What are some of the basic components involved in composing an engaging, harmonious and believable figurative composition? This course will address how artists visually go about telling stories, overarching geometric compositional forms, the distribution of light and shade, the harmonious arrangement of figures in a landscape / interior or exterior architectural setting and the accurate use of linear / aerial perspective. We will also experiment with creating our own compositional dioramas, in order to better come to grips with creating the illusion of space, in order to understand how the fall of light and shade function together as a whole in unifying a picture.

DELIVERY MODE

• Face-to-Face

COURSE OUTLINE

• Art historical introduction to composition
• Composition and overarching geometric forms
• Nicolas Poussin’s box and ink wash drawings
• Simplified Ink wash drawings of the human figure from life
• Compositional diorama in a landscape with a given story.
• Compositional diorama and your own story
• Linear perspective and the figure in an architectural setting

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1. Gain a more comprehensive understanding of composition in relation to geometric form, light and shade, linear and aerial perspective and figurative narration.
2. Apply an understanding of composition to a drawing practice.
3. Have gained a greater overarching design context for drawing the figure, landscape and still life objects.
4. Make practical use of historical compositional drawings within a drawing practice.

MATERIALS LIST

• Black chalk pencil - oil based
• Kneadable eraser; Stanley knife
• Indian ink
• Watercolour brushes - sizes 5 and 7
• Sketchbook for wet drawing materials.
• Week 5 onwards: Cardboard box (Size to be discussed in class); Wet cloth (optional) ; Torch (optional); 2x 500 grams Micador modelling clay (or plasticine)

IMPORTANT: Please arrive to the first class with all the relevant materials. A lack of materials is not just a handicap to you but to the ability to teach. Materials cost is not included in a course fee. In the event of a course being cancelled WEA cannot be held responsible for the purchase of any course materials. We therefore suggest you purchase your materials closer to the time of the course commencing.

ART SUPPLY STOCKISTS

The following stockists below are examples of places you can buy art materials from:

• Art on King: 199-201 King Street, Newtown. Ph: 9516 2342
• Eckersley's Art and Craft Store: 93 York Street, Sydney. Ph: 9299 4151. Also located in various locations throughout Greater Sydney.
• Parkers Art Supplies: 3 Cambridge Street, The Rocks. Ph: 9247 9979
• The Art Scene: 914 Victoria Road, West Ryde. Ph: 9807 6900
• The Sydney Art Store: 11 Salisbury Street, Botany. Ph: 9699 2162

You can also purchase materials from places such as Dymocks, Officeworks, Spotlight, Lincraft or online art suppliers such as Art Shed Online.