The above pictured drawings were based on 1 hour poses. We had to use graphite and watercolour for one and gesso and charcoal for the other. My charcoal drawing was gesso lite since I left my gesso at home. They were done on Stonehenge. I used my right hand for these.
Stonehenge is wonderful thick paper with a lot of "tooth." It can take a lot of medium, of whichever you choose. It stands up to watercolour. I use it almost exclusively for my coloured pencil works. I'm just not used to it with charcoal! What an odd feeling having a paper grab so much of the charcoal. Usually I just use newsprint.
Anyhow....I was displeased with the results of my two, one hour poses and when I was preparing to leave I quietly tried to fold the large sheets in half to tuck them in my portfolio.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" yells my instructor in her heavily accented voice from across the room.
"Don't disrespect your work like that even if you aren't pleased with it. You can always work into it some more at home!" she said
"I won't have that happen!" she added for good measure.
"But, but....." I stuttered
"Okay, you're right. Sorry, I hoped you won't notice." I humbly stated.
She of course is right. I've kept some of the drawings I did a year ago in the first classes and can see a tremendous difference! If I destroy everything I think is not up to snuff.....well, I won't have anything to look back upon in a year from now.
That being said, that's not the first time I've gotten in trouble for how I handle my art. Often once I've finished a coloured pencil piece, after 40 to 80 hours of work might I add, I have a tendency to just toss it somewhere where it may get damaged. Drink a coffee over top of it before it's been coated with a fixitive, let it fall to the floor and not pick it up right away. I do tend to not see the value in my work. I suppose I need to start respecting the work more if I ever expect someone else to show it the same courtesy! I suppose part of me thinks that I can just create a "new" one, not taking into consideration that it would take a substantial amount of time to do so.
Anyways....anybody want a drawing/painting of a fat chick, slightly folded?
3 comments:
Oh...I like those drawings. One thing I need to start learning is figurative. Being self taught and never really focusing in and learning much I hesitate with things I think or imagine are hard, such as what you did in those drawings. Good job.
Ha, I'm never happy with my work because I see a plethora of good artist blogs on the net. I'm amazed at myself that i actually post my stuff, LOL.
I like your blog, I've had you in my sidebar for a long time but hadn't really gotten around to visiting many blogs in monhs (too busy with kids and grandkids, and life..)
I've only done one color pencil portrait I liked, one of my dad, and I know the hours it took to "layer" the pencil down. I'm so impressed with your CP pieces.
the differences in teachers can be funny. The one for most of the classes right now wants us to keep everything, even if we hate it. Another teacher will agree that somethings just need to be put in the bin and never seen again.
i try to keep most things just so I can see if there is an improvement, but sometimes you just have to get rid of the crap :p (your drawings are good tho, don't toss them!)
You and I sound so much alike, Sandi. I then to take a lapsy-daisy approach to a finished piece as my mind-set also thinks that I can just paint another. Recently, I was sorting through some finished, gallery-wrapped canvasses in storage and one fell and hit the floor pretty hard causing the wood on the corner to rip through to the front of the canvas. I didn't even bat an eyelid, despite all the time I'd put into finishing the piece. I figure I can just repaint the whole piece in a textured, mixed media design so the texture will disguise the rip.
Btw, I love your drawings!!! I must admit I've never felt drawn to figurative art myself but I do enjoy seeing the works of others.
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