2D Art Beginning/Intermediate Figure Drawing

Name: Gene (Buddy) Plumlee School: Elgin High School

Date: January 29, 2022 Class & Grade Level: 9-12

Lesson Topic / Title: 2D Art Figure Drawing

Lesson’s Focus Question(s): Why are observation skills so fundamentally important to an artist? In what ways does learning figure drawing transfer to other artistic disciplines? How can artists engage the right side of the brain in figure drawing?

Context: The 2D Art classrooms (periods 3 and 6) are composed of 20 students each. Most of the students in this beginning level class are Hispanic with Mexican heritage, and come from low to middle income families. Several students in each class are bilingual and fluent in both English and Spanish. Much of their interests derive from the Mexican culture of their parents and popular youth culture, specifically Latin Hip Hop/Rap, as well as video gaming, and social media, the pervasive engagement of which presents a challenging distraction in the classroom. Based upon my experiences thus far, the students in both periods are usually quiet and polite, though a little shy at times. Several of the students show a genuine interest in art and ability. My teaching strategy will need to be primarily individualized and address some differentiated learning needs. I will also encourage the students to involve their own personal interests and identity when expressing themselves creatively.

Rationale: The representation of the human figure, whether in a visual form or literary form, has been a predominant subject of artistic expression for thousands of years. I believe that learning the basic fundamentals of art is essential and provides the necessary foundation for furthering a student’s art education. Figure drawing serves to teach students those basic fundamentals, in particular observation skills and the understanding of form, relationships between forms, and how forms exist in space. By focusing on the representation of the human figure in this unit the students will improve their observation skills and their ability to use line, form, value and balance as well as a greater understanding of proportion and anatomy. As it concerns the students in these classes, the skills they acquire will be transferred to other art courses in the future. (Brief paragraph – Why are you teaching this lesson in this way, at this time, to this group of students? How does this lesson relate to the overall curriculum in this content area, at this grade level, and in this instructional unit?)

Goals / Objectives / Assessments (expand table below as needed)

STANDARD(s) Identify as CCSS, state, national or other	OBJECTIVE(S): Students will be able to	ASSESSMENT(S): Indicate formative (F) or summative (S)
VA: Cr1.1.Ia Use multiple approaches to begin creative endeavors.	The students will be able to apply a wide range of drawing techniques to figure drawing using a variety of materials.	Formative assessments during class period to check for understanding of approaches, techniques, and use of materials. Summative assessment of understanding based upon portfolio review.
VA: Re7.2.Ia Analyze how one’s understanding of the world is affected by experiencing visual imagery.	The students will be able to analyze how their understanding of the human form is affected by the practice of drawing the figure.	Formative assessments during class period to check for understanding of representing the human form through drawing. Summative assessment of student understanding of human form through portfolio review.
VA: Cn10.1.Ia Document the process of developing ideas from early stages to fully elaborated ideas.	The students will be able to document and analyze the progression of developing figure drawing skills through portfolios of their work arranged in chronological order.	Formative assessments during class period to check for understanding of the importance of keeping an orderly portfolio with dates and notes. Summative assessment of student portfolios as an organized documentation showing a progression of their work.

Understandings: The atelier based instruction methods of good figure drawing skills, and the exercises therein, serve to establish and reinforce the formal elements and principles necessary for further study into other artistic disciplines.

Knowledge: The students will translate their acute observations of the human figure into visual representations using form, line and value. This will lead to a fuller understanding of proportion and the mechanics of the human body, and how three dimensional forms occupy space. The development of these skills will improve the student’s proficiency in all the formal elements of art which can then be applied to design, sculpture, ceramics, and so on.

Language Demands: This lesson will involve discourse concerning the central role the human figure has played in the arts, whether visual or in literature, the natural beauty of the human form, how we identify as individual humans, and the pathos elicited by the human condition, which has often been the preferred theme of many artists. The lesson will mainly concern itself with developing figure drawing skills. The studio vocabulary the students will become proficient in includes: anatomy, proportion, line, form, value, contour, gesture, contrapposto, shading, modeling, rhythm, unity, balance, stand-leg, pelvic tilt, form method, block concept, head length method, and quarter system. This content will be a daily part of our group and individual discussions.

Language Function: The class will engage in brief discussions (as a group and individually) that analyze the human form presented in a particular pose, identify certain aspects of the pose, and how to visually represent the form.

Discourse: The discourse will be verbal in a group or individual setting.

Key learning task: Students will use the target language when discussing their work during formative assessments on a group and individual basis. Target language will also be used by the teacher as the students are in the act of drawing.

