from Melissa Newman

"let's see,
there was one thing i did at iowa that i think i got from gianna (commito)-she called it hand and eyes. it is an in class assignment, maybe not what you are looking for. you split your class into two groups, each person has a partner from the other group. group one leaves the room. group two then sets up a still life (fairly simple is good, about 5-6 objects). face the drawing desks AWAY from the still life so whoever sits in them cannot see the still life. pull a sheet over the still life and invite the first group back into the room. group one will sit at the desks with their backs to the still life while the partner from group two stands in front of the desk so they can see the set up clearly. the group seeing the set up then has to tell the person sitting what to draw. they are not allowed to say "draw a coffee can," only to draw a curved line about three inches across, with two straight edges about 5 inches long... The group giving directions is forced to really look at what is in front of them in order to tel someone else how to draw it. it is a way to break students of seeing a set up and thinking, "oh, a coffee can, i know how to draw that" and then just drawing A coffee can, not the one in front of them."

"something else i did (as a homework assignment) was a self promotional poster, all drawn by hand. the idea is that they do a new kind of self-portrait and also get to use type. i had them come up with something they were good at (could be imaginary) and promote it. i used all kinds of posters as examples. they seemed to really like it because it was so different from any other assignment."

"i also had students make a 12"x12" collage. i would give them all envelopes to carry around for a week to collect things in (otherwise, you end up with collages made from beauty magazines and crap in their backpacks). the collage is done in class. then, have students cut a hole in a paper that is proportional to the size of the desired finished image. (for 18" x 24", 1.5"x2"). they use this window to find a segment of the collage that they think makes an interesting composition. (don't tell them that this is what they are doing until they have completed the collage, it should be dome for it's own purpose). i usually had them do about 5 thumbnails of different areas and help them choose the one they want to pursue. then, for homework, they do a drawing that is an enlargement of that 1.5x2" area, including any shadows cast by the collaged elements. it is a really good way to get them to do an abstract composition and work from found material."

disclaimer!

If you have emailed me something I have copied and pasted into this blog, which you feel is not indicative of your writing ability or may contain off-the-cuff comments you wish hadn't been included; then please email me an updated version I can use to replace the original. I've gotten plenty of responses, and it's quicker to just copy and paste rather than edit each one.
you can email replacement/addendum posts to: brandonbuckner@gmail.com

my original email message to the world.

hello,
I always hate to send out a big ol' bulk mail, but I write to ask if you have any memorable drawing assignments that you regularly give or hope to assign one day. I'm doing a Drawing 2 class this semester and have been thinking up a few assignments to give as weekend assignments. I remember a few of you discussing assignments that had come down from your own undergrad experience or had been thought up through your own syllabus development/personal interests. I'm hoping to get some good/interesting results from student work this semester.
I'm looking to compile a list of interesting (memorable) assignments, and I'll email around the results (or post them on a blog) as they trickle in.
I greatly appreciate it and hope to hear back from many of you I haven't emailed in awhile.
happy new year!
-brandon buckner