Part 4 Reflections

It seems to have taken me a long time to complete Part 4 what with one thing and another.

I was pretty anxious about the availability of a life model at the beginning but I joined a group and hey presto I was drawing nudes.  It must be said that it was very expensive. I found I liked the shapes the body made and I was happiest when I was making expressive marks.  I found that I got pretty bogged down trying to make my figures from the group fit the requirements of the course but then all experience is good experience.

When I look though my work on this part of the course I'm amazed by how much  I've done and quite embarrassed by some of it.  That is particularly true of the early figure drawing. Drawing in a group of very competent artists was very intimidating.

I found drawing moving figures quickly very enjoyable and I'm beginning to think I'm better at this quick work than the more studied poses - they tend to die on me.

I can see a definite progression during Part 4 and increasing confidence to take a risk.  I am particularly pleased with the way pastels work.  I used them in my expressive figure drawing and more recently in quite a different way on my portraits.  It's something I will pursue in the future because I can see it has more potential than I had thought.

I have become very involved is art locally and have found the people both welcoming and generous with their advice.  My tastes have changed as I have become aware of possibilities.

I continue to be very excited by my drawing and if I become disheartened I remember where I was a year ago!

Demonstration of technical and visual skills

This part of the course has been whistle stop with little opportunity to consolidate skills before changing direction.  I am beginning to feel that I have a set of skills I can use and I'm integrating my learning more easily that I have in the past.

I am noticing more than I ever have before; shadows, highlights, shapes and colours.  A particular example is the use of green in the skin tone for my portrait.  It's amazing that I noticed green but I did.  

I know I need to work on my use of tone.  I found pastels were helpful here.

I am more able to be constructively self critical and know where I need to spend more time.

Quality of outcome

I can be surprised by drawing something I think is good and horrify myself by doing just the opposite.

Now that my artistic toolbox is a bit more varied I find I can be a bit more selective about what I use and experiment more.  Sometimes a shot in the dark throws up something unexpected.

 I’ve come both creatively and personally.  I’m proud of what I’ve achieved but not complacent.

Demonstration of creativity

I'm much less bothered now about getting it right.  I've really found pleasure in just letting go and making free marks.  I know there is a basic underpinning to learn, perspective, foreshortening and so on but sometimes it's just good to draw what I feel.

Context reflection

I continue to learn a lot from looking around at what others do.  This ranges from books, the web and increasingly, people I have come to know during the last few months.

I am starting to know what I like and perhaps more importantly why I like it.

I reflect as I go to try to identify my strengths and put right those things that aren’t going so well.

I keep my learning log (blog) up to date because it’s a good record of what I’ve achieved.  I put everything in my log, warts and all, because most learning comes from reflecting on the mistakes.  

Part 4 has offered a very varied range of topics and I have found it challenging not least because it’s been a long haul. 

I hadn't really anticipated the personal growth aspect of Drawing 1.  The idea of continuing to develop well into my 60's has been something of a revelation and I feel very lucky to be of a generation that has the time and health to pursue a path that offers such potential.