Switching Strategies

Drawing Structure and Expression II:

 

            We finished the three session drawing. Gabe saved me again-my drawing needed more contrast. She also pointed out this dark purple which really brought my vase to life. On Monday we have two models coming in and we had a vote on doing self portraits or having the models pose together. Considering our final piece is going to be a self portrait, a lot of people are leaning towards the latter. Personally, I don’t mind either way.

 

Advanced Painting:

 

            I pretty much wasted six hours of my life last Friday. My cave painting wasn’t that great compositionally. Normally, I’d do some sketches and then pick something. This appears not to be effective anymore. I’ve also become envious of Julia’s paintings. She’s using oil paint and thinner to drip and create these atmospheric pieces. They come out so gorgeous, it’s not even funny. Also, it appears so much more relaxed than my own strict scripting.

            So I tried to do something improv. I put my canvas on the floor and threw paint on it. Made this huge swirling mess of lines. During the crit, Linda suggested that I really look at the shapes after doing this-see what my imagination could come up with. In the end, it ended up being a really weird underwater environment or maybe the habitat from an alien planet (the creatures were weird).

            Or that’s what I thought. Then Braden came into the room about five hours after I started working, looked at it, and asked what it was.

            Like I said. Six hours of my life wasted.

            I still plan on trying to get this improv thing to work (planning out my compositions makes them very flat and dull-plus all my ideas are generally very bad). My next bright idea is to bring in the acrylic paint I bought for color in freshman year and throw that around a bit. I’ve got tons of mat medium, so it’ll be more fluid than the Winsor and Newton Water Mixables I’m currently working with. They’re great because they remain the same color, dry or wet, but take more than a week to dry. Acrylics, on the other hand, turn darker when they dry, but also dry really fast. I’m hoping this will help speed up my under painting. Also it might produce an opportunity for more glazing, which might my give my work the push it needs.

 

Western Art II:

 

            My museum trip will be taking place on Tuesday instead of today because Afsan is taking another class on a field trip. This was fine by me. I didn’t have class this morning and I still need to gobble down the rest of our chapter reading. I’m falling into this procrastination stage which really isn’t good. I plan on finishing the reading either during the weekend. Hopefully I’ll read ahead on Saturday at some point: I’m expecting a peapod delivery (groceries) and also looking at an extremely expensive apartment which I’ve mentally already discarded, but the realtor might have something cheaper. Realtors always show the expensive stuff first.  Also, Sunday I’m headed to the ICA with Perl for our last trip, so after that I can start writing my research paper. Hopefully during the remainder of the weekend I won’t get too side-tracked.

 

English Literature:

 

            We went over two of H. D. Lawrence’s short stories and a few students gave presentations. Rushdie is next and our final paper before the final. I’m trying to read ahead because, again, I feel like I won’t have much time during the weekend. I also just read Prophet’s Hair and found it completely entertaining.

 

Social Ethics:

 

            Professor Fried wasn’t there on Tuesday and we had a sub instead. She was very good and pretty much treated the material the same way he does. We were focused on Capital Punishment-being for or against-and probing the issue. I decided I’m against it. Death is just a bit too final, even if there are some extremely vicious people in the world. It’s also just too easy to miss use. Next week, we’re finishing Nicomachean Ethics (yes!) and discussing presentations (NO!). I’m dreading presentations. Also, I have to go back and pay more attention to my Lab journal.

 

Library: It looks like I might have summer work hours!!! I’m so excited it’s not even funny. Last year I was too chicken and failed to get a job. I really need to boost my finances, so this is really good news for me.

 

Summer I: I’m taking Chem 101, the lab, and Art on the Silk Road (?). Audrey told me it was called something else, yet it’s still labeled as that on my class schedule. Also Afsan teaches it, so there won’t be any surprises. It will be nice to explore some eastern work after a year of western.

 

Photographs:

               I really need to take some time out and make sure I grab my camera for Monday. Or, if I can convince myself, I’ll take pictures after painting tomorrow. My drawing drawer is located in the same room. I’m just being really lazy about it because it takes forever to uncover everything and get good photos. Also, after discovering people actually read this, I’m a bit nervous throwing my work out there to be judged. Which is probably stupid: I’m pursuing a BFA in fine arts-having other people look at my work is going to be my future. Now’s the time to get over it while I’m not in the field. Alright, alright-I’ll get photos. Promise.