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What happens in an art class?

Viraja

Jaya Jagannatha!
I'm curious how to describe teaching and learning art via written medium............ such as in a story.

Let us envision a class for intermediate to advanced learners.... the students are trying to learn from an art instructor, how to draw/sketch portraits.

What difficulties will the students face initially?

What would be the normal expectation of the instructor, from the students?

If the instructor is disheartened at the progress of a student, how will he criticize?

Any other information regarding an art class is also welcome. The focus is on portraits.

(I am a newbie writer and a self-taught portrait artist who is now trying a write a funny story on the said topic - "Learning art").
 

MikeDwight

Well-Known Member
You mean art 101, so that students never have to come back and never care?
th
See this is a phallis symbol. Its like a penis. The symbol is like a phallis. Some people think like well Egyptian obelisks are like architectural, mainly phalluses. George Washington monument. Its a president with a phallic symbol.
 

Viraja

Jaya Jagannatha!
You mean art 101, so that students never have to come back and never care?
th
See this is a phallis symbol. Its like a penis. The symbol is like a phallis. Some people think like well Egyptian obelisks are like architectural, mainly phalluses. George Washington monument. Its a president with a phallic symbol.

You mean lateral thinking is a challenge for new art learner....perhaps.
 

Viraja

Jaya Jagannatha!
You mean art 101, so that students never have to come back and never care?
th
See this is a phallis symbol. Its like a penis. The symbol is like a phallis. Some people think like well Egyptian obelisks are like architectural, mainly phalluses. George Washington monument. Its a president with a phallic symbol.

Its a good one, by the way. If my story plot is not based on India, perhaps I might be convinced to use this very idea to wrap up my story with! :D
 

Ouroboros

Coincidentia oppositorum
I'm curious how to describe teaching and learning art via written medium............ such as in a story.

Let us envision a class for intermediate to advanced learners.... the students are trying to learn from an art instructor, how to draw/sketch portraits.

What difficulties will the students face initially?

What would be the normal expectation of the instructor, from the students?

If the instructor is disheartened at the progress of a student, how will he criticize?

Any other information regarding an art class is also welcome. The focus is on portraits.

(I am a newbie writer and a self-taught portrait artist who is now trying a write a funny story on the said topic - "Learning art").
I have a little experience in it since I took art classes a couple of years ago. I had some great teachers. Learned a lot.

I had the same teacher in both drawing and painting classes and it was all practical. We had a few books we could read, but not mandatory. No tests on those. Just for those who likes to read stuff. Otherwise, she explain concepts on the whiteboard usually before class started, maybe 30 minutes, and then we spent 4-5 hours working.

We had a couple of weeks for each project, and at the end, we did a group critique of each other. The way it was done, we took turns showing our painting, and anyone could give a critique. They had to give one positive and one negative (if I remember right), and the teacher took notes who critiqued and gave points. The way she graded our work was based on progress, how much we had improved rather than the quality. And the grades were also affected by our attendance in the group critique. Basically, we had to give at least one positive and one negative review each session.

The way she helped us during work was that she walked around and look at everyone's work, explained things, and sometimes even sat down and took over for 5-10 minutes to show practically what she meant.

Also, the classes were combined with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level, so occasionally an advanced student could jump in and help out.

In the drawing class, the challenges would be proportions, placement, but most of all not getting a good enough tone range, i.e. the dark wasn't dark enough, or it got too muddy with very dark and the light messy. We worked mostly in charcoal, just to be clear.

We didn't do any portraits in our classes, but that's because they had a specific class for portrait and human body, which I never took.
 

Viraja

Jaya Jagannatha!
I have a little experience in it since I took art classes a couple of years ago. I had some great teachers. Learned a lot.

I had the same teacher in both drawing and painting classes and it was all practical. We had a few books we could read, but not mandatory. No tests on those. Just for those who likes to read stuff. Otherwise, she explain concepts on the whiteboard usually before class started, maybe 30 minutes, and then we spent 4-5 hours working.

