DRAW 111 Drawing: Natural Forms and the Human Figure

3 credits 90.0 hours
100 level undergraduate course

Drawing from natural forms and the human figure respects the historical practice of maturing the
human gaze. This course nurtures the eye’s ability to discern the difference between gross
and subtle distinctions in visual information. It poses projects and problems that improve the
student’s ability to sustain observation and use vision discerningly, logically and intelligently
as it applies to Art, Film, and Design. The class couples an intensive effort at serious
scholarship based on principles of visual perception with an awareness of the value of
using drawing as a tool for thought. Basic drawing materials are used and exercises in
perceptual skills are practiced. Analytical thinking permeates the course and integrates the
quest for insights about the graphic and spatial qualities of a variety of subjects related to
natural forms and the human body. Indispensable methods of recording information based on
principles of location, size, proximity, orientation and proportion are explained and
utilized in the execution of drawings of various scales and media. Reading, writing, research,
off-campus visits and a collaborative assignment, are all folded into the flow of course activities.

This course is not repeatable for credit.