In Pensive Pose

That's quite a change from pre-med to the arts. I did the same - spent a year doing science (to please my Father, who, it turned out, didn't care, provided I was happy). So I switched to arts and english and was happy!

So, do we get to see the piece finished?

I gifted the finish product to a friend but took a picture before doing so. It's not the best camera but I'm updating the entry now ^^.

Maddy, it's good, and bits of it are really good - like his hair, his jaw and mouth, his ears, and the shadowing you've got going to the left. You've got bits of it absolutely perfectly, yet other bits are not quite right (left eye ridge, the spacing of the eyes, and the right breast compared to the left).

I'm trying to teach myself to draw! I'm kinda jealous of my sister, who teaches art and does amazing things with watercolour - so I thought that, at the very least, I should be able to draw. Damn me, it's difficult!

So I'm using this site: www.drawing-tutorials-online.com run by a guy called Matthew Archambault (who teaches at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan). One day, maybe I'll put up a drawing, too... one day. ;)

By the way, I really like your ident picture. I assume you painted it... so can you post it larger, please?

Maddy, it's good, and bits of it are really good - like his hair, his jaw and mouth, his ears, and the shadowing you've got going to the left. You've got bits of it absolutely perfectly, yet other bits are not quite right (left eye ridge, the spacing of the eyes, and the right breast compared to the left).I'm trying to teach myself to draw! I'm kinda jealous of my sister, who teaches art and does amazing things with watercolour - so I thought that, at the very least, I should be able to draw. Damn me, it's difficult!So I'm using this site: www.drawing-tutorials-online.com run by a guy called Matthew Archambault (who teaches at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan). One day, maybe I'll put up a drawing, too... one day. ;)By the way, I really like your ident picture. I assume you painted it... so can you post it larger, please?

Yes to all of that. Lol. Additionally, you'll notice the uneven collarbone. This was a 10 hour drawing (with quite a few breaks in between) and it was turned in immediately afterwards. One thing you'll learn to do if precision is your schtick (which mine it is not) is to work over the span of several days, and to use materials and techniques that allow you to correct your mistakes. This was done in charcoal-- once you lay down your darkest values, it is nearly impossible to remove them without damaging the surface, especially when you do it quickly. A slower process allows you to pick charcoal up much more easily and without much 'trauma' to your surface, if you use a chamois or a high-quality kneaded eraser. I wasn't very patient and did only a couple of layers.

One thing I'll say is, though, that photorealistic art is going out of style. We've had photographs for quite a bit of time now and with the infite possibilities of programs like photoshop and maya, the 'craft' aspect of fine arts isn't given nearly as much attention as say... 300 years ago :P. Not to say that it isn't important to be able to draw a realistic-looking image (even to the point of achieving trompe-l'oeil). It should always be a consideration, depending on the work's purpose.

I feel as though that website is advertising false posibilities: technical ability does not make you an artist. There are plenty of amazing people out there making 'art' that aren't technically the best. I would say technical knowledge and ability are comparable to cooking ingredients: just because you have them does not mean you'll know what to do with them. And learning recipes by heart does not make you a culinary genius. I guess I'm trying to encourage you to draw what YOU feel like drawing and how you feel like drawing it. Often times the evoked feelings in a work of art(which are completely subjective) are much more important and powerful than the technique behind it.

My avatar pic was an assignment that required us to modify propaganda while still maintining the message current. I based mine off a satire of Sheppard Fairey's (sp?) HOPE image... for which he was apparently sued. I've always felt a strong connection to the trans community-- not because I am trans (I'm not trans nor do I feel a need to change my gender), but because of something else that is hard to explain. I guess I've always admired the fight and spirit behind every transgendered person, their generosity and their outlook on life. The actual work was a bit of a fiasco, both technically and concept-wise. I still enjoy looking at it every now and then though. I'll post it when I find it ^_^.