I do a similar project only I give a list of 50 things that must be in the
drawing. I give no size limitations, any media, I encourage different points
of view. i.e. one of the items on the list is a mosquito- how would all of
this look from a bug's point of view? This is the only time I allow photo
references - but only as reference. Some of the results have been
incredible. I had a student a couple of years ago that took all the items
and made them into a children's book.
One of the things on my list is "something red" When I questioned a student
about where his red thing was he pointed to a book and said "it was read."
I think I got this from Robert Kaupelis' "Experimental Drawing" which is one
of the best resources for teaching drawing I can think of.
BTW as far as using photos to draw from. Any of you preparing students with
portfolios for art schools - no no no
The art schools want to see that a potential artist can look at an object
from life and translate not only the object but the space surrounding it.
Drawing is the translation of something 3-d to a 2-d space, it's an
illusion. A photo is already a illusion. Drawings from photos always look
like just what they are. The intelligent decision making is lost.
Patty
> Subject: Re: First day back...and a question for you
>
> A good first day assignment that will help you assess your students (and can
> be adapted to about any level) is this:
>
> Have them do a drawing (I used copy paper) that includes at least...
> One person (full person, not just a head)
> One house (whole house, not part of it)
> One tree (entire tree)
> and as many details as they can think of...however, a lot of times, I will
> give them more specifics, such as....
>
> Children jumping up picking apples off of a tree...
> Sidewalk with flowers
> Fence
> Road
> Cat
> Dog
> and so on....
