The Art of Teaching Art: A Guide for Teaching and Learning the Foundations of Drawing-Based Art (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "Students often go through the motions of sighting without really understanding what they are doing and why it works..." (more)
Key Phrases: reflect your scale, cube multiplication, subtractive drawing, Student Nvork, The Art of Teaching Art Figure, Fibonacci Series (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In thirty- six years of teaching all aspects of drawing to students aspiring to become artists and teachers, I have labored my way by trial and error to conclusions Deborah Rockman outlines so very clearly in her THE ART OF TEACHING ART. With high tuition costs, students have the right to demand sensitive and informed instruction even from teachers just beginning their career. This comprehensive compendium of the arcana of studio teaching is invaluable. The special difficulties of revealing the possibilites and limits of perspective are well presented; insights I thought all my own I find in this book."-R. Richard Gayton, Drawing and Painting Professor, California College of Arts and Crafts
"A much-needed guide to the teaching and learning of important areas of foundation drawing. The book's explication of sighting, scaling, and perspective methods is particularly useful. Also, the emphasis on teaching methods of visual measure and the need for a translation process between 2-D and 3-D seeing is welcome. The focus on these issues will encourage many teachers to go into much greater depth than is the usual practice. Rockman provides enough information and detail to aid teachers in creating classroom assignments and for students to practice these techniques without a teacher. I have always believed that, particularly in art and design, teaching and learning are intimately interrelated activities and that one important way of leaning a subject matter is to teach it. The Art of Teaching Art encourages teachers to be students and students to imagine being teachers." --Bill Fasolino, Foundation Chairperson, Pratt Institute School of Art & Design
"Rockman demystifies the process of perceptual drawing by comprehensively providing practical methods and strategies for measuring visual experience. The book includes lucid explanation of proportion, perspective, composition and metaphor to space. An excellent, clearly illustrated introduction to the teaching of the visual arts, The Art of Teaching Art is a pleasure for artists, students and teachers who are interested in the project of approaching representation of nature. In fact, the well-organized treatment and wealth of information, illustration and defining vocabulary may well become a handbook for professionals working in this arena of the visual arts." --Thomas Cornell, Professor of Art, Bowdoin College

Product Description

Often the finest artists do not make the best teachers. Many frustrated college students of art know this all too well as they suffer through unstructured classes with inexperienced teachers or graduate student instructors. In these situations, it is easy to blame the teachers. But the problem is largely institutional: most students graduating with MFAs from art schools receive little if any instruction in teaching art. If you find yourself in this predicament as teacher or student, this book is for you.
The first book to provide a comprehensive guide for teaching college-level art, The Art of Teaching Art is the culmination of respected artist and instructor Deborah Rockman's two decades of teaching experience. Believing that drawing is the backbone of all of the visual arts, she begins with a complete explanation of drawing concepts that apply to any subject matter, e.g., composition, sighting processes, scaling techniques, and methods for linear and tonal development. She then illustrates these concepts with step-by-step methods that easily translate to classroom exercises. Next, she applies the drawing principles to every artist's most important and challenging subject, the human figure. After an extended section on understanding and teaching perspective that explores illusionistic form and space, the focus of the book shifts to the studio classroom itself and the essential elements that go into making an effective learning environment and curriculum. From preparing materials lists and syllabi, to setting up still-lifes, handling difficult classroom situations, critiquing and grading student artworks, and shooting slides of student artworks, she leaves no stone unturned.
The Art of Teaching Art is the guide every new or experienced teacher of college-level art must have. Its helpful suggestions and numerous examples of student artwork from Rockman's classes will impart confidence to the inexperienced and fresh inspiration to the veteran instructors.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 340 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; illustrated edition edition (November 9, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195130790
• ISBN-13: 978-0195130799
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #222,396 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No TA or new art faculty should be without it!, June 8, 2001

By	"learnmeatcutting" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

When most artists attend graduate school they are thrown into the position of teaching freshmen level art courses with little or no preparation for doing so. Luckily, Professor Rockman has come along to provide in her book a clear and concise education on the teaching of foundations level art. I was lucky to have been a student of Ms. Rockman's and only survived my experience as a Teaching Assistant by having had her example as an instructor to draw upon. Now anyone who picks up this book can draw upon her reservoir of experience and insight. "The Art of Teaching Art" is a tremendous resource, one that no TA or new art faculty should be without. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent source for both art students and instructors, February 23, 2003

By A Customer

I am presently an art student working toward my degree in teaching college level art. This book is a wonderful source of information for both art students and teachers. The topics are covered very thoroughly and in an understandable fashion. Some of the topics covered in this book are: sighting (excellent content on sighting), principals of composition, value, space and depth, the human figure and anatomy, gesture drawing, portraiture, perspective (very, very well done), establishing a classroom environment, preparing group critiques, diagnosing problems in student work, suggested homework assignments, preparing a slide library, building a resume, and much, much more. Every chapter is extremely well written and contains a wealth of information. It presents a solid foundation for those of us who will be entering the teaching field of art, and for those of you already in it. This book will help you reinforce your art skills, along with prepare you for the ability to teach the knowledge that you have to others. I would give this book 10 stars if it were permitted.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally some help for college level teachers!, April 19, 2001

By	LB (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This book is what every person needs who is teaching art in a college or university setting. It's actually got a lot of helpful information for non-art faculty as well. It is so thorough and so clear, and the illustrations make it evident that this author knows what she is talking about. It's one of those books that I will refer to over and over again.