(This is my favorite drawing so far; I had to keep on working on it, keep on working on it, but afterwards (minus the feet) I really was happy with it)

This semester I think is probably my best drawing class to date. I was initially incredibly nervous to draw nude figures, but I think I've produced my most self-pleasing drawings yet. I like that finishing a drawing isn't the main focus. I've also come to be more dependent on my ability to draw lightly and map down a quick light gesture drawing opposed to putting marks on the paper, fairly dark, only to become frustrated with them and go to town with my eraser. I don't really use my eraser all that much and I'm liking the organized mess.

I have always wanted to learn how to draw people, body forms and I finally feel like I'm able to do that in this class. So far I'm quite pleased with how I've been transforming in my style of drawing. I'm slowly getting out of the outlining phase and trying to let the implied lines outline the forms, but it's really quite difficult. For some reason, I like the bold, hard outline and I'm trying to stray away from it, but I'm not at the point I'd like to be quite yet. Sometimes I'll outline without even thinking about it, then realize I did and veolia it's already too late, my eraser has a hard time erasing my outlines.

The only part of the class that has become a kind of hassle, has got to be the skeleton. I just can't seem to mold the forms correctly, I'm looking at the book, but they just don't turn out right... I'm positive my grade for the Maniken is going to be less than satisfactory, but I've started over so many times, I'm not going to do it again. The main thing I'm concerned about is making sure that my drawing abilities improve and they are. Looking at the Manikens helps, but making the clay muscles-although it's a fantastic approach to learning the muscles...I'm much better off just studying what each muscle group is called, where they're all located and looking at Amy's Maniken for reference or the book. For whatever reason, clay and I do not get along, at all.

Also I really hated drawing with my arm in the beginning, rather than my wrist, but it's vastly improved my drawings. Standing up rather than sitting has also helped. While I'm standing I'm able to step back from it frequently and move to the side, then the other to get a better look at the subject.

In terms of expectations, I would just say I expect to continue to evolve in my drawings and hopefully get better with the Manikens.

My flickr account, just click on 'flickr'

In case the link doesn't work....

Flickr: lizzaylizz!

Search that. :)

My blog updates have been seriously lacking. This semester is a lot more demanding than some of the previous have been...

Last week we drew our first male model. Needless to say it wasn't a good drawing day for me. I couldn't get my drawings to come out right. Not that it's an excuse but his poses were by far the best out of the three models we've now had to draw. It took me a little while to try and mentally place the ribcage and pelvic bones than with the female models. I think I just grew used to them, and to have a completely different model, not to mention his dynamic poses--I couldn't keep up my gestures were pathetic to say the least. Also, I thought it was a little awkward for me at first because I knew the model, and I was desperately trying to shake off the shock and it took longer than I expected.

My long drawing was a lot more successful than my gestures. I hated the use of the chair. I would rather draw the models on horizontal angles or lying down. I felt like the chair made it xtremely difficult to map the skeleton and it often covered most of the form so, I felt like I was drawing a chair, rather than a model. Meh.

On Thursday we went back to drawing a female model. I definitely wasn't feeling the awkward shock, but her poses were just so ... BORING in comparison to the male's poses. She also looks very angry... off topic, but an observation. My gestures weren't as bad, but that's because the poses were simple... as you might see from my gestures, I got bored and added doodles..

Again, we used the chair for the long pose and I thought it was horrible. The chair ruins drawings, they're boring, and static and I don't like them!

Pictures probably will be uploaded later tonight, along with the reflection and Maniken.