We had a couple of weeks for each project, and at the end, we did a group critique of each other. The way it was done, we took turns showing our painting, and anyone could give a critique. They had to give one positive and one negative (if I remember right), and the teacher took notes who critiqued and gave points. The way she graded our work was based on progress, how much we had improved rather than the quality. And the grades were also affected by our attendance in the group critique. Basically, we had to give at least one positive and one negative review each session.

The way she helped us during work was that she walked around and look at everyone's work, explained things, and sometimes even sat down and took over for 5-10 minutes to show practically what she meant.

Also, the classes were combined with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level, so occasionally an advanced student could jump in and help out.

In the drawing class, the challenges would be proportions, placement, but most of all not getting a good enough tone range, i.e. the dark wasn't dark enough, or it got too muddy with very dark and the light messy. We worked mostly in charcoal, just to be clear.

We didn't do any portraits in our classes, but that's because they had a specific class for portrait and human body, which I never took.

Thank you for an elaborate reply! I see that getting proportion right is a challenge.... Appreciate your reply.
 

Ouroboros

Coincidentia oppositorum
Thank you for an elaborate reply! I see that getting proportion right is a challenge.... Appreciate your reply.
Especially difficult was getting circles/ovals right. Like a bottle opening, bowl, vase, etc. She gave us some trick using a piece of paper, but I don't remember it now. See if I can recall it later today.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Especially difficult was getting circles/ovals right. Like a bottle opening, bowl, vase, etc. She gave us some trick using a piece of paper, but I don't remember it now. See if I can recall it later today.
A lot of it has to do with how you hold the writing instrument too. Discovering that many techniques doesn't come from the wrist , rather that comes from your entire arm and shoulder.

Takes awhile to get used to. Most are teachers with just reaffirmed , practice practice practice style encouragement.

I tried to have fun, rather than getting discouraged. A cup of coffee and the song, "Matchstick Men" puts me right in the zone. Even if my work of art turns out like mush potatoes. *Grin*
 

Audie

Veteran Member
You mean art 101, so that students never have to come back and never care?
th
See this is a phallis symbol. Its like a penis. The symbol is like a phallis. Some people think like well Egyptian obelisks are like architectural, mainly phalluses. George Washington monument. Its a president with a phallic symbol.

And minarets!
And and and!
 

Ouroboros

Coincidentia oppositorum
A lot of it has to do with how you hold the writing instrument too. Discovering that many techniques doesn't come from the wrist , rather that comes from your entire arm and shoulder.
So true. And she showed us couple of different ways to hold it depending on if you wanted loose sketching or detail work.

Takes awhile to get used to. Most are teachers with just reaffirmed , practice practice practice style encouragement.

I tried to have fun, rather than getting discouraged. A cup of coffee and the song, "Matchstick Men" puts me right in the zone. Even if my work of art turns out like mush potatoes. *Grin*
+1

Right mood is very important.
 

PureX

Veteran Member
I'm curious how to describe teaching and learning art via written medium............ such as in a story.

Let us envision a class for intermediate to advanced learners.... the students are trying to learn from an art instructor, how to draw/sketch portraits.

What difficulties will the students face initially?

What would be the normal expectation of the instructor, from the students?

If the instructor is disheartened at the progress of a student, how will he criticize?

Any other information regarding an art class is also welcome. The focus is on portraits.

(I am a newbie writer and a self-taught portrait artist who is now trying a write a funny story on the said topic - "Learning art").
It's basically the same process regardless of the medium. An artist presents his/her work to the group for discussion and critique. First, the group members will describe as accurately as they are able, what they have been presented. This is important because artists need to learn how to notice ALL the details before jumping to conclusions about what the artwork is, what it's 'about', what it must mean, and why it's in front of them. They need to learn how to recognize and articulate all of this in their minds, especially, and then in their words, to others.

