steam boat engine

 I don't think there is such a thing as a 'self made man'.  Some people work harder and take more initiative but we live in a society and as such you interact and work with others. To all those who have helped me in one way or another, thank you.

So, getting this portfolio together isn't easy. I'm doing my best to get some academic drawing down, the deadlines are tight and sugar is running high.  Despite all the difficulties i'm coming across i am grateful for having the liberty to choose this line of work. 


Off to it;

The self portrait drawing.

I used a mirror.  I had just gotten into bristle paper and pencil and conte thing... I stumbled but eventually i started understanding the dynamic.  It was a definite win that i had the liberty of posing and taking as long as i needed.  I can't remember all the artistic principles at once.. i'm pretty certain I don't even know them all, but in any case as i develop the drawing i begin remembering more as i go along and apply them as i see fit to my drawing.  No rush, just the end product.
FYI:the paper is bristle, so it's white... not yellow or pink or whatever color it shows on the monitor.

Still Life Drawing;

The skull still life i set up at home so that was peachy.  Tried to make it an 'academic study' whatever that means.  I suppose it means i can integrate academic principles in a visible manner on my piece.  I hope it does that.

The cast drawing;

a disaster.
 I only got to spend a limited amount of hours on it. aka; waaaaayyy not enough.  I was living on borrowed time for this one, meaning, i was at a place i wasn't allowed to be using a resource i wasn't allowed to use.  The people in charge were aware, but i knew i was on the clock.  I've been warned about such things before. I wish i could have finished this one to the best of my ability.  It's a damn mess i tell you.  ::shakes fist::   See, big challenge #alot.

the figure drawing;

 I attended my buddies uninstructed workshop, which is the only workshop i know of holding long pose figure. I got to spend two weeks on it.  Roughly, 7 hrs... Not enough. I've never spent so long on a figure drawing.  I do see many benefits in developing that analysis.
 I began the drawing in one style, again, trying to do things 'academically' and measuring it out, being careful, etc.  It was time consuming but gratifying. I was training.  By the end of the first session i had a vague drawing.  Realizing i needed to be more time efficient i jumped into shapes the second week, then rendering the focal point.  I didn't get very far. This is frustrating because a)finances would make it difficult for me to continue attending the workshop even if i had the option (deadline is weds) b)this is not anywhere close to how far i could take a drawing and develop my aesthetic and analysis.
I got home with my very unfinished drawing and posed myself in front of a mirror and similar lighting situation.  This proved unsatisfactory and time consuming.  As i need to carefully asses the remainder of my days, i'm going to have to put this on the back seat.  Words cannot really describe the feeling of having another 'flop'. Gotta keep truckin'. 

 So, as i get ready for my submissions i find that my own pieces do not live up to my standards due to my lack of resources.  So if i don't get awarded the grants/scholarships, i stay stuck in the same difficult ship i'm sailing now (its got a hole in it).  It's a self fulfilling proficy, i don't get grants because my work doesn't live up to standards, my work can't live up to academic standard because i can't afford a standard education and consistent practice.  Who would have known i've given 110% of everything in order to get this far, and it hasn't been far at all.

I'll mention here (again) how fortunate i am to know some people/institutions who have been willing to help me out.  It's a big deal.

In the end i think the most important thing to get across is the idea.  And if i can do that, regardless of whether i've met my other hopes and expecatations, i didn't do all that bad. Gonna go for a run now and burn off some of this stress.  Then it's back to work.


Podcasts i'm currently listing to;

 damn awesome;
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-history-of-rome/id261654474?mt=2

damn awesome too;
http://www.suggesteddonationpodcast.com/blog


pretty neat documentary, not to mention the brilliant drawing.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tech/mystery-masterpiece.html

yduts cimedaca

Lots happening as usual.

I'll start with Happy Easter to the religious lot. (zombie jesus day)

Applied to Elizabeth Greenshields.  I applied for the grant about three years ago and got denied.   Hoping for better luck this time around.

Applying to ARC student scholarship
http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/scholarshipapplication.php

Submitting my portfolio to Repin Summer program
http://rai-summer.blogspot.com/

Some other scholarships people might be interested in;
the florence academy has someting going on
http://florenceacademyofart.com/summer_florence.php

So does Grand Central Academy in NY
http://grandcentralacademy.org/
e-mail this guy;  gcaclasses@gmail.com


I was pretty busy with freelance work and trying to do academic portfolio stuff for my submissions.  It's challenging and alot of work but i hope to come out with a legit enough product to continue my studies, which is top priority.  Gas prices are high as hell so i've taken to taking the bus and riding my bike again... which can be challenging when your carrying oversized material and paint supplies.

Next week i'll post some of my attempts at an academic study.  Trying to find guidance with teachers i've had in the past, it's not the ideal situation but it helps.

Today i got the privilege to attend class with Vadim Zanginian and learn some drawing and russian.  It clarified some ideas for how to approach a landscape which is awesome.  He teaches at LAAFA feel free to look him up; http://laafa.org/    Here are my studies;

They need some cleanup but my schedule is running like crazy... so i'm doing that later... and posting this now.   and just for kicks here are some two minute figure studies from earlier this week.

dusk to dawn

 
and my painting 'self portrait with earrings'  is getting published in a second book, INDA 9 (International Drawing Annual)