Jumping Toy

Here's a great tutorial.


1. Sketch your idea on a piece of drawing paper.
2. Transfer your image onto tag board so it looks like this.
3. Cut it out.
4. Use oil pastel and magazine pictures to work color and texture onto your jumping toy.
We'll talk about how to fasten these together a little later in the week.

Clay Bowls

Starting on Tuesday, we'll be working on clay bowls in Art I this week. I love working with clay! Here is a video showing what we'll be doing in class. We'll be making 2 bowls and we'll add words by stamping letters into the wet clay. These will be due on Friday.

TIPS:
The less you handle your clay, the less it will dry out and crack while you're still trying to work with it.
The more you support your clay with both hands and handle it carefully, the more cooperative your clay will be.
While you can stamp your clay with letters, you could also imprint things like your pencil tip or eraser to make a mark.

Grading:
slab is thrown with uniform thickness. Thin edges are removed and there is no cracking.

Background texture is smoothed, while the impressed texture is bold and visually appealing.

The foot is attached with NO seams showing.

The glaze is applied evenly and is visually appealing.

Craftsmanship: name on the bottom, attention to detail.

50 points each.

Inking Inspiration

You always hear me talk about varying the width of your lines to create interest. I think this is an inspiring example that mixes up inking techniques in a very positive way. Is there anything in this example that you could incorporate into your art work?

Today in class: Critiques. Write a positive comment and a comment that encourages revision for 2 classmates.

Pencils are now due on Monday, due to no class on Friday.

T-Shirt Design

Bring in your t-shirts! It's your turn to design what you want to be on your shirt! Got school spirit? Put it on your shirt. Into music? Put it on your shirt. Want to tell a knock-knock joke? Put it on your shirt. The possibilities are endless.

Here is a video that shows the process a little more elaborately.

Watercolor Self Portrait

We're working on self portraits in Art I right now. We took pictures of each student and then ran them through the program at phixr.com. Once the students have manipulated their picture, they trace it on a piece of watercolor paper. The rest of the tutorial is here. These are due on Wednesday, November 3rd.

Here's a really cool video using many of the techniques used for this painting assignment!

Basics of Storytelling

5 Basics of Story Telling (Narrative Arc)
1. The protagonist: The hero of the story. In order to be the protagonist, we need to have emphathy for the character, the character needs to have motivation and ability.
*Empathy: The reader needs to care about what happens to the protagonist.
*Motivation: The protagonist needs to want something badly enough to do something they wouldn't ordinarily do. This is motivation.
*Ability: The protagonist has to be able to fulfill his desires. If the reader knows that the character can't achieve want they want to, the story will be B-O-R-I-N-G.
2. The Spark might be the most important ingredient in good story telling. This is what can turn a regular character into the protagonist. The spark must be something that wouldn't normally happen in the protagonists life. A good guy fighting the bad guys isn't a good story until there is spark. What if all of a sudden the good guy finds out that his father is the worst of all the bad guys, and he must defeat him. That has spark.
3. Escalation: It wouldn't be an interesting story if the protagonist suddenly solves the problem created by the spark at the beginning of the story. Escalation is a series of unexpected events that make the protagonist work even harder to solve his or her problem.
4. The climax: Ideally, a story will have several attempts to solve a problem. Each of them making the problem a little bit worse. (Escalation) When you hit the climax of the story, the reader says, "Ah, yes, that's it," not "And what's next??" The climax needs to provide an answer for the protagonist, and it doesn't have to be a happy one, but we NEED to know that the story is about to end.
5. The denouement: an action that happens after the climax that ties up loose ends and gives the story some closure. It usually doesn't have anything to do with the protagonist's problem.
Whole Class Activity:
Let's talk about Cinderella...
Who is the protragonist?
What is the spark?
Escalation?
Climax?
Denouement?

Group Presentations:
Use your knowledge of the Simpsons (or some other REALLY well known TV show) and create a new episode. Someone in your group needs to write down your story. Extra credit will be given to the groups that share their story.
Start by picking a protagonist (there are many in this show)
Or start by creating a spark
Or start with the climax
Just remember to escalate conflicts form minor to major.

Jack and Jill

Jack and Jill is due tomorrow at the end of the hour!

You have been working on telling the story of Jack and Jill in 9 panels, using the 7 transitions from your notes.

Here's how it will be graded:

All of the transitions are used and labeled correctly. 10 points
Your comic tells the story of Jack and Jill in exactly 9 panels. 10 points
All of your panels are efficiently used. 10 points
Lettering and inking are neat, legible, and clean looking. 10 points
Width of your inking lines vary, and of course, your pencil lines are erased. 10 points.

