SHAPE: A Smorgasbord Of Choices

This was Part 3 of the B. INTRODUCTION TO DESIGN unit and would incorporate Line and Texture as well. For art newbies, the thought of "drawing" in itself could cause interior fright. We took an approach encouraging students to consider a variety of shape catagories: geometric, naturalistic, free form, and abstract, with possibilities within each.

Of course, we began with the usual prerequisite of simple sketches in different styles.

Typically, sketches showed single items, few overlapps, and little size variety. These would be some of the design elements we'd develop in succeeding sketches.

Sketch 2 would encourage some creative departures. First, categories could be singular or combined and planned in the final 9"X12" format. Next, considerations must be given to how shapes would be evaluated in importance, allocating appropriate sizes. And finally, arrangements of shapes had to show overlap, variety of positions, and "unordinary" placement---that is, avoid centering everything, plus a few more requirements for good measure.

New sketches were made to size and planned out to show placement, material use and texture.

REQUIREMENTS

The first was to organize 5-7 shapes in an interesting manner. Shapes were to overlap, extend through some border edges and have differences in size.

Shapes could be as mentioned above, partially or totally abstracted or any combination of these.

Transparent texture (see foundations texture for examples) would be part of the color element and effected by crayon rubbings over a variety of prepared texture boards. Areas should be practiced for suitable effects.

For this collage construction, at least 3 media/materials were to be used.

Arrows form the major interest, with repeated tips divisions for texture insertions in the background.

The patterned apple was a move toward abstraction. For the background crayon rubbings were softly blended.

Geometric shapes fit well into rectangular divisions.

Familiar objects are abstracted in curved and angular ways. The large circular rubbing becomes an active area.