Note: To protect the privacy of our members, e-mail addresses have been removed from the archived messages. As a result, some links may be broken.
Find Lesson Plans on getty.edu! GettyGames

Re: Using sources for projects!

---------

From: Woody Duncan (wduncan_at_TeacherArtExchange)
Date: Sun Oct 21 2001 - 12:22:45 PDT

Kyle,
        Of course the best way to learn to draw and to train
your eye is to draw from observation. But it is not always
realistic to have a stuffed eagle available. I try to balance
the sources we draw from, set up, models, self-portraits,
photos I take, magazines, etc. It's also important to share
with the students the rationale for using observation, photos,
etc, including the fact that those images belong to other artists.

When they change the original image and use it as just a point
of departure it becomes more of their own. This argument is
endless and has no single correct answer. I work often from
my own photos but last year I used a magazine reference, I was
never happy with the result. Not because I cheated, it just lacked
that spark my other paintings had.

I had a college professor who said there was nothing wrong with
projecting an image and tracing it. That really feels like cheating.
These are all aesthetic questions that students and artists struggle
with.
                                                        Woody in KC

Kyle Hoyt wrote:
>
> I am a college student who is about to graduate
> with my endorsement in art education. I have recently
> been to a school doing some observation and got into a
> heated discussion over whether or not it is acceptable
> for junior high and high school students to use
> sources in their own work. 

-- 
       I'm from Kansas,  where the Legislature and BOE keep trying 
        to define the term "suitable" because our constitution requires
          the state provide a "suitable" education for all students
                      Only Kansas is flat, not the entire planet.
                       To respond to me privately via E-mail
                           click on  mailto:wduncan@kc.rr.com
           put Hey Woody on the subject line so I'll read it first
 my watercolors are at http://www.taospaint.com/WoodysPaintings.html
                visit my Web Site at http://www.taospaint.com
      this e-mail message is from Artist/Teacher Woody Duncan
               Rosedale Middle School in Kansas City, Kansas
        the URL for Rosedale is http://kancrn.kckps.k12.ks.us/rosedale
     for the newest photos of my beautiful grandkids Tim, Tess and Tiff 
                      click on http://www.taospaint.com/Ducks.html      
    
    for a virtual field trip of KC go to http://taospaint.com/VirtualTour.html
---