This Semester at a glance

This semester we learned about the long axis line, the spine, the spinal erectors, and abs. We also learned about drawing the rib cage in relation to the spine and proportions of the rest of the body. Through out the semester I've been relearning how to draw. It's been a lot more difficult than I had originally anticipated that it would. I can see the improvement in the long drawings. It is not so much the case with the gesture drawings though. Those seem to be a hit or miss. They kind of depend on the day. It was really difficult to pick out gesture drawings for my flickr account because I couldn't remember which ones I was told were really good. They all kind of run together and when we have umpteen days and a two drawing pads to flip through. Many days I can take the details I see and organize them correctly into what it should look like in my drawing. I've been working on drawing bigger and slower. Some days it works, others I just don't have the patience. The last two long poses I haven't been able to draw correctly. But they have also been the poses where the models have sat in chairs and the chair has prevented my ability to see the entire long axis line and other body landmarks. It also made it awkward for figuring out sizing and how to fit it all on the page.



 My Url for my flickr account is-


http://www.flickr.com/photos/kirsten-iehl/

 I'm having issues with uploading pictures to my blogs so... I can't really do anything with pictures at the point...  Until next time...

Oct 24-30th

      This week we drew our first male model. That was an interesting change of scenery... Actually I found it slightly awkward and I couldn't seem to get the proportions or even the basic anatomy correct. Maybe it was just on off day for me. I still have yet to have a day where I can actually draw. Guess this just isn't my semester. We also went over our shell drawings with critiques in the hall with people who weren't in our original groups- in my case at least. It was nice to get a new opinion of my shell and what I can work on. originally I was told that my lines had good differentiation, had a nice axis line, was a little small for the paper- which I explained during the second critique that I had originally plotted it out to fill the page and when I got to the individual parts of it my drawing apparently got smaller.
     I'm not really looking for this week... Between mid-program review and the billion things I have to do for this class and all my other classes I have almost no time to get anything done. So if I'm super tired for this class and have to force feed myself coffee before and during class... I blame life drawing. Maybe. Or possibly MPR, or voting, or any of my other classes. I will have to post the pictures of my works up soon and comment on everyone's blogs... I know I have yet to do that but only because when I  do this blog I never think about it. I will have to go through them all during the week when I have more time.

a week without class...

So, this week in class... oh wait... We didn't have class. well, it was a nice break, but I felt like there was a void in my schedule.. which of course there was. I kinda wish we had class so I could have solidified the project guidelines. I found the assignment online right after she assigned it but haven't since. I'm not exactly certain where I found it the first time.
     Its getting a little boring writing about just what we do in class every week but I can never think of anything else to write, nor am I sure that writing about anything else is acceptable. I really don't know what to write now... Since we didn't do anything and I haven't been in class for the past week and a half.
so... until next time...

Oct3rd-Oct-12th

This week in class on Tuesday we drew the model again. We did more short poses and I worked more on my posture and my drawing form. Im improving but only in small increments. We spent an hour talking about the abdominal muscles and taking notes.  I ran out of paper on Tuesday and had to buy more before the class on Thursday... Which I didn't make it too because I randomly got sick and was unable to even stand up. So Lyle stared at me from across the room while I sat on my futon and tried to gather the energy to walk to class. I think his face drooped a little when I ended up emailing the professor that I honestly couldnt stand. When I did finally stand I felt like I did after I had taken Vicodin after my surgery freshman year. I contemplated driving down but decided against that for the sake of everyone else. I don't know what else I can say, aside from Im kind of excited to start this project but a little leery because contour lines and I just don't see eye to eye. also because I have a tendency to get fed up with projects after a while and just give up. So I guess I will just have to buckle down and continue with this one. It would be very unfortunate to end this semester with no works that I want to claim. Until next time...

