figure drawing 101

It's been a long time again, hasn't it? I've been wanting to blog about this for a week or so now, so here it is now. I joined a (non-instructional) figure drawing class here in Floyd and yesterday was my third class. My first class, I was really nervous and didn't know what to expect and my second class I felt like I should slip out the back door and never show my face in public again and then my third class I stopped worrying and enjoyed myself.


I should say after my first class I felt a huge tension release, focusing for three hours on anything is like therapy to the mind. The second class I was too worried about "being good" that I couldn't relax. But yesterday I just didn't care anymore and I felt proud of my work regardless.

I haven't taken a figure drawing class since I was a junior in college and even then I wasn't really good. My proportions were always wrong, one arm longer than the leg, one eye dropped etc. but now even after letting my drawing supplies collect dust for so long its as if I've channeled new techniques and a better eye. Not that my drawings have accurate perspective (they don't) or are particularly realistic (far from it) but they have a quality in them that I like, especially the second one. I have a tendency to dwell in the details. My drawings tend to have a surreal quality to them and I can see potential in them. I can see growth happening and seeing my world more artistically with colors and lines, something I haven't done in a very long time.


Creating art, for me, is like putting a puzzle together.