Micrography

MicrographyDrawing with Words

Micrography

Micrography - also called microcalligraphy, is a Jewish art form developed in the 9th century, with parallels in Christianity and Islam, utilizing minute Hebrew letters to form representational, geometric and abstract designs.

Eva Dames RCHS Class of ‘10

Holly GoesslingRCHS Class of 2011

Austin MolenRCHS Class of 2012

Austin MolenRCHS Class of 2012

Artwork created using names of those lost on 9/11 This piece of art captures the emotion and sentiment of America after September 11, 2001. Each victim is commemorated in this outstanding and unique work of art.

You will complete a pen and ink drawing using words to determine values. By choosing a personal (one taken by you) picture to work from with high emotional content and then using a thesaurus to select words that describe the picture's content, you will help ensure the success of this project. Words should be placed together tighter, made bolder etc. to achieve darker values.

Your

Ass

ignm

ent

1. Photo selection- Does the viewer feel connected to the image and/or feel some type of emotional response?                                                          

2. Is the shading and shadowing done in words only? 

3. Is there a full range of values present?                        

4.  Is the project completed in pen and ink?                   

5. Are the values correctly drawn in?                                

6. Is the original line drawing accurate and proportional?

7. Is the final product clean and undamaged?          

Lesson - M i c r o g r a p h yStudent Name -

__________________________________________

Circle the number in pencil that best shows how well you feel that you completed that criterion for the assignment.

Excellent Good AverageNeeds Work

Student

Rating

Teacher

Rating

Planning/Effort 10 9 - 8 7 6 or - _____ _____

Creativity/Originality 10 9 - 8 7 6 or - _____ _____

Craftsmanship 10 9 - 8 7 6 or - _____ _____

Composition 10 9 - 8 7 6 or - _____ _____

Aesthetics 10 9 - 8 7 6 or - _____ _____

Total x 2 = 100 Pts. possible _____ _____

Student Comments

Teacher Comments

1.Micrography2.Value3.Tone4.High Key5.Low Key

6.Contrast7.Format8.Portrait9.Stippling10.Pointillism

Vocabulary

Notes for Instructor:

Encourage the use of close-up portraits for the project.The pictures should be taken by the student – not found in magazines (unless the final image is extremely different than the appropriated one).

Students should begin with a line drawing of the subject.

Color should be avoided, as it complicates things A LOT.

Students should be sure to have more than one gel pen to start with – in case it runs out. Different brands of black pens have remarkably different colored inks.

Notes for Instructor:

It is extremely helpful for students to start with a lengthy list of words from a thesaurus. Writing the same 3 words gets really repetitive – writing the same 20 words gets repetitive, but it’s not quite as bad.

Craftsmanship, as always, is extremely important. Students should know that the ink will smear, and – since they will be married to this one for a while – they need to watch the bending of edges.