design1311

I spent a lot of time yesterday and today on assignment 5 parts one and two and I think I am done! (until it gets ripped apart in critique...) But I had a lot of fun with this project and reminded me why I am a graphic design major. It was nice to have some freedom in our assignment and I ended up making two drawings that I really like. They were also fun to work on because I remembered I actually like drawing...just not super detailed drawings of McNeal hall! The other part of the assignment I love was that we got to use any medium, I personally do not like graphite or charcoal all that much so this class has been a struggle. It was nice to finally use a different and a little more fun medium!

Posted by joh04740 at 5:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I've never done figure drawing before and to be honest, when I first found out we were doing them I was really dreading it, but to my surprise it was actually fun. I really enjoyed doing the longer poses and I found the quick gesture drawings to be very helpful.

Posted by davi1868 at 2:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

so i have been having difficulty representing myself accurately in comparison to the piece i chose. I chose henri tolouse latrecs "Jane Avril", and it is really an iconic image of her. from what i remember, she chose him to make this for her because she knew that he would do it well. from a graphic design perspective it is great. simple, effective, leaves a lasting impression on you. so i have been trying to think of a way to position my body in a way that captures who i am, while not looking too faked. oh well, hopefully i can get something to work for me.

Posted by gardn166 at 11:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I've been enjoying assignment five. The artist I chose is an Iranian-born Californian named Max Emadi. He painted a series of pinup style Muslim women lovingly entitled "Islamic Erotica." The series has gained both popularity and controversy. I chose this artist and the piece (the piece is Ms. July) because I see two things from both my cultures blended into one: In the American/Western aspects of this image, we see the legs of the woman and her body on modest display. It makes me think of pinup art, which is something I am very passionate about. I read on a review of Emadi's work something along the lines of how in Western images, it's almost impossible and unreal to NOT include a sensual figure in a painting or to display the body. In a Muslim culture, it's taboo for a woman to do so. Yet here, the body is displayed with grace. A Muslim would probably interpret the image much differently from a Westerner. The other element I see, if I may say with a streak of vanity, is the exotic beauty that Middle Eastern women are so notorious for. The legs, in this painting, are exposed and dressed in heels, while the upper body, save for the eyes, is covered in a hajab, traditional Muslim garb for a woman. My family isn't Muslim, but there's a sensual lure about this woman under the hajab, exposing her legs. It's really remarkably beautiful. In short, it combines the two cultures I grew up in: an expressive and free-thinking Western, and a more conservative and proper Iranian belief system. Plus, it's pinup art, so it automatically goes for the win for me.

Posted by rafie002 at 10:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm really enjoying working on assignment 5. It's such a good change from working on McNeal, and I love exploring different media. The piece I chose is titled "Grotesque" and is by Hannah Höch, who was a Dadaist. A lot of the art in the Dada movement was supposed to be anti-art, and be drastically different from traditional art. This piece of artwork was created to be a commentary on the changing gender roles, and how the contemporary German woman was clashing with the traditional woman. While working on the assignment, it's difficult for me to make my self-portrait be my own, but still look like it was influenced by the original. I don't want to look like I just copied the artwork and pasted my own face in, and looking at my current process, it's looking almost too similar. I guess I'll just get opinions at critique!! I'm excited to see everyone else's for tomorrow; I enjoy seeing what other people chose to do for their own self-portraits.

-Lindsay St. Clair

Posted by stcla022 at 9:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have been extremely surprised by how much I have improved at drawing figures so far. When this unit was about to start I was worried that I would never be able to draw in proportion or make my drawing even remotely correct. However, I think the gesture drawings of the human figure have really helped that. It is amazing to me how much I have learned so far in this process. I think that I felt as if I was not a god enough drawer to take on the task of drawing the human figure. I am glad that I was, in a way, forced into it. Now, each time I make my way to the room at eight in the morning, I am looking forward to seeing improvements. Obviously, I have many areas in which I need to continue to progress, but so far I am thrilled with what we have learned. Also, I really appreciate the quality feedback I have been getting on my drawings. It has really helped. Thanks guys!
-Bri

Posted by richt227 at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The only thing I dislike more than drawing people is drawing REAL people. Thus, figure drawing has not been my favorite thing ever, but I do feel that I'm improving. Last week reminded me a lot of the first weeks when we were doing still lifes of random objects. No more free work time (which I enjoy)... back to structure. 1 minute pose, 2 minute pose, 45 minute pose. I just can't concentrate when I have time limits, whether they are too short or too long. They either make me rush or overdo things.