Transitions and Closure

Transitions and Closure

Closure is the understanding that your reader has when they read your comics. As a writer/artist you must give your readers directions in understanding your work. These directions are called transitions and they happen in seven different ways.

1. Moment to moment: this shows time passing. The result is similar to showing something in slow motion in a video.
2. action to action: is similar to moment to moment, except it doesn't show every little step along the way. It usually show the beginning and ending of an action.
3. Subject to subject: this takes place in one scene, but switches between characters. This is commonly used for dialogue.
4. Scene to scene: this moves from one place or time to another.
5. Aspect to aspect: shows multiple views of the same scene and it is usually silent. It helps to deepen the mood.
6. Symbolic: takes place within the storyline and depicts something non-literally. It is making a point about a character's state of mind in a metaphoric way.
7. Non-sequitur: this is two panels that seem to have no meaning when put together.

TO DO: Look through the comic section of the newspaper. Cut out panels and re-arrange them in order to tell a story. Glue this in your sketchbook. You can use the existing dialog, or you could cut it away and write your own. Decide which of the transitions from above is used and write it down.

Color Study

Next week (probably on Tuesday) we'll start your next painting assignment. But before you do, I need you to do a quick exercise: Choose the color that you most enjoyed working with on the color wheel. Mine was blue-violet. Find it's partner (otherwise called its compliment) across the color wheel. Mine is yellow-orange. Somehow on your paper show me at least 5 tints (add white)


5 shades (add black) and 5 varieties of intensity (add the partners together). Make your arrangement attractive to look at. Don't let your colors touch each other. More to come...

3D Color Wheel

Students have been mixing colors for a long time now. Their beloved elementary teachers started them mix, mix, mixing, and now I'm continuing with it. We'll be working on reviewing color mixing with these 3-D color wheels through Monday. (Whoops! I can't get a picture to load--I'll try again tomorrow!)

Black or White out

Today you'll be using your problem solving skills, a pencil, a ruler, and finally a pen to make exactly 6 panels that are stacked in a very traditional way: 2 columns, 3 rows, and the gutters in between them are 1/4 of an inch wide. The outside gutter can be up to 1/2 an inch wide. Done? Ink it.

Next, layout your lettering and balloons to tell a story of someone either stuck in a white out, or a black out. Vary the width of your inking. Use guidelines for your lettering. Use the entire panel. Neatness counts. Messy isn't fun to read! Due on Tuesday, October 12th.

Final Still Life is Due Today!

Final Still Life Drawing:
*Presentation: complete erasures, smooth blending, signature, paper is clean and smooth with no smudges or mystery marks.
* Effort, use of class time and attitude.
* Cast shadows, midtones, reflection, and high lights are accurately represented.
* Drawing is accurate and proportional.
*The artist has used the view finder to find an interesting composition and has used the entire sheet of paper to demonstrate this view.
Total Points: 50

Lettering and Word Balloons

Here are some tips on lettering and word balloons! Thank you Zander!

To Do: spend the hour working on lettering. You could use song lyrics, or made up nonsense, or you could even work your way through some of these pangrams. The point is using an hour to practice your lettering and balloon usage. HAVE FUN!

3-5 Panel Comic

These are due on Thursday, September 30th at the end of the hour. Here's what you'll be graded on.

*Creative, original and challenging character design....out of 10 points.
*Gutters are even and consideration is given to the layout of the entire page...out of 10 points.
*Lettering is centered and evenly spaced. Most importantly, it is easy to read....out of 10 points.
*The inking lines show a variety in thickness and each panel looks like it is 50% black and %50 white...out of 10 points.
*No pencil lines are showing, paper is clean, neat and signed....out of 10 points.

Still Life drawing in Art I

Since last Monday, when we were working on shading the sphere, we have done the following:
1. Plant drawings: a) seeing the negative space b) one continuous line drawing
2. upside down drawing
These exercises are based on Betty Edwards' book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.

Today we worked on 4 thumbnail sketches of the still life on your tables. It's easiest if you just fold your paper in fourths and then fill each quarter of your paper with a thumbnail sketch. (A thumbnail is a simple drawing without details that shows where things will be) It is important to do 4 (or more!) sketches so that you don't automatically always use your first idea in your art work. Each sketch should take up the entire space. Use a "view finder" provided in class to get a new point of view.

Monday, September 20th in Cartooning

• create a list of characters
• create a list of situations you might find in a funny newspaper strip
• create a situation: introduction of a new character, an argument, a holiday, etc.
• create a prop/conflict: possibly a hundred dollar bill, a bomb with a fuse lit, etc.

character + setting + situation + conflict + resolution = a story

Next brainstorm visual or verbal gags that could happen in your situation. Write down every idea that you have in your sketchbook.

