Course #: ART 1141, Section 1
CRN 31753, 3 Credit Hours, Spring 2013
Instructor: Sarah Rockett
Metropolitan State University of Denver
School of Letters, Arts, and Sciences
Department: Art
Project 3: Responsive Texture – Group Installation
Due 4/4: Sketchbook - Due 4/9: Project Drawing & Self-Critique
Reading (textbook): pg. 142-144 (Texture as Value), pg. 302-305 (Experimentation with Media), pg. 57 (Complex Mark)
Reading (website): "Texture"
Critique 4/9: Meet in room 199 in the Art building
You will be given one hour at the beginning of class for install.
Group Project
The student-artist uniquely benefits from a readily available collaborative community of artists. Whereas,
working artists often have a solitary experience. However, a current deep trend in the contemporary art world
is to create collaborative works of art with other artists. Collaborative works promote the free exchange of
ideas, team environment work skills, and aid in generating new ideas and methods of working for each
individual artist. The participation of each artist in a group project is essential – everyone must have a voice.
Decisions should be discussed and voted upon – this means working with compromise. The art work should be
routinely observed by the entire group throughout its progression from beginning to end.
Conceptual Objective: Man vs. Nature
How do humans interact with the environment? What is your relationship with the environment? Do humans
and nature have a positive or negative relationship?
 Brainstorm with your group regarding the above questions. From this discussion, decide (as a group) on
a concept/theme for your installation.
 Consider the juxtaposition of geometric/architectural shapes and organic shapes for this project.
Group Choices
Discuss, brainstorm, and make intentional choices for the following elements:
 Implied drawn textures – What types of textures will you draw? Think of what they symbolize and how they
"feel". Will they be textures that relate to people (knit scarf, hair, etc.)? Will they be textures that reference
nature (leaves, grass, bark, etc.)?
o The final drawing installation must include both textures that use Mark-Making and textures that
use Pattern to simulate their "feel".
o Since not all desired textures to support your concept are readily available, each student may have
ONE photograph of a specific texture. Each student must also draw at least one texture from
observation (no photograph).
 Actual textures – Cut and bend paper. Experiment with different ways of cutting the paper – cut out full
shapes, or leave some edges attached and lift up part of the cut piece. What cut shapes will work best for
your Concept? Try bending the paper and attaching it to the wall.
 Format – Abstract. Think of shapes and tones in terms of the composition. What will the overall shape of
your paper drawing installation be on the wall? Do not be too literal with the format (i.e. making it the
shape of a tree). Sketch out some ideas as a group, and decide on one. Since this is a group installation,
each of you will be contributing pieces to the final work that will all come together as one installation in the
end.
o In your initial format sketches, split up the installation sketch into individual pieces. Discuss who will
begin each piece.
o Individual pieces can overlap.
o All pieces must be able to be attached to the wall or suspended from the ceiling.
o Each piece must be worked on by more than one artist. One artist will draw an Implied Texture on
a piece of paper, another artist will cut Actual Texture on that same piece. Pieces can be traded
with your other group members on your second project work day.
Formal / Technical Objectives
 Implied Texture: simulate the tactile “feel” of a texture by employing a system of mark-making or pattern,
both additive and reductive methods should be used.
 Actual Texture: physical tactile textures incorporated into a work of art.
 Mark-making: mark made by a specific movement of the hand, different mark-making systems will evoke a
different tactile sense.
 Pattern: some textures will seem to have a pattern of light and dark shapes as light hits the objects,
creating small shapes of light and shadow.
 Value/Tone: the effect of light and shadow on a figure/object. The use of a wide range of value in a
drawing creates the illusion of Volume, and can enhance the sense of space on the flat page.
 Emphasis/domination: The development of focal point(s) created through some type of contrast or
difference such as contrast of value, contrast of color, or contrast in the degree of development or
definition. You can also isolate a form to create emphasis.
Materials
 Textures (at least 3 per student) - Bring in physical objects that have your different textures – to draw from
observation. Only ONE texture may come from a photograph – per each student. Objects from the still life
closet may also be used.
 Drawing Pad 18"x24" OR Stonehenge paper
 Blending stump
 Optional = Grey/Netural tone paper with
 White Gesso
similar weight to drawing pad paper.
 Paintbrush (large enough – to apply gesso)
 Sketchbook
 all Erasers/rags
 Vine charcoals
 Utility knife/X-acto knife/Scissors
 Jumbo willow charcoal
 Glue/Glue stick
 Charcoal pencils
 Permanent Fixative – Matte Finish – optional,
 Black and White pastels
some will be provided in class
 Graphite pencils
Sketchbook
1. Create an idea tree or organized list of notes for your concept. Use this to help you develop your ideas
and form a plan for your drawing.
Address:
 Concept – Group concept
o What is your group's specific concept? What is the drawing installation "about"? What
do you want to communicate through this drawing installation?
 Subject – Textures
o What specific textures will be implied/drawn? What actual textures will you create (cut
paper)? How do these relate to the concept?
o Since not all desired textures to support your concept are readily available, each student
may have ONE photograph of a specific texture.
 Formal issues – How will you use these to communicate your concept?
 Composition – How will your composition incorporate Emphasis/Domination?
 Value – How will your use of light and shadow affect the "feeling" of the work?
Overall dark or light areas?
 Scale – How large or small will you draw textures? Will it be a closeup/magnified or further away/smaller view? How does this affect your
concept?