The biggest thing I need to work on with figure drawing is making my compositions fill up the entire page. With a bigger image to work from, I feel that I could render the details better. I'm also going to pay close attention to proportion.

On the other hand, my McNeal is completely done (I TOOK THE TAPE OFF), except for some finishing touches. This weekend is going to be focused on bringing assignment 5 up to cory-quality.

Posted by etzko002 at 8:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I came into the studio and stayed last night until 11:00 to get my McNeal ready for review, only to set my alarm for the wrong time this morning! I'm so mad I'm kicking myself. Yuck.

It's been so nice to take a break from McNeal the last week or so. I love drawing the models. The woman who modeled for us on Monday was, I thought, exquisitely beautiful. I loved drawing her, she had such a wonderful figure. The process can be mentally exhausting, especially when we do 20-30 minute drawings, but I'm really enjoying them. I just wish I wasn't stupid enough to sleep in this morning to miss class! Argh!

I'm going to go back to McNeal at night now to shade my drawing. In the corner I picked (third floor by the bathrooms and stairs), there are four light fixtures. The lighting is so dramatic and wonderful! Darker, eerier images, whether paintings or photographs, hold a high allure for me, so I'm going to display the same idea in my drawing. To tell you all the truth, I just transferred my drawing to the Stonehenge! Oh, I feel awful. This semester has not gone well, but now I'm prepared to break my back with grace. What goes around comes around, and I'm starting to think, "I wish I had done this differently/sooner/better, etc..." We can't be lazy, we must be diligent!

I guess, see you all on Monday. Good luck with everything we have left! We're doing so well.

Posted by rafie002 at 9:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hello, class.

I was wondering how everyone is holding up with the figure drawings with both assignment 5 AND our McNeal drawings still in process.

I personally really like figure drawings. I am humbled by the models, and therefore feel more inclined to draw them with more emotion and attentiveness than I did an iron or styrofoam head.

As for my McNeal drawing, it's coming along slowly but surely. It's crazy how much time a single step takes to get perfectly shaded and blended so it looks good, and like all the other steps! haha! Hope everyones' is coming along well! Do we have a review on that tomorrow? I just thought of that...

Posted by farme086 at 7:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I found it very difficult to find a representation of a human body from another culture online. I finally found one from the Indian, and then I realized that it was from a kama sutra temple. So that was....interesting. And it was a lot harder to draw than I thought, but I think the pose of the woman is very interesting, and it is fun to draw all the curves.

Posted by smit4700 at 8:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hey guys if any of you reads this before Monday can someone please give me the guidelines for Assignment 5? I missed class on Monday so I didn't get the assignment sheet. Thanks! you can e-mail me instead of write on here too if you want- joh04740@umn.edu

Otherwise I just did my 5 drawings of my hands and 5 of my feet, and I'm a little discouraged how awkward and gangly they look....it did help to really break it down to shapes but even then they still didn't quite look right. Oh well I guess I'll just have to keep working on them! Besides hands and feet are the hardest to draw so for now I'll convince myself that its ok they look horrible! See you guys on monday!

Posted by joh04740 at 1:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Im wondering if i can do half the drawing on computer and draw over it with pen. Would that count as two mediums? I believe i can cover the computer sketch with all kinds of texture since im gifted with representing texture, or so im told.

By the way, our drawings on wedneday were awesome!

Posted by rauwo001 at 9:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

im finding listening to my i pod while working on my McNeal hall drawing is getting boring. I think ive listened to each one of my songs at least one time through. I really want to just take a picture and do it in my room but is that really safe since i cant get the full effect of really experiencing the space? I really want to because I'm just really tired of spending morning until night at McNeal. Leave you with a quote that got me this far, "just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming" -Dory. :P

Posted by rauwo001 at 11:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At a family gathering today, I was updating my Uncle Joe on my life. As I was espousing about drawing class, this project for McNeal, and my difficulty and impatience when it comes to drawing, he said, "Ask your classmates if any of them find this easy, and if someone says yes, then ask everyone, 'was anyone born potty trained?'" Point being that tasks don't come easy unless you practice and improve. For anyone who's seen the Ideo video in DHA1101w, the CEO says, "Fail often in order to succeed sooner." Although, it's not really failing if you learn from your mistakes and improve upon them. The last quote of the evening is from Anne Frank, who said, "Only hard work brings true satisfaction."

