Shelley: December 2008

Since midterm I have noticed a dramatic change in my line variation. I think I have been more conscience of creating a range of line values, which in turn gives more depth and life to my drawings. I also think I have excelled in drawing correct proportions. This is especially seen in the third gesture drawing of the figure standing up and in the torso area of the first long poses drawing. Drawing the skull definitely challenged me with seeing the different planes. An area that shows planar differences is in the first skull drawing on the cheekbone. The angle and shading of that particular rectangle helps the skull to curve and give it a more depth. Learning to break down an object into different planes broadened my understanding of how to draw something in a three-dimensional manner. It is a skill that can definitely be applied to all areas of drawing. Overall I think this class has helped me become a better observer of elements such as proportion, scale, planes and line.

This class also has shown me how the position of the artist can completely affect the artist's work. It makes complete sense to stand an arms length away using the full extend of the arm, but is an easy thing to forget. Focusing on posture is an aspect I will definitely pull into my future teaching. Having correct posture is one of the first elements that needs to be addressed in doing art and something that was rarely if ever talked about in secondary schools.

Building the muscles on the manikin was a difficult yet rewarding aspect. It helped me to see the muscles, and also to form them so that I would have a greater understanding. When I would look at the muscles on my manikin I could then visualize and feel those muscles in my own body. All of these ways of interacting with muscles allowed me to have more confidence in seeing the muscles on the model and drawing them correctly on my paper.