Therefore, unless specifically
suggested, do not use photography
or any preexisting two-dimensional
graphic of any kind as a
model for any assignment
in this course.
Though perfectly valid works
of art may be
derived from using photography
as a model,
and you may choose to do
so in the future,
for the duration of this
course it is important
that you give your eyes,
artistic sensibility,
and practical drawing skills
a chance to
develop free of photographic
composition,
verisimilitude, and optics.
Photography does that which
you as a drawing student need to
master, including arranging
the visual elements into a
composition and selecting
features, textures and details you will
include in your work and/or
distort according to your individual
vision.
Using photography as a model
not only reduces the value of the
study, but it is obvious
to a trained eye. Whereas we gather
visual information over
time through familiarity with several
views of the same object,
photography captures only one instant
from a fixed perspective.
Keep in mind that drawing
is a distillation of conscious
experience through the medium
of the artist's perceptual/manual
body/mind system. Some of
the work you will produce for the
course will be "artistic"
though many assignments will result in
"studies", which will hopefully
lead to greater knowledge,
confidence and skill in
actually making "art". "
However, if you are interested in the art of photography be sure and visit ZoneZero.