Carrie Rubinstein

This introductory drawing course exposes students to methods of drawing through rigorous observational practices. Fundamental drawing concepts involving light, shade, value, contrast, proportion, texture, mass, and volume are presented, and techniques are demonstrated to best achieve those ideas. The goals of the course are to develop hand-eye coordination, to understand methods and materials, and to explore the process of developing a visual vocabulary. Through the activity of drawing, students develop the language of drawing—which is truly about seeing through an expanded lens. Students will work daily with traditional and experimental drawing materials. Drawings by contemporary artists will be shown throughout the term, and a coinciding New York City trip to specific galleries/museums will be taken. At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to translate an object from life into a two-dimensional drawn form with both traditional and experimental points of view.

The first part of this course focuses on sharpening fundamental drawing skills through essential exercises and with a variety of traditional drawing media. After each drawing’s initial state is made, assignments will be reworked with a new set of criteria—such as using one’s nondominant hand, inventing one’s drawing instruments and materials, cutting up old drawings and reconfiguring them into new works, or working continually for a set number of hours on one piece. Around the midpoint in the term, our understanding of drawing expands to include works by Christine Sun Kim, Kara Walker, Charles Gaines, and William Kentridge. How does drawing unfold and become stop-motion animations, cut-out life-size silhouettes, or massive reproductions on buildings? Drawing evolves from a flat practice into three dimensions. We will investigate this circumstance and incorporate many of those modalities into our works on paper. Individual meetings with the instructor guide each student’s direction for the second half of the term. Each student’s unique area of challenge and engagement will be assessed and explored for the final project. A study trip to New York City galleries will coincide with course work.