Charcoal Emphasis
Project Description: Students will create a charcoal drawing that shows EMPHASIS. Charcoal drawing will be of a real subject from a photograph. Drawing will show FORM (3D shadows and highlights).
Shape vs. Form:
Shadow vs. Highlight:
What is Emphasis?
Emphasis is a principle of art which occurs any time an element of a piece is given dominance by the artist. In other words, the artist makes part of the work stand out in order to draw the viewer's eye there first.
Why Is Emphasis Important?
Emphasis is used in art to attract the viewer's attention to a particular area or object. This is typically the focal point or main subject of the artwork. For instance, in a portrait painting, the artist usually wants you to see the person's face first. They will use techniques such as color, contrast, and placement to make sure that this area is where your eye is attracted to first.
How Artists Add Emphasis
Frequently, an emphasis is achieved by means of contrast. Contrast can be achieved in a variety of ways and artists often employ more than one technique in a single piece.
A contrast in color, value, and texture can certainly draw you to a particular area. Likewise, when one object is significantly larger or in the foreground, it becomes the focal point because the perspective or depth draw us in.
Many artists will also strategically place their subject in the composition in areas that are known to attract attention. That may be directly in the center, but more often than not it is off to one side or another. It might also be isolated from other elements through placement, tone, or depth.
Yet another way to add emphasis is to use repetition. If you have a series of similar elements then interrupt that pattern in some way, that naturally gets noticed.
Why Is Emphasis Important?
Emphasis is used in art to attract the viewer's attention to a particular area or object. This is typically the focal point or main subject of the artwork. For instance, in a portrait painting, the artist usually wants you to see the person's face first. They will use techniques such as color, contrast, and placement to make sure that this area is where your eye is attracted to first.
How Artists Add Emphasis
Frequently, an emphasis is achieved by means of contrast. Contrast can be achieved in a variety of ways and artists often employ more than one technique in a single piece.
A contrast in color, value, and texture can certainly draw you to a particular area. Likewise, when one object is significantly larger or in the foreground, it becomes the focal point because the perspective or depth draw us in.
Many artists will also strategically place their subject in the composition in areas that are known to attract attention. That may be directly in the center, but more often than not it is off to one side or another. It might also be isolated from other elements through placement, tone, or depth.
Yet another way to add emphasis is to use repetition. If you have a series of similar elements then interrupt that pattern in some way, that naturally gets noticed.
Charcoal Tools:
Practice:
Demonstration:
GOALS (Learning Target):
-Find a subject from a real photograph. (Preferably a photo you have taken.)
-Create a drawing that the subject shows something that is EMPHASIZED. (One part of the subject stands out from the rest.)
-Add Shadows and Highlights so that the subject looks 3-dimensional.
-Blend charcoal smoothly where needed. Tools are used properly.
-Find a subject from a real photograph. (Preferably a photo you have taken.)
-Create a drawing that the subject shows something that is EMPHASIZED. (One part of the subject stands out from the rest.)
-Add Shadows and Highlights so that the subject looks 3-dimensional.
-Blend charcoal smoothly where needed. Tools are used properly.
