ARTS 3365-Drawing Concepts: Body Project week 2--self portraits: Ideal, Surreal, Abject

Last week you focused on representing yourselves realistically through a practice of self-study and keen observation skills--that was the aim.

Across the next three weeks, you will continue your investigation of self and image through self portraiture. How will you, as image maker, represent yourself to the viewer? Last week this self-concsious act of looking at yourself was more about perceiving yourselves realistically--the aim was to observe well and translate your observations accurately and mimetically onto your drawing paper. This process was supposed to be less about the image you were presenting of yourself to viewers and more about honing your observation skills and searching (or perhaps struggling) to recreate a likeness of yourself--one unhindered by experiential knowledge, or predetermined by an intellectual construct of how you imagine yourself to be. Successfully representing yourself in a realistic way requires you, at least at first, to abandon your attachment to a particularly 'good' product.

Over the next two weeks, make one continuous blind contour drawing every day (size approximately 8x10 or 9x12"). These can be drawn in a sketchbook if you have one or on loose sheets of paper. Spend approximately 10-15 minutes on each drawing. Time yourself. Remember that blind contour drawings are a slow study. Your hand should follow your eye as you connect visually to the object--which, in this case, is your face (and neck and shoulders and the room you are in etc). I know that some of you will be traveling--use paper that is on hand and use any reflective surface that is available....DO NOT WORK FROM A PHOTOGRAPH OR DIGITAL IMAGE. Bring in 12 blind contour drawings to class on the 19th.

Additionally, work on three self portrait drawings that relate to the ideas of the ideal, the surreal, and the abject conceptually, materially and formally. Size, surface, medium, method and stylistic preference are up to you (yes you can work from a photograph as long as this method makes sense conceptually). Think about how these choices contribute to the idea behind the piece and be prepared to talk about them at our critique on 3/26/12. Bring these drawings to class on the 19th for a work day and individual consults to discuss your progress and ideas. They are due on 3/26.

IDEAL: a conception of perfection, embodying excellence, a model for imitation, an ultimate object of high or noble character.
SURREAL: irrational, dreamlike, unbelievable, fantastic, nonsensical, incorporating symbolism, dislocation, disjuncture or decontextualization.
ABJECT: existing in a low state or condition, debased, vile, hopeless, resigned, cast down, servile, spiritless, discouraged, despairing, humble, apologetic

Keep in mind that there are many ways to visualize these concepts (think about the non-objective, process drawings that you made and how line sensitivity, material choice and method all possess content of their own!). Be aware of literal or obvious strategies of representation.

In critique 2, be prepared to show and talk about four finished self portraits--ideal, surreal, abject and real. This will take place on 3/26/12. I will discuss the fourth realistic self portrait when we meet on the 19th.

DAVID HOCKNEY