Drawing Upon Art is a supplemental drawing workbook, whose roughly 400 assignments' address the fundamental, historic questions in Visual Art This workbook challenges students, with simple and direct exercises, to experience for themselves history's most advanced and creative visual art problems and developments.

As a supplemental workbook, Drawing Upon Art uniquely addresses the most pressing paradox that currently exists in every college' and university Art Appreciation and Introductory Art History classroom in the United States. Namely, the seminal visual principals, theories, and concepts in Art's history are still delivered solely through .the same old, textual approach. This antiquated methodology remains to this very day, as distant, passive, and ineffectual as it was since its conception, After all,one cannot and should not' expect the major achievements of the visual arts to be fully understood, grasped or appreciated by any means other than a direct, hands-on approach.

Students Experience The Key Ideas And Concepts Of Art History For Themselves

Learning by doing... it's what this innovative workbook is all about! Correlated chapter by chapter with Gardner's Art through the Ages, Drawing upon Art engages students in fun~to­do drawing activities and other fascinating exercises that help them experience the concepts, they've read about in the textbook. Not intimidating and requiring-no. art skills, this workbook fosters state-of-the-art active learning through comprehensive assignments that address landmark achievements in art. Each activity in Drawing Upon Art focuses students on a single important art concept For example; students gain a deeper understanding of Impressionism from the exercise that asks them to draw and shade using only shapes arid tones. They experience pointillism as they draw outdoor scenes using monochromatic dots of different valuesl.

One can only truly understand and empathize with history's great visual tactile intellectual complexities by personally undertaking similar visual tactile/intellectual exercises and problems. Drawing Upon Art's various assignments are represented in the workbook in simple, contemporary terms and scenarios. In that way, I have modernized the subject matter - not the complexity - of the material so that it can appeal to a contemporary audience and sensibility.

Description

Drawing Upon Art is a supplemental drawing workbook, whose roughly 400 assignments address the fundamental, historic questions and problems in Visual Art.  It is designed specifically to bring students in direct contact with Art’s landmark achievements.  Thus, Drawing Upon Art challenges students, with simple and direct exercises, to experience for themselves history’s most advanced and creative visual art problems and developments

As a supplemental workbook, Drawing Upon Art uniquely addresses the most pressing paradox that currently exists in every college and university Art Appreciation and Introductory Art History classroom in the United States.  Namely, the seminal visual principals, theories, and concepts in Art’s history are still delivered solely through the same old, textual approach.  This antiquated methodology remains to this very day, as distant, passive, and ineffectual as it was since its conception.  After all, one cannot and should not expect the major achievements of the visual arts to be fully understood, grasped or appreciated by any means other than a direct, hands-on approach. 

Today, what is needed is a new ‘experiential’ and ‘embodied’ alternative approach to the subject.  One that can immediately bring needed life back into the learning and comprehension of Art’s tremendous visual achievements.  Introductory Anatomy courses have supplemental workbooks; General Biology courses have supplemental workbooks; and English and Foreign Language courses have supplemental workbooks.  Why?  Because they are great and effective agents in the struggle to engage and illustrate difficult, ephemeral concepts.  And now, since it has been brought to your attention, doesn’t seem inconceivable that Introductory Visual Arts courses do not have a similar, practical, exercise workbook?  By not addressing this traditionally flawed, pedagogical oversight, Visual Art, Art History and Art Education instructors are at best distant conveyors of delightful phrases.  “One cannot begin to learn about an omelet without breaking a few eggs”, said Julia Child, the great cooking instructor.