Without taking out a piece of paper in your sketchbook, fold one of its pages vertically and turn it so the ringed side is at the top. Above the line is where you'll do your rough draft, below the line is where you'll do your finished copy. Finished copy will need to be inked with your brand new pens with all pencil lines erased with your brand new erasers. YOWZA! Tentative due date: 09/30.

Monday, September 20th in Art I

Today we will be working on shading a simple form like a sphere. Without shading, forms often look flat and lifeless. Once you start playing around with shading, things begin to appear more life like. This website has some great directions for getting you started. Today in class we'll watch this video as well. This drawing will be due at the end of class.

Friday, September 17th in Art I

ABSTRACT TIME LINES ARE DUE TODAY!



Artist Boey draws on styrofoam cups and sells them for hundreds.

Is this art? Why or why not?
What do you think about making art on such a cheap surface?
These sell for somewhere between $100 and $500 dollars. What would a fair price be based on?
Who would buy this?

Thursday, September 16th in Cartooning

Today I would like for you to redraw 3 of your 5 "post-it" panels based on Wally Wood's 22 panels. OR any of the tips from my hubby Zander Cannon.

Then, I would like your group to play with the pacing of your comic. What is the minimum number of panels that would make it work? How many panels make it the most enjoyable to read?

Wednesday, September 15th in Cartooning

Today you will have time to finish activity II from yesterday. Make sure you ink it and complete all erasures.

Next I'll give you a number (1-5), and you'll draw 5 panels for one of these scenarios.

1. An astronaut launches his rocket...
2. lands on the moon...
3. and plants a flag.
4. He returns home to much fanfare...
5. but then realizes he has gone to the wrong planet.

Next, you'll get together with some people around you and put together a 25 panel comic.

Tuesday, September 14th in Art I

Just reminding you that your timelines are due on Friday (at the end of the hour) and you need to have used at LEAST 3 of the following 6 supplies:
watercolors (demo on WED)
markers
colored pencils (remember to show light to dark gradually)
collage (glue is in your basket)
black markers
transfers

No more than 10% of your paper should be left white!

Tuesday, September 14th in Cartooning

Today we'll talk a bit about this apple. If you draw one, and write apple next to it, you'll just be labelling it. This isn't something we want to do in comics. But, if you write words like New York, or temptation, or Dr. repellent next to it, you will create a relationship between the word and the picture. This is something WE DO want to do in comics. This relationship doesn't have to be funny though. It could be dramatic, absurd, polital, etc...

Here are two captions for this Wells Fargo caption contest:
"Fashion Rule #13: Carrying a big credit card makes your rear end appear smaller. "–Lady Anon

"Early prototype, just prior to the invention of the wallet." –Chris S. Ervi

Activity I: Find one of your drawings from class. Cut it out and paste it in your sketchbook. Make as many different captions as you can for your work. Think in terms of creating a relationship between the words and the picture.

Activity II: On a new sketchbook page, do a small thumbnail sketch of a drawing with a caption. Once you've decided on a sketch, enlarge it to approx. 5 x 7 size and draw a frame around it. Write at lease 3 captions and choose the funniest one. Ink it.

Thursday, September 9th in Art I

1. Symbolic Time lines... Take a sheet of paper and fold it in 1/2 so the fold divides the right and left sides of your paper.
2. On the right side of your paper, number from 1/10 and write down the 10 most important events that have happened in your life so far. Please keep them in chronological order. This is for your information only, I won't read them, so be honest.
3. On the left side of the paper, number from 1/10 and draw a symbol for each of your life's events. These symbols should not be recognizable. No hearts, crosses, angel wings, or rainbows please. UNLESS, you can make them abstracted by zooming in closer, etc. When you're done with both sides of your paper, tear away the written events and take them home. Keep your drawn symbols in the drawer with your name on them.

Thursday, September 9th in Cartooning

Today we'll focus on sketching 5 separate drawings. We're trying to show movement!

1. a person running
2. a car speeding
3. a ball falling
4. a person staggering
5. a newspaper page blowing in the wind

There will be student examples of these on the Drawing Words website.

We'll also be viewing a powerpoint presentation with a little bit of the history of comics.

Wednesday, September 8th in Cartooning

First, we'll be We'll be looking at the syllabus, talking about class fees AND finalizing a seating chart
Then, please do 2 self portrait comics. Both should fit on a notecard. Use the entire space for each. Sketch in pencil 1st and then trace your lines with a sharpie pen.

Wednesday, September 8th in Art I

We'll be looking at the syllabus, talking about class fees, finalizing a seating chart and this.

1st day for 9th graders

Please take a sheet a paper from the table with the sticks.

