The document discusses abstraction in art and describes several series of drawings that demonstrate increasing abstraction. It provides examples of series by Piet Mondrian and Picasso that simplify forms into geometric shapes over multiple drawings of the same subject. Another example described is a "half-life" drawing series where the same subject is drawn for progressively shorter periods of time. Students are assigned to create their own series of increasingly abstract drawings from a single subject over multiple drawings.

1. DRAWING TOWARD ABSTRACTION
Abstraction: distorts the view, or greatly simplifies
and reduces the structure of a known thing, person, or place,
often into its most elemental geometric components.

2. Series of abstractions by Piet Mondrian:
1. Recognizable subject; fairly realistic landscape setting

3. 2. Familiarity with the subject allows Mondrian to quickly find the basic forms
and impose a grid-like structure on the piece

4. 3. Further simplification into geometric shapes – notice how a cross-like grid is forming

5. 4. Final pure form

6. “HALF-LIFE” DRAWING:
A series of drawings using the same subject,
drawn 1st for 45 minutes,
the 2nd time for 22 minutes,
the 3rd time for 11 minutes
and the fourth time for 6 minutes

7. 3 series-es by Picasso

8. Monique Stevens – leaf drawing 1

9. Leaf drawing 2

10. Leaf Drawing 3

11. Leaf Drawing 4 – notice tones (shades of light and dark) and their shapes

12. RISD student series of increasingly fast drawings (out of order)

13. RISD student drawings of a single subject

14. You can use any subject - look at the forms this loosely piled and torn paper produces

15. For homework, use one or more of your drawings to work from to produce a new
abstraction. Be sure to bring all 4 drawings to class Dec. 5.