I am teaching sculpture and drawing at the American University in Dubai.
How about yourself?
M
On 6/16/08 11:45 AM, "Rachel Pearcey" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Michael, I think I almost totally agree with you, where do you teach?
> Rachel
>
> On 16/6/08 08:13, "Michael Bray" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> In my experience as an art student a kabillion years ago, I would
>> occasionally copy works that caught my attention. It wasn't to just copy,
>> but to slow myself down and try to understand how the artist composed, used
>> value and line etc...but this was only useful as I was making my own works
>> at the same time. I found this process instructive, but I always realized
>> that the artist's whose work I was copying was not my style, but it would
>> offer me something to help develop my style. Copying as an exercise in
>> observation I don't find is as useful. If that is the point, drawing from
>> reality is more useful I would say. In a class room setting, the greatest
>> danger with a copying method, is the student will become impressed with the
>> result, but may not realize all the decisions that need to be taken to make
>> their own original work. That said, I believe a selective, individualized
>> approach can help students become aware of issues in drawing that they may
>> not be able to grasp as readily by reading or lecture.
>>
>> Regarding the original question of applying a learned style to original
>> work, I have seen some assignments that get good results, but usually not as
>> a starting point. Get students drawing what's around them, then introduce a
>> style to explain the concept of interpretation from what you see to what you
>> draw. Then I would suggest you move to the student's drawing their familiar
>> surroundings but with an interpretive mindset (if that makes any sense). It
>> does not have to follow the style they copied, but it should follow the
>> process using simplification, exaggeration, pattern etc...because I feel
>> that you are using the Matisse example not to have students draw like
>> Matisse, but to start seeing/experiencing how the drawn image can be
>> influenced by the surroundings but not necessarily having to be a realistic
>> copy of reality. I think if a copy is approached more along these lines, it
>> can open up the student's mind to just how fluid, playful, and expressive
>> drawing can be.
>>
>> M
>>
>> On 6/16/08 10:31 AM, "Rachel Pearcey" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>>> I went to the recent Russian exhibition at the Royal Academy in London.
>>> There were some works by Matisse and Picasso I had never seen plus of course
>>> the wonderful dancers, or whatever they are called, which I had only seen in
>>> reproduction. I stood and copied 3 paintings and it really helped me to
>>> see/understand how they had been drawn. To copy another artist you have to
>>> suspend your own practice but to apply it to your own work you need a
>>> certain amount of technical expertise and confidence in your own practice.
>>> You need to be able to 'see' what each line is doing and why it was placed
>>> there, but also that some might be mistakes which have been left. I think
>>> the whole process is very interesting but also a lot more complicated than
>>> it might seem.
>>> Rachel
>>>
>>> On 15/6/08 17:16, "Maureen Kendal" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I always dislike this method of teaching for the reasons you note.
>>>> If we are teaching people to look,
>>>> Do not our eyes , hearts and minds emerge from a fresh vision and
>>>> unique universe?
>>>> Looking at something and seeing anew and fresh as if for the first
>>>> time, in a state of emergence?
>>>> Why are we asking people to copy?
>>>> It is one technique to look closely at a great master etc and
>>>> understand the technique and appreciate it etc
>>>> but what about the joy of playing with and manipulating and
>>>> experimenting with the technique, rather than only copying.
>>>>
>>>> I am interested in looking /listening and challenging what we see/
>>>> hear - that is the excitement.
>>>> Does anyone out there get excited from copying?
>>>> Maybe they do, Andy Warhol and yet every image printed was different
>>>> again.
>>>> His duplicated images were been playing with repetition and
>>>> variation, but not mere copying.
>>>> A thought?
>>>>
>>>> Maureen Kendal
>>>>
>>>> On 15 Jun 2008, at 13:59, Y.A.Raw wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I have an issue with the notion of asking students to paint like
>>>>> famous artists.
>>>>>
>>>>> Does anyone have any tips or advice on getting students to 'apply'
>>>>> the methods and techniques used by other artists, as opposed to
>>>>> just copying them?
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm asking because I have just taught a one-day workshop on
>>>>> 'Drawing like Matisse' to adult learners of varying abilities. I
>>>>> just wondered what other teachers' methods might be. Explaining
>>>>> Matisse's use of gesture, line, colour, pattern, mood etc. wasn't
>>>>> really the problem. Getting students to apply these to their own
>>>>> work was tricky. They wanted to create pictures that looked like
>>>>> Matisse's, as opposed to creating their own pictures and applying
>>>>> Matisse's techniques. There is a difference...
>>>>>
>>>>> (I appreciate that teaching/learning this in one day is a
>>>>> relatively tall order...)
>>>>> Any help would be appreciated.
>>>>> Thanks
>>>>> Yvonne
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ---------------------------------
>>>>> The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391),
>>>>> an exempt charity in England & Wales and a charity registered in
>>>>> Scotland (SC 038302).
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