go to a coffee shop or cafe to sit and sketch. In your drawing capture the essence of the place by capturing the people you see.
A Still Life Arrangement of Objects Representing Members of Your Family. A favorite pair of shoes, a toy, etc. You must have at least 3 objects and use an unusual viewpoint or angle.
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Action Portrait/Figure Drawing - Have a friend or family member pose for you doing some sort of movement (jumping rope, riding a bike, walking down stairs, etc) Capture the entire sequence of their action in one work. How will you portray moment in your work? Look at “Nude Descending Staircase” by Dada artist Marcel Duchamp to see an example of an action painting.
A Portrait with “Character” - Create a piece that involves a still life or room interior that describes the character of a particular person (real or imaginary) and show the person in the space you created. Include specifically select subjects: all objects must have a specific meaning to or for this character to be included. Use facial expression, color, objects, setting, lighting and other context cues to let the view know the viewer know the character of the person in your artwork. This does not have to be a traditional portrait and the more creative and unexpected the better.
Still Life Arrangement of 3 or more Reflective Objects - Your goal is to convey a convincing representation. Sketch and shade to show form, texture, contrast, and drama.
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Dissection - Do a study of an object that you have taken apart. Arrange the parts on a surface with other objects related or not related and study the TEXTURAL qualities. Some ideas would be a mechanical object, a child’s toy, a make-up bag, your bin of art supplies, ingredients for a cooking recipe, a few apples or other fruit cut up… anything were you are creating a still composition out of something that as been dissected or disassembled. This does not have to be boring. Put your own spin on it.
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*Remember that all these assignments are meant for you to interpret and make your own. There is no right and wrong way to compete these besides not thinking it through or not doing your best work. All work must be original. We will be critiquing these within the first week of school so be be prepared.
NOTE: If you attend an art class or workshop over the summer at a college, museum or arts center, you may submit art from these programs as your summer assignments.
NOTE: If you attend an art class or workshop over the summer at a college, museum or arts center, you may submit art from these programs as your summer assignments.