DON’T write your name on it.

DO write these things about yourself:

1. favorite color:

2. favorite food:

3. best place to hang out:

4. this year I want to get involved in:

Website that I LOVE

http://www.greatgreengoods.com/

I'm thinking about having my students make these bowls.

Taking a photoshop class!

Here's my try at a CD cover. It's so fun to play around!

Tuesday and Wednesday, May 25-25 in Art I

We'll be working on these two assignments. If you were gone on Tuesday, see me for a dinosaur worksheet.

Monday, May 24th in Cartooning

I'm grading the mini-comics this week! Here is the criteria again.

1. Drawings are original, creative and challenging. (0-10)
2. There is a clear protagonist in the story. (0-10)
3. 50% white and 50% black layout. (0-10)
4. Lettering is neat, readable, and inked well. (0-10)
5. Full erasures, even gutters, and following the directions given for putting together a mini-comic. (0-10)

Tuesday, May 25th in cartooning

Today we're still working on and planning your flip books. Here is how they'll be graded:

I worked beyond the minimum requirements in order to make this project cool/rad/meaningful to me. (0-10)
The book creates a smooth looking animation. (0-10)
The erasures are completely complete and the inking is neat. (0-10)
The subject matter is original, creative and challenging. (0-10)
Use of class time. (0-10)

As you're working on animation, take a look at this cool website that Mr. Hart pointed me toward.

Monday, May 24th in Art I

We're making book ends!


Start with a brick and add paper towels and tape to form the object of your choice.

After these are plastered, you will paint them. Due on Wednesday, May 2nd. Here's how they'll be graded:
I worked beyond the minimum requirements to make this project challenging, creative and original. (0-10)
The plaster is smooothed with no little holes showing through. (0-10)
There are no "soft spots". (0-10)
The project design works well as book ends. (0-10)
The painting is well planned and well executed. No white showing through. (0-10)

Monday, May 24th in Cartooning

Today you'll be story-boarding your ideas for a basic flip book. There are lots of really cools ones available online. I'll link to a few here: Here's one about a bus gone wild. Here's one done in a Matrix style. Here's a sweet and sappy one. And here's another video using two flip books at a time.



tips:
1. storyboard your idea on the 9 panel sheets. It's easier if you have a first panel in mind and a last panel. Then you can fill in the blanks. You should use at least 50 panels.
2. after you're done storyboarding, start drawing your first panel on the last sheet of the post its.
3. keep your drawing on the 1/2 of the post it that's further away from the sticky side
4. eventually these need to be inked.
5. backgrounds are optional.
6. keep characters simple enough that you won't mind drawing them over and over and over and over again.
Check this out for some flip book history!

Thursday, May 13th in Art I

Our bracelets are due on Monday! Here's how they'll be graded...
1. The letters are centered and look neat and tidy...1-10
2. The rivits are shaped like nicely rounded little mushrooms...1-10
3. All the metal edges are filed to a 45 degree angle...1-10
4. All the file marks and misc. scratches are sanded out...1-10
5. The bracelet is rounded with no bumps or edges...1-10

Friday, May 6th in Art I

Jewelry Pendants are due today!
1. Is the metal cut and filed so there are no bumps on the edges? (0-5)
2. Are all the edges filed to a 45 degree angle?(0-5)
3. Are all file marks and scratches removed with sandpaper?(0-5)
4. Are the words stamped out evenly without any double images, and are they darkened in?(0-5)
5. Is the jump ring sturdy and attached to a cord or keychain?(0-5)
Extra work = Extra credit.

Wednesday, May 5th in Art I

Today you will be rounding the edges of the metal. You should round all corners so they are no longer sharp, as well as rounding all of the top edges of your pendant. You'll use a small file for this part and finish off with 400 sand paper, and then fine steel wool. You should use the sand paper until you can no longer see any file marks. This is a really important stage of your pendant. File marks look BAD.

Tuesday, May 4 in Cartooning

Today is our final day working on t-shirt designs or clay action figures! If you worked with clay, I need to fire your projects before you can paint them. If you worked on a t-shirt, I'll grade it like this...

1. Your design incorporates a symbol, title, phrase or character from your comic.
2. Your design is cut smoothly, with attention paid to detail.
3. Paint is applied evenly with no non-intentional smudges or bleeding outside the design.
4. Your design for the t-shirt is original, creative, and challenging.
5. Effort and classtime used were 100%.

Once I've fired your action figure and you've painted it, it will be graded like this...
1. Your action figure accurately represents a character from one of your comics.
2. Your sculpture is strong with no breakage.
3. Your sculpture is smoothed with no clay "boogers".
4. The painting that you did was both well planned out and well executed.
5. Effort and classtime used were 100%.

