![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
This recent bit of commentary was about last week's art class (I teach portraiture and figure drawing for kids & adults 8 years and up through the La Grange Art League):
Class was rambunctious today....after going on about how many heads tall we are (I was told I was 16 heads tall :P), I told them part of their assignment was to draw a portrait (from life or photo) any way but right-side up. And in detail. And with care and not rushing. Mark kept saying he was finished when we were doing the first run of quick poses..."What do you mean by 'finished'?" I asked from my pose as I kept on counting. I told them to make use of every second, to look at me and not their paper to see if it 'looked right' -- I told Charlotte to scribble....she was frustrated and saying that she didn't know how to draw, and asking "Why am I even here if I don't know how to draw?"
Kids....you know, the good thing and the bad thing at that age (which I largely missed out on due to being homeschooled, though some of these kids are too) is that this is when kids start giving both help and criticism to each other very openly -- the whole fabric of socialization and peer-moderation is being woven. The other kids had the answer for Charlotte just like I did...it's not that you can't draw; this is all just to teach you to draw better. And I am making it pretty transparent to them that drawing well is not about what you think or say it ought to look like on the page, but what it looks like from the inside, the way you see it when you really look at what's in front of you. I'm trying to get them out of their assumptions....unlearning, unteaching, and then teaching the stuff that goes at the inside of every picture, not just the surface. It's a test, it's an experiment, it's me giving them a hard time so that they'll have no choice but to loosen up and sketch and scribble and capture what's there as directly as possible. Perfectionism at the surface level is a hard habit to break.
*sigh* Okay, that was my day teaching...I may post it onto my next entry, along with a bit of conversation from when I went to Trader Joe's after. Hint: it involves a bed.
[Nevermind the bed right now....it was just something I said offhand to Laura about a certain vomitous shock element not in a short story of mine that made a fellow store associate perk up his ears in sudden bemusement. Man, do I feel old now.....*shakes head ruefully*]
And.....*snerks*....this next is me and Litha talking about yesterday's class -- and no, I do not keep a switch behind my desk -- and yes, this is going to veer off into some interesting territory, and if you can follow my train(s) of though.....you get a cookie too. :P So let's see about those breadcrumbs, shall we....?
[*wanders off innocently to catch his REM sleep and stave off further insanity...at least, for the briefest of moments....>:)*]
Class was rambunctious today....after going on about how many heads tall we are (I was told I was 16 heads tall :P), I told them part of their assignment was to draw a portrait (from life or photo) any way but right-side up. And in detail. And with care and not rushing. Mark kept saying he was finished when we were doing the first run of quick poses..."What do you mean by 'finished'?" I asked from my pose as I kept on counting. I told them to make use of every second, to look at me and not their paper to see if it 'looked right' -- I told Charlotte to scribble....she was frustrated and saying that she didn't know how to draw, and asking "Why am I even here if I don't know how to draw?"
Kids....you know, the good thing and the bad thing at that age (which I largely missed out on due to being homeschooled, though some of these kids are too) is that this is when kids start giving both help and criticism to each other very openly -- the whole fabric of socialization and peer-moderation is being woven. The other kids had the answer for Charlotte just like I did...it's not that you can't draw; this is all just to teach you to draw better. And I am making it pretty transparent to them that drawing well is not about what you think or say it ought to look like on the page, but what it looks like from the inside, the way you see it when you really look at what's in front of you. I'm trying to get them out of their assumptions....unlearning, unteaching, and then teaching the stuff that goes at the inside of every picture, not just the surface. It's a test, it's an experiment, it's me giving them a hard time so that they'll have no choice but to loosen up and sketch and scribble and capture what's there as directly as possible. Perfectionism at the surface level is a hard habit to break.
*sigh* Okay, that was my day teaching...I may post it onto my next entry, along with a bit of conversation from when I went to Trader Joe's after. Hint: it involves a bed.
[Nevermind the bed right now....it was just something I said offhand to Laura about a certain vomitous shock element not in a short story of mine that made a fellow store associate perk up his ears in sudden bemusement. Man, do I feel old now.....*shakes head ruefully*]
And.....*snerks*....this next is me and Litha talking about yesterday's class -- and no, I do not keep a switch behind my desk -- and yes, this is going to veer off into some interesting territory, and if you can follow my train(s) of though.....you get a cookie too. :P So let's see about those breadcrumbs, shall we....?
aureantes: I think I've crossed over to the Dark Side......
aureantes: I actually let my kids listen to Radio Disney in class.......:-|
jezebel_sphinx: :-O
aureantes: Yeah, I know....it's...shocking, really....
jezebel_sphinx: Oh, the humanity....
