A Stick Figure In Perspective: Week Four & Five

(click on the pictures, and they get bigger)

 

I've spent a lot of time arguing that art isn't a god given  talent, and the past few weeks have done nothing but prove that to me further. What we perceive as a natural style is nothing but a series of decisions  (even If that decision is to slack off, or not draw at all) .

 

Ive compared this experience to boot camp since I was being shipped away from my buddies, and it's even more apt as I learn to slow down and do things right. Learning to measure twice and draw once.

As you can imagine this makes it a lot less fun. I've had my share of warnings of structure killing the passion from art school casualties.  While I understand that now more than ever, I think it's nothing but another decision. What doesn't become less romantic with further study? Deciding to stop is falling in love with the praise and not the process.

Because there is no end, there is no good enough, there's only struggle. Whether it's art or anything else.

A Stick Figure In Perspective: Week Three

After my massive "work in progress" post, I haven't drawn one cartoon image, and while it's only been one week, it's very uncharacteristic of me.  The benefit has been massive, and in many ways rejuvenating.  

Cartooning is in many ways a form of handwriting, at certain times a persona, and in the very least a voice.  It's also "everything you do wrong" as Chuck Jones would say.  For the past 6 months every piece of new information had to be adapted to my cartooning style, because too much new info would betray my style.  In a weird way, betray my place in the world.

  Also, holding on to work that I financially can't finish, is a bit soul crushing.  What I thought was only artistic blue balls was a self induced pressure which prevented me from moving on to the task at hand.  The very simple sounding, but insanely difficult-quasi zen like task of learning to see. 

Which causes my current work to look like exactly what it is: An art student trying to figure things out, and maybe it's always looked like that, but this week for the first time in years, it's how I perceive it.  Without any style, and without any persona.

I feel like it's the only way I can fix it.

A Stick Figure In Perspective: Week Two

 (Go on, touch it.  It get's bigger)

My figure modeling professor told me not to worry about my sculpture, but instead focus on the sculpture that I'm making in my mind.

I really feel like that was the case this week, or maybe I'm making excuses for watching Battlestar Galactica re runs.