Raster Tone Illustration

Project 1 – The Hip Bone

Course Objectives

The objective of this assignment is to complete a detailed rendering of a human hipbone.  Students are to pay particular attention to setting up effective lighting, and accurately recording the proportions, form, and surface texture of the bone.  Values of the specimen and the background paper should be matched as closely as possible in the final rendering.

• Work effectively using good draftsmanship.
• Set up effective lighting on an object taking into account the principles of light-on-form and cast shadow.
• Depict a complex three-dimensional object paying particular attention to subtle differences in value (local and tonal).
• Know the major structural components of the hipbone.

Resources

• Bone collection.
• Two complete natural bone skeletons in department
• Video on Continuous Tone Techniques by Gerald Hodge, University of Michigan.
• Departmental collection of original art by Brödel, Didusch and others.

Project 2 – Biological Specimen

Objective

Project II builds on the skills used in Project I: The Hip Bone. In Project II, students further explore proper lighting, the effective use of light-on-form, appropriate background selection, and generally continue the practice of continuous tone media skills. For this assignment, students are asked to design a didactic multi-image illustration that addresses some physiological or anatomical aspect of the specimen. The illustration must be comprised of both traditional and digital media. The illustration should be geared towards an educated lay audience with an interest in the subject matter (think specialty coffee table book not newspaper).

Students should select a challenging topic that they find personally interesting, however, it must be a topic that can realistically be completed in the allotted time. Specimens that are one-of-a-kind or require a high degree of dissection or additional research should be avoided. Also, the number of insets must be limited to one or two at the most. We are interested in quality – dynamic layout, informative text, clear message, impeccable rendering, and accuracy – not quantity.

We are asking students to approach this assignment in a very organized and step-wise manner similar to how a professional illustrator might interact with a project design or editorial team. Once a final layout is selected, work may begin on acquiring specimens and preparation including dissection, lighting, set-up, and sketching.

Evaluation

Student’s work will be evaluated on the basis of the objectives listed above. Strong consideration will also be given to individual effort. PROJECTS THAT ARE TURNED IN LATE WILL BE DROPPED A LETTER GRADE. Artwork will be returned after the final critique for modifications before grading.

Schedule

Students should take advantage of the faculty’s expertise by working during class time.  Sufficient time has been allotted for both projects on the daytime schedule, although some evening hours may also be necessary. Pace yourself accordingly to meet the deadlines. Review the Student Google calendar for individual course sessions.