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WEEK 1

For the first week we had class, we were introduced to some different ways of looking and thinking about things. Before we even tried to work on a model, we were given a still life set up and told to draw it. We all found it quite hard, and made us realise that theres actually a lot to drawing that we need to train ourselves to think about.

WEEK 2

For this week’s homework, we were told to produce drawings with the thought of perspective in mind. I chose to study the skyline across from the classroom, then we went about setting up our own still life to practice. At this stage, my drawings are very much similar to the likes of the work in was producing las year, and I was still thinking about things as a flat shape, not a three dimensional form.

WEEK 3

For this week, we were told to study the character sheets oh Winnie the Pooh and to draw them in more original poses.
In hindsight, I needed to spend more time on my work. Many of these are rushed and lack confidence and I still was jumping straight into detail and not focusing on the shapes that make up the image.
In class, we looked into the line of action. This is an important tool for appropriately catching the gesture of the subject, and gives more of a solid ground point to link up the body shapes too.

WEEK 4

In this week, we looked more into the structure of the head. For this, we were told to
look at the Fleischer Studios Superman. Since heads and facial features have been an area where I’ve always had lots of difficulties. I found these a challenge to get done. However, whenever I started to realise the basic shape and planes of the head, starting with a soup can shape, the drawings became a bit
easier. I think I pulled it off with some of the heads on the right hand side drawing. In addition to the Superman heads, we had to work with drawing a figure in a chair.I felt that this was a hard task. First I drew the seats that my figures were sitting in, then drew them with someone in it. I found that I had improved slightly at this stage, but still need to take into account more of the hips.

WEEK 5

For this week, we began looking into tone and light source. At around this time, I started to see for myself that my drawings are improving.
For the homework for this week, we had to draw various spheres on a flat surface. I found this harder than I first thought, as it turns out that shadows act a lot differently than how you think they do.
I found that when applying shading and more of a lightsource to my work, suddenly things improved way more than I expected. Shadow gives the bodies more curvature and gives more depth to the work.
However, at this point I still had problems with the positioning of the legs and how the feet are meant to ground the body to the surface.  As the session went on, I felt that I was getting to grips with more of the shadow and tone of things.

WEEK 6

For the homework, we were asked to produce a page of spheres in a line, demonstrating a sense of scale and tonality with a light source, and continue with the Winnie the Poohs
In class, I really began to notice myself using tone and building up forms instead of with line. At this stage my drawings are more fast and loose, focusing on capturing the essence of what is in front of me during a short period of time.

WEEK 7

For homework, we were asked to draw three characters; Pinocchio, Dirk the Daring from Dragons Lair, and Madam Mim from The Sword in the Stone.

I found that drawing Mim in class was incredibly hard, much more so than any of the other classes that I had been to so far. First having to analyse the shape of the model, and transfer the pose and gesture onto a completely different body shape. This defiantly re embraced the importance of looking for the line of action and the under shapes that make up the form. I found that I liked my warmup drawings particularly this week. I was making more use of the long side of the conte and building things up layer by layer in a lighter approach.


WEEK 8

We were told to repeat our homework from the week previous, only add in some more Winnie the Poohs and some superman shapes. This time I think I did better at portraying Pinocchio’s body.
This week in the class, we tried something with our opposite hands. I thought this was a good way at refreshing yourself and makes you look closer to your drawings to improve on them

Left handed drawing v Right handed.

WEEK 9

We were instructed to design our own character. I went through various concepts, but in the end I settled on a simple design, called Tim the Spaceman.
I would greatly agree that the skills taught during this simesters classes have greatly helped me improve my drawing and perception skills. As a little exercise to see for myself that I have improved, I did some quick sketches to compare to whenever I started classes this year.

CONCLUSION

I find that in my day to day life I am starting to attune myself to look more in depth to different aspects of things, I see the relation between the size of a person standing beside a large building more, I am noticing the way people move and walk, looking out for their gestures. Although definitely a challenge at some points, gesture and life drawing is a skill that I have been glad I’ve developed.

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