Project Four: Complex Ink Design, Balance/Unity/Variety/Pattern 

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Objective:

To explore craft and demonstrate basic drawing and compositional layout skills with permanent black pens/markers on white sketchpad paper. Gain knowledge of the creation of organic and geometric shapes in a unified, balanced composition with a variety of visual elements including pattern and line. To investigate the two-dimensional principles of Balance, Unity and Variety.

 

Directions:

Step 1: For this project you will create a singular imaginary landscape utilizing designs in pure black and pure white, no gradation or blending allowed. You will use black permanent markers and rollerball pens. You may NOT use representational elements (unless they are pattern based). This will be another shape-based project. Organic or geometric shapes or, a combination of both are welcome. Create at least 2 rough sketches that lay out your overall composition in your graph paper pad, determining what type of balance you will be using and experimenting with shapes and patterns. With pen or pencil also create at least three singular patterns that will be used within your composition (within your sketch or separate). Bring these to class next time.

 

Step 2: Cut out your half sheet of 18 x 24” sketchpad paper and begin your design. You may first lightly sketch out your design on your paper with an H pencil giving yourself a “roadmap” or, you may draw out the entire design in pencil before committing to the black permanent pen and/or marker. If you’re brave just dive right into the design with marker and pen and work responsively. You may also draw your own patterns out on another piece of paper and trace them into your final design, if you choose. Be careful not to smear your marker/pencil marks!

 

Step 3: Make sure that every line and edge is of a crisp, solid quality. Once the design has been finished and all pencil lines have been erased along with any unwanted marks mount onto a piece of white illustration board with a 2” border all the way around your design. Do not forget to use the dry mount technique demonstrated in class.

 

Materials:

Black fine-point/regular permanent markers, black rollerball pen, H pencil, ruler, rubber cement, rubber cement pickup, X-Acto knife, graph paper pad, eraser, sketchpad, white or black illustration board