Assignment 5 -- PLEASE MAKE IT BORING!

I swear I've never assigned this in such a way, but one couldn't prove it by the results. Completed assignment 5s generally range from serviceable to sleep-inducing.  Maybe it's because I used to call for "inanimate" objects instead of man-made. I've refined the wording, at great cost to brevity, to try to spur you all to finer work. Below is the text.

The accompanying Assignment 5 examples are file-named for the grade each earned. The B one would have been an A but the VP for the slats of the table top wasn't on the horizon. Perspective assignments often go bad because the artist, wittingly or no, introduces unneeded VPs or --worse-- an extra horizon, as in this case. Go with the horizon you've got. One was enough for the world; it should suffice for your drawing.

JH

Homework #5

Using both two-point vertical and 3-point perspective, complete a drawing of three manmade objects. For some reason everyone always reads that as “household objects” and produces their most boring, unfinished drawing of the semester. Remember these objects can be any size. They can be race-cars, spaceships. Anything man-made and interesting that has some straight lines (Extra points for handling ellipses properly). 

The objects can be anything you please but each must be different from the other two.

Two objects should be drawn in three point and the third in two point vertical. All three objects must work together IN THE SAME DRAWING, same reality. The key to this is: They must share the same horizon and the same nadir or zenith. Please contact me ASAP if you don’t know what that means.

Remember that in 2-point vertical, one vanishing point must be at the center of vision on the horizon the other should be directly above or below.

With 3-point perspective, two points must be on the horizon and the third should be above or beneath, placed an equal distance from the other two forming a triangle with equal sides. For more advanced students, the Chelsea handout shows how a 3Pt setup alters when the center of vision is moved closer to one of the VPs.

HORIZON SHOULD BE OUTSIDE YOUR IMAGE OR NEARLY SO.

Special attention should be paid to the scale of objects in relation to each other. Please produce a drawing that is complete and interesting on its own terms. That is, if it is just a line drawing, make sure the lines are neatly drawn and there are indications of texture and that the objects are not depicted as blank and boring, but rather have some features of interest.

Your drawing should be 9" x 12" or larger. You may add value if you wish. Please provide at least minimal background to put the objects in context.

PLEASE NOTE:

ALL WORK DONE FOR THIS CLASS SHOULD BE AS REALISTIC AS POSSIBLE, ANY STYLIZATION OR DISTORTION WILL BE PERCEIVED AS A FLAW.

Your grade will depend on your understanding of the principles and constructions involved in the assignment as well as the complexity, accuracy and detail of your drawing. Composition, line quality, clarity and cleanliness will also be factors. Going beyond the call of duty is strongly encouraged as long as you remain true to the brief. Show what you are capable of.