Third Day at School

[Crusher]

Not feeling too well from the remaining rash left from the Contac, I still
managed to get to school today, even with Rita's rains now here in Ohio. I
got back in the second class on Design Friday after another student dropped
out, so now it's drawing 9-12 MWF and Design 2-4 MWF, a busy schedule
considering all the homework.

So we start out drawing blind on heavy metal easels, with the most eclectic
still life setups the teacher can manage. Then we turn the easel around so
all can see. Then its across the room with our large clipboards to draw the
same still life from a nother angle. Fine, except I'm left handed, so every
time we move I have to turn the heavy steel easel 90 deg. By noon my
drawings stink, like everyone elses because we're drawing blind and what our
hands draw bears no relation to what our eyes see. But I've had a helluva
exercise in weightlifting, so all is not lost.

Back to Design class at 2, now at a drawing board. 35 2"x2" squares on an
18"x24" paper. Pick an emotion: Anger, Frustration, Insane. Draw 35
expressions of the word chosen, all in straight lines, nothing literal, all
abstractions. Critique for about 7 sketches- my stuff is too literal for
the word chosen, "imprisoned", can't get my head around the idea as an
abstraction. Too much engineeering reality for abstractions. Scrap that
one and try another word.

Picked "insane" for the word, since that's what I was thinking. Drew some
roman type geometric patterns. Critique- better but too orderly. Roamed
the class with the teacher and part of the class looking at other work.
Surprisingly, some students did manage to create reasonable impressions of
the word they chose. This is NOT easy.

But it is working- opens up the mind to fresh thinking and new approaches to
old problems. And that's part of the reason for being there. Even the
weightlifting helps. And so does the cheerful attitude of the young
people.<g>

--Bob--

[david]

On 26 Sep 2005 david read the alt.fiftyplus post of Crusher, which
stated...

> But it is working- opens up the mind to fresh thinking and new
> approaches to old problems. And that's part of the reason for being
> there. Even the weightlifting helps. And so does the cheerful
> attitude of the young people.<g>
>
> --Bob--
>
>

sounds fascinating. my brain is really locked in and i know i would also
struggle mighty if i tried to draw interpretations of a word -- but i'm
sure it would be good for me. i'm also impressed that you're getting strong
emotional support from the young(er) people. thanks for sharing this.

--
______
david

[Jean B.]

Crusher wrote:

Mebbe you'll be an inspiration. And some of this sounds like
my daughter's drawing class. (She intends to be an artist....)

--
Jean B.