Lesson VII: Large to Small
Posted: July 20th, 2010 | Author: The Tutor | Filed under: Lesson VII | 59 Comments »Take a seat, students. The Tutor has tallied the results of last week’s midterm exam and as a class, we performed below average: in the multiple-choice portion of the quiz, only 68% of correct answers were given. The Tutor has the sneaking suspicion that many of you gave incorrect answers just to get his attention. If this applies to you, please stand up now, face the chalkboard, and write the following 50 times: “I am a bad, bad student. I am not worthy of The Tutor’s yardstick. I will no longer bleed the red ink from The Tutor’s grading pen with such disregard, and promise to perform better in the future.”
For everyone else, The Tutor wants you to know that he is a reasonable man who recognizes that the point of any classroom is to learn and grow… so do not despair over the poor scoring of this first exam. We will learn from our mistakes and grow together as a class in the weeks to come.
Here are the correct answers from last week’s quiz:
- Which of the following elements from Lesson I is not a reference to The Molting? Answer: b.) The Tutor’s rubber apron
- In Lesson II, which device cannot be used to sharpen a pencil? Answer: a.) a pencil sharpener
- In Lesson III, which tool is not named after a character from The Molting? Answer: c.) Staci
- In Lesson IV, what does our pencil become? Answer: d.) a dance partner
- Which famous comic book couple is The Tutor’s 6-legged teaching assistants named after? Answer: c.) Marv and Goldie
- In Lesson V, which of the following does not bespeak our greater purpose? Answer: b.) the mattress where we sleep
- When painting a straight line, to what degree should we angle our straightedge? Answer: c.) 135°
- In Lesson III, which of the following colors is not amongst The Tutor’s paint tubes? Answer: a.) Neutral Gray
- What adjective is missing from this famous quote by Michelangelo: “If people knew how hard I work to gain my mastery, it wouldn’t seem _________ at all.” Answer: b.) wonderful
- Which of the following items featured in Lesson VI does Guilty Susie hold in chapter one of The Molting? Answer: d.) a handgun
- According to The Tutor, what motivates creativity? Answer: c.) order and chaos
- According to The Tutor, what’s the only way for an artist to thrive in a critical and unkind world? Answer: a.) to be proficient in our abilities
- How many scratches are on The Tutor’s left cheek? Answer: b.) three
- Based on what you’ve seen thus far in The Tutor’s classroom and The Molting comic book, who has yet to sit in the wooden wheelchair? Answer: d.) Uncle Henry
- According to The Tutor, what cannot be taught in his classroom? Answer: c.) an artistic “voice”
Surprisingly, the questions most frequently answered incorrectly had noting to do with The Molting comic book (which I know many of you have yet to read), but to elements pertaining exclusively to The Tutor’s written Lesson Plans. For future reference, be sure to not only watch the tutorials, but to read the supporting homework assignments given here.
For example, only 31% of you answered #7 correctly: When painting a straight line, to what degree should we angle our straightedge? The most popular answer given was d.) 180°, which is not an angle at all (as far as our straightedges are concerned!). 180° is the equivalent of resting our straightedges flat against our drawing surfaces when the point of the exercise is to angle them so we can run the body of our paintbrushes along a raised edge. Placing our rulers flat against the canvas will not only result in sloppy lines, but in messy straightedges covered in paint. This information was originally outlined in Lesson I’s Lesson Plan.
Unsurprisingly, the most popular lesson—according to the answers given in the essay portion of the exam—was the one that required interjecting a personal element into our projects: Lesson VI: Selecting a Subject. This pleases The Tutor because it lets him know that you are eager to create! So, wipe off that soiled ruler and brush away those pencil savings… it’s time to leave behind the preparation phase of this class and journey into phase II: Creation! I give you Lesson VII: Large to Small:
Well done, students, you’ve completed another lesson. Your homework assignment is to draw the still life that you assembled in Lessons V & VI. We will be applying paint to this drawing in later lessons, so select an appropriate drawing surface—if you plan on using watercolors, consider using watercolor paper; if you plan on painting with acrylics, consider an illustration board or canvas, etc.