Monday, May 3rd in Cartooning

Today artist (and my sweet husband) Zander Cannon was our guest speaker.

He gave a really detailed, hands-on presentation on drawing an 8 page mini-comic.
He mentioned Lutefisk Sushi.
He also mentioned an upcoming comic convention that will be held in the grandstand of the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.

Tuesday, May 4th in Art 1

Today we'll be using a jeweler's saw to cut out a pendant. As a beginner, it is a good idea to start with a simple shape. Think more in terms of a heart -vs- a 19 pointed star.
1. Draw your intended shape on a piece of paper. Just the shape, and no inside lines.
2. Now draw that shape on your piece of metal.
3. Cut out your shape.
4. Put a piece of tape on the back of your metal with your name on it and give it to me for safe keeping.

Monday, May 3rd in Art I

CLAY POTS ARE DUE!

For grading follow these guidelines...

The bowl is sturdy with no pieces breaking off.
The feet are also sturdy giving the bowl height and balance.
The bowl has an interesting and creative design.
There is enough glaze on the bowl and it is applied evenly.
Effort and use of class time = 100%.

50 points

Tuesday, April 27th in Art I

Self Portrait Doodle Collage

1. Cut out your picture and glue it on your 8 1/2 X 17 background.
2. Collage pictures in the background of things that are interesting to you. Fill up most of the space.
3. Use a sharpie and doodle on your collage. Vary the type and width of your lines.
4. I will go make a copy for you, so that your collage will come back to you in all black and white.
5. Use 5 different materials to design your new color collage.

Grading?
Collage fills the page with very little plain paper showing through.
Objects collaged represent the artist.
5 different materials are used.
Good composition
Effort and use of class time.

50 points
DUE ON Monday, May 3rd at the end of the hour.

Monday, 4/5 in Art I

Today we're planning a sketch that you will eventually turn into a linoleum print. Essentially a linoleum print is like a very large rubber stamp that you can print many times. Here is a powerpoint that I showed in class today.

Tuesday, 4/6 in Cartooning

Today we're working toward the deadline of having a full page comic (on 14 x 17 bristol board) penciled and inked by Monday, April 12th.

How will they be graded?

The lettering in straight, even, not cramped, and easy to read.
The inking is neat with thoughts toward 50% white and 50% black.
The story telling includes a spark, conflict escalation, and a resolution.
The protagosist is clear and we can feel/relate to them.
The coloring looks balanced and attractive.

100 points

Tuesday, 3/30 in Cartooning

Guest speaker from MCAD today!

Tuesday, 3/30 in Art I

Today we're smoothing our 2 bowls and adding a foot.

Monday, 3/29, in Art I: CLAY Pinch Pots

1. Get a board
2. Get a hunk of clay
3. Wedge your clay to get out all the air bubbles, on top of the board.
4. Slap it into a ball
5. Put your thumb through the middle (Be SURE to not go all the way through)
6. Start pinching until you make a bowl. (Be SURE your walls stay thicker than your pinky finger)
7. Get a wet paper towel. Squeeze out all the water. Put this on your board.
8. Put your bowl on the towel.
9. Wrap carefully in a plastic bag.
10. Put your name on a piece of tape and place this in a visible spot on your bag.
11. Put it in the cupboard.

While you may be tempted to smoosh,stab, smear, throw, or eat your clay... Please don't. The more gently you handle your clay, the better it will turn out. For example, when you pick it up, ALWAYS use two hands.

Wednesday, 3/24 in Art I

We're well into working on our FREEZER PAPER t-shirts. These are due this Friday, so you'll need to bring in your t-shirt asap, or talk to me about it. Thanks! Look here for a tutorial. Then click on "T-shirt Freezer Paper Stencil Power Point".

Wednesday, 3/24 in Cartooning

5 Basics of Story Telling (Narrative Arc)
1. The protagonist: The hero of the story. In order to be the protagonist, we need to have emphathy for the character, the character needs to have motivation and ability.
*Empathy: The reader needs to care about what happens to the protagonist.
*Motivation: The protagonist needs to want something badly enough to do something they wouldn't ordinarily do. This is motivation.
*Ability: The protagonist has to be able to fulfill his desires. If the reader knows that the character can't achieve want they want to, the story will be B-O-R-I-N-G.
2. The Spark might be the most important ingredient in good story telling. This is what can turn a regular character into the protagonist. The spark must be something that wouldn't normally happen in the protagonists life. A good guy fighting the bad guys isn't a good story until there is spark. What if all of a sudden the good guy finds out that his father is the worst of all the bad guys, and he must defeat him. That has spark.
3. Escalation: It wouldn't be an interesting story if the protagonist suddenly solves the problem created by the spark at the beginning of the story. Escalation is a series of unexpected events that make the protagonist work even harder to solve his or her problem.
4. The climax: Ideally, a story will have several attempts to solve a problem. Each of them making the problem a little bit worse. (Escalation) When you hit the climax of the story, the reader says, "Ah, yes, that's it," not "And what's next??" The climax needs to provide an answer for the protagonist, and it doesn't have to be a happy one, but we NEED to know that the story is about to end.
5. The denouement: an action that happens after the climax that ties up loose ends and gives the story some closure. It usually doesn't have anything to do with the protagonist's problem.
Whole Class Activity:
Let's talk about Cinderella...
Who is the protragonist?
What is the spark?
Escalation?
Climax?
Denouement?

