Introduction to Portraiture (Spring)

The aim of this course is to instill in students both respect for the creation and reverence for the Creator while learning the methods and techniques of portraiture and figure drawing. Students will learn to create impactful portraiture in a variety of methods and mediums. Students will begin by learning foundational anatomy, such as the skeletal and musculature systems, in order to ground their skills in accuracy. While exploring figurative work, students will learn how to create expressive and dynamic forms through gestural mark-making.

In this course, we will approach drawing our fellow men with a sense of wonder for God’s creation and a recognition that all persons are made in the image of God and are fearfully and wonderfully made. We will be continually informed in our studio practice by the Scriptures as well as texts such as The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis. While learning to appreciate and render the human form, we will continually discuss what it means to be made in the image of God and acknowledge that we are more than simply the bodies that we possess—we have eternal souls.

Through demonstrations, personal instruction, and exercises, students will explore different subjects/compositions, textures, papers, and application techniques suitable for each unique medium.

Students will be encouraged to practice exercises taught in class and may need to work outside of class to complete projects.

Along with hands-on studio work, students will participate in regular class critiques, creating a forum for the group to constructively collaborate and discuss creative outcomes. Individual artist statements will be required with most finished pieces of work, giving students another opportunity to articulate their interpretive intent and their understanding of process and design concepts.

Students can also expect ongoing dialogues about the rich history of classical portraiture and figure drawing, contemporary portraiture, Christian imagination in relationship to faith and the arts, and the role of the arts in the Church. This course is supplemented by daily readings and reflections on art and faith by authors such as C.S. Lewis, Francis Shaffer, Pope John Paul II, and Makoto Fujimura, which will be provided by the instructor. The hope of the instructor is that, through engagement in the class, students will be brought to a deeper appreciation of the visual world and the creative love of its Maker.

Syllabus

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For each skill instructors have determined whether it is a prerequisite skill or a skill to be developed throughout the course. For lower school, instructors indicate where parent support is expected.

With Parent Support: Skills that most lower school students will need help with.
Developing: Skills that the instructor will help develop and emphasize throughout the year.
Mastered: Prerequisite skills that the instructor is expecting students to possess.

Canvas

Mastered

Be able to manage Canvas assignments and submissions (view assignments, check for teacher messages, submit homework as pdf file, submit revisions if necessary, set Canvas notifications for the class, view class notifications when posted, etc.).
Be able to set notifications settings to alert the student of class announcements, homework assignments, due dates, instructor comments made on assignments, instructor comments made on individual student submissions, instructor comments made on graded items, etc.
Be able to review notifications ongoing throughout the year; notifications which include: class announcements, homework assignments, due dates, instructor comments made on assignments, instructor comments made on individual student submissions, instructor comments made on graded items, etc.
Be able to respectfully and wisely engage with other students and the instructor on Canvas discussion boards.
Be able to respectfully, wisely and formally engage with instructor through private Canvas messaging.
Be responsible for reviewing teacher feedback, suggestions and comments about student work and employing that feedback as necessary.

Writing

Developing

Be able to self-edit written submissions for grammar and spelling mistakes.
Be able to build well organized paragraphs which employ (among other skills) topic sentences, transition sentences, clear linear thinking throughout the essay.

Mastered

Be able to write sentences with basic sentence syntax (i.e. capitalization of first word in a sentence, punctuation at the end of each sentence, space between sentences, capitalization of proper nouns, each sentence having a subject and predicate, etc.).
Be able to spell at grade level and employ course vocabulary cumulatively throughout the course.
Be able to employ the feedback of the instructor into future edits and submissions of the assignment.

Typing

Developing

Be able to type paragraph essays (short essays, and 5 or more page essays).

Mastered

Be able to type short answers in complete sentences.

In-Class

Developing

Follow class discussions and seminar conversations to record notes without the instructor identifying specifics.
Be prepared to generate thoughtful questions to enhance the class discussion, to identify areas needing clarification, and to make valuable connections with other course content.

Mastered

Be prepared to thoughtfully answer questions when called on in a group setting, during class.
Be prepared to volunteer thoughtful comments, answers and ideas in a group setting, during class.

Study

Developing

Understand the difference between assignments given by an instructor and the necessary and independently initiated need for private study of material.
Be able to schedule and manage multiple projects from multiple instructors and courses.
Be able to schedule time outside of class to complete independent review of materials.

Required Course Materials:*

Any kind of sketchbook (minimum size 8″x10″): We will use these for exercises. If you already have one that you use, that will do!
Pad of 11″x14″ white drawing paper (50–80 lb. medium surface), 24 sheets, any brand
Pad of Newsprint Paper 14″x11″, we will use this for exercises each class period
Toned drawing paper, 11″x14″, colors are individual choice
Set of colored pencils, 30 count at least, Prismacolor, Staedtler, or Arteza recommended
Set of Black, White Bistre and Sanguine Conte Crayons
Set of Graphite Pencils (with various degrees of hardness). If you already have drawing pencils that you use, that will do!

Additional Materials (optional)

India ink and brushes
Set of charcoal pencils/sticks

* Required materials not included with course enrollment

Computer: You will need a stable, reliable computer, running with a processor with a speed of 1 GHz or better on one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X with Mac OS 10.7 or later; Windows 8, 7, Vista (with SP1 or later), or XP (with SP3 or later). We do not recommend using an iPad or other tablet for joining classes. An inexpensive laptop or netbook would be much better solutions, as they enable you to plug an Ethernet cable directly into your computer. Please note that Chromebooks are allowed but not preferred, as they do not support certain features of the Zoom video conference software such as breakout sessions and annotation, which may be used by our teachers for class activities.

High-Speed Internet Connection: You will also need access to high-speed Internet, preferably accessible via Ethernet cable right into your computer. Using Wi-Fi may work, but will not guarantee you the optimal use of your bandwidth. The faster your Internet, the better. We recommend using a connection with a download/upload speed of 5/1 Mbps or better. You can test your Internet connection here.

Webcam: You may use an external webcam or one that is built in to the computer. Webcam Recommendations: Good (PC only) | Best (Mac and PC)

Headset: We recommend using a headset rather than a built-in microphone and speakers. Using a headset reduces the level of background noise heard by the entire class. Headset Recommendations: USB | 3.5mm

Zoom: We use a web conferencing software called Zoom for our classes, which enables students and teachers to gather from around the globe face to face in real time. Zoom is free to download and easy to use. To download Zoom:

Visit zoom.us/download.
Click to download the first option listed, Zoom Client for Meetings.
Open and run the installer on your computer.
In August, students will be provided with instructions and a link for joining their particular class.

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