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Thread: Elfmom's Sketchbook
The value of art classes really depend heavily on the teacher. Not all artists are good teachers (or good at recognizing whether or not they are good teachers). I think that they CAN be helpful because they provide structure, feedback, and will suggest to you things that you are unlikely to come up with by yourself.
However, hey, it's the age of the internet! I'd be surprised if you couldn't find some online "class" suggestions by searching around. Even if you can't find an online class, look around online for suggestions of "art class curriculum" or things like that, to see how some classes would be structured. This might give you ideas for how to recreate those conditions for yourself.
For example: there is nothing at all preventing you from creating your own "course" on still-life drawing. You can create a still-life out of just about anything you have lying around the house. Get an egg-timer or a little alarm clock, and set yourself timed exercises (10-second; 30 second; 1 minute; 5 minutes; etc.). And as Lunakat says: do it over and over again, a little each day. Until you are sick of still-lives.
And then do it some more.
There are places online that try to replicate the experience of life-drawing classes. I have a link at home that will give you a random photo of either a clothed or nude model and will keep it on screen for a period of time that you pick (30 seconds, for example). (I'll hunt up the link later.)
But drawing from life is different from drawing from a 2-dimensional model (which all photographs and videos are). Here, again, you can set yourself art-class-like exercises in your own life. Grab a friend, grab a family member, grab a classmate, and have them pose for you (clothed, obviously, seems most likely! unless you're over 21 and you have a significant other who's willing to pose nude for you!). It's just as valuable to have them hold poses for a short amount of time (30 seconds, 1 minute) as it is to expect them to hold a pose for 10 minutes. (Although, if they can do so, good for them!)
As Trollbabe says, you may be able to find art classes locally, outside of schools. But even if you can't, there's just no reason you can't start yourself.
... I wonder if this is a topic that would better belong in its own thread, though?
However, hey, it's the age of the internet! I'd be surprised if you couldn't find some online "class" suggestions by searching around. Even if you can't find an online class, look around online for suggestions of "art class curriculum" or things like that, to see how some classes would be structured. This might give you ideas for how to recreate those conditions for yourself.
For example: there is nothing at all preventing you from creating your own "course" on still-life drawing. You can create a still-life out of just about anything you have lying around the house. Get an egg-timer or a little alarm clock, and set yourself timed exercises (10-second; 30 second; 1 minute; 5 minutes; etc.). And as Lunakat says: do it over and over again, a little each day. Until you are sick of still-lives.
And then do it some more.There are places online that try to replicate the experience of life-drawing classes. I have a link at home that will give you a random photo of either a clothed or nude model and will keep it on screen for a period of time that you pick (30 seconds, for example). (I'll hunt up the link later.)
But drawing from life is different from drawing from a 2-dimensional model (which all photographs and videos are). Here, again, you can set yourself art-class-like exercises in your own life. Grab a friend, grab a family member, grab a classmate, and have them pose for you (clothed, obviously, seems most likely! unless you're over 21 and you have a significant other who's willing to pose nude for you!). It's just as valuable to have them hold poses for a short amount of time (30 seconds, 1 minute) as it is to expect them to hold a pose for 10 minutes. (Although, if they can do so, good for them!)
As Trollbabe says, you may be able to find art classes locally, outside of schools. But even if you can't, there's just no reason you can't start yourself.
... I wonder if this is a topic that would better belong in its own thread, though?
- September 23, 2011 9:39 am
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