Sept 26th-Oct 2nd

In class on Tuesday we looked at our mannequins and I found out that Lyle has some major issues with his muscles that must be repaired pronto, before his other muscles are equally screwy... talk about issues. then we proceeded with the class with drawing the models. I finally used the full page for the long drawing... It was nice to not be scolded to draw larger. we drew with our left hands that day. I might actually start drawing with my left hand more often. I had a goal to each myself to be ambidextrous by the time I graduate. Maybe this would be a good place to start. by drawing with my left hand I was forced to draw with my shoulder because that is the only way I could gain control of my drawing tool which was a weird sensation. On Thursday we took notes on the second section of muscles and then drew the model again. nothing special or different that day than any other. We worked on the rib cage and figuring out the direction the models rib cage was going and putting the long axis line and the rib cage together.  I would have to say the most exciting part of the day was the epic fail Liz and I encountered when we went to pawn... What should have been a ten minute break turned into twenty minutes of the pawn workers trying to figure out why the machine for the cappuccino and hot chocolate wasn't working. Not wanting to return to class late, and with nothing to show for our little "adventure", we settled on juice. Epic fail. Hopefully next time we will not have as many issues. Im pretty sure we are drawing our shells this week. I'm kind of excited for that. It will be nice to be able to go back to still life type objects, a refreshing break from the living I suppose. Until next time, have a wonderful day. :)

Week 3. Sept 19th-25th

Tuesday this week we drew a different female model. This time we did several short poses and a couple long poses. I prefer the short poses. They have more energy and are much more interesting to see the end results of.  So far I have yet to have a “good drawing day” this semester. I guess the consequence for not drawing all summer except for basic quick sketches before painting for over a year is rearing its ugly head. Hopefully between my two art classes I will be able to get back into the swing of drawing. I hope this is just a slow start and things will pick up soon.

Thursday we got our mannequins and scraped the clay off of them. It was a little weird to be peeling off the clay. I kept thinking about how much it would hurt if the mannequin was real.  Good things he isn’t. My mannequin’s heal is broken and he spins around when I would really prefer he stay still. I guess we will just have to get used to each other, seeing as Lyle and I are stuck with each other for the semester. Yes, I did indeed name my mannequin. I also named my car, I’m just that cool. We went through notes about the parts of the spine and the difference between tendons and ligaments. Most of the stuff from this week seems to just be a refresher of stuff I already know, after having drawing one and my dad being a chiropractor.  But it’s nice to have. I still need to work on my drawing grip. But one thing at a time seems to be the only way my brain has functioned recently- (usually that one thing is listening and staring off into space, but that’s beside the point). Maybe soon my brain will wake up and function properly. Until then, lots of coffee, and one thing at a time. Pictures will come soon. My camera is acting up.

Week 2. Sept. 13-18

In class on Tuesday this week we did blind contours of our shells and continuous line drawings. Then we gathered in small groups and critiqued each others drawing. We were told to discuss and take notes about our drawings and how the other group members feel we observed the object we were drawing. I was told that I observed the object well. I paid attention to the raised lines on the shell as well as the colored lines going the opposite direction. I was informed that I have a clean and precise execution of the subject. I had difficulty with both the continuous line. I have a sketchy drawing style and have issues with not picking up my drawing utensil. On Thursday in class we drew a model and worked on short and long poses. It was pointed out to me that I need to draw larger during long drawings but I found it difficult when I was also trying to concentrate on not picking up my pencil and going back to my sketchy style. I flashed back to drawing one during class when I was told I was drawing wrong and had to pay attention to how I was drawing. When I hold my pencil “correctly” I have no control over where it makes the marks. I understand it will take a while to build up the muscle memory but for now trying to do too many things at once is going to be kind of a pain. I’m not too excited for that. I did enjoy drawing the model. I thought it was going to be awkward drawing a live nude model, but by the end of the class I looked at her as if I were just drawing my rock. No longer thinking of her as a nude woman but instead as an object with many different lines and surfaces. I’m thinking this week I will try to get enough sleep before class and wear better shoes so I’m not so distracted during the long poses. Maybe I will also draw bigger and better.