Integrated Art and Design Semester 2 Grade 9

Project 1: Photorealistic Drawing

Essential Questions:
How does math and geometry help artists create accuracy in their work?
What is the difference between the slice and the whole pie?

Understandings:
By the end of this project you will understand
1. that math knowledge is essential when copying artwork and
changing scale.
2. how pieces add to (or take away from) the whole

Knowledge:
By the end of this unit you will know
1. the meaning of key vocabulary terms
2. know how to scale (make larger or smaller) images
3. how to create values(shades of color) using graphite (pencil)
4. what kind of art photorealism is
5. who Chuck Close is and what his work looks like

Skills:
You will be able to:
1. Accurately copy small parts of a grid to create create a drawing.
2. Draw values (shades of color) and lines using graphite (pencil)
3. Use a ruler effectively, drawing straight, measured lines
4. Calculate how to make a grid of one size, match another grid of another size.
5. Draw an image that looks like a photograph.
6. Critique your artwork and that of others.

Project Description
In art making and art appreciation you will come to find how all of the core subjects of math,
language arts, humanties and science are integrated. That means art brings together all of the
subjects. In this project you will use calculations and measurement to create a drawing that looks
like a photograph. You will also become aware of how small details contribute to creation of the
whole artwork. How if detail and care is brought to all the small steps of creating the art work, it will
tend to result in a larger well made piece. To accomplish all of this, we will look at how small slices
of an art work can be put together step by step to create a beautiful and accurate work of art.
You will be taking a photograph, place it into a grid, and use this grid to guide a drawing you will
create on Bristol board. Your artwork will be be displayed at Da Vinci Design and will be published
on the Da Vinci website, as well as on your digital portfolio. Your artwork will also include a one
page, written statement in which you critique and describe your work.
The challenge options for this project will be
1. To create a 2nd version of your piece in a smaller scale.
2. Create 2 versions of the same piece using a different style of value lines (shading techniques).
3. To create a second drawing of a different photograph.
4. To create a step by step power point presentation of how our class created our artworks and
present it at Community Dialogue or at Exhibition night.
5. Help the web publishing team put images of classwork together (only an option if you are done drawing).
6. Other options may be negotiated with your teacher before or after school.

Vocabulary
1. GENRE- a class of art (or artistic endeavor) having a characteristic form or technique
2. PHOTOREALISM- Photorealism is the genre of drawing or painting based on making a drawing or
painting of a photograph. The term is primarily applied to drawing and paintings from the United States
photorealism art movement that began in the late 1960s, early 1970s.
3. MEDIUM - material used to make a work of art. Examples include graphite, pencil, color
pencil, oil paint, watercolor, pen and ink, or tempera.
4. GRAPHITE- The material (usually black or dark gray) which allows a pencil to work. Usually a
mixture of graphite and smaller amounts of other material, but not actual lead.
5. LINE- A line can be straight or curved, and can describe the outside edge of a shape. It can
show texture and imply shade and gradation of value. An actual line can be made with many
different media, can be thick or thin and show direction.
6. VALUE - relative darkness or lightness of a color.
7. GRADATION- Subtle shading of a color from light to dark.
8. TEXTURE- This refers to rough and smooth surfaces. Texture can be real as in a relief
(actually rough or shaped surfaces to the touch) or implied with lines and values to appear like
something has a rough or smooth surface (art that looks like it has texture but is flat).

CHALLENGE OPTION / ADVANCED VOCABULARY

1. SCALE (size)- the ratio between the size of something and a representation of it.
2. RATIO- The relationship between two numbers or quantities.
3. PROPORTION- adjust in size relative to other things.
4. GEOMETRIC LINES– Straight, angular lines.
5. ORGANIC LINES – Curved, natural looking lines.
Directions for creating your PHOTOREALISTIC DRAWING

Step 1: PREPARING YOUR BRISTOL BOARD

□ Take your bristol board and write your name and period number on theback.
□ Your Bristol board is 11x14 inches, which is a standard frame size.
□ Using your ruler, draw VERY LIGHT lines measuring one inch apart.
Tip: You don’t want to see the grid lines in your final artwork.

Step 2
□ Erase all of the boxes along the edge of your Bristol board.
□ Number all of the boxes from top to bottom.
□ Label all of the top boxes from left to right, a to i
□ You now have a grid to work with which measures
9 inches across by 12 inches down.

Step 3 NOW YOU CAN…GRID YOUR IMAGE!

Chose a photograph to draw.
(You must be able to check all 3 before beginning your drawing.)
□ Choose a photograph that will be easy to draw. A person’s face
is an excellent place to start. Avoid hands and teeth because they are very
challenging to draw and you want to start with some practice. Avoid
groups because you will have to draw more than one face.
Do not choose a drawing or cartoon. You are creating a PHOTO
REALISTIC work of art. The idea is to create a drawing that
looks like a photograph.
□ Your photograph may NOT be an original.
Use a copy so that you can make a grid on the actual image.
□ Your photo must be approved by your teacher before moving on.
□ Because your drawing will be in shades of gray, it will be easier to
draw the photo if it is black and white.
When you have checked the above boxes move on to Step 4

Step 4
Before you begin making lines on your photo, make sure you have made enough
measurements to make 9 even boxes across and 12 down. ONLY DRAW YOUR LINES
ON THE PHOTO ONCE YOU ARE SURE THE MEASUREMENTS ARE CORRECT.
Tip: you will not be able to erase lines on your photo once you put them down.
It’s better to make marks for measurement OUTSIDE THE PHOTO GRAPH in the white
areas before drawing your lines.

The grids on your photo need to match the number of grid lines on
your Bristol board. Since we have 9 x 12 boxes on the Bristol board, we will
need 9 x 12 boxes on the photo.
Your photo printed in class measures 5 x 7 inches. Let’s discuss how you will find the correct
meausurements for the grid on your photo.

If you use an image that is 4.5 inches across by 6 inches down, it will be easy, you will just measure
lines every.5 (half) inch going across and down. Let’s discuss why this works.

Step 6 Time to start drawing!

Match each box, from your photo to the grid and draw the values of the image in shades using your
pencil. Tip: Be sure to erase the grid lines as you work so that your final artwork looks like you drew
it free hand! Just because you used the grid, no one needs to know your secret!