Line project

T-Square Linear Drawings

A "Straight" forward drawing project.  (Get it?  Straight?!  Like the lines we use for this project?  Meh.   At least the project is a hit.

Here's how it works:

1.  Students find an image.  This time around we are looking through the 2000's era National Geographics.  Larger better.  Black and white is better too, but not necessary.

2.  Photocopy the images.  This makes them grey scale. Much easier for kids to deal with for this project, especially since it is all about value.

3.  In order to have a nice drawing to work with, we will grid the image and paper, and transfer a LIGHT version of the artworks.


4. Practice.  This project depends on line to make value. No shading.  So I have students attempt a grey scale to match values.  They draw lines using the T-Squares to try and match the overall value of one area to the other.  This is done with pen.


5.  T-squares are interesting tools, and can be very helpful with technical drawings such as with perspective drawings.  Here is how I use them in the class:  Students clip the t-square to bottom edge of the table.  This makes it perfectly perpendicular.   Use this to align the paper, and use masking tape to secure the paper to the desk.  This "registers" the paper square with the t-square.  Then you can use the t-square to draw vertical lines.  with the addition of a triangle, you also get horizontal lines.

6.  Using the method in step 5, students then fill their drawings with pen lines, more to increase value, less where it is lighter.  I allow them to choose the angle, as long as it is consistent.  Vertical is easiest.

Monochromatic Value Portraits

We have been working on a "Posterized" photograph of ourselves.  First, we get photos taken in front of a blank screen on the smartboard.  The white background and bright light from the projector are a great quick photo studio.  I print them up and students go over the edges of the value shapes with pen.  We then take them to a window, and transfer the lines to a new sheet of paper.  (I also photocopied their drawings 4 times to extend the project into a pop art piece (more on that later))  Then we paint in the image using the original as a guide.  Working from black (pure color) to light and white.  Pick a contrasting color for the background.

Here is another art teacher who has produced a project just like this one....

Sells Art: 8th grade value drawings and song paintings!:

Ribbon Letters...

RIBBON LETTERS!
This is a simple technique for getting a ribbon style letter.  There are a lot of different techniques out there, but this one makes sense for my 7th-8th graders who have never tried this before.


It starts out by writing out a word in cursive.

Then you extend the edges back in space.  They must all be the same direction, and the same length.  For example, if you draw from each edge up 1 inch at 45 degrees to the left, then they all go that same length and direction.  For curves, you pick the outermost part of the curve you can find.  See the top and bottom of the C in the "Carthage" example?

You finish the drawing by drawing in the back edge of the ribbon, which should go the same direction as the front edge (the cursive letter.)

Don't forget sometimes you have interior spaces that need to be addressed, like the o in Love in the below example.


Color is different.  You have lots of options, but I have my students use marker to outline, and colored pencils for shading.  Shading can really make you ribbon drawing seem more real.  You are trying to get the illusion of depth, and if you gradually shade from light to dark, to show overlap or distance, you can enhance the image.
  Here are some examples ...