Friday, August 14, 2009

Last drawing class

My course end last Thursday. We got to class and set up our easels as usual. There was a model but no one was really sure what the plan was for this last class as we had done our final project the week prior. Our final pose was a 3-hour nude (below) and after the three hours were over, I felt as I could continue drawing for another three hours. So, what was the plan for this last class?


Our instructor was returning the work and talking to each of us about our drawing and our plans with the program. While he was doing that we were invited to do any type of drawing we wanted, I chose to do a portrait (also below). One by one he called each student up. At first I thought he was being nice to everyone, but then I overheard a couple of conversations that were not so positive. By the time it came to me, I was quite nervous. He called me up, commented that I had drawn the head smaller than scale and added that this particular mistake was better than drawing the head too big - which would make the model look "grotesque", in his words. He also said he liked the hands - which are so terribly hard to do - and he said I had a natural way with the pencil!! Wow!


The insecure me immediately jumped up to tell me that he was just being nice to everyone. So, I listened more attentively to the next few critiques. And...I can safely say...he was not shy, at all, about being honest in what he thought of everyone's talents or shortcomings. By the end of the evening, I was pleased with my work in the course and the progress I had made. I've signed up for the next course. I selected one of the compulsories in the program and my daughter will be joining me in the course. I'm really looking forward to that too. In the meantime, I've signed up for belly dancing again. My first class was last night and I just loved it!




7 comments:

Art is for the Making said...

A three-hour nude drawing? Wow, that sounds exhausting, yet I guess it wasn't. Your energy even after three hours must mean you are doing something you love.
Very nice work! (Belly dancing sounds fun!)

Shirley said...

Congratulations! Great job on your course challenges. And how nice to be sharing the next experience with your daughter.

nanke's stuff said...

I think both of your drawings are very good. I see what he meant about her head being a bit too small, but all in all, the drawing is very well done, I think. The portrait is very good. You did a nice job with the shading. You should feel very good about yourself and your progress, I think! nancy

me said...

Your sketches are incredible. I wish I could create that kind of detail with mine.

Welcome to the Artists Group. I look forward to working with you and everyone else. :)

Alex said...

I really love the result! It shows the expressions so well, and bring out the right moods at the same time. Awesome shading too!

Unknown said...

Actually you are very good. I love to .sketch and i am working on an oil painting of my daughter, I would love some input on my work. and getting frustrated is part of being an artist. It is like writing a book you can get stuck on any project. Good luck. my e- mail is teresaspears@ymail.com.

Unknown said...

Very good work.