Self Portrait and Identity

Mr. Boccini, 1982

I created this pencil drawing in an illustration class many years ago. Our professor wanted us to create a portrait that communicated our personal identity. What can you tell about me from this portrait? (besides the fact I lost a lot of hair!)

• What defines you as a person? Is it your Culture? Personality? History? Gender? Your interests or activities?
• How can your choice of medium be used to represent these aspects of identity?
• What do you wish to share about yourself? What do you wish to keep private? How much can a portrait show about a person?

Directions for this Assignment:

1. Create a self portrait that will tell the viewer something about your identity. 
2. Include objects/imagery that helps reflect who you are. 
3. Create a "Collage" canvas out of cut paper to paint on.Use magazines, maps, concert tickets etc. We have a scanner so you can copy photos or documents that might add to your image. (ie. a birth certificate)
4. Incorporate a "Word" or words that helps communicate your identity. Use repetition to emphasis your particular word.
5. Use acrylic paint over your base collage.
6. Do not cover up all of your collage, try and let it bleed through and become part of the overall image.

Mixed Media Demonstration

Mixed Media Collage Technique

Fear Sketchbook Assignment

Through drawing, convey your greatest fear.

Here is a list of the top 15 fears. Do you have one of these?

1.    Arachnophobia – The fear of spiders affects women four times more (48% women and 12% men).

2.    Ophidiophobia – The fear of snakes. Phobics avoid certain cities because they have more snakes.

3.    Acrophobia – The fear of heights. Five percent of the general population suffer from this phobia.

4.    Agoraphobia – The fear of open or crowded spaces. People with this fear often wont leave home.

5.    Cynophobia – The fear of dogs. This includes everything from small Poodles to large Great Danes.

6.    Astraphobia – The fear of thunder/lightning AKA Brontophobia, Tonitrophobia, Ceraunophobia.

7.    Claustrophobia – The fear of small spaces like elevators, small rooms and other enclosed spaces.

8.    Mysophobia – The fear of germs. It is also rightly termed as Germophobia or Bacterophobia.

9.    Aerophobia – The fear of flying. 25 million Americans share a fear of flying.

10. Trypophobia – The fear of holes is an unusual but pretty common phobia.

11. Carcinophobia – The fear of cancer. People with this develop extreme diets.

12. Thanatophobia – The fear of death. Even talking about death can be hard.

13. Glossophobia – The fear of public speaking. Not being able to do speeches.

14. Monophobia – The fear of being alone. Even while eating and/or sleeping.

15. Atychiphobia – The fear of failure. It is the single greatest barrier to success.

                                               

Make this a dynamic and powerful drawing that illustrates your fear.

Make your marks (pen or pencil strokes) active and support your idea.

Use Colored Pencil or Markers

Your drawing should be in your sketchbook.

See you tomorrow,

Mr. B

Architectural Concentration

Take photos of architecture for reference.

Make a tight drawing of the image.

Create a Mono Print from your drawn image.

Watch the video "Monoprinting with watercolors".

Paint a “Abstract Impressionistic” painting based on the shapes found in your original image (acrylic)

Fairy Tale Sketchbook Assignment

Illustrate a segment out of a children’s fairytale using fine tip sharpie marker. Do not copy an already existing illustration. (You can use them for inspiration) Fill the page. Consider illustrating a lesser known tale from another country.

If you don’t have your sketchbook, complete the drawing on 9x12 inch white drawing paper. (In front of the room)

This is a line drawing. Shade your illustration using crosshatching.

Fine point sharpies are in the front of the room. (Black only!)

List of Fairy Tales

Aladdin

Alice in Wonderland

Beauly and the Beast

Briar Rose: Sleeping Beauty

Cinderella

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Hansel and Gretel

Jack and Beanstalk

Little Red Riding Hood

Peter Pan

Pinocchio

Puss in Boots

Rapunzel

Rumpelstiltskin

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Snow White and Rose Red

The Grog Prince

The Little Mermaid

The Emperor’s New Clothes

The Snow queen

The Little Match Girl

The Elves and the Shoemaker

The Selfish Giant

The Nightingale

The Fox and Hound

The Little Pigs

The Ugly Duckling

The Gingerbread Man

The Twelve Dancing Princesses

The Princess and the Pea

Thumbelina

Tom Thumb

Negative Tool Drawings

Unfinished Drawing, Mr. B

1. Select several tools (power or hand).
2. Create a compositon using the tools.
3. Work on black paper or cardboard that has been primed with black acrylic paint.
4. Use White pencil or charcoal. 

This is a reversal type of image.

Watch the video "How to Draw with White Charcoal on Black Paper".

Flower Paintings

Purple Cone Flowers, Boccini 2017

Look to Georgia Okeefe for inspiration. View these two videos.

Georgia O'Keeffe a Life in Art

Georgia O'Keefe Flowers

You may work realistically or abstract the flowers.

1. Get close to the subject. It is not necessary to show the whold flower. Cann part of the flower make up you compositon.
2. Shoot photo references with your smartphone. Crop the images in your phone.
3. We will work on cardboard or canvas board. Prime the "canvas" with white acrylic or gesso.
4. Work with acrylic paint.
5. Minimum size of 16x20 inches. Don't go too large.
6. Estimated completion date is next Friday.

Don’t be complacent! Use different materials and methods.

Not every thing you do will be great, but your will learn through the experience! These images were created in two after school periods of exploration.