Grab your extra large newsprint pad and gird your lungs for charcoal filtration!
It's that time again. Time to bust out your semi-blind contour power stance and reflect on how you never thought you would end up being sore from drawing. This time, however, I have the rather scarce luxury of both knowing what to expect, and having no idea what to expect the same time. You see, I am taking Drawing II at Valencia Community College (rather than UCF) this summer.
Now, I have mixed feelings about this. I really like the quality and style of instruction provided by UCF's professors. In the basic drawing classes, they work almost exclusively in blind and semi-blind contour drawing with spatial reasoning techniques such as descending inter-cross. You are asked to respond to the object instinctively and draw what you see, not what you think you see. Exploration of and communication with the subject is done almost exclusively with the eyes; the hand and pencil just document that interaction. Having, no background in more traditional art forms and very little experience with a skill such as drawing, I feel this style of teaching levels the playing field, so to speak. It teaches you how to see rather than how to stylize. I hope that the Valencia drawing classes provide the same teaching style.
However, as beneficial as Drawing I was, it is a ton of work! This is where I am hoping that the Valencia class differs. In UCF's Drawing I, you would average about 10hrs of drawing outside of class and 6hrs in class each week. Around the weeks of midterms and finals, that work outside of class turns to about 20hrs. Drawing II is supposed to require even more work. Now, if that trend carries over to Valencia, combined with the 2x accelerated pace of a summer session with class M-TH, I could be looking at a maddening amount of work!
The other unknown is the class content. UCF's Drawing II is figure drawing, and in order for this class to transfer credit, I figure that Valencia's version would cover the same content. However, I have not been able to find a description of the class on their website. I guess if I walk in to someone in a robe looking all sheepish or peculiarly confident, I'll get my answer. (Yes, this is potentially one of those type of classes).
Side note: I wish the models could just wear those spandex body suits. It would really help ease my conscience, though I do not expect to find myself lusting, considering most of the models will forty-somethings and/or dudes. Also, per the nature of drawing, we are expected to view the model as a form, rather than a human being. (i.e. I HAVE A CLASS THAT REQUIRES ME TO OBJECTIFY WOMEN!)
Joking aside, I do ask that you pray for me and my classmates. Pray that I can put in the work for this class without getting burnt out. Pray that I can abstain from unwholesome thoughts and attitudes toward the models and nature of this class. Pray that I can connect with my classmates and even my teacher, and that opportunities to share Christ will be provided and capitalized on.
P.S. - Check out the 'EVENTS' tab to see what you could be doing this weekend!
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