Before you begin to sketch, it’s important to decide where you will be positioned in relation to your still life. Similar to how we don’t want our still life disturbed, it is important that the angle with which we view our still life does not alter greatly… so, pick a comfortable spot, and stick to it.
For many of you, drawing a still life may seem like a difficult leap from our prior lessons, but if you follow The Tutor’s method—begin with large, simple shapes and slowly work down to details—any drawing is attainable. For example, if your still life is a rose in a vase sitting atop a table, draw the table first, then the vase, then the rose, then the leaves, then the stem, then the thorns.
I can’t wait to see your progress next week!







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tutor
i got 13/15 *celebrates* both wrong questions were about the molting …
and was in the 31% with 7 correct (my my the tutor is good with numbers)
but know we are onto the hard bit the drawing … oh no xD
here goes nothing
your loyal student
The Masked Artist Jennifer
This is Chi Briar, posting her homework. She hopes the Tutor will approve and forgive her for enrolling very late.
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t283/Zumi-sensei/IMG_9350.jpg
Sorry it’s only pictures. I’ll try to start posting vids. All the caught up work has been posted, just so you know.
Oh goody! It pleases me to know that I got most of the questions correct (unfortunately I also realize I *misread* one of the questions when I was taking the test.. **cries**).
I’ll have my assignment posted shortly, Tudor!
Stuck in Mexico for a few more days and then a Repo show on Friday. Hopefully this weekend there will be time to chill-ax and work on the still life.
Yay! I’m an A student! ^^ But when one thinks about it grades don’t even really matter in the real world, but they boost egos and force kids to want to stay in school instead of homeschooling… Anyways I ranted a bit too long about that, and I’ll get started as soon as possible. =)
(I got question 7 right too…8D)
Oops. I think I failed..Story of my life.
I got #7 wrong, too.
And I accidently skipped three questions.
Oh well.
Will try to make up all the work, I JUST got supplies and such.
Will also post later.
good job Chi Briar, I am so far behind and I can’t figure out how to get the videos off my camcorder and onto the computer =(
at this rate I’ll never get all my work caught up. and will remain unnoticed……
a couple of people on facebook tried to help me upload my vids but it’s hard when they are not in the room to see what I am doing wrong =_=
*mocks the Masked Artist for sucking up to The Tutor* Just kidding.
Luv you.
@Beyondrepair: Surely there must be some way to get the videos onto your computer. If you want email me at innocence@windowofdreams.com and tell me what kind of equipment you have and I can try and help? Might not be able to but I can try.
*wonders if withholding homework will convince Shem to talk the Tutor into punishing everyone else in the class cause that would be amusing.*
I am GuiltyMandie and this is my lesson Large to small with The Tutor
Here I worked on pencilling in the large portions as instructed by the ever so wise Tutor
http://guiltymandie.deviantart.com/#/d2uh8iv
And then I worked on refining it with the “small” details
http://guiltymandie.deviantart.com/#/d2uh8ll
I did find this instruction VERY helpful!!
Crap. Here’s where my GPA plummets.
G-Day Tutor!!

I have drawn my still life onto my canvas. I disected my chosen subject, starting with the largest part first (the vase) then worked my way to the smaller pieces (the flowers).
For once, my homework is on time! Yay for Me!!
Have a good one!
Regards,
Cathy
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4811346&l=dfe10e42d0&id=577562016
G-Day Tutor!
I nearly fell over laughing when I saw this…who’d have thought it’s acutally a colour! lol!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4811351&l=c9abcf640f&id=577562016
Hey, just because it’s a working class paint trying desperately to make ends meet any way it can doesn’t mean it’s not a real color.
Hooker’s Green is just tryin’ to find a respectable man with a job and a car payment.
