Art in Focus

Chapter 24: Modern Art Movements to the Present

Additional Studio Projects

• Pencil and sketch paper
• One sheet of white illustration or mat board, 12 × 18 inches
• One sheet of white illustration or mat board, 18 × 24 inches
• Crayons, india ink, brush
• Ruler, scissors, paper cutter
• Nail or other pointed instrument for etching
• Small pieces of cardboard
• White glue

1. Select an emotion to use as a theme for your portrait. Examples are lonely, angry, excited, and joyful.
2. Working with another student, take turns acting as artist and model. One will model an emotion by frowning, snarling, or smiling, for example, while the other draws. For this drawing, use one continuous pencil line and show the face from the front. Exaggerate and distort the features and expression to emphasize the emotion. Several practice sketches may be necessary before you are able to draw the portrait in one continuous line. Doing it this way enables you to break up the portrait into a number of different shapes that will provide more flexibility later, when you are adding color. When a satisfactory drawing has been completed, reverse the roles of artist and model for your partner.
3. Reproduce your portrait on the smaller sheet of illustration board. Use the same continuous-line technique as before. The face should fill the board and may even go off the edges.
4. Use a heavy application of crayon to color the shapes in your portrait. Select colors and combinations of colors that you associate with the emotion you are trying to show. Avoid dark hues, and cover the entire sheet of illustration board with crayon.
5. Divide the illustration board into six shapes by drawing straight or curved lines on the back with a pencil and ruler. Cut out these shapes with scissors or with a paper cutter.
6. Cover the crayoned surface of each shape using a brush and india ink. Several coats may be necessary to cover the crayon completely. Ink the edges of each shape as well.
7. While the ink is drying, use pencil and sketch paper to design six different textural patterns made up of closely spaced lines.
8. Use a nail or other pointed tool to etch your patterns into the inked shapes. By carefully scratching through the ink, you will bring out the crayon color beneath.
9. Assemble the six shapes of your portrait on the larger sheet of illustration board. Use small pieces of cardboard stacked to different heights to position the shapes at different levels. Glue the shapes in place to create your relief portrait.

• Pencils and sketch paper
• White poster board or mat board, 10 × 12 inches
• Temper or acrylic paint
• Brushes, mixing tray, and paint cloth
• Water container

1. Close your eyes and try to picture various familiar objects and combinations of objects. Make sketches of these objects while continuing to keep your eyes closed. As you continue to draw these objects use your imagination to make them look more and more bizarre. To do this, ask yourself questions like, “What if that shoe was my pet?” “How would that chair's appearance change if it were to come to life?” “What if that fork was an insect?”
2. Select at least two drawings that illustrate common objects treated in a unique way. On a sheet of white poster board or mat board, use pencil to complete a composition that includes these objects. Try to make the objects depicted look as “real” as possible. Use straight and curved lines to add variety to your composition.
3. Paint your picture using low intensity colors throughout to create a sense of harmony. Emphasize the most important object or objects by painting them with the lightest or darkest values.