drawings
For the past five weeks I took a Saturday course at City Lit on drawing. It was an introductory course and was taught by a Yorkshire woman called Jayne. She was in her mid-forties and had long black hair and wore patterned smocks and liked to call everyone "dah-ling". Courses at City Lit are relatively cheap (the course was like £182 pounds, which included art supplies), and they have a lot on offer, particularly in the visual arts. I didn't have any particular expectations for the course and was not sure what it would cover. It turned out the class was primarily focussed on developing basic techniques for still life using charcoal and really big paper on easels. I had used charcoal only briefly before in COVA 101 at Chicago with Ms Brooks, and I didn't care for it. I've grown slightly more fond of it now--it makes nicer finished products than graphite, I think, which is too metallic and shiny, particularly when compared to charcoal. Jayne has gotten me a little frightened of colour, and while I think I can use colour in the privacy of my own home, I will need to take a few more drawing courses before I can move into painting or printmaking.
Here is a comparison from the first week to yesterday:
Week 1 v week 5 (basis for week 5 here)
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
We went to the drawing exhibit at the British Museum yesterday to look at the different styles and find one we liked and answer some questions about it. And the ones I liked relied heavily on line and using line to represent three dimensions, like cartoons or etchings. That's not at all what my style is right now, but I would like to get better at that technique, so that eventually I am at a point where I can draw reasonably well with a pen. I think that's why I wanted to take a drawing class in the first place: so I could draw at work.
In March I am taking a three-week course on developing a sketch book with another teacher, and then in June/July it's back with Jayne for the next leg of the drawing core sequence.
I watched Dune last night. I thought it was really good and didn't know what so many critics had against it. I've never read the book (and don't plan to), but I didn't think the story was particularly complicated or hard to follow as a result of not reading the book. I would recommend it. It doesn't really feel like a David Lynch movie apart from some cast members and a few details.
Friday night I asked Sarah if she wanted me to work this weekend, and she thought it would be be a good idea if I was able to work on Sunday, but that was based on the assumption she'd have something for me to work on by then. I don't know why I thought that she would, because she doesn't do any work on Saturdays, and so today rolled around and she sent me an e-mail saying she needed more time and as a consequence I didn't have to work today. It means next week could be a bit hectic, but I'll worry about that in the morning. Today is overcast. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny. Stay ever vigilant-- /B/
Here is a comparison from the first week to yesterday:
Week 1 v week 5 (basis for week 5 here)
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
We went to the drawing exhibit at the British Museum yesterday to look at the different styles and find one we liked and answer some questions about it. And the ones I liked relied heavily on line and using line to represent three dimensions, like cartoons or etchings. That's not at all what my style is right now, but I would like to get better at that technique, so that eventually I am at a point where I can draw reasonably well with a pen. I think that's why I wanted to take a drawing class in the first place: so I could draw at work.
In March I am taking a three-week course on developing a sketch book with another teacher, and then in June/July it's back with Jayne for the next leg of the drawing core sequence.
I watched Dune last night. I thought it was really good and didn't know what so many critics had against it. I've never read the book (and don't plan to), but I didn't think the story was particularly complicated or hard to follow as a result of not reading the book. I would recommend it. It doesn't really feel like a David Lynch movie apart from some cast members and a few details.
Friday night I asked Sarah if she wanted me to work this weekend, and she thought it would be be a good idea if I was able to work on Sunday, but that was based on the assumption she'd have something for me to work on by then. I don't know why I thought that she would, because she doesn't do any work on Saturdays, and so today rolled around and she sent me an e-mail saying she needed more time and as a consequence I didn't have to work today. It means next week could be a bit hectic, but I'll worry about that in the morning. Today is overcast. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny. Stay ever vigilant-- /B/