Chương 11: Book 1 - Chapter 10

After lunch, I went to Woodshop. Coach was there, and the door was unlocked. I finished my sign and had the design for my third project signed off. I began my required box, which I would construct only with hand tools. I was choosing to make a jewelry box and planned to use only woodcuts and glue, no nails or screws. Art class was only slightly better today, but I made progress.

"Alright, John, marvelous!" Mr Archer chirped, gesturing at my outline drawing.

"Yesterday, we saw your line—your choice of what to emphasize. Today, we delve into color, and we have a very important rule!" He leaned in conspiratorially.

"Look closely at your outlines. You may now fill in these shapes, but no two colors can ever touch!" I stared at him, bewildered.

"Sir, you want me to leave white space between every single color I use?"

"Precisely!" he confirmed with a delighted smile.

"Only the blank white space of your paper can be used to separate them. This isn't just coloring, John, this is training your eye! It forces you to use distinct color masses—big blocks of pure hue—to give your image its shape and texture. It teaches you that color, not just line, is a powerful tool for definition! Now, get started!"

"Mr Archer, I just don't see the point. Why don't we study the technique, the history, the subject matter, or the artist? Why all these lines and blobs of color? I read several books on art when I learned I'd have to take this class. I know about perspective and am ready to draw, paint, even sculpt. Let me actually do something that you can critique and suggest improvements for!"

"Fine, Monday you will do an artwork of me, in this classroom, at this desk. You can use whatever medium you wish."

"Challenge accepted. I'll need a stiff poster board, an easel, four Crayola magic markers in black, red, blue, and yellow. Also four rubber bands."

"It will be here. You will have one period to show me what you know."

"How about one period to give you something you can offer direction? I've read a lot of books, I don't think one period is enough for all of what I know!"

"Agreed!" he said accepting the challenge.

"It's nice to see some spunk. Everyone keeps saying how polite you are. I look forward to Monday." Biology was great. I turned in the work for the first five chapters. I informed him, "I did my Physical Science final this morning."

"I know, I graded it. Congratulations, 100 percent."

"I'll be ready for my Biology practical exam on Monday."

"Excellent, you will be dissecting a worm. Bring a pen and an unruled journal notebook to document your dissection." Mr Hanson leaned back in his chair, folding his hands behind his head.

"John, I have to be honest. Your progress has me much more relaxed than I was just yesterday."

"Sir?" I asked.

"I was worried," he admitted.

"We invested a considerable amount in class time, materials and effort in creating your schedule. When I gave you the Biology assignment, I was worried that you couldn't finish the book work required to justify starting the Biology practicals. I was concerned that all this effort to get a seven year old a high school diploma was a waste of resources, if you didn't come through." He offered a confident smile.

"But completing Physical Science and turning in the work for the first five Biology chapters today removes all doubt. You've earned the practicals. I think you might pull this off, even without summer school." I nodded, understanding his concerns.

"Thank you, sir. I appreciate your confidence."

"Now," he said, pushing a thick stack of papers across the desk, "since we know you can handle the pace, here is the remainder of your Biology end of chapter homework for the entire book. Let me know when you've reached chapter twenty and are ready for the mid terms. To meet our goals you need to be ready for the Biology Final next Friday."

"Yes, sir." That weekend, I stayed home to study, except for a short trip into town to go to Walmart. I went ahead and purchased all the additional art supplies I would need, and my Biology experimental notebook. By the end of the weekend, I had finished the entire Biology book and finally started on Social Studies (a health class), English (American Literature), and American History. When I arrived at school on Monday, I was ready for finals in History and mid term and finals for Biology.

Mr Hanson was sure to be surprised. Taking them used up the whole of my first 2 periods with Mr Clarkson. Meatloaf in Home Ec was disappointing because we spent the whole class making it, and when it was lunch time, it was still baking. I was promised leftovers for lunch Tuesday. However, unlimited pizza was available in the lunchroom, so it wasn't all bad. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

I got a good start on my wooden jewelry box, though it would take several more days. Art afterwards was the big showdown. Mr Archer was at his desk posing when I came in. We didn't speak, I just set up the easel and the poster board on it horizontally. I took the package of Crayola markers and used rubber bands to attach one marker to my pointer and middle finger of each hand. Black, yellow, blue, and red. If you have ever looked at a photograph under high magnification you see many dots of different colors.

This is most apparent with newspaper photos, which are printed at a much lower quality than a photograph. I was going to replicate that by hand, a feat of meticulous dot placement. I had 45 minutes to create a photo realistic image. Starting at the top left corner, I worked back and forth across the surface, slowly moving down. I stayed close to the canvas, keeping each section in sight as my fingers quickly flicked back and forth, adding dots of color in the correct spots.