Once a consensus has been established about what the artwork is (and is not), then a discussion usually ensues about what the group thinks it's supposed to mean, if anything, and what they are taking away from having been confronted by and experienced it. Likes and dislikes tend to become evident from these discussions, but they aren't the main concern. The main concern is learning how to pay attention, how to be open-minded, and learning how to interpret the choices and decisions the artist made in creating thework as if they were a kind of coded language, intending to convey the artist's experience of being in that moment in time, while exploring that particular medium, to share with the rest of us.

Art is a language of choices.
 
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Viraja

Jaya Jagannatha!
I found this image quite useful to represent an instructor who bullies an art learner. (although this image is indeed funny :) ).

art-art_room-art_lesson-art_class-art_teacher-art_school-jna0461_low.jpg
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
I'm curious how to describe teaching and learning art via written medium............ such as in a story.

Let us envision a class for intermediate to advanced learners.... the students are trying to learn from an art instructor, how to draw/sketch portraits.

What difficulties will the students face initially?

What would be the normal expectation of the instructor, from the students?

If the instructor is disheartened at the progress of a student, how will he criticize?

Any other information regarding an art class is also welcome. The focus is on portraits.

(I am a newbie writer and a self-taught portrait artist who is now trying a write a funny story on the said topic - "Learning art").

Most art classes ive attended tend to be laid back affairs and fun*.
Difficulties, depends on the tutor, depends on the student but help will be available, just ask. Im dyslexic so i dictated written work.
Cant say i have seen a tutor get too upitty with a student.

The tutor is not about teaching you his way but coaxing out your way and showing you how to make the most of it.

* A story or two.

One tutor, first job, male, young (mid 20) and easily embarrassed in a class of about 80% girls was dumbstruck when a friend took a banana from her bag and began eating it in a far to erotic way.

Another tutor, big macho man, worked out daily, played various contact sports and thought he was gods gift to women would walk around the class, stop, always at a girls desk, never a boys for some reason, lift one foot up and rest it on the desk so the girl had no choice but to look him in the crotch. He had tried it on me 3 times before i got up the courage to exclaim loudly, "pheww, stinky"... He never did it again.
 

Skwim

Veteran Member
.

While going to college I took several studio art classes, two of which featured nude female models. Neither model ever expressed any sense of embarrassment while posing, however, one of them always covered up with a robe during breaks, left the studio, and preferred not to talk with any of us students. The other one, slightly younger by her looks, always stayed in the studio and sat and talked with us while remaining completely naked (I think she actually enjoyed being naked in front of others). Naturally, she was our favorite. ;)

.
 
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Viraja

Jaya Jagannatha!
.

The other one, slightly younger by her looks, always stayed in the studio and sat and talked us while remaining completely naked (I think she actually enjoyed being naked in front of others).

.

May be, she felt (re)newed. ;)
 

PureX

Veteran Member
I'm curious how to describe teaching and learning art via written medium............ such as in a story.

Let us envision a class for intermediate to advanced learners.... the students are trying to learn from an art instructor, how to draw/sketch portraits.

What difficulties will the students face initially?

What would be the normal expectation of the instructor, from the students?

If the instructor is disheartened at the progress of a student, how will he criticize?

Any other information regarding an art class is also welcome. The focus is on portraits.

(I am a newbie writer and a self-taught portrait artist who is now trying a write a funny story on the said topic - "Learning art").
The goal is to use the written word to convey an experience of being. To do that the 'artist' has to be able to recognize how their choice and arrangement of words on a page is being interpreted by the reader, so that they can foster and guide that interpretation into a cohesive, holistic mental and emotional experience.

Teaching people how to write isn't the same as teaching people how to create an art experience. And not everyone who can learn how to write will be able to create art with their words. In fact, hardly any of them will. Which is why it might make more sense to split 'creative writing' classes into writing technique, and art theory classes, respectively. Or at least have these as adjuncts to a creative writing curriculum.
 
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