Group Presentations:
Use your knowledge of the Simpsons (or some other REALLY well known TV show) and create a new episode. Someone in your group needs to write down your story. Extra credit will be given to the groups that share their story.
Start by picking a protagonist (there are many in this show)
Or start by creating a spark
Or start with the climax
Just remember to escalate conflicts form minor to major.

Wednesday, 3/10 in Cartooning

Here are some tips on lettering and word balloons! Thank you Zander!

To Do: spend the hour working on lettering. You could use song lyrics, or made up nonsense, or you could even work your way through some of these pangrams. The point is using an hour to practice your lettering and balloon usage. HAVE FUN!

Wednesday, 3/10 in Art I

Self Portraits with Watercolor

The tutorial is here.

Day 1: Get your photo back and take it to a window. You will trace everything that you want to be white lightly with a pencil. Sign your first or last name in large-ish cursive.

Day 2: Mrs. C will give you some masking fluid in a water bottle cap. Use a paint brush to carefully paint in the white areas and also trace over your name.

Day 3: Tape your work down, and paint over your entire sheet with water. You don't want puddles, you just want a damp page. Next you'll start painting with color. Use colors next to each other on the color wheel.

Day 4: Peel off the masking fluid and erase your pencil lines. Untape your work.

Tuesday, 3/9 in Cartooning: Gutters

(image found here)
Today we'll be working on an 8 1/2 x 11 inch piece of paper.
1. Give it a 1/2 inch border all the way around. Turn your paper so it is the tall way.
2. Place your ruler horizontally across the top of your paper. Make a very slight mark at 4 1/4. (1/2 WAY ACROSS THE TOP)This is the original mark. Next, mark tiny lines an 1/8 of an inch on both sides of that original mark.
3. Do the same thing on the bottom of your paper.
4. Turn your ruler vertically and connect both of the marks 1/8 of an inch from the original mark. DO NO CONNECT THE ORIGINAL MARKS! Now you've got two panels with a gutter between them.
5. Keeping your ruler the vertical way, mark 3 15/16 and 7 5/16. These are the original marks. Then mark an 1/8 of an inch on each side of those original marks.
6. Do the exact same thing on the other side of the paper.
7. Connect the marks, EXCEPT for the original marks at 3 15/16 and 7 5/16. Now you've got 6 panels with gutters.
8. If you want to get creative, you can change one of the square panels into a circle or a star. Or you could tilt one of your panels, etc. Just keep the gutters consistent.
9. Ink your lines, using a ruler.

Tuesday, 3/9 in Art I

Your abstract time line is due today!

Monday, 3/8 in Cartooning STICK FIGURINES

Today in class we discussed the general proportions for drawing people. As a guideline, a man or woman is drawn at 7 heads high. A super-hero at 8.5 heads high, and a "cute" person or child is 6 heads high.

Notes to remember: elbows align with the waist, hips are on top of the 1/2 way line, hands fall to mid-thigh, and the upper and lower arms are the same in length. (This also applies to the upper and lower legs).

TO DO:
1. Take notes
2. Find full body pictures in magazines. Put a piece of paper over the top of one of them and instead of tracing the outer edge of the photo, draw the stick figurine. Pay special attention to the elbows and knees, because this will give you hints on how people bend naturally. Do this exercise for at least 2 people.
3. Come back to the classroom and look through your own comics. Find a panel where one of your characters is moving in an un-natural or still looking way. Re-draw your panel using what you've learned from step 2.

Jack and Jill is due!

How should we grade Jack and Jill?
1. use of all of the transitions? 1-10
2. all of the panels are used efficiently with 50% black and 50% white. 1-10
3. use of class time. 1-10
4. lettering is neat, legible, and clean looking. 1-10
5. width of your inking lines vary, and of course, your pencil lines are erased.1-10

Friday, 2/26 in Art I

Today I want you to use your list of 10 symbols and draw them on the long sheet of paper provided in class.

