Teachers’ Guide To Constructing A Cut-up through drawing

Hello everyone

This blog post aims to serve as an aid for you (the teachers). The purpose is in giving you the confidence and comfort when going forth with your students while they create their masterpieces.

We will be exploring through the cut-up technique what visual imagery we can pull from the After Picasso: 80 Contemporary Artists.

http://wexarts.org/exhibitions/after-picasso-80-contemporary-artists?language=en

The first “Cut-Up”:

Boundless

The morality of the tale does

Wear dark blue jeans and wield-

decisions about life.

Step 1: The students will primarily be working in their sketchbooks. Т (As a side note, I did utilize a sketchbook which is a bit larger than what’s required/cited on the supplies list, but alas, a minor difference – the quality is identical).

I pull the sentences for the “Cut-Ups” from just a random local newspaper, then glue them down.

While entertaining the loose imagery which comes with defining, “boundless,” I ask my girlfriend what comes into mind, and she says, “James Dean”.

Step 2: Using an Ipad, I trace a found photoТ of James Dean. The tracing technique will always assist you in achieving a very accurate drawing – it’s time efficient and generally helps alleviate a lot of that frustration or lack of confidence that comes from drawing free-handedly. Т Now, if the students don’t have a device, than we can give them a heads up! Т They can bring in their own photos.  We can also provideТ them with magazines, photo references, etc.

The exciting thing about the “Cut-Up” project is that there are so many directions we can take in order to reach our final goals.

Step 3: While still referencing the photo, I begin separating the highs and lows – the darks and lights.  By sketching into the contour line, or embellishing the drawing, I am able to give that traced image a more personal and authentic value.

Step 4: Referencing back toТ the Cut-Up, “Тhe  decisions about life”. James Dean, tragically and recklessly killed at such a young age, has me connecting life and death with the decisions we make and the paths we choose to take . We didn’t get to see his potential as he was living his life in the fast lane.  So, drawing a grave and the sun feel to be reflective and symbolic in finalizing the drawing – successfully conveying the tone of the piece.

The intention of the Photoshop image is for everyone to see my vision clearly on this blog, and nothing more. There are no expectations, let alone resources, for your students to produce work in Photoshop.

This video is a reference for anyone wanting to try this at home or share with their students.