Review Week 2

This week we continued to work on our skull drawings and critiqued the three views in class on Wednesday. I used my time wisely in class on Monday and was able to finish my back 3/4 view and begin my final drawing. I came in outside of class to use the skeleton and finish my front 3/4 view. I was very pleased with the final results of my skull drawings. I feel that I was able to create interesting drawings that show my process and evoke some sort of life.
I worked on altering my line-weight and creating forms that were accurate to the subject. I found it helpful to draw the form of the cranium by looking at the lines ingrained on the skull itself. This helped me to create a true long axis line, and also in drawing the contours of the spherical form. I worked hard on improving my drawing process by beginning the drawing with a general description using simple shapes. This helped me create an accurate drawing quickly and simply as opposed to beginning the drawing by looking and drawing exactly what I see. I also greatly focused on building the planes of structure on the skull. I think I will be able to improve on this facet of the drawing process and I look forward to trying to utilize this in the next drawings.
I am most pleased with my back 3/4 view. I found this view to be the most difficult, which is most likely why I am proud of the drawing. I also enjoy the profile drawing, but the 3/4 front view is my least favorite. I think my ability to create a more dynamic drawing was more difficult when drawing such a familiar, descriptive form. My first three skull drawings from this semester greatly surpass my skulls from the end of life drawing I.
On a side note...my skull that I ordered finally arrived on the day of critique! I am happy to hear that we will continue working from the skull and that my purchase won't go to waste or merely be a creepy Halloween decoration :)

Review Week 1

This week we began drawing the skull. We briefly studied the skull at the end of Life Drawing I, so it was nice to pick up where I left off. We were introduced to the planes of the skull and the structural form the bones create. It was very helpful to lay out the overall form of the skull using circles and block shapes to create a general shape. I found my dimensions of the skull to be much truer to the form when I work from general to specific in the drawing process. I have discovered that my most problematic step in drawing the skull is the area from the nose to the chin. I tend to disregard the diagonal angle created from the nose to the teeth and down to the chin. I also have trouble making 2/3 of the skull cranium and only 1/3 facial structure. I am pleased that these are the most of my troubles, since I will be able to focus on these issues and correct them in my further drawings. My drawing process is fairly slow and I have only come close to completing one of the three drawings. Unfortunately the skull I ordered online still hasn't arrived, so I envision my future self spending plenty of time in the lab in class and out working on the final two drawings.

Introductory Post

Hello Life Drawing II! I am Sarah Leslie, a fourth year student here at Stout. Only three semesters to go! I'm a studio art major with an emphasis in drawing. I am taking life drawing II not only to complete my studio requirements, but also to further my understanding of the human body and how it is drawn. I would like to better my skills of drawing from live subjects and improve my mark-making. I am eager to start on the skeleton studies, since we didn't work with them much in life drawing I.

Last semester I took Drawing III for the second time. Feel free to check out my work on my blog http://sarahlesliesblog.blogspot.com/ I am excited to return to a more traditional drawing class to freshen my skills for drawing III once again in the spring.

Unfortunately my demanding work schedule limited my amount of fun this summer, but I was able to take a road trip to Montana where I finally saw my first mountain! What a humbling experience to stand in front of one of natures greatest majesties. The transition of landscapes was enticing and so very different from the Midwest. But school is back and session and it's time to get back into the swing of things. I hope our life drawing II class periods can be my escape in a hectic schedule of three studio classes, aesthetics and a job!