1. When you draw these symbols make them even more abstracted by zooming in really close or omitting certain details. The viewer should not recognize your objects.
2. Remember that these symbols represent your life and that events in your life probably continue to effect you long past the time when they happen. Let your symbols repeat or continue to swirl throughout your long sheet of paper.
3. Use the entire sheet of paper, letting your symbols go off of the edges of your paper.

**The entire finished piece of artwork (with color added) will be due on Tuesday, March 9th.**

Wednesday, 2/24 in Cartooning

http://www.dw-wp.com/students/assignment04.html

This is an example of what we'll be doing today. I'll give you a nine panelled sheet of paper and you will tell the story of Jack and Jill using all nine panels and all seven of the transitions from yesterday. Due Tuesday at the end of the hour. Inked.

Wednesday, 2/24 in Art I

Paintings are due today. Please sign the lower right corner with a sharpie. Please evaluate yourself from 1-10 in the following categories on the back of your painting.

In this painting:

1. I followed directions. I used only one color for the background and one color for the object.
2. The edges between the shapes is smooth, and there is contrast between the shapes' color.
3. all shapes are not one solid color. They change gradually.
4. Blending is smooth.
5. I gave this 100% effort. I used 100% of my class time.

TOTAL POINTS=50

Thursday, 2/25 in Art I

Symbolic Time lines... Take a sheet of paper and fold it in 1/2 so the fold divides the right and left sides of your paper. On the right side of your paper, number from 1/10 and write down the 10 most important events that have happened in your life so far. Please keep them in chronological order. This is for your information only, so be honest. On the left side of the paper, number from 1/10 and draw a symbol for each of your life's events. These symbols should not be recognizable. No hearts, crosses, angel wings, or rainbows please. UNLESS, you can make them abstracted by zooming in closer, etc. When you're done with both sides of your paper, tear away the written events and take them home. Keep your drawn symbols in the drawer with your name on them.

Tuesday, 2/23 in Cartooning

Transitions and Closure

Closure is the understanding that your reader has when they read your comics. As a writer/artist you must give your readers directions in understanding your work. These directions are called transitions and they happen in seven different ways.

1. Moment to moment: this shows time passing. The result is similar to showing something in slow motion in a video.
2. action to action: is similar to moment to moment, except it doesn't show every little step along the way. It usually show the beginning and ending of an action.
3. Subject to subject: this takes place in one scene, but switches between characters. This is commonly used for dialogue.
4. Scene to scene: this moves from one place or time to another.
5. Aspect to aspect: shows multiple views of the same scene and it is usually silent. It helps to deepen the mood.
6. Symbolic: takes place within the storyline and depicts something non-literally. It is making a point about a character's state of mind in a metaphoric way.
7. Non-sequitur: this is two panels that seem to have no meaning when put together.

TO DO: Look through the comic section of the newspaper. Cut out panels and re-arrange them in order to tell a story. Glue this in your sketchbook. You can use the existing dialog, or you could cut it away and write your own. Decide which of the transitions from above is used and write it down.

Monday, 2/22 in Cartooning

Today you will be writing/typing up your artist bio for the comic strip you have completed.

Please include:

1. your name (real or made up), age, and city where you live.
2. Your favorite comic or comic artist.
3. information about your comic
4. and something interesting about yourself

This should end up being 5-10 sentences total.

When you're done writing go to:

• my computer
• student shared on mvc...
• irondaledropbox
• cannonj
• 5th or 6th hour
• drag your bio folder into this drop box

OR, as a last resort, email it to me at julie.cannon@moundsviewschools.org

THANKS!

Comic Strips are Due with Artist Bio TODAY!

Hannah Haverkamp was born in 1992 in Minneapolis, where she has lived her whole
life. She spends entirely too much time reading comics, particularly those of
Bill Watterson, Der-Shing Helmer, and Jeph Jaques, and draws inspiration from a
variety of sources including those above. Cartooning and Animation is her first
art class at Irondale, but she hopes to learn as much as she can in her last
semester of high school. This comic is unfortunately not derived from personal
experience – she has never owned a cat, but torments- er, cuddles those of her
friends at every opportunity.
“I think cats are just hilarious—they all have
so much personality, and honestly, it’s kind of a Rule of Funny to have
something fluffy and adorable actually be this maniacal demon beast thing. I
went a little out of my depth on the perspective in the last panel, but I’m
learning! Also, tones are fun.”

