Art Problems (instead of math problems)

     "What does it mean?" asked a professor walking by.
     I looked up from my sketch of a nearby sculpture.
     "That's what I am trying to figure out," I replied.

     I was working to complete an assignment - to draw 13 of the 70+ sculptures located on campus. In addition to drawing them from at least three angles, we also had to take notes on their formal qualities. Now, I am not talking about how the sculptures would look if we dressed them in a suit and tie (although that would be pretty funny!). Each artists takes certain factors into consideration when he (or she) is creating art. These factors are called Elements of Design. This includes things like line, shape, mass, texture, color, and scale. Think of these as the building blocks of design. How you implement these 'blocks' is through the Principles of Design (for example: balance, direction, harmony, proportion, and unity).

     By keeping these in mind the viewer (in this case me) can attempt to determine the meaning behind the artwork. Let me tell you, it is not always easy! However, this assignment gives us practice drawing and forces us to study the sculptures for long enough to get at least some idea of what they might be protraying.