This week’s homework, Tutor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z357MyNrqMU
Excuse the hurried quality… much to do before the weekend.
I just had to share this:
http://tinyurl.com/28oy2fu
Cathleen (CaptiveInnocence)
do not mock me …. and MAKE YOUR VIDEO NOW you don’t wanna make ur whole class suffer.
and technically i can’t be coz according to the tutor those trying to get his attention failed the Exam so i would have failed if i was
Sorry Tutor for wasting vital commenting space
The Masked Artist Jennifer
Lesson 7. Least favorite. First and last still life everrrr. Feel nauseous a little. I know I picked the subjects, I had a vision, knew I was a little screwed. Learned-the more you try to fix it, the worse it gets. Leaving the drawing part up to someone else in the future:) But, glad I followed through and didn’t throw it into heavy traffic to get run over 186 times:)
Happy Friday everyone. I believe we have a birthday boy in our classroom!
Happy birthday to our Tutor!!
After all my work organising my space and setting up my still life I’m moving to London. I will be living in a shoebox (even London below would stretch my budget) and so have no room for an easel, rest assured though Tutor, I will soldier on with my travel kit. Also, as things have been hectic this week’s work was mostly done on trains, so no video, sorry.
Finished product
http://elizabethunseelie.deviantart.com/#/d2uobql
And the process
http://elizabethunseelie.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2uob2a
http://elizabethunseelie.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2uoax5
http://elizabethunseelie.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2uoatn
http://elizabethunseelie.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2uoaon
http://elizabethunseelie.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2uoalq
http://elizabethunseelie.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2uoagm
Meh. Bleah.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkcUlt0iucQ
gah. Homework.
Homework for lesson 7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ffyv1y_GH_o
I hope you enjoy it
*bows to other students and to The Tutor*
I am BG and this is my lesson Large to small with The Tutor.
I had this done a couple days ago…..im just very unhappy with it …….
i know the quality sucks but i had to take the pictures with my phone because my camera only picked up the orange….
http://babygoth666.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2uuhlz
http://babygoth666.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2uuhnl
http://babygoth666.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2uuhoq
http://babygoth666.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2uuhpx
i know its not technically still life but…this is the best thatll come from me lol
Here is an actual on time submission. I trust I will be suitably rewarded by The Tutor. No video this time due to time constraints but here is a pic
http://ithinkimchris.deviantart.com/#/d2uuweg
I am sorry that I am just posting my lesson today. I spent the early part of the week creating a better less smart ass submission for the “Leave Yer Mark” contest.
Well first thing first here are my lines….
http://castle-in-the-cloud.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2uqku4
you may have to zoom in to see them
and here is my video….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpBQ4EPtaR0
Have a good week!
Evening fellow classmates & Tutor!
My name is Lauren & I’m drawing Big to Small with The Tutor
Quick sketch, kind of easy considering how many times i’ve drawn it already. I haven’t rubbed my mistakes out yet, but hey it’s 11:30 and I’m trying to get my homework in on time without flunking uni
Link: http://perfectcolourchaos.deviantart.com/art/Lesson-VII-172781395
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9Bq7GUIBp0
So there’s the video… but the audio is disabled. Apparently the song is one of those that Youtube bans because the record company thinks that being able to hear it in the background of some video is going to vastly damage sales.
This vexes me, because I’ve used this song in videos before. And they didn’t take out JUST the music, they removed the entire audio track.
I’ll try to upload another video with different music, but it takes a disgustingly long time to encode so it might be a couple days before I get the time to come back. Sorry about that.
Here’s my homework:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aIROz3bSrg
Tutor i would like to apologize (in the biggest way ever) for the fact that it will not be in on time (cries) this is because to get my video’s to work i have to convert them from AVI to WMV and when doing this it did not work … There for it will not work to be sent to you which means i will not have handed it in on time BUT i will hand it in ASAP.
I promise
i will accept any punishment the tutor thinks is suitable.
