Midterm

Before starting Life Drawing I, I was some what confident in my ability to portray the human form. Not so much the shell form- I knew that would be my biggest challenge. However, I knew that I needed this class to really learn the structures and reasons for shapes and contours. I think when I use to draw the figure, I was more concerned on the form based on the skeletal structure. Sure muscles were there, but it didn't click that they were how the curves and tones underneath the skin came from. I always hated cross contour drawings because I like to scribble my way through ideas and when I have to be smooth and follow shapes, it's frustrating. But, I'm getting better and starting not to dread them! So far, the thing that LD has helped me with the most, is to slow down my scribbling and to think about my process. The most I want from this class is to feel accurate when drawing figures.




Oh man, I sure love midterms this semester.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenzieowens/
Here are my drawings so far in Life Drawing 1.
I have a few more to add, including a photo of my ManiKen (Louis)-He wasn't 'ready' to be photographed when I was the other day....

Muscles

Between 5 hour drawings and clay molding, I do believe I am building some mean muscles... somewhere.

Just now I was thinking, how is muscle built/maintained. Why do muscles grow? How do they grow? Is it a chemical reaction or something else? I'm no body builder but I am curious of what it takes to make lots of muscles and how some people seem to be without any extra bulk.

I felt stubborn to drawing the shell at first. But once I sit down, I just go and try to get things right the first time. Or fixable. Sometimes I just want to lay the charcoal on the side and shade in order quickly show curves and depth. However, I haven't felt the need to for a while.... I wonder if I can anymore.

Trickland

I have not been on a field trip since middle school, so it felt awkward sitting on a bus full of people I hardly knew. Regardless, I have been out and about visiting and touring my share of museums recently. Not once while I was out on those adventures, was I able to sit down and really force myself to think deeply about a given piece.
At the Walker in Minneapolis, I walked into a large salon-style room full of 90 paintings. It had paintings that reached the ceiling with benches on in the center with binoculars to see the highest paintings. Although the room had giant paintings, I chose a rather small one to study called, Trickland by Michael Borremans, 2002.
Standing farther back from the work, it looks highly detailed and like it was painted with smooth and realistic craftsmanship. However, it is very choppy and busy in strokes up close. Almost like a gesture drawing. The piece is very dark in color around the outter edge and only lightens up slightly from the shadows. The details such as the eyes and delicate noses are deep shadows. The figures look like children all seated and playing with a mock farmland, but it is adults-old women, farmers, mothers.... all placing their hands down on what seems to be a model of a country side.
When I looked at the painting, I felt drawn to it because on how the figures-although not highly detailed, were painted with detail to human proportions.

Torso

The "Maniken"s we are using to create clay muscles are pretty awesome. However, it's a new medium for me. It is so great to have to learn how to work with my own muscles that have been trained to function certain ways-for me it's to learn how to go from drawing to molding clay. The muscles in a humans hands are so beautiful. Under the skin, there are so many delicate muscles and tendons all connecting and weaving in order to allow the hands to work for their purposes.
Currently we are building muscle for the torso and seeing where everyone has muscles underneath fat and curves of skin. It is interesting to be able to locate the sternum on everyone, but underneath that point is is different for each person.

She Sells Seashells

In class we have these great seashells. The task for this weekend has been to figure out where they came from, what different kinds there are, why they are the shapes they are with what patterns.
I learned that seashells are the external skeleton for water life animals under the mollusk category.
My shell is part of the Queen Conch family (or so I think). Other names are the Eustrombus gigas, previously known as Strombus gigas. The animals that live inside are very big snails basically that are edible for humans and other meat eatin' animals. The reason there is such a large slanted opening in the side, is for the snails very large leg. Most of it's organs are on the outside, so they need a very hard shell to protect it from harm. All of the limbs that extend out of the shell are regenerate-able. The lines and knicks are made from the places were they live, which according to wikipedia is in sandy and seaweedy meadows underwater between the Gulf of Mexico and South America. The prongs that stick out of the top help the mollusk rotate itself when it has fallen upside down, and somewhat protect it from predators.
At first, I wasn't insane about drawing my shell for 2 hours. But I believe we have become friends since.

Anatomy Coloring Book

While learning about anatomical terms it reminded me of my favorite coloring book. I laugh to myself to think of medical students whipping out their colored pencils and returning to their elementary skills of coloring inside the lines.
Although coloring in the different parts of the body in this hefty may seem childish, I learned so much. I also spent HOURS working on not coloring in the wrong parts. If you'd like a deeper understanding, I would recommend either purchasing, borrowing(good luck getting it out of any owner's hand since they're about $30-40 a piece), or simply photo copying sections out for yourself.
Anatomy Coloring Book.... My grown up coloring fix.

Contour Drawings

(please be patient-my camera's card reader is not wanting to do it's job)

Contour drawings are always something I enjoy. It was new to me to have to go so slowly. However, it made sure that I was able to see all of the details. Details that I would have never seen before.
Blind contours are a whole other story. It was harder than ever to focus on any areas, with a drawing infront of me you can see the negative space and the exact placement of everything. With a blind contour everything is blank; including your own mind at times....

In my sketch you can see the body is detached. however, there is clearly feet, head, hands, shoulders.