Essay #3: Class Assessment

Throughout this class, there have been innumerable instances of high-quality learning, challenges, and successes. Of the methods of instruction, I have found in-class exercises to be the most helpful when learning the material and the ways in which to implement the knowledge into our work. It seems that in-class exercises are a very good way to learn hands-on and with necessary guidance present if needed. In this way, I have felt more capable of completing quality homework assignments that seem to fit the requirements as well as allowing me to use some of my own creativity as well, because everyone has their own style that the teacher consistently encourages. Furthermore, the final project was also an extremely beneficial method of instruction, simply because as students, we were able to use our newfound knowledge to create something beautiful based upon our favorite mediums, subject material, etc. The least useful method of instruction, for me at least, has been the readings. I’m not positive if it was because they were almost never assigned reading that I did not read them often (perhaps they would have been more helpful if I had), but I certainly seemed to learn more through experience – in-class exercises, slide lectures, and homework, than from reading about the material in the readings. I definitely did not retain as much from the readings as I did from working on the art through trial and error.

Some of the most enjoyable class topics/assignments included tone, portraiture, and figure drawing. I love looking at the subject matter and deciding where the darker and lighter tones are; to my eyes this seems to come relatively naturally. I see shapes and its almost as if I’m putting together a creative puzzle of sorts, placing the items wherever they need to be on the