Wightman created course assignments that required students to apply the theories and concepts they learned and to create their own drawings and designs. Assignment topics included spatial field characteristics, logomark designs, narrative abstraction, and typography.
In the assignments, Wightman often included his drawings and specific parameters that students had to follow in their own works. Interestingly, he mentioned in a student feedback that it was necessary to present students with “restrictive parameters based on specific assignment requirements” so they would be intentional in their creativity. Also, cleanliness, precision and professionalism were expectations mentioned repeatedly in his assignments.
Wightman selected readings on art theories that are important during his time. SOURCE readers are asked to consider whether these readings are still relevant today in art education?
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2D 3D Assignment
Don Wightman
An assignment that required students to draw a van in 2D and fabricate it into a 3D model.
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Assignment Description
Don Wightman
An animation assignment that required students to do research on decoration texture and pattern and to create their own artwork.
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Bag Logo Assignment
Don Wightman
An assignment that required students to create a logo and construct a paper bag with the logo on it and with specific dimensions given.
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Exhibition Display Assignment
Don Wightman
An assignment that required students to design a display piece for an exhibition. The design had to be abstract, non-objective or conceptual.
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Freehand Drawing Assignment
Don Wightman
An assignment that enabled students to practice freehand concept drawing and object drawing techniques as they designed a post-modern object.
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Gestalt Bag Assignment
Don Wightman
In this assignment, students had to create a mock-up paper carrier bag and design a Gestalt image derived from facsimile rendering. The Gestalt image would go on the side of the bag.
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Gestalt Formalism Assignments
Don Wightman
Assignments that required students to select human-made and nature-made 3D objects and draw them in 2D
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Maquette Assignment
don Wightman
In this assignment, students had to create a maquette using a Greek temple as the basis and drawing-table construction techniques.
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Marks Logo Assignment
Don Wightman
An assignment that required students to create a company logo using primary shapes (square, circle and/or equilateral triangle).
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Metasymbol Assignment
Don Wightman
In this assignment, students had to rework the Canadian flag to make a visual metaphor about a political/social/other Canadian issue. The Canadian flag must still be recognizable in the design. Also, the resolution must remain graphic without full photographs or illustrations being used.
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Modern Mark Assignment
Don Wightman
An assignment that required students to create a company logo with a maximum of 2 colours and one primary shape (square, circle or equilateral triangle). Letterings were not to be used in the design.
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Mortage Collage Assignment
Don Wightman
The Mississauga Civic Centre designed by Edward Jones in the 1980s has been recognized as an example of post-modern narrative design. In this assignment, students had to draw images of the building exterior and interior and create a collage/montage from the illustrations.
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Narrative Abstraction Assignment
Don Wightman
An assignment that required students to create a design using paper cutouts in geometric shapes (square, circle and/or equilateral triangle).
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Painting Assignments
Don Wightman
In this course plan for a painting class, the assignments, methods, media and readings were outlined by week. Some of the assignments included figure painting in the studio, landscape painting, and prototype of a head image.
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Spatial Field Assignment
Don Wightman
Cannot make out what this assignment is about. Have to ask John about it.
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Typography Assignment
Don Wightman
In this assignment, students had to use the first letter of a word and create a visual interpretation of the word’s meaning.
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Visual Modes Operation Assignment
Don Wightman
In this assignment, students had to use the 3-1-T-P method for four images and create three ideation sketches for each image. For the finished artwork, students had to recreate the final four images chosen on nutex paper.