"Do I need to keep posing?" Mr Archer asked when he realized he couldn't see me behind the easel as I worked.

"No," I replied, trying not to lose my rhythm.

"Do as you please, just let me concentrate." He did a few things at his desk, and finally his curiosity overcame his reluctance, and he came behind me to watch. The startled, "Holy shit!" was the only thing he said when he realized what I was doing. He stood back further, then quietly left the room as I delved deeper into intense concentration. I was actually copying a photograph taken by a future me later in the year.

I was making dots based on the dots I could see as my future selves viewed it through a high powered magnifying glass. It was my equivalent of using tracing paper, but the result was a unique creation that no one else in the world could replicate. Finally I reached the bottom of the canvas. I capped the markers, except black which I used to sign the poster board in the bottom left corner, then I capped it too. I had finished. The applause startled me.

I knew it was coming, yet I had been so intensely focused that the sudden noise still caught me by surprise. As I turned around, I recognized Principal Endicott, Ms Avis from the front office, and Ms Double, there were two others I didn't recognize: the ladies PE Coach, and another main office worker. Mr Archer had gone to gather whoever was available to witness my artwork.

"Mr Cook, I thank you for this demonstration in art. How much practice have you had?" Mr Archer asked.

"This is my first attempt at creating a piece like this, sir. I've seen similar techniques in newspaper images and understood the concept, so I knew it was possible. I think it's just a modern version of pointillism, using distinct strokes of marker color to create a larger image."

"It's an amazing likeness. From further back it looks like a grainy photograph," said Principal Endicott.

"Amazing to watch you. I don't think you were aware of anything but the markers and the board," added Ms Avis. Mr Archer took control, thanking everyone for witnessing the demonstration before dismissing them so he could resume his class. After they left, he dropped heavily into his chair behind his desk.

"Mr Cook, John. That was simply amazing. The speed, the quality of production, not needing to look at your subject to check your work again. Truly amazing. Now as this was your first attempt, what would you do different next time to refine this technique?"

"I think I'd use more colors, brown and green for sure. It's not as bright as I hoped for."

"I can explain that," he said with a relaxed smile.

"This form of painting typically uses RGB (red, green, and blue). The difference is that traditional painting mixes paint to the color the artist wants. That is a subtractive process, in that it reflects less light, for which the three primary colors are the best starting place for mixing. But for this sort of production, you are using additive light, adding more frequencies of light together, which the eye then combines into new shades and colors. RGB is not the best combination to do this with.

In newsprint and magazines they use CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black)."

"After I started I was really wishing I had a green marker, as I just couldn't get yellow and blue to mix right. But I couldn't stop. There was just no way to pause while doing that."

"Well, it needs 2 more things. It needs the date, and a title," he told me.

"Should that go on the front, or the back?"

"The back I think. I don't want to mar the picture with words." Carefully flipping the board over I titled it 'The Art Teacher' and wrote the date, 'April 23, 1984.' Then, in fun, I signed it on the back too, and added 'artwork #1'"Very nice. Now, we are going to be discussing various forms of artwork this week, and I'll have you do smaller versions of this same picture in different forms and styles. Do you think you can replicate other styles?"

"Oh yes. I've already thought about how I would do this as a comic book, or perhaps cubist."

"Excellent. I'll give you a book to read. We will spend five minutes discussing the style before getting to work each class period. You will be using regular paper, so it should be enough time with a smaller area. Any questions?"

"No sir, this is what I hoped for in an art class. I would like to do another poster board in this style. I'd really like to do one of Principals Lewiston, Endicott, and Superintendent Clayton all together in thanks for all their support. I also think a poster of all the high school teachers involved in my accelerated coursework would be a wonderful way to show my appreciation."

"That sounds like a very nice idea. Let's plan that for your final week. I'll get better quality poster boards for that project, and you can experiment with various color combinations in preparation, allowing yourself to explore new palettes." I smiled. It had taken days, but art was finally going to be fun. The smell was very unpleasant, but I quickly got to work.

I dissected the earthworm, and following the instructions, drew the various identified body parts in my notebook, adding a detailed description of the process I followed. Mr Hanson walked over to my station, peering down at my work.

"Mr Cook, this is exemplary documentation. The diagrams are accurate, and your process description is meticulous. I approve of your work." He stepped back.

"You have the rest of the class to study as you please. You've earned it." I nodded my thanks and pulled out my next textbook, relieved to step away from the formaldehyde. A few minutes before the period ended, Mr Hanson tapped his pen on his desk to get my attention.

"John, I have an important scheduling update. You'll have a Physics Final in this classroom, during this period, next Friday."

"I understand, sir," I confirmed. Just as I capped my pen, the bell rang, echoing loudly through the halls outside. I quickly packed my notebook and supplies. I had to rush to my locker before getting on the bus.