I thought it was spring!

This week we started a bunch of new muscles.  It was a little weird because I felt a little rusty after coming back from spring break, but it was nice to be able to draw again.  When the professor told us that we were to draw all these new things and all within 30 seconds I was sure that there was no possible way that I would be able to do it.  To my surprise it was difficult but I was able to do it.  I feel that as I draw more I am getting more accustomed to looking at the model more than my paper.  I think it is thanks to this that I am able to get done with the gesture drawings, because I am looking at the model rather than constantly correcting my paper.  This does not mean however that I have perfected drawing the human figure, only that I can draw quickly the body in different angles better than I had before.

            I was really into drawing this week so I was very excited for open drawing on Tuesday because I wanted to draw my way and do some exercises but because of the crappy weather I had to go home before any drawing started.  To make matters worse Wednesday was even worse and therefore I was able to go home early which I was glad about since the roads were really crappy, but still sad because once again I was unable to draw.

Finally on Friday I was able to draw again.  On Friday we did a couple short poses then a long pose in which we put the muscles into what we were seeing.  Being the first time that I had really seen the muscles I was a little confused as to how they were supposed to fit, and I’m sure they are still incorrect but I am excited to be able to learn them because as Emma said after we add in these we will practically be able to draw a fleshed out model.  

Using the force

I feel like this week went by super fast perhaps it is because I missed Wednesday because I thought that the roads were going to worsen.  As the weeks progress I feel like our time is coming closer to a end, and I feel like I have only begun.  Really I think the midterm really showed me that I have a lot that I would still like to learn if nothing else I hope that I will be able to use my time over break to really get down what we have been learning all semester so far. 

I went to savers today, thrift store, looking for some inspiration and like always wondered over to the book section and found a colored anatomy book.  I think I will try to understand the muscles more while looking at this book and copying them down and comprehending them.  I feel as if I spend a lot of time working on my muscles but not comprehending what I am really doing and therefore I hope to correct this.

Currently I am reading a book on called “force” by Michael d mattesi, and I have really enjoyed all the different perspectives on drawing that he has stated.  He says that we often are drawing only to produce a good drawing not for the experience of drawing which I think is a very interesting way to think about it because often times in our society we are told that the grade or what something does in society is why it is important.  But the place you end up with a drawing shouldn’t be the most important rather it should be the experience that you have with the drawing that is the most important.  On Tuesday I decided to follow what he was saying by doing one of his exercises, called the forceful flight, and though the drawing turned out pretty sketchy I feel that I finally understood what he was talking about. 

            On Friday we then had a hour long pose and I just couldn’t get it right but even still though I was frustrated with the product and how it looked during the drawing I enjoyed the actual experience of the drawing and I think that is all that really matters.

If anyone would like to read the book it can also be found as a preview online on google books.

Midterm already?

Here is my Flicker Account-http://www.flickr.com/photos/60215163@N07/

Somehow it is weird to think that this, what I am writing right now, marks the halfway point in our class.  It is weird because it seems like I have learned so much yet still know so little.  I believe that as long as I continue learning I will always feel this way, yet I still feel that I know immensely more than I had.  One of the most dramatic shifts in my drawings was the life that was brought by standing up and at arms length away.  Even though I often go back to a “writing” hand and start to draw in the improper form I believe that using the shoulder you can really get the force into the drawing.  I really feel that I learned the most however on the shapes that are used inside the body which are consistent on everyone.  I am talking about using an egg for the ribcage and the curves of the spin.  It is just comforting to know that something that is unique for every different person has some components which can be drawn the same.  Knowing what shape things are in under the body makes it easier to draw them in proportion which was what I was most concerned about.  Most of my quick gestures include them but in particular picture one indicates a great spinal curve and egg shape.  Although I wouldn’t say that my proportions in my drawings are perfect I can undoubtedly see an improvement in them.  As seen in picture two I was having a little bit of difficulty with the back.

  I feel that my drawings were continuously pushed forward with my mannequin and learning the muscles in there.  I think that I had a great understanding of how the back muscles work together but once I got to the legs I think I was more confused.  In the coming half of the semester I hope to forward my knowledge even more on proportion and be able to fully and completely understand the muscles I have learned about and will learn about. 

Sadly I caught a terrible cold on Sunday night so I was unable to go to class on monday or open drawing on tuesday and this is my only longer pose drawing that we did on wednesday.