Basic Drawing/Foundation Drawing Intensive Name_______________________________ Block___
Stained Glass Paper- cuts
Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848–1933) “Louis Comfort Tiffany embodied the artistic spirit of the Gilded Age. His career spanned more than half a century, from the 1870s to the mid1920s—a time of experimentation, intense scrutiny of aesthetic ideals, and proliferation of new styles. Tiffany demonstrated a multitude of talents as an architect and painter and as a designer of interiors, landscapes, and all of the decorative arts. Together with his studios of artists, glassmakers, stonemasons, mosaicists, modelers, metalworkers, woodcarvers, potters, and textile workers, Tiffany heralded in America the notion of continuity of design, orchestrating pattern, texture, color, and light to produce a single aesthetic expression. Of all of Tiffany's artistic endeavors, stained glass brought him the greatest recognition. During the fifty years that he worked in the medium, from about 1877 through the 1920s, his firm produced thousands of windows for buildings throughout North America—for houses, libraries, department stores, theaters, and especially churches. Tiffany's windows were also installed in Great Britain, France, Cuba, and Australia. An integral part of the churches being built in increasing numbers during the last quarter of the nineteenth century, the large and colorful windows became an appropriate and impressive way for wealthy parishioners to memorialize their loved ones. In a new departure for urban dwellings, stained glass became desirable not only for shielding the occupants from dreary backyard views but also for the richness they added to the decorative schemes of the interiors. Beginning in the late 1870s, Tiffany and his early rival John La Farge revolutionized the art of stained glass. Until then, the craft had remained essentially unchanged since medieval times. La Farge and Tiffany, dissatisfied with the limited colors and poor quality of available window glass, experimented with novel types of materials, achieving a more varied palette. Opalescent glass, internally colored with variegated shades of the same or different hues, enabled artists to substitute random tonal gradations, lines, textures, and densities—inherent in the glass itself—for the pictorial details that previously had been painted on the glass. Other innovations involved plating, the addition of one or more layers of glass to attain greater depth of color and threedimensional effects and to blend different hues. Tiffany drew from a stock of thousands of different types and colors of glass, some of which were given dramatic textures and shapes through the use of molds and through manipulation of the material in its molten state. Tiffany also introduced new subject matter into his windows. While continuing to provide figural windows of saints and biblical themes for churches, he at times eliminated the figure altogether, conferring religious significance on the landscape and the natural world itself. Memorial windows in churches and mausoleums often featured verdant woodland themes, streams meandering through mountain valleys, or floral motifs. Tiffany's lifelong preoccupation with gardens inspired some of the most naturalistic depictions of flowers and plants in all of stained glass.” Source: www.metmuseum.org/explore/tiffany/tiff_index.html
Considerations 1.
Creativity Remember that your first idea is not always your best idea! The first thing that pops into your head is probably the first thing your classmates think of too. Avoid copyrighted images (images other artists created and were paid for!) and cliché images (hearts, rainbows, smiley faces, cutesy animals etc…). Try unexpected combinations…
2.
Composition the elements of your design should fill the page in an interesting way. Also consider Symmetrical vs. Asymmetrical compositions
3.
4.
Line weight using varying line weight (thickness) creates interest and the lines with heavier weight create emphasis. Vary your line weight not only by how important something is, but by how close it is. Depth can be emphasized by making faroff things very faint, with teensy little lines. Positive/ negative shapes give them equal consideration
Thumbnail sketches Thumbnail sketches are rough drawings, sometimes only comprehensible to the designer, used to explore layout options. These quick sketches allow the designer to try out several ideas and zero in on the most likely layouts before beginning a project. Creating thumbnail sketches is a crucial part of the brainstorming aspect of your design work. Don’t discount the value of this step in the design process! Here are some hints for creating an interesting composition: Put the subject slightly off center, fill the page, vary the size, overlap or put some objects off the page…
On this page, enlarge your best thumbnail sketch. Make sure all of the lines connect to each other or to the border. Once you have finalized your line design, trace the design on a piece of tracing paper with a Sharpie and vary the thickness of the lines.
Foundation Drawing Intensive
Stained GlassPaper-Cuts
Name ___________________
Block______ Category
A Excellent Outstanding Planned carefully, designed effectively, used space effectively.
B Very Good Above Average Student made an effective design. Showed an awareness of filling the space adequately.
Creativity/ Originality
The student tried unusual combinations; demonstrated outstanding problem solving skills.
The student made decisions after referring to one source; solved the problem in a logical way.
Effort/ Perseverance
The project was continued until it was as complete as the student could make it; took pride in going well beyond the requirement. The artwork was beautifully and patiently done; it was good as hard work could make it. The student followed through on commitments, was sensitive to the feelings and knowledge level of others, willingly participated in necessary work. ALWAYS respectful. Excellent
The student participated enthusiastically, followed through on commitments, performed more than adequately, assisted in prep and cleanup. ALWAYS respectful.
Design
Craftsmanship/ Consistency
Attitude
Clearly marked positive and negative shapes (black and white) on your prep drawing. All black lines connect to each other or to the black border. Excellent Neat cutting with x acto knife to produce clean, crisp edges of EVERY cutout shape.
C Average/ Good
D Below Average
The student did the assignment adequately, yet it shows lack of planning. The student tried one idea, and carried it out adequately, but it lacked originality.
The assignment was completed and turned in, but showed little evidence of design or planning. The student fulfilled the assignment, but gave no evidence of trying anything unusual.
The student worked hard and completed the project, but with a little more effort it might have been outstanding.
Project was finished, but it could have been improved with more effort; chose an easy project and did it indifferently.
The project was completed with minimum effort.
The student did not finish the work adequately. The student did not put in enough effort.
With a little more effort, the work could have been outstanding; lacks the finishing touches.
The student showed average craftsmanship; adequate, but not as good as it could have been; a bit careless. The student did his or her share of work adequately, assisted in preparation and cleanup when asked. Not always on task. Occasionally disrespectful.
The student showed belowaverage craftsmanship, lack of pride in finished artwork.
The student showed poor craftsmanship; evidence of laziness or total lack of understanding. The student had a poor attitude. Was spoken to multiple times by the teacher or written up. Often disprespectful.
Unsatisfactory /Poor
Very Good
Good/ Average
The student allowed others to do most of the work, did participate minimally, did the minimum amount. Was spoken to by the teacher. Sometimes disrespectful. Below average
Very Good
Good/ Average
Below average
Please explain your concept for this project: In your opinion, what is the most successful aspect of your project?
If you were to do this project again, what would you do differently next time?
Please write a few sentences explaining what grade you would give yourself for this project and why. Grade _____ Reasons:
F Unsatisfactory /Poor The student did the minimum or the artwork was never completed. The student showed no evidence of original thought.
Unsatisfactory /Poor