Assignment Objectives & Description

Create a dynamic narrative value drawing of a self-portrait using a paper bag as a stand-in character for yourself. Consider the mood that you are trying to convey with the use of space, tone, lighting strength & source.  Keep in mind the narrative you are conveying toward the viewer.  For example: sad, lost, bored, happy, lonely, scared, playful, silly, etc. Try out a variety of scenarios, poses and lighting before settling on your final composition. Photograph your final scene to work from as a reference for the drawing. Tip—convert your photo to greyscale! Drawings will be evaluated on the overall success of the composition and conveyed narrative & overall execution of the value study drawing (i.e. full value range exploration, measuring accuracy, level of description and demonstration of the successful use of general to specific technical process covered in class)  Materials: Charcoal on 18”x24” drawing paper

Considerations for your project

SCALE: Is your bag scaled to it’s own world or is scaled to a human-sized world?

PROPS: What objects, furniture, spaces, etc. is your paper bag interacting with?  Do NOT add facial features or limbs to your paper bag—you can add some costuming, but keep it simple.  NOTE: You are not transforming the bag into a cartoon character. You will have to be creative with methods of folding, taping, weighting, etc. to manipulate an expressive pose and/or interaction with props and the background space.

*BACKGROUND & LIGHTING: Your narrative self-portrait must be place in and interact with a background and lighting that helps establish the overall mood of the drawing. Use of direct and/or indirect sources of light will be necessary to cast light and shadows across the entire composition.

Student sample

Viewfinder template—cut out of cardboard or cardstock