jezebel_sphinx: :(( ........ :P :-*
aureantes: :P:-*
aureantes: Well, that wasn't the only evil thing I did......but then, you know that I'll do/say anything to get their interest and hold it....
jezebel_sphinx: :-? .... /anything/...?
aureantes: I, erm, proposed some....research. Research of some degree of interest to the whole group, adult student included....
jezebel_sphinx: :-?
aureantes: Actually it's more like me providing the research and them analyzing the variations. :-|
jezebel_sphinx: /:)
aureantes: Ain't the Internet a wonderful thing? O:-)
jezebel_sphinx: What research, exactly, would this be?
aureantes: Character research. Characters, actually....
jezebel_sphinx: Do tell... /:)
aureantes: *smirks*
aureantes: Well, I did name the Ultimate Bedhead Award, which is quite uncontested....>:)
jezebel_sphinx: Who?
aureantes: .....oh, a variation.
aureantes: *whistles innocently*
aureantes: *changes keys*
jezebel_sphinx: :-? ........... *nuzzles close, nibbles your ear and trails kisses down your throat...*
aureantes: *switches to something in waltz tempo....*
aureantes: *Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs*
aureantes: Erm, suiting the weather, of course.
aureantes: *nuzzlesandkisses....*
jezebel_sphinx: Frosty the Snowman? :-|
aureantes: *facepalm*
jezebel_sphinx: :P
aureantes: I said I was being evil, not tacky. :P
aureantes: Here, have a cookie.
jezebel_sphinx: *munches with milk*
aureantes: *feeds one to the raven above my chamber door*
jezebel_sphinx: Does Poe have variations? :-P
aureantes: Quite a few, but this was more a parental-type inspiration. :-|
aureantes: And no, it's got nothing to do w/ Brandon Lee.
aureantes: :P
jezebel_sphinx: lol
aureantes: Well, mostly nothing.
aureantes: That's only incidental dirt anyhow.
jezebel_sphinx: Fairytale characters, then?
aureantes: Of a sort.
aureantes: Does Shakespeare sell cosmetics?
aureantes: *ducks*
jezebel_sphinx: Disney characters, then........ *ponders that one..*
aureantes: Hmm, not quite /yet/ back to Disney....
aureantes: Try.....Batman.
aureantes: Or not. :P
jezebel_sphinx: Ah, comic book characters.
jezebel_sphinx: Super Heroes and the like.
aureantes: Again, not yet...:P
jezebel_sphinx: /:)
aureantes: Stick with the fairytales....of a sort. And have another gingerbread?
jezebel_sphinx: Shrek? The Brothers Grimm?
aureantes: (Turelie likes it when I go on hyper-obfuscate...makes her think, she says....:P)
jezebel_sphinx: LOL, well you never fail to do that, ma bete :-*
aureantes: Hmm.......seasonal, general, dysfunctional......*ponders*
jezebel_sphinx: Both had gingerbread men involved...
aureantes: It's my signature style...>:)
aureantes: Try a montage....the finished product comes at the end....
aureantes: Mmmmmm, floating coookies........*does spookyhands*
jezebel_sphinx: _____ ______. :P
aureantes: Took you long enough...:P:-*
jezebel_sphinx: :-*
aureantes: Yes....undisputed Ultimate Bedhead Award for him........:-|
jezebel_sphinx: Of course. >:)
aureantes: *snerks* ...."(Bard of) Avon calling..."
aureantes: *ducks*
jezebel_sphinx: Ah #-o ....
aureantes: >:) I said I was evil.....
jezebel_sphinx: Yes, my love, you are :-* ... and it's one of the things I love about you...
aureantes: :-*.....*Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrsandnuzzles amorously*
jezebel_sphinx: *nuzzles back ardently*
aureantes: And Batman was referring to ____ ____....the Poe references were to ___ ___.....
jezebel_sphinx: Ah, naturally...
aureantes: I can explain myself when I /feel/ like it...lol
jezebel_sphinx: I know that :P :-*
aureantes: :-*........
aureantes: So anyhow, class went a lot better today than it did last week, so far as getting things done and duly absorbed....
jezebel_sphinx: Marvelous >:)
aureantes: And I think my devious little research plan will go over quite well.....>:)
jezebel_sphinx: *purrrrrrs* I have no doubt. /:) :-*
aureantes: :-*........
aureantes: Make 'em think.....'tis a vile plot indeed.....>:)
jezebel_sphinx: >:) Dastardly, even...
aureantes: Quite. I am a definite dastard. :-|
jezebel_sphinx: lol, knew you'd remember it. >:) :-*
aureantes: :D:-*
aureantes: I actually let my kids listen to Radio Disney in class.......:-|
jezebel_sphinx: :-O
aureantes: Yeah, I know....it's...shocking, really....
jezebel_sphinx: Oh, the humanity....
