CC2: Week 8 Composition, Part 4

Orient your page in portrait format (vertical) draw your one inch image area border. Divide the image area into four equal quadrants. Leave a half inch gutter between each quadrant.

Study these four illustrations. Using pencil shading or your grey markers or a combination of both, redraw all four images as thumbnail sketches.

On a new page, divide the page into four quadrants, as above. Choose one of the four illustrations and create four new compositions using the same elements, but imagine the image is the visual for a magazine cover. As you design your four new thumbnail compositions, add the magazine title. Using greeking, add a header, a footer, three story headlines and a UPC rectangle to each of the four thumbnail designs.

This week's sketchbook assignment: choose one of your four new possible magazine cover designs and sketch a full page comp version. Using the tracing paper overlay provided in class, explain in writing and with diagrams why your improved composition works. Describe how you have applied the principles of composition studied over the last four weeks.

CC2, Week 7 (Monday Class): Composition, Part 3

Arrange your 8 1/2" x 11" paper vertically. Draw your 1" border and letter your name in the bottom right-hand corner, as always.  On the first sheet, sketch five equal thumbnail shapes as indicated below. Read the paragraph under each example, then replicate the image. Use grey markers if you prefer.

Arrange your 8 1/2" x 11" paper horizontally. Draw your 1" border and letter your name in the bottom right-hand corner, as always.  On the second sheet, sketch five equal thumbnail shapes as indicated below. Read the paragraph under each example, then replicate the image. Use grey markers if you prefer.

Arrange your 8 1/2" x 11" paper vertically. Draw your 1" border and letter your name in the bottom right-hand corner, as always.  On the third sheet, sketch five equal thumbnail shapes as indicated below. Read the paragraph under each example, then replicate the image. Use grey markers if you prefer.

This week's sketchbook exercise:

Choose only one of the two linear thumbnails. Read the description explaining why the composition is weak. Redesign the composition, first by exploring possibilities by way of 4 small thumbnail sketches near the top of your sketchbook page, then by completing a larger sketch in the remaining space on the same page. Use values. You may make any adjustments you feel are needed to the positions and relationships of the figures in the composition (i.e. moving arms, legs, the distance between them, etc.) but keep in mind the implied interaction between the figures (i.e. they are looking at/talking to each other). Maintain that aspect of their interaction in some way in your redesign.

CC2, Week 6: Composition, Part 2

Instructions: turn your 1st sheet of paper to horizontal format, draw your one inch border and letter your name in the bottom right hand corner as always. Sketch all 12 of the thumbnail diagrams below, reading the accompanying descriptions carefully. You may add the grey values with your grey markers instead of shading with pencil if you prefer. 

Instructions: turn your 2nd sheet of paper to horizontal format, draw your one inch border and letter your name in the bottom right hand corner as always. Sketch all 9 of the thumbnail diagrams below, reading the accompanying descriptions carefully. You may add the grey values with your grey markers instead of shading with pencil if you prefer. 

Instructions: turn your 3rd sheet of paper to horizontal format, draw your one inch border and letter your name in the bottom right hand corner as always. Sketch all 12 of the thumbnail diagrams below (one row for "Movement," one row for "Values"), reading the accompanying descriptions carefully. You may add the grey values with your grey markers instead of shading with pencil if you prefer. 

Instructions: turn your 4th sheet of paper to vertical format, draw your one inch border and letter your name in the bottom right hand corner as always. Sketch the 4 thumbnail diagrams below, reading the accompanying descriptions carefully. You may add the grey values with your grey markers instead of shading with pencil if you prefer. 

This week's sketchbook assignment: choose two objects from around the house and arrange them in an environment. On the left side of the page, sketch them in a composition that demonstrates all the weakness shown in the first sketch above. On the right side of the page, sketch them again using all the strengths of balance, scale, movement and values.