Last week I had my wisdom teeth pulled (rather brutally) so drawing has been hard. I convinced myself I'd work on it but a combination of pain meds and swollen cheeks made it impossible. I feel so behind, yuck. Just gotta breathe right?

Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. Looking at everyone's work is inspiring and refreshing. You guys are all great and I admire your drawings for a variety of reasons. This McNeal drawing will really be a showcase for style. You're all such hard workers. I love this class because we're all so supportive, both in studio and via blog. You guys really are great peers!

Oh and happy Easter. My 13-year-old cousin kicked ass in the egg hunt today. She found 45 dollars and all I got were MnMs. And who has to pay rent here? She wins the money eggs every year! She'll be a millionaire by the time she's eighteen. Drat.

Posted by rafie002 at 9:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This drawing is definitely a process. Every time I take it out and look at it to see which areas I should work on next, I realize that the areas I worked on so diligently before are smudged and lightened. I feel as though I will never get done, and I'm going to have to admit that I'm pretty discouraged. At first I liked the challenge of the composition I chose: lots of detail, wide open spaces, etc. However, now I'm beginning to wonder if I was a little too ambitious...

On a lighter note, I'm definitely enjoying seeing everyone else's drawings progress. It's so interesting seeing all of your perspectives and viewing different techniques and textures. A lot of times I wish I could
"borrow" everyone else's skills when doing my own texture!! Anyway, I am excited to see everyone's progress tomorrow! Good luck!

--Lindsay St. Clair

Posted by stcla022 at 9:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I added a texture for carpet on my mcneal drawing, and I can't believe how much better my drawing looks just because of that. I was thinking that it looked good without it, but then someone mentioned that it looked like the floor was a smoother texture, so I added carpet. I am very glad I did!

Posted by smit4700 at 7:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So i really enjoyed everyone's thoughts about why their mcneal drawing was important, or why it wasn't. and i just wanted to add this since i've been thinking about it. I feel like this drawing, and class in general, do one main thing for us. it solidifies the notion, at least in me, that you can never underestimate the freedom we have with a pencil. i never understood why we needed a drawing class, especially if we were going to work on computers, but now i see it's because drawing is the base for, in my case, design. i feel like if i can draw mcneal and make it look realistic, then i can essentially do anything in regards to drawing. patience in drawing is something i have lacked, but now it is beginning to instill itself in me when i draw.
when i was thinking about it today in class, i kept being drawn to a blog a high school classmate of mine, who now owns his own design firm, wrote a while back.
http://www.thirdnorth.com/evolution/2006/07/27/in-defense-of-the-sketch/
(good article)

have a happy easter and good luck on your mcneallllllllsssssssss

Posted by gardn166 at 5:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm sure all of you are somewhat familiar with Edgar Muller. The name might not ring a bell but the images might. He is a street artist who gets commissioned to make 3D art in public spaces, usually sidewalks. He was commissioned to do this piece last summer. It's in Ireland, in Dun Laoghaire. It made me think of this project and how we have to use line and perspective to show depth. This is a short time lapse video depicting the creation of this painting. Enjoy! It's effing brilliant.

http://www.babelgum.com/html/clip.php?clipId=3014270&utm_campaign=cat_metropolis&utm_medium=cpc_socialmedia&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=crevasse&utm_term

Posted by rafie002 at 5:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So, I thought that I had a solid line drawing made, and I was thrilled with my choice of composition. However, tracing seemed to throw things off a bit and I have been just trying to make sure everything is accurate. Tomorrow I will begin adding values.... and I think that our study of texture today in class will really help me. Although it took a lot of time, and seemed to keep me from working on my final drawing, I think that it was good to practice the textures instead of experimenting on my final McNeal drawing. Now, hopefully adding the textures will run smoothly (or better than without practicing). I am glad that it was an assignment as well because I know I would not have thought to do a study like that on my own. This weekend will be packed full of drawing, and I am sure all of us will be frustrated at some point or another, but I hope everyone gets the results they would like. Also, I am sure that I will need lots of critiquing by monday.. so be ready! haha :P

Hope you all have a great weekend. See you bright and early on Monday morning!!!

-Bri

Posted by richt227 at 7:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)