Drawing Fundamentals

Program Term 3 2024

7 WEEK PROGRAM

Starting with Hands and faces we will be honing our observation skills as we investigate structure and proportions and develop our drawing language for translating a 3 dimensional subject onto a 2 dimensional surface. We will look at how other artists have done this. We will explore self-portraiture and finish with observing nature.

WEEK 1
My Other Hand: after Albrecht Durer

Albrecht Durer was a German artist credited with bringing ideas of the Italian Renaissance to northern Europe. He was constant explorer of his world through drawing. One series of drawings shows his investigation of his left hand. Using pencil and pen we will draw our own non dominant hand in a variety of poses and gestures considering positive and negative space.

WEEK 2
Heads and Faces I: The Skull

We will draw the skull from a clay model. We will also investigate drawings by various artists to understand development of volume and form on a 2 dimensional surface.

WEEK 3
Heads and Faces II: The Portrait Bust and Donatello

Turning our attention to heads and faces we will learn about structure and proportions as we draw, with pencil and charcoal, the resident Donatello cast sculpture of Niccolo da Uzzano.

WEEK 4
Heads and Faces III: Self Portrait

Following on from last week we will observe our own faces and draw a self-portrait. We will consider the self-portraits drawn by other artists such as Durer, Rembrandt, Leonardo Da Vinci and Egon Schiele. We will experiment with various media.

WEEK 5
Wildflowers after Cressida Campbell

We will look at the work of prodigious Australian artist Cressida Campbell, particularly her drawings and prints of Australian wildflowers. This week we will draw wildflowers using various media and use wax resist to create unique compositions.

WEEK 6
A bushwalk I

Over 2 weeks we will draw nature. We will work from objects collected from a bushwalk: leaves, bark, branches, flowers, cones and nuts [you are welcome to bring in some natural objects if desired]. We will carefully observe the overall structure as well as texture and patterns of these forms from nature to create drawings and rubbings using various media.

WEEK 7
A bushwalk II

This week we use the natural objects as subjects to make a compelling composition using various drawing media. We will look at the work of artists Cressida Campbell, Jennifer Keeler-Milne and Simryn Gill for compositional inspiration.

MATERIALS & EQUIPMENT LIST

• Pencils, a range from 2B through to 6B
• Charcoal – willow, various thicknesses
• Soft Pastels (small set of range of colours)
• Putty Erasers and Hard Erasures
• Pencil sharpener or Stanley knife
• Paper, A3 drawing pad
• Apron (optional)
• Black ink and soft brush (no 4 size)
• Oil pastels: a small set of a range of colours