Your Loyal Student
The Masked Artist Jennifer
Tutor–
I am a bad, bad student. Relocating me into a new basement was a smart move on your part, but has added many complications for me, such as denying me internet access (I’m sorry for screaming en route in the back of the van). I promise to behave so that you can let me continue my lessons.
(Seriously though, moving has been difficult. And I have no internet. My car broke down, I have to pick a new subject because my other one is four hours away, and all sorts of other fun new apartment problems. My late work will be turned in this weekend!)
So I think I got it halfway worked out… I put in some ghetto captions and swapped out the audio with a decent song from the Youtube library…. still. Le sigh.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWFMct5Ek-4
Sorry, this homework is a bit last minute again. But I hope you all enjoy it
Hello, Tutor-
Here is my assignment: http://mystpixi.deviantart.com/art/Painting-with-the-Tutor-7-172860830
I’m sorry it’s so rough.
My name is Scully and I am drawing large to small with The Tutor.
This week I was very busy and almost didn’t finish my homework in time. Instead of starting from scratch I chose to add elements of the still life like a blooming rose, leaves and a jawbone to the composition already in progress.
I picked things that are typically difficult for me including leaves and flowers also I chose a foreshortened view of the jaw.
I didn’t spend a lot of time with shading and I expect to do this with the paints later
Some of the frames are naturally wanting to connect to I started letting elements overlap the borders where they want to.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=54049052&l=0200492874&id=10019024
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=54049053&l=5eba43e7af&id=10019024
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=54049054&l=0a9ba3adab&id=10019024
Also just for giggles some of the other projects this week that almost made me late
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFlOgMIiqbQ&hd=1
Heres my homework, cant say its the greatest… maybe I shouldn’t have drawn the big tooth(never knew how hard it was to draw a giant tooth, but now I do).
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x24/idget666/132833385_photobucket_18944_.jpg
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x24/idget666/132833385_photobucket_18943_.jpg
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x24/idget666/132833385_photobucket_18942_.jpg
Ugh. I’m late =[
Stupid busy week.
http://www.youtube.com/user/lorrielaboratory#p/a/u/0/vby4gwuP0Ow
Is this really considered late…. I mean, it’s like 9:30 pst….and I did post it to the web much earlier…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKxYGAKn6fY
My name is Reyana and I’m drawing large to small with the Tutor:
Lesson 7:
http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll26/rk_nalani/The%20Tutor/DSC00886.jpg
My scanner wasn’t big enough so I had to take a picture instead. I hope you can see it alright. Not exactly like my live pose but it’s the idea of it.
My goal was to turn in my homework before the next lesson was posted. I missed it by two minutes because YouTube was taking a long time to process my video. This was the hardest lesson so far for me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA_8E1jVC_c
Terribly sorry to be turning my homework in late, Tutor. Wouldn’t that be 10 lashings?
Anyways, the usual excuse, life is hectic and we’re remodeling the house so I lost track of days and thought that today was Monday…. Silly little me…
ANYWAYS, Here’s my homework:
http://sqwarrior-empress.deviantart.com/#/d2uz6u9
Hopefully it won’t look as sloppy when I paint it… Then again the “sloppiness” might work… I’ll just have to wait and see.
Mr. Tutor,
Very sorry my home work is late, once again. Still been having some trouble with my heath, and had a small surgery when this lesson came out… But here is it http://s652.photobucket.com/albums/uu242/graverobber_lover_123/?action=view¤t=Scan.jpg&t=1280289382973
p.s. sorry its a little sloppy
I have been unfortunate enough to not be able to do the homework required, my tutor. I have simply become busier than expected and have not had time for homework. I apologize, tutor, and I hope I can be forgiven
Tutor, I apologise for the shameful lateness of this homework, but for some reason the fates decided to screw me over this week. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. My subject flaked out on me, my camera broke, and my video editing software went kablooey.
But on the plus side, my attitude appears to have . . . improved . . .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84hhYN01BUM
For this lesson I’ve decided to make my still life subject the victorian wing-back chair thats in my room. More will come later.