jezebel_sphinx: :(( ........ :P :-*
aureantes: :P:-*
aureantes: Well, that wasn't the only evil thing I did......but then, you know that I'll do/say anything to get their interest and hold it....
jezebel_sphinx: :-? .... /anything/...?
aureantes: I, erm, proposed some....research. Research of some degree of interest to the whole group, adult student included....
jezebel_sphinx: :-?
aureantes: Actually it's more like me providing the research and them analyzing the variations. :-|
jezebel_sphinx: /:)
aureantes: Ain't the Internet a wonderful thing? O:-)
jezebel_sphinx: What research, exactly, would this be?
aureantes: Character research. Characters, actually....
jezebel_sphinx: Do tell... /:)
aureantes: *smirks*
aureantes: Well, I did name the Ultimate Bedhead Award, which is quite uncontested....>:)
jezebel_sphinx: Who?
aureantes: .....oh, a variation.
aureantes: *whistles innocently*
aureantes: *changes keys*
jezebel_sphinx: :-? ........... *nuzzles close, nibbles your ear and trails kisses down your throat...*
aureantes: *switches to something in waltz tempo....*
aureantes: *Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs*
aureantes: Erm, suiting the weather, of course.
aureantes: *nuzzlesandkisses....*
jezebel_sphinx: Frosty the Snowman? :-|
aureantes: *facepalm*
jezebel_sphinx: :P
aureantes: I said I was being evil, not tacky. :P
aureantes: Here, have a cookie.
jezebel_sphinx: *munches with milk*
aureantes: *feeds one to the raven above my chamber door*
jezebel_sphinx: Does Poe have variations? :-P
aureantes: Quite a few, but this was more a parental-type inspiration. :-|
aureantes: And no, it's got nothing to do w/ Brandon Lee.
aureantes: :P
jezebel_sphinx: lol
aureantes: Well, mostly nothing.
aureantes: That's only incidental dirt anyhow.
jezebel_sphinx: Fairytale characters, then?
aureantes: Of a sort.
aureantes: Does Shakespeare sell cosmetics?
aureantes: *ducks*
jezebel_sphinx: Disney characters, then........ *ponders that one..*
aureantes: Hmm, not quite /yet/ back to Disney....
aureantes: Try.....Batman.
aureantes: Or not. :P
jezebel_sphinx: Ah, comic book characters.
jezebel_sphinx: Super Heroes and the like.
aureantes: Again, not yet...:P
jezebel_sphinx: /:)
aureantes: Stick with the fairytales....of a sort. And have another gingerbread?
jezebel_sphinx: Shrek? The Brothers Grimm?
aureantes: (Turelie likes it when I go on hyper-obfuscate...makes her think, she says....:P)
jezebel_sphinx: LOL, well you never fail to do that, ma bete :-*
aureantes: Hmm.......seasonal, general, dysfunctional......*ponders*
jezebel_sphinx: Both had gingerbread men involved...
aureantes: It's my signature style...>:)
aureantes: Try a montage....the finished product comes at the end....
aureantes: Mmmmmm, floating coookies........*does spookyhands*
jezebel_sphinx: _____ ______. :P
aureantes: Took you long enough...:P:-*
jezebel_sphinx: :-*
aureantes: Yes....undisputed Ultimate Bedhead Award for him........:-|
jezebel_sphinx: Of course. >:)
aureantes: *snerks* ...."(Bard of) Avon calling..."
aureantes: *ducks*
jezebel_sphinx: Ah #-o ....
aureantes: >:) I said I was evil.....
jezebel_sphinx: Yes, my love, you are :-* ... and it's one of the things I love about you...
aureantes: :-*.....*Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrsandnuzzles amorously*
jezebel_sphinx: *nuzzles back ardently*
aureantes: And Batman was referring to ____ ____....the Poe references were to ___ ___.....
jezebel_sphinx: Ah, naturally...
aureantes: I can explain myself when I /feel/ like it...lol
jezebel_sphinx: I know that :P :-*
aureantes: :-*........
aureantes: So anyhow, class went a lot better today than it did last week, so far as getting things done and duly absorbed....
jezebel_sphinx: Marvelous >:)
aureantes: And I think my devious little research plan will go over quite well.....>:)
jezebel_sphinx: *purrrrrrs* I have no doubt. /:) :-*
aureantes: :-*........
aureantes: Make 'em think.....'tis a vile plot indeed.....>:)
jezebel_sphinx: >:) Dastardly, even...
aureantes: Quite. I am a definite dastard. :-|
jezebel_sphinx: lol, knew you'd remember it. >:) :-*
aureantes: :D:-*
[*wanders off innocently to catch his REM sleep and stave off further insanity...at least, for the briefest of moments....>:)*]