Streets: Mark Lewis Collage: Craft Kit #17 October 6 - November 19, 2017 Collage: Craft Kit #17

Working in large-scale paper and graphite collages, Mark Lewis, Applied Associate Professor at the University of Tulsa, builds up layers of paper to create highly dimensional urban landscapes, both of Tulsa and invented city spaces. He often places the viewer’s focal point in an off-center perspective to transform static materials into dynamic views of our downtown. Mark Lewis, Lewis and Admiral Boulevard, 2015 detail

Mark Lewis, Park Intersection (Peoria and 6th), 2017 Mark Lewis, Boston Avenue Looking South, 2014

History of collage Collage describes the technique in which pieces of paper, photographs, fabric and other objects are arranged and pasted to a surface. Although layering images has been around for centuries, collage did not emerge as it’s own medium until the early 20th century by artists Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. Derived from the French verb “coller” meaning “to glue”, the duo coined the term “collage”. Reborn out of the Cubist movement, collage embraces concepts of deconstruction and assemblage. Pablo Picasso, Guitar, Sheet Music, and Glass, 1912

Other artists who use collage Richard Hamilton, 1965 Robert Rauschenberg, Retroactive II, 1964

Perspective Perspective: The art of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface to give the impression of their height, width, depth, and position in relation to one another Linear Perspective: A horizon line, with a vanishing point, that all orthogonal lines lead to.

Horizon Line Horizon line-- Or ‘eye level’, refers to a physical/visual boundary where the sky separates from land or water. It is the height of the viewer’s eyes when looking at an object or an interior/exterior scene

Vanishing Point Vanishing Point: an abstract (imaginary) point on a plane where parallel lines appear to converge, giving the illusion of receding into space

Orthogonal (parallel lines) Orthogonal (parallel) Lines: The imaginary lines which all meet at the vanishing point. These angled lines are what give the picture the illusion of depth. See how all angles of the buildings lead to the vanishing point? This tricks our eye into thinking things are receding into space, which creates depth.

All red lines run diagonally from the vanishing point All red lines run diagonally from the vanishing point. All green lines are parallel to the horizon line

Materials: + Craft Kit or *Be sure to use a pencil and not a pen as you will be erasing lines later!

1. ) Begin by drawing your horizon line 1.) Begin by drawing your horizon line. Be sure to use a pencil and draw lightly, just enough to see your lines as you will erase most of them later. Mine is 1 ¾ inches down from the top so I have room for a skyline and plenty of room below to fill with buildings. 2.) My vanishing point is in the center of my page. Line up your papers so all your vanishing points are in the same spot, this will make sure that all your buildings are angle in the same direction. 3.) Next, repeat this horizon line on your gray, light gray, and black paper. The other reason we are using pencil is because it shows up metallic on your black paper so you can see your lines!

4.) On our light gray paper we are going to start our first building– I start by drawing two light dots, this will determine the width of my buildings side. Using a ruler, continue the rectangle, the length of my lines with determine the height of my building. *See how part of my building is above the horizon line? Because of this we will not be able to see the top of this building. *Note, my vertical lines are always parallel to the sides of my paper

5. ) Next we are going to draw our orthogonal lines, or parallel line 5.) Next we are going to draw our orthogonal lines, or parallel line. With my ruler, I start from the bottom left corner of my rectangle to the center of my vanishing point, repeat this for the top right corner

erase 6.) With my ruler, we are going to draw a vertical line connecting our orthogonal lines. This line should be straight up and down, parallel to the sides of your paper. However far back this vertical line with determine the width of the front of your building 7.) Erase the lines connecting to your vanishing point. You have made your first building!

8.) Repeating the same steps as our first building, we are going to draw two dots and connect our lines to make a square 9.) This time, after connecting your top right and bottom right corners to the axis we are also going to connect the top left corner to the vanishing point * Because this building is below the horizon line, we will be able to see the top of it!

Vertical line Horizontal line 10.) Just like we used our horizontal lines to connect our orthogonal lines in our first building, we will repeat the same step for our second building with a straight up and down vertical line 11.) To finish the top of the building we will use our ruler to draw a horizontal line that is parallel to the top of our paper 12.) Erase the additional lines leading to the vanishing point and start on another building!

* Tip! Layering buildings together emphasizes the appearance of the buildings receding into space! Be careful to erase the correct lines so the building in front is clear of lines from the building behind

13.) Repeat the steps from the first building on to your dark gray and black paper. It’s helpful to be somewhere well lit so you can see your lines! * I like to have all of my papers together so I can see gaps where I want to fill in additional buldings

14.) When you are finished drawing buildings on your light gray, gray, and black paper you are ready to start cutting them out! Always be careful using scissors, and go slowly to be sure you’re cutting at the correct angles * Be sure to keep your scraps when cutting out your buildings, you can use these and your additional paper for designs later!

15.) Using your white paper as a backdrop, begin arranging your buildings, I like to do this before decorating so I have an idea which buildings will be in front and which will be layered behind 16.) Start decorating your buildings! You can go over your pencil lines with a pen or maker, or use your scrap paper to add designs. Mark Lewis uses black, white and grays, for his cityscapes but you’re welcome to add color with paper of your own or color markers! * Remember, buildings were the tops are visible should be below the horizon line, while those without tops need to be above the horizon line! It’s okay if they go off the page 

17. ) Finally you are ready to start gluing down your buildings 17.) Finally you are ready to start gluing down your buildings! I added a sunset with clouds to my background, what could you add to your cityscape? People walking in the streets? A plane flying through the air?

I used a scrap piece of my black paper to mount my picture on. DONE!

Additional Resources: Perspective: tips and tricks Khan Academy on perspective Mark Lewis working in Tulsa: video View previous Craft Kit’s: 108|Contemporary Additional tips on collage: landscape flower bouquet interior space