Traditional Drawing:
Preliminary set ups and studies are incredibly important in the traditionally drawing course model. I have provided some pairings to showcase the considerations for composition, new material techniques and overall practice next to the finished “product.”
1. Vanitas and Colored Pencil
Left: Vanitas Still Life set up for observational drawing.
Right: Vanitas, Colored Pencil on Red Canson Paper, 25″x19.5″ 2019
2. Value and Erasure
Left: Element of Value and Erasure Technique Study, Charcoal and Eraser, RIVES BFK, 12″x18″ 2019
Right: Observational Still Life focusing on Value, Charcoal and Eraser, RIVES BFK, 28″x 30″ 2019
3. Metals and Shiny Surfaces
Left: Metals Study, Charcoal and White Pastel on Strathmore Gray, 9″x12″ 2020 (Step by Step Video Tutorial: https://youtu.be/m_RP7DaXhkU)
Right: Observational Metals Still Life, Charcoal and White Pastel on Strathmore Gray, 18″x12″ 2020 (This assignment was instructed and completed via zoom during the pandemic)
Traditional Drawing -Student Series
As traditional drawing student’s progress in their craft, greater emphasis is given to the concept of the “series” and producing a well round body of work, reflecting a strong and competitive graduate school submission portfolio.
4. Senior Focus -Identity
Left: Rumination, Colored Pencil on RIVES BFK, 11″x14″ 2022
Left Center: Unearthed, Colored Pencil on RIVES BFK, 11″x14″ 2022
Right Center: Intuition, Colored Pencil on RIVES BFK, 11″x14″ 2022
Right: Caged, Colored Pencil on RIVES BFK, 11″x14″ 2022
This series was part of a 15 part folio, Studio Arts Major
5. Senior Focus -Perspective
Left: Observational Interior, Graphite on Strathmore, 18″x24″ 2017
Left Center: Observational Exterior, Graphite and Oil Pastel on Strathmore, 18″x24″ 2017
Right Center: Imaginary Interior, Oil Pastel on Strathmore, 18″x24″ 2017
Right: Imaginary Exterior, Oil Pastel on Strathmore, 18″x24″ 2017
This series was part of a 6 part folio, Animation Major (Interest in Background design)
GROUP DRAWING ASSIGNMENTS
6. Line and the Hand
7. Exquisite Corpse
Contemporary Drawing Exercises:
8-9
Left: Mountain/Mud/Gift, Pen and Ink on Strathmore, 18″x24″ 2018 (students were given word prompts to respond to in a timed drawing exercise)
Right: Untitled, Graphite on Strathmore, 18″x24″, 2018 (students were asked to close their eyes and respond to the various lines and textures on the face. Several attempts were made.)
Traditional Painting:
10-11 Observational Foundation
Left: Color and Composition, Oil on Canvas, 16″x20″ 2020
Right: Transparency and Metals, Oil on Canvas, 16″x20″ 2021
12-13 Narrative
Left: Morning Routine, Oil on Canvas, 30″x22″ 2019
Right: Hidden, Gouache on RIVES BFK lightweight, 16″x12″ 2018
BOOK BINDING AND PRINT MEDIA
14. Chain link Stitch and Suminagashi Marbling
15. Final Printmaking Group Assignment: Stab Binding Books
Top Left: Screenprint Cover, Stab binding book construction
Top Right: Reductive Lincocut
Botton Left: Drypoint and Monoprint
Bottom Right: Multiple block Linocut
COMMUNITY FOCUS
16. Off Campus Community Impact
While this may not be a traditional “student example” it is an important one to highlight. Every year my painting students volunteer time and energy to painting the store front windows on Main St to prepare for the City’s pumpkin festival. It not only gets students to think about painting differently but provides an opportunity for students to serve the community with their talents/skills in a relevant way.
17. On Campus Community Impact
2D design is a course open to non majors as part of the liberal arts requirement. . This student not only composed a “poster” about equality but also submitted it to the Annual DOANE IS LOVE event. Their design became the advertisement for the week’s celebrations and activities.
Left: Doane is Love Week Advertisement, March 2020
Right: All is Love, Acrylic on poster board, 18×24, 2020
VIDEO
18-19
2D Design Final/Film Studies Major 2017
Element of Design: Value / Principles of Design: Rhythm
FilmMaker of Influence: Germain Dulac
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Music: from AudioNetwork.com Rendered in Adobe After Effects
2D Design Final/Film Studies Major 2017 Element of Design: Color / Principle of Design: Rhythm FilmMaker of Influence: Hollis Frampton Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Rendered in Adobe After Effects
20. Student Development: CURATORIAL STUDIES
I engage in directed studies to customize a student’s interest of study. This student thoughtfully chose artwork that reflected a theme to celebrate community and bounty with the still life subject of food. In addition to curating a collection show, she organized community engagement through a food drive and served as the gallery’s November liaison for its Saturday Drop in and Draw session. She also created and published an Exhibition Catalog. A student curator “talk” was presented during the opening.
Catalog: The Gathering Table
ERIN MALIA CROSS: ARTIST + CURATOR + CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVER 
Leave a Reply