Notes from the Academy of Classical Design

"It doesn't matter what it is, its just a movement."
-Jeffrey Mims

"That is always the point of art - to give some sense of wonder to life."
-Jeffrey Mims

"I teach two things:
Slow down and learn to make something as beautiful as you can.
All art is dividing space and ornamenting it."
-Jeffrey Mims 

"The human figures . . . they are the little curly things (ornamentation)."
-Jeffrey Mims on the Sistine Chapel

"Ornamental or geometric patterns tend to be borders . . . they transition the realistic world into the architectural space it belongs in."
-Jeffrey Mims

ornament happens where things top and start

"big patterns, tiny patterns,  busy space, resting space
You hear it in symphonies all the time."
-Jeffrey Mims

Division of space should dominate ornamentation of it.
-Mims


Tonal Sketches:
Hierarchy of lights. Tones under control. Hard and soft edges.


"I think everything is always wrong. It's just a matter of not freaking ourselves out about it."
-Mari DeRuntz



"Just show up, i think thats the key." -Cynthia



When starting to bring in organic shapes find your most geometric areas and start there.

Build your light onto the middle of a shape. The light has a shape.
Same with Dark-Dark on top of Medium-Dark.

Burnt Sienna shadows, Cool grey mid tones, warm highlights


Slow down and learn to make something as beautiful as you can."
-Mims