Sketchbook Cover Art – Symmetrical Botanical Design

Your sketchbook is one of your most important tools. It is a place to record your ideas, assignments, sketches and drawings. You will use it everyday in Introduction to Design. You are welcome to take it home but are required to maintain it and have it in class every day.

Day 1/Botanical study – Choose 3+ plant images found on https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/page/whats-blooming/october-native-plants.  Find enough detail pictures of the full plant (there are other images available at this site that will help you clarify the plant – details of leaves, flowers, stems, etc.)

In your sketchbook write down the Common, Scientific and Ojibwe names at the top of a blank page. Draw realistic drawings – clearly identifying the plant – leaves and flowers – one plant/page.

Based on your realistic drawing determine a “design” with your botanical drawings –  knowing that you will be creating a symmetrical design image based on your drawing. Be sure to include the following information in your design:

1. Identify the leaf shape. Do the leaves change size the closer to the end of the stem/branch?
2. Where are the “veins”? Do they come out from one spot or do the spread out from the main center vein?
3. Do the leaves come off the main stem asymmetrically or symmetrically?
4. What is at the tip? (flower? leaf? fruit?)

 

Day 2-3/Creating a symmetrical Design – Paint Marker Symmetrical Glyph

1.Based on the plants chosen sketch out your plan for your sketchbook cover design on a page in your sketchbook.
2. On the cover create a frame, Using a silver Sharpie and ruler divide the cover in half with a 1/2″ border.
3. With a pencil, redraw the symmetrical design, simular to the beadwork designs, on to your sketchbook cover.
6. Fill in the design carefully with paint markers.  Clean up edges.

Critique – After completing the project on the same page(s) that you drew your plant and worked out the design for your glyph answer the following questions:

1. How does this design reflect who I am?
2. What would I have liked to do differently with my design?