Tuesday, 2/16 in Art 1

This is a quick example of what we're doing today. You'll be making a chart that communicates what you know about color mixing. First you'll make a small color wheel, and then you'll label 2 columns of 5 shapes that will be filled in with...
hue (pure color)
shade (color + black)
tone (color + gray)
tint (color + tint)
intensity (color + its direct opposite)

Tuesday, 2/16 in Carooning

Today we will be working on your comic strip. You should already have your character(s), your setting, your conflict and solution pretty well planned out. Now, it's time to work on your rough draft and final draft. Right about now you're probably wondering how I will be grading this project...

1. Correct use of thought balloons, word balloons, and emanate... out of 10 points


2. All lettering is NEAT and easy to read, with enough space between words and letter... out of 10 points.


3. Inking is clean looking with a variety of widths. No pencil lines showing! out of 10.


4. Artist bio has no grammatic errors and there is interesting information about the artist, which is you. out to 10.


5. Overall presentation (is it up on the internet?) use of class time, and effort. out of 10.

Thursday 2/11 in Cartooning: Comic Strips

• create a list of characters
• create a list of situations you might find in a funny newspaper strip
• create a situation: introduction of a new character, an argument, a holiday, etc.
• create a prop/conflict: possibly a hundred dollar bill, a bomb with a fuse lit, etc.

character + setting + situation + conflict + resolution = a story

Next brainstorm visual or verbal gags that could happen in your situation. Write down every idea that you have in your sketchbook.

Without taking out a piece of paper in your sketchbook, fold one of its pages vertically and turn it so the ringed side is at the top. Above the line is where you'll do your rough draft, below the line is where you'll do your finished copy. Finished copy will need to be inked with your brand new pens with all pencil lines erased with your brand new erasers. YOWZA! Tentative due date: 2/17.

2/9-2/12 in Art I: Finish Still Life

Your still life is due by the end of the hour on Friday! Take a picture of it and work on it at home if you think you'll run out of time!

Wednesday 2/10 in Cartooning: Wrong Planet Pacing

Today we'll mess around with your group's 25 panel comic, and see how taking away panels affects both the story itself and the pacing.

First we'll look at the 25 panels, next we'll reduce it down to 12-15, and then finally put it back at whatever number of panels tells the story in the best possible/most interesting way. At that point, each of you will re-draw one of your panels included in the story in one of these 22 ways.

Tuesday 2/9 in Cartooning

Today you will have time to finish activity II from yesterday. Make sure you ink it and complete all erasures.

Next I'll give you a number (1-5), and you'll draw 5 panels for one of these scenarios.

1. An astronaut launches his rocket...
2. lands on the moon...
3. and plants a flag.
4. He returns home to much fanfare...
5. but then realizes he has gone to the wrong planet.

Next, you'll get together with some people around you and put together a 25 panel comic.

Tuesday 2/9 in Art I: Still Life Due this Friday

Today we'll start working on our final still life. Tips: 1. Start with bottom of the object closest to you. 2. your outlines should be light, because they shouldn't show when the still life is finished. 3. Remember to compare heights/widths of different objects to create accurate proportion. 4. Look at WHAT you are drawing 2 x as much as you look at your paper. 5. If you're feeling stressed about time, you could use your cell phone to take a picture of the still life from your point of view and work on it outside of class. 6. Don't finish one object at a time. Finish the outline first. Then maybe you would shade in all of the darkest values... Work on the entire still life to make it stronger as an entire piece of art work.

Grading:

1. Presentation: complete erasures, smooth blending, signature, paper is clean and smooth with no smudges or mystery marks.

2. Effort, use of class time and attitude.

3. Use of all 10 values.

4. Cast shadows, midtones, reflection, and high lights are accurately represented.

5. Drawing is proportional and uses the entire 11 x 14 sheet of paper creating a strong composition.

Monday 2/8: The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree...

Today we'll talk a bit about this apple. If you draw one, and write apple next to it, you'll just be labelling it. This isn't something we want to do in comics. But, if you write words like New York, or temptation, or Dr. repellent next to it, you will create a relationship between the word and the picture. This is something WE DO want to do in comics. This relationship doesn't have to be funny though. It could be dramatic, absurd, polital, etc...

Here are two captions for this Wells Fargo caption contest:
"Fashion Rule #13: Carrying a big credit card makes your rear end appear smaller. "–Lady Anon

"Early prototype, just prior to the invention of the wallet." –Chris S. Ervi

Activity I: Find one of your drawings from class. Cut it out and paste it in your sketchbook. Make as many different captions as you can for your work. Think in terms of creating a relationship between the words and the picture.

Activity II: On a new sketchbook page, do a small thumbnail sketch of a drawing with a caption. Once you've decided on a sketch, enlarge it to approx. 5 x 7 size and draw a frame around it. Write at lease 3 captions and choose the funniest one. Ink it.