[ASP] Bernard Final
There are things here and there I may come back and redo... but I am pretty sick of working on this atm with all the other things I need to be doing. Most likely I'll just create something completely new, a tighter version of Bernard interacting with another character. I learned (or rather re-re-re-learned) the importance of reference to get things looking.. passable. At the moment I'm not happy with my uber smoothness in my coloring. It makes everything look like it is made of plastic. Another thing that is bothering me, something that has nothing to do with skill level, is how the colors look different depending on the computer I'm on. While it looked lovely on my mac, it was completely garish on the cintiq at school. Readjusting for that made me realize how the whole thing is in a similar value, and so lacking in contrast and an emphasis. I THOUGHT his face was nice and contrasty but on my smaller monitor, with shit all blown up, the way things seem are not necessarily how they truly are. Excuse me while I go mope and lust over a personal Cintiq in the corner... XD
In other news, I am moving in a week. I am moving back to SoCal for the summer. I have extremely mixed feelings about this. I rushed into the decision to move after my grandmother's funeral because the experience acutely reminded me of how much I am missing. The lives of my loved ones are passing by and I'm... somewhere. Sometimes San Francisco feels like this state of suspended animation, totally removed from reality. Yes, sometimes that has to do with weird stuff like Bay to Breakers, but mostly it is because I have gauged most of my life by events related to my family.
I am dying to be done here, and start being a real "grown up", as stupid as that sounds. I want a job, a home I stay in for more than a year, to be able to take my Dad out to lunch... I realize I have to be patient and all that can comes after school. Uhg "after school" should be next Spring, but I'm behind 2 or 3 classes for that since I didn't take classes last winter break or last summer. Everyone outside of school is like, hurry up and get done! All my classmates and teachers are like, learning this stuff takes time, TAKE YOUR TIME. I want to be done so badly, but I don't feel polished. I feel like all the foundations have been laid and that I am on the brink. So with all that in mind, I look forward to a pretend "after school" being home and doing the things with my family I miss. I plan on taking online summer classes, even though I hate online classes.
That leads back to why I don't want to leave. First, I hate online classes... I need to talk face to face with my instructor. Also, of course, I am going to miss this city! I'm going to miss my cafes (ALLL MY CAFES!), my friends (though, a lot are leaving the city too), I'm going to miss groceries from Trader Joe's, everything within walking distance or an easy bus/bike ride away... I am going to miss all the energy, all the people in the street, jogging, biking, doing yoga, the old chinese people doing tai chi in the park. I'm going to miss amazing coffee, in the shade of the white steeple of Saint Peter and Paul in Washington Square. Where else am I going to go for such specialized epicurean delights as vegetarian Japanese, or have something like 10 different Indian food restaurants to choose from on one street?! The Ferry Building farmer's market, Hayes Valley, Japantown, Upper Fillmore, The Mission, Noe Valley... I haven't tried out all the cafes yet! I don't think most people understand, they're like pokemon for me, I GOTTA TRY EM ALL! Finding ONE cool place in the suburbs is like finding a gem. Living in SF is like living in the jewelry box.
I had to stop myself for a second. I AM, in fact, the same person who was bitching about the shit weather here. My feelings on that haven't changed... but I have come to appreciate dressing in layers. It's actually fun! Still...
I guess that is another aspect of SoCal I AM looking forward to. God, the beach; I miss the ocean! I almost never drive my car, when I'm down there the plan is to spend as much time in the sun as possible, tanning it up and biking along the water.
As you can see, my feelings on the subject of leaving go hot and cold faster than you can say Embarcadero.
It is Nick's birthday on Saturday. My brother Sam, Aimee and Roger are driving up to pack away furniture and beers with us. The plan is to go to The Monk's Kettle since we all enjoy a well paired meal. I'm hoping Nick'll feel better come Saturday. I'm pretty sure it's a stomach flu given the symptoms. Poor babe, doesn't get sick all that often, but he when he does, it tends to last.
Tomorrow, or today rather, I have to meet my clothed figure drawing class at Grace Cathedral to sketch. It is the most lax non-final final.. but in the middle of everything it feels like a waste of time. I have an essay to finish and a test to study for. I also need to finish up my Illustration 2 final and touch up one from before for an improved grade. I've been frustrated with that class as it has gotten to be more sitting and listening to the teacher's anecdotes class and less of a drawing class. I like a balance, and often I'm unhappy in drawing from model classes where the teacher does no talking after giving an assignment. But this extreme swing in the other direction, 4 30min drawings in a 6 hour class, is just as bad. :( I feel bad because I really like my instructor.