Mid-Term Reflection

Portfolio Link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashleynandory/


Is it already time for mid-terms?? Wow. This semester is flying by.

I am learning a lot from this class about who I am; How I learn, my styles, my techniques. I am very thankful of the criticism that I receive, whether it's good or bad. I can feel that I am growing from it. Let's start off with some of the weaknesses that myself and others have noticed. My sketching gets too dark and it makes it hard to erase lines that I don't want anymore. I have been given advice from others to hold my tools differently. Also, from this I need to learn to map out everything slower and it will prevent me from making darker marks too soon in the process. I think that I have a pretty good perception on shading and value. But, I can always improve. And that's what I'm here for.

I wish I had more time in my schedule to work with the skull more. I think that's helping me understand the human form in general more. Getting underneath everything. Studying what makes those bumps and curves and lines. How to make something look more realistic... Being more scientific about it. We are learning about this in my Italian Renaissance Art History class this semester. As artists continued to study the human form, they realized that they can't just draw or paint or sculpt what they think should be there. What society sees as perfect, when this isn't rational. Instead of assuming, they started studying what's behind the flesh. What is it that makes us look human? (Shadows and layering also play a large role in this.)

I have a better understanding with direction just based off of the 3d box forms that we used to draw in elementary and high school while learning about geometry. I never knew that something so mathematical and scientific could play that large of a part in getting proportions correct. I think that has helped me most of all so far. They really do go hand-in-hand with one another. I also think that I should sketch more outside of class. After being in this class, I've kind of been looking around at people differently and wished that I had a sketchbook with me at all times to use everything that I'm learning. Because of the skull studies, I look at people's faces closer and examine them and wonder... "How would I be able to draw that and make it look realistic?" or "OH! I understand now."

I would like to work with more details like hands, eyes, feet, ears, toes, nails, etc. at a larger scale. I think that would be really interesting for me. I know that we have already done that, but I would like to do more of it.