I signed up for a drawing class last week. It had been a last minute thing and I did not have the right supplies but went anyway and was able to pay for the class right then and there.
Before I went I had had a beer and was feeling good about the class...
felt very good about my pencil drawing and then went to leave and discovered that the instructor was one of my clients' son....It really surprised me and caught me off guard...I could not rmember his mom nor any specifics about her which he wanted to have indepth conversation...I finally told him that I could not remember any specific thing as I have a lot of clients. But it was embarressing to say the least. I could not get out of there any quicker. The actual drawing part was challenging me to be bold and brave to make big lines gestures on the sheet of paper.
We drew a wine bottle being lite from a far. I was happy how it turned out.
Tonight I forgot to have a beer and went in feeling a bit timid...we were to use charcoal, sweeping lines and what a mess. the charcoal is very easily disturbed and my knuckles constantly got in the way of everything.
I was very frustrated...just willing myself to get thru the class. at one point I put my head on the desk....I even asked the instructor what I could do....he said what don't you like and i said all of these areas are wrong...he kind of walked away. Letting me to figure out what I needed to do.
I took this class to challenge myself...learn something new...park in a strange area meet new people,social interaction...not just learning to draw...I had these other goals as well.
I need to throw myself into different things more oftn...they say we only grow when we put oursleves in uncomfortable positions that is where we grow.

So I came home a compared last weeks to this weeks and it was better.
Going to do charcal again next week...he has given us home work...get a sketch pad and do 15minute drawings every day before class...bring them in for next week.
I will keep this updated....for anyone who wants to follow my progress.

I enjoyed the class, not sure that it came across this way or not....
bizi

Bizi

It came across that you enjoyed the class to me. Because I can see my son in this. Because last year at points even though he found a talent in drawing when he took a beginning art class in school. He at times would come home and tell me about something he was having trouble with.

He didn't feel like he was doing his best, and this would frustrate him. He always wanted it to be his best. And he wanted things to come out looking better than he thought they were.

He always seemed to come through with a great project and it surprised the heck out of him.

So I can sure see how you are feeling this way. He had one thing on his side that you don't have. He had a paraprofessional that helped by thinking through the projects with him. She would help him figure out the things he needed to do to make the projects fit the requirements that the teacher set.

Like when he needed to do the protrait of his teacher she helped him think through how to make the squares they did and fix the paper so that he was ready to finish the picture.

I personally believe you have this going just fine.

Get yourself some charcoal too, and use some at home, that might help you be ready for next week.

Donna

Bizi,

That is so neat you are taking a drawing class. I start an Itermediate Office class tomorrow for 6 weeks. I would love to see how you progress. Well wishes with this class of yours.

befuddled2

Hi Bizi,

I think you should just go to class and have fun. Don't be so hard on yourself.

Once you feel more relaxed, everything will fall into place. I would love also to see your drawings.

Good Luck, Enjoy and have fun!!!!!

Nikko

Dear Bizi,

Keep us updated.

About 3 yrs ago I took a pottery class w/ a friend.

I only have one piece that survived the class. Everything else was messed up in the firing or at some other point in the process. Still I enjoyed working with my hands and dealing with the clay.

I especially enjoyed thinking about something completely different from what I deal with in my every day.

Mari

I hope you get a lot of enjoyment out of it bizi, it's awesome to draw, very relaxing and rewarding to see your work improving. And it will get better over time. Even if you just practice on your own. My step father, I call him Dad, used to teach art, he was so good...I wish I had some pictures to share of his but I don't. He brought the Minature Art Society down here to our part of florida, helping Found it back in 76' and he was always encouraging of new art students.

I miss him. He was something else, and I had the joy of completing one painting under his tutalige back after the accident when I said I wanted to and it came out pretty good, I no longer have it, but it was fun to do and gave me memories I'll treasure forever.

how exciting.....I am so proud of you....set your expectations low and then let yourself in for a big surprise....I hope you don't do what I have done in the past...have unrealistic expectations and little patience.
that must have really been embarrassing about his mother....I am sorry that had to have happened.
fondly
Bobby

I went to a drawing class several years ago as Art Therapy while coping with depression. We had easles with large sheets of newsprint and charcol. I know what you mean about trying not to smudge the charcol!

It was my first time taking lessons in drawing, but I had been to the studio quite a bit for drop-in sessions trying out other mediums (block prints, knitting, photography). There were some wonderful artists in the drawing class and at first I felt intimidated, but I found most everyone to be supportive.

The art instructor was also a dancer and she hired other dancers to be models for our class. Sometimes we worked on still-life and other times we tried to capture the dancers in motion. Swirling the charcol around was kinda fun! That reminds me, to warm up at the start of our class, we just swirled charcol around all over the page, using our whole arm and sometimes while listening to music. I found it felt quite freeing and it didn't matter if it ended up just looking like scribbles!

Good for you, bizi, for pushing yourself a bit to try something new.

what a great idea scrabble and thank you for sharing.
Did you have nude models at all during your class?
I like the idea of practicing making circles at the start of class....
I bet your dance class is fun!
hope you have a great day.
((((HUGS))))
bizi

bizi...

i haven't read the whole thread


but think outside the box. charcoal smudges....so...smudge it. some of my favorite charcoals have been where that is all i did. smudge...then go back later and add some lines for details. there is a fixative spay. i'll see if i have a can, so i can give yo the name.

even doing a mixed medium. use the charcoal, then ink for details.

oh...art can be messy. hehehe...but finger painting is fun.