Description of IB Visual Arts Investigation Workbooks Huh? I have to do what?!

Workbooks…aka…sketchbooks  Purpose: Investigation work involves independent contextual, visual and critical investigation and reflection, both visual and written.  They are integral to studio practice and should reflect the student’s critical visual and written investigation.

 The most famous artist sketchbooks are those of Leonardo da Vinci. His sketchbooks are filled with drawings, diagrams and written notes of things he saw and ideas he came up with.  Pablo Picasso produced 178 sketchbooks in his life time. He often used his sketchbooks to explore themes and make compositional studies until he found the right idea and subject for a larger painting on canvas.  Henry Moore, filled one of his sketchbooks with drawings of sheep that often wandered by the window outside his studio.

So…what do I put in there?  Pictures, drawings, poetry, letters, s, thoughts, scribbles, magazine cut outs, studies of artists, documentation of your visit to the art museum or an art show.  They want to see your personal interests and ideas. They want to see you write about your thoughts.  Showing failed attempts or ideas is also great.  Most importantly, written investigative ideas and beginning drawings/sketches of what will become your final studio work. Show your thought process!

Format  Purchase a sketchbook. Unlined.  Book format is best for maintaining the quality of your ideas.  Also, something you feel comfortable writing in…some of them are uncomfortable to use. Places to purchase: Meinengers, Hobby Lobby, Walmart, Target

Leonardo da Vinci’s Sketchbooks…look familiar?

More of Leonardo

Michelangelo's sketch

Some others…

We need to think about theme…  Avoid busy work. All work done in this class is essential for your portfolio.  A theme is a great way to tie in all your work and allows you to branch out and investigate without the busy work.  Investigation, a thorough investigation is what IB is looking for in your sketchbooks.  Themes should be deeper in nature, something YOU are passionate about, and something YOU can visualize.

Do we really have Fate leading our lives, Growing old, Fear of not being successful, fear of change, fear of being alone, curiosity, contentment, change in the chapter of your life, idea of true beauty, struggle to be the perfect weight, to drink alcohol or not, peer pressure, smoking and just how cool it looks, struggle to jump social classes, relationships between yourself and your parents, how you feel when your friend becomes pregnant, your parents relationship: successful or not, will I ever be in love, will someone I love ever love me the same, is God even real, why does it seem we fight men who wear turbans, why do I ignore my intuition, how do we help the rest of world, why does the US seem to help everyone else, how do we fix the inner city problems, knowledge is power or is it, plastic bag wars: US shoppers use an estimated 102 billion plastic shopping bags a yr, not fixing things but simply replacing them, lack of effective communication or empathy, confronting your own prejudices, what you are doing with your life that your parents didn’t do with theirs, confines of fashion, Americas fear or acceptance of fat people, the people of Haiti, the damage in Japan, approval or disappointment of Obama, if one can put a gun in the hands of a 18 yr why can’t they have a glass of beer: struggle of teenage qualifications and responsibilities, eating disorders, cutting, depression, love.

I don’t even know how to get started…well 1 st answer these: 1. What are all the things I like? 2. Write down some things that really pisses you off. 3. Have you had any reoccurring dreams? 4. What did you like as a kid? 5. Describe a favorite memory with the family. 6. Have you had anything on your mind lately that doesn’t go away? 7. Describe the last piece of art you saw that really inspired you. 8. Think about what is going on in the world. What comes to mind first? 9. What are some things that you are afraid of?

Requirements  2 pages of investigation/drawings/writings a week.  Leave space in the upper corner of each page for your candidate number.  Number each page and put the date you completed it.  Try to fill up the page….try.  First assignment: draw and write about things you did as a kid that you wish you still did today.