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The Art of Teaching Art: A Guide for Teaching and Learning the Foundations of Drawing-Based Art By Deborah Rockman. Reviewed
by Roy R. Behrens, Only recently did we run
across this book, which was published several years ago. Today, if
a student would ask for a source on how to learn to draw, we would
recommend this one. At the same time (and this is the authorês initial
intent), if a college art instructor would ask for a source on how
to teach drawing at a beginning or foundations level, we would also
recommend this book. The author is on the faculty at the Kendall College
of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and has taught drawing
for more than twenty years. It appears that her reason for writing
the book is that she believes that a prescribed way of looking at
things (stressing relations instead of details) is required for producing
works that are both accurate and engaging, and that time-tested tools
and procedures help in learning to draw. If those or equivalent methods
are not used, often because they were never learned by the teachers
themselves, then few students can ever hope to draw, regardless of
how many courses they take. This book is surprisingly thorough in
trying to speak in a sensible way about such drawing-related concepts
as composition, scaling, anatomy, tonal range, contour, perspective
and so on. What also sets it apart from other drawing texts are its
discussions in various sections about managing a classroom, the purpose
and conduct of in-class critiques, grading, photographing ones artwork,
organizing syllabi, and building essential materials lists. There
is even an entire section on preparing students for life after graduation,
with advice on constructing ones resume, writing letters of recommendation,
interviewing, and applying for graduate school. In the end, the most
persuasive part is the consistent, extraordinary quality of the drawings
that are used as compelling examples throughout. (Reprinted by permission from Ballast Quarterly Review, Vol. 18, No. 3, Spring 2003.) |
copyright © 2003 ISAST