P.S. I regret that I won’t be able to make the gallery in October due to severe lack of funds. I’m sorry Tutor.
Late homework again but I am catching up fast! Here is my drawing for you.
http://girllunar.deviantart.com/art/The-Tutor-Lesson-VII-173411039
so this is my final sketch. iam excited by it i had alot of fun drawling it too.
http://xxmazoxx.deviantart.com/art/The-Tutors-VII-173413332
My name is Ophelia and I am visualizing large to small with The Tutor.
http://jackiephoto.deviantart.com/art/The-Tutor-Lesson-VII-Details-173537451
SORRY TUTOR
my homework is so late and isn’t a video :’( i am having really bad technical problems so here is a photo of my work and video will follow as soon as THE STUPID THING ACTUALLY WORKS
your loyal (and very stressed out) student
The Masked Artist Jennifer
http://mrsnikkijackson.deviantart.com/art/For-Tutor-173552159
and now the link doesn’t work :’(
Attempt 2 with a new Link
http://mrsnikkijackson.deviantart.com/#/d2vbtpb
Tutor
i have finally sorted my technical problems out for this week ^^ so here is my work
from your loyal student
The Masked Artist Jennifer
Link to Homework –> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TioS9N7eGU
Hey everyone!
I’m another Jen, so we can just go by Rider Of Karma for me to keep down the confusion. I’ve been busting my butt to learn some painting techniques that I can use in photoshop.
I’m working digitally, but HARD, I promise. Sometimes it feels like fingerpainting with my knuckles. Plus I have no money to paint…
Anyway, I’m gonna set up a still life and start sketching for tomorrow’s class. I’m looking forward to it very, very much. And I’m gonna link to some digital paintings I’ve already done too.
http://riderofkarma.deviantart.com/art/Dark-With-Four-Glasses-173706249?q=gallery%3ARiderOfKarma%2F26086912&qo=0
http://th06.deviantart.net/fs70/150/f/2010/214/5/8/Green_And_Red_Dead_Ladies_by_RiderOfKarma.jpg
And I’m working on all this for my first webcomic that I’m sketching out now. So here’s some drawings too:
http://riderofkarma.deviantart.com/art/There-Is-No-Death-173710895?q=gallery%3ARiderOfKarma%2F26086912&qo=3
http://riderofkarma.deviantart.com/art/Blue-Vein-Fairy-173710526?q=gallery%3ARiderOfKarma%2F26086912&qo=4
Please accept my late homework, Tutor! And my change of subject. I’m trying to get used to this new dungeon, er, basement…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi_FCvBezM8
Also, here is a close up of my subject and the drawing in the actual space where I’m working. the basement is just a bit too dark….
http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo95/AngelicSweet5/tutordrawing.jpg
Here is my homework for drawing large to small with The Tutor
http://invertedgirl.deviantart.com/#/d2vp7ft
Lesson 7. I’m attempting to catch up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYK1td2Fzbc&fmt=18
I was never much good at turning in ‘homework’ in a timely manner!!
But then again, none of my teachers were so hot and distracting!
THAT was difficult. I’m hesitant to pick up my paint brush. I’ll get over it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtTLVdP2sMw
My lesson 7 is finally complete:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G2fZWhzP5I
My name is Megan and this is large and small with the Tudor.
http://redhead312.deviantart.com/art/large-to-small-178200984
Da sketch:
http://theif-of-zydrate.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2y6gmr
Hello I am Jessica and I am working Large to Small with the tutor
Here is my Large:
http://talashowl.deviantart.com/art/Large-Detail-Still-Life-178900964
And small details:
http://talashowl.deviantart.com/art/Small-detail-Still-Life-178901658
Sorry its so Orange… Its dark in here even with the light on so the camera wont pic up the exact color but it shows sufficient detail I think. I will add the white splotches from my desk on top of the paint because its going to get lost in the first coat… But i like how it looks so far