Week 4 Begins

Depicting Perspective and Foreshortening in Illustration--that is our week 4 topic.

Three dimensionality is the goal here. Converging lines, overlaps, and relative values and sizes are the means. Stand on a highway overpass and gaze out over the highway below. It’s a perfect example! Road width decreases with distance. So does color, value, and object size. See the trees overlapping the trees behind. Now, this all sounds easy, right? Sure! We can all stand on that overpass and confirm our theory. But where the rubber hits the road (yeah, I know) is when one must pick up the pencil. It's hard for me to see just what is there (compared to what I think I see.)

Required reading this week is a review of Chapter 1 of Beautiful Botanicals, Basic Form and Perspective.

Optional reading includes Chapter 8 of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.

There is an exercise where we are asked to tape clear plastic wrap to a window with an 8 x10 inch border and trace out the scene with a permanent marker. Then take the tracing, drop it over white paper, and simply examine the principles of convergence, overlap, and relative size.

There is one required drawing this week, a still life. The idea is to include perspective qualities—overlapping objects, tonal gradations of near and far, and convergence.

And of course, we have a journaling assignment. This week’s topic: breakthroughs… aha!... the gestalt.

This past week's assignment grading came in with more "Outstanding" ratings. Cool.