Syntax: The words and phrases used in discussions will be appropriate for the age group of the students and at an understanding level expected under normal conditions. Given that much of the teacher’s delivery will be coupled with the act of students drawing, the students will be able to connect the vocabulary to the act itself. This will provide a reinforcement of student understanding.

Vocabulary: Anatomy, proportion, pelvic tilt, stand-leg, balance, contrapposto, line, form, value, shading, modeling, rhythm, unity, form method, block concept, head length method, quarter system, contour, gesture, highlight, light, middle light, low light, transition, reflected light, shadow, cast shadow, observation, right brain engagement, perception.

Materials Needed: vine charcoal, graphite sticks, 2b pencils, 4b pencils, hb pencils, red conte, white conte, kneaded erasers, pink erasers, sketchbook, portfolio folder, 12” x 18” white and various colored papers (neutral tones, black, gray). All materials will be provided.

Procedures/Times

Day 1

Introduction: Brief description of the three-week unit on figure drawing, expectations, objectives, classroom rules, what we will be doing, and materials needed. Hand out graphic organizers outlining this along with printouts of visual references to be used by the students. (10 min.).
Pre-assessment Figure Drawing: Students will make a drawing using charcoal pencil on paper of a 10 minute pose. This is to determine where they are at in their proficiency. (10min.)
Demonstration: Gesture drawing and how to find the gesture in a pose. Basic “road map” of the human figure, what to use as reference points to get proportions correct. Quarter method and head length method to determine proportions. (10 min.)
Independent Activity: Students will make two gesture drawings of 5 minute poses based upon what they learned from my demonstration. (10 min.)
Hand out portfolio folders during activity. Have them write names on portfolios which I keep in the classroom.
Formative assessments during activity.

Day 2

Introduction: Brief description of objectives (importance of keeping a portfolio, sketchbook drawings, gesture drawings). (5 min.)
Demonstration: Review the previous day’s lesson on basic proportion, finding the gesture, body reference points, quarter method, box method. (10 min.)
Independent practice: Students will be instructed to make three gesture drawings in their sketchbooks based on three five minute poses. Students will make two gesture drawings on one piece of colored 12” x 18” paper based on two 8 minute poses. Materials to be used are charcoal pencil, white and red conte. (31 min.)
Formative assessments during activity.

Day 3

Introduction: Brief overview of objectives and review of previous day’s lesson. (5 min.)
Demonstration: Brief demonstration of box and quarter methods of establishing form along with gesture drawing (10 min.)
Independent practice: Students will continue with gesture drawings using box and quarter methods to establish anatomy forms. Two 3 minute poses in sketchbook. Four 6 minute poses on two pieces of colored 12” x 18” paper. (30 min.)
Formative assessments during activity.

Day 4

Introduction: Explain the right-brain theory. Explain objectives for the lesson. Give students printouts of human figure visual references they will copy upside down. (5 min.)
Demonstration: Review of basic anatomy. Demonstrate drawing from a picture held upside down of a model pose, with emphasis on engaging the right side of the brain when observing and copying shapes, lines, etc. (10 min.)
Independent activity: Five minute sketchbook drawing of upside down image. Students will then make a drawing of the upside down reference image on one 12” x 18” colored paper. (30 min.)
Formative assessments during activity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyAXxqO3ZdM

Day 5

Introduction: Brief description of the lesson’s objectives. More right-brain engagement. (5 min.)
Demonstration: Review of previous day’s lesson. Demonstration of upside down drawing. (5 min.)
Independent practice: Students will continue with upside down drawing, right brain engagement. One drawing on 12” x 18” colored paper. Half way through the exercise have the students turn the drawing right side up.
Formative assessments during activity.

Day 6

Introduction: Brief description of objectives. Gesture drawing, upside down drawing. (5 min.)
Demonstration: Review previous lessons. Demonstrate quarter and box methods, upside down drawing, gesture. (5 min.)
Independent activity: Students will do three 2 minute gesture drawings in their sketchbooks based on model pose as a warm up exercise. On one 12” x 18” colored paper have the students make a 5 minute upside down drawing of their printout image. The students will then turn it right side up and continue drawing using either the quarter or box method along with gesture. Have them switch again to upside down, then right side up. Use graphite sticks, charcoal pencil, red and white conte. (35 min.)
Formative assessments during activity.

Day 7

Introduction: Brief description of objectives, line, form, value, shading, modeling. (7 min.)
Demonstration: On a previously drawn hand demonstrate basics of establishing value through separation of light and shadow, shading (filling in the shadow flatly) and modeling (creating form in the light mass). (10 min.)
Independent activity: Students will make three 2 minute gesture drawings in their sketchbooks based on model pose as a warm up exercise. On a 12” x 18” piece of colored paper the students will draw from a manikin pose, starting with gesture, adding definition with contour line, and then moving on to establishing values. Use only graphite sticks, 2b, 4b hb pencil, charcoal pencil. (30 min.)
Formative assessments during activity.

