Catie Beth Russo
Teaching portfolio
(under construction)
2D DESIGN I
2D Design I is a course developed to teach the fundamentals of drawing, painting, printmaking and collage. Even though this class is a technical journey to ensure all students acquire the same skill sets, each lesson is designed to give students opportunities to diversify and make their own decisions about the final overall look of their design. By creating lessons that give ownership over ideas to students, it adds both initial buy-in, and deeper reward upon inspecting their final product. As the course moves forward, the curriculum opens up and there are more choice making opportunities placed in the artists hands; to help develop their own personal concepts and aesthetics.
Contour Line Project
After several introductory activities inspired by the Betty Edwards book "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" we begin to deconstruct drawing and ways to approach drawing at the most basic level. A contour line drawing. Students are asked to create at least 3 drawings of their own hand from observation on separate sheets of copy paper: one open pose, one closed pose, and one hand holding something. Students are asked to pause often during the drawing process, each time the line quality changes to analyze the next move, as parts are drawn they are compared to the whole, and students are to embrace any erasing and re-drawing as this brings them closer to their goal. Then students take their drawings over to the light table with a large piece of paper, arrange their hands in an interesting way, trace them onto the large paper, and creatively come up with a way to unify their concept and finish the assignment. All wet and dry media are allowed for finishing their design.
Charcoal Value Project
After working with a contour line drawing, it's time to look at value to achieve form. Still working from observation, we create a charcoal value drawing of a still life. Students can choose whatever objects from the still life closet inspire them. This being the most formal exercise we do, students are asked to tone their paper and begin to sketch out their design using prior knowledge from our last project about drawing a contour line. Then students begin to add value looking for highlights, shadows, and how to diversify their midtones to get the most out of their charcoal.
Self Portrait Colored Value Project
After working with value in grayscale, we are going to add in color, which presents yet another way of deconstructing an image and working with media. I teach portraiture first with an I-do, You-do demonstration of "everyman or everywoman." This demo ensures students learn how to proportion their face, render basic facial features, and apply value to both the face and hair. With chalk pastels and a mirror set-up students are asked to work from observation to create a self portrait. How is their face different from everyman or everywoman? investigating each feature like its the first time ever seeing them, students are asked to create that likeness, of what makes them...them!
Non-Objective
Art Project
Creating abstract, or non-objective art, is another skill that students should have an opportunity to master. This is a two piece project, the first has a guided demonstration by teacher and limited media (india ink, then watercolor), the second, everything is student choice, and the approach had to be different than their first. Students are asked to consider various mark making strategies, where to place small and large details in order to create focal points, color variety to acheive different moods, experimentation and play, the concept of not knowing what comes next, then the piece gets to a point where discretion becomes available, and a "knowing" occurs.
Realistic Acrylic
Painting Project
After gaining several painting skills from their color matching design, we continue to build forward working with a three step painting process involving smart layering. First, flat color is applied, second is blended value, and third are textures and fine details. Since we have worked with observation often this semester, we now work with a photo reference, and the grid method, so focus is placed purely on paint application. There is a teacher driven demonstration of how to acheive a variety of effects. Each students painting yields different paint problems/solutions, so we are all busy problem solving together! An extra dimension is that I teach several blocks of 2D1, and students can paint the same thing as another student in another class for added competition and incentive! See the hummingbird example to note the beauty of individual style and varied application choices of the students.
Creative Perspective Project
With the intention to broaden students ideas of perspective drawing, we tour a variety of master artists works to break down their compositions, looking for types of perspective, and essential rules of perspective. Using that knowledge base, students consider a personally driven final product after a thorough colored pencil demo. The parameters were the same, but the student could come up with any number of elegant solutions to make a one of a kind piece.
Radial Printmaking Project
Students are asked to create 1/4 of a radial design to transfer onto a lineloum printing block. After carving out their design, they print their design four times, while rotating their block with each press in order to create a radial pattern in their final product. After printing, students add extra personality to their work with colored pencil accents and a border of their choosing.