 Shape – What shapes will your drawing installation be composed of?
Geometric/symmetrical/straight edges, Organic/asymmetrical/calligraphic
curved edges?
o Medium – Mixed media
 What materials will your group use? What materials will your group be
combining/mixing?
 Paper – Drawing Pad 18"x24". Optional = Grey tone paper with similar weight
to drawing pad paper.
o Format – On the wall
 What will the overall shape of the completed drawing installation be?
 How will individual pieces of paper be attached to the wall? Pushpins, T-pins,
upholstery tacks, nails?
 Will the drawing installation have an overall vertical or horizontal feel?
2. Find two inspirational artists that relate to the concepts and/or techniques outlined in this project. Print
out one color image from each artist (must not be smaller than 5"x7" or a comparable size), and paste
or tape it into your sketchbook. Below each image include: Artist's name, Title of work, Date of work,
Medium, and Dimensions. At least one of the artists must be from the Contemporary era (1980present). Not more than one artist may be from the list of suggested artists included in this handout.
3. Complete 1 full page sketch (using your graphite pencils) of the overall shape/format for the final group
installation, and its division of parts.
Project Drawing Installation
Communicate with your group members often!
1. Bring objects with your Textures to class (or use objects from the still life closet). Since not all desired
textures to support your concept are readily available, each student may have ONE photograph of a specific
texture. Each student must also draw at least one texture from observation (no photograph).
2. Shape paper. Cut paper into the shapes/sizes that you (as a group) have decided to use for your drawing
installation before drawing implied textures on them
a) As a group, lay out all of the pieces on the floor or desks, and discuss the composition before any
drawing/textures happen. Reposition/move pieces around to see how it affects the composition. Try
overlapping/layering pieces.
b) Divide up the pieces and continue with Implied Textures. Each student should have an equivalent
work load.
3. Implied Texture Drawing a) Investigate and analyze the texture.
i) What shapes of light and dark create the texture? Are there tonal edges that are important to seeing
the texture?
ii) Determine whether you will need to use a system of mark-making or a pattern to best simulate the
feel of the texture.
iii) Decide which materials you will use.
b) Address Local Tone and general overall areas of Value. You must include some general overall changes
in light and shadow.
c) Add texture. Try working with both additive and subtractive methods. Begin with a small area of the
texture and focus on drawing each detail until you are able to recognize a mark-making system or
pattern. Notice patterns of light and dark shapes, and if those shapes change over the course of the
object. Your objective here is to simulate the “feel” of each texture.
d) Utilize a full range of value within each texture application to make the texture feel tangible.
e) Step back from your drawing frequently to view your progress across the entire work.
4. Actual Texture
a) TRADE WITH A GROUP MEMBER! After you have finished drawing an implied texture, give each piece
of paper to one of your group members. They will be applying the Actual Texture to your original
piece. Make sure that each group member has an equivalent number of pieces to work on. There
should be no one person doing a majority of the work.
b) Use cut paper techniques to create actual texture throughout the drawing installation.
i) Cut out full shapes – Glue them somewhere else.
ii) Cut out partial shapes and raise their edges.
5. Meet as a group often during class (and outside if possible) to discuss the progress of your work. Put inprogress pieces together to see the evolution of the drawing installation, and discuss new possibilities/ideas.
Self-Critique
Write an evaluation of your work, process, and learning experience using appropriate terminology. The
evaluation should be at least 3 paragraphs (a paragraph consists of 5 complete sentences or more).
Use the conceptual and formal project objectives and the following questions as guidelines for your writing:
 What is your initial reaction to the finished work? Think of adjectives that effectively describe this
reaction and consider what specifically in the work causes this reaction.
 What are your thoughts on the collaborative group experience?
 How did you, as a group, make decisions and divide the work load?
 Explain your group's concept for this installation.
 How/why did your group choose these textures?
 What is the importance of the format for the final drawing installation?
 What is successful about the work? Why?
 Were there specific problems that arose in the group setting? How did you resolve them?
 What do you think would improve this work?
Artists to look at
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Angela Eastman
Cristina de los Santos
Chris Natrop
Mia Pearlman
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Amy Schmierbach
Christina Mazza
Emily Brown
Monica Rezman
 Martin Kline
 Claudio Bravo
Grading Criteria
(70%) Project Drawing Installation (Group)
Level of successful execution, completion, challenge, and quality of all the objectives for this project
1. Use of Emphasis/Domination in composition
2. Well thought-out format and placement on the wall
3. Effective use of mark-making for Implied Texture
4. Effective use of pattern for Implied Texture
5. Effective use of Value – within textures and overall general areas
6. Effective use of cut paper techniques and incorporation of Actual Texture
7. Cohesive use of Media
8. Successful expression of conceptual component
9. Degree of challenge and creativity
(10%) Group Member Grade (Individual)
1. Contribution to the group – ideas, suggestions, participation.
2. Work developed and completed in a timely manner
3. Team player – Willingness to communicate and compromise
4. Participation in group discussion throughout the development of the work
(10%) Sketchbook (Individual)
1. Ideation – idea tree or organized list of notes – Thought s for concept and initial plan for the drawing.
2. 1 full page sketch of the overall shape/format for the final group installation, and its division of parts.
3. 2 Inspirational artist images and required information
(10%) Critique (Individual)
1. Written self-critique, minimum of 3 paragraphs
2. Presentation of your work
3. Constructive participation during the critique