Day 8

Introduction: Review of previous lesson. Objectives. (5 min.)
Independent practice: Two 2 minute gesture drawings in sketchbooks as warm up exercise. Students will continue with the previous day’s drawing based on the manikin pose, establish values, refine modeling. Use only graphite sticks, pencils or charcoal pencils. (40 min.)
Formative assessments during activity.

Day 9

Introduction: Review of value, shading, modeling, proportion, etc. Objectives. (5 min.)
Independent practice: Students will make one 2 minute gesture drawing and one 5 minute upside down drawing in sketchbooks as a warm up exercise. Students will continue with their drawings from the previous day, refining the proportions and values. (40 min.)
Formative assessments during activity.

Day 10

Introduction: Review of value, shading, modeling, proportion, etc. Objectives. (5 min.)
Independent practice: Students will not make sketches in sketchbook unless they individually need it as a warm up exercise. Students will continue with their drawings from the previous day based on the manikin pose. (40 min.)
Formative assessment during activity.

Day 11

Introduction: Review of previous lesson. Objectives. ( 5 min)
Demonstration (if necessary): Review of basic anatomy, especially as it relates to what the students need the most. Review of establishing values, shading, modeling. (5 min.)
Independent activity: Students will make one 2 minute gesture drawing and one 5 minute upside down drawing in their sketchbooks. On a new 12” x 18” piece of colored paper the students will work from a long pose, either of a model, the large wood makikin, or a smaller wood manikin on the table. Two props will also be added to the pose (chair, pole, boxes, etc.) Have the students find the gesture, establish form through the box or quarter method, and begin refining the drawing so that the proportions are correct. Instruct them to incorporate the props into the drawing, making sure the relationships are correct. (25 min.)
Formative assessments during activity.

Day 12

Introduction: Review previous day’s lesson. Objectives. (5 min.)
Independent activity: Students will make two 2 minute gesture drawings in their sketchbooks as a warm up. Students will continue with the previous day’s drawing, check proportions, make corrections, establish spatial relationships between objects, and begin establishing value.

(35 min.)

Formative assessments during activity.

Day 13

Introduction: Review of objectives. (5 min.)
Independent activity: Students will make two 2 minute gesture drawings in their sketchbooks. Students will continue with their drawings from the previous day with the goal being to fully establish values. At this point they may begin adding red and white conte for highlights and accents. (35 min.)
Formative assessments during activity.

Day 14

Introduction: Review of objectives. The goal is to finish their final drawings. ( 5 min.)
Independent activity: Students will continue with their drawings and bring them to completion. An exemplary completed drawing should consist of correct proportions, dynamic and descriptive line, correct values, and correct spatial relationships. (40 min.)
Formative assessments during activity.

Day 15

Introduction: Objectives, gallery walk, group discussion. (5 min.)
Gallery walk: Students will display their final drawings on their work tables. The class will take 10 minutes to walk around and look at each other’s work. A class discussion about their drawings will take up the remainder of the class. I will also briefly introduce the next lesson starting the following Monday.

Modifications and/or Accommodations Period three class has one student with ADHD who’s IEP requires 50% extra time to finish work. There are two ELL students who require extra individualized instruction. Many of the students are bilingual. I have paired one of the bilingual students, who is also advanced artistically, with the two ELL students to help explain the lesson and to provide some peer mentorship. There are also two special ed students in period three who are given extra time and extra individualized instruction. Period six has one student with type one diabetes. His 504 plan accommodation allows him to leave to give himself an insulin shot if the need arises. He is also allowed to leave in order to eat some carbs to bring up his blood sugar. Period six also has one special ed student who is given extra time and extra individualized instruction.

Reflections/Next Steps: Inquire if the students would like to submit any of their finished pieces to a juried student exhibition which will be held in the late spring at Kindred Coffee Roasters Art Space in West Chicago.

Summative Assessments: Summative assessments will be conducted for each student based on a review of their portfolio. Each student will be assessed individually based upon their own ability level, comparing the final piece to the first pre-assessment piece as evidence of progression. The rubric for assessing is as follows.

The portfolio demonstrates the whole range of techniques taught in the lesson, and demonstrates a proficient use of materials.

Meets all of the expectations.

3 points

Meets most of the expectations.

2 points

Meets only some of the expectations.

1 point

The portfolio demonstrates a basic understanding of human form, proportion, and spatial relationships.

Meets all of the expectations.

3 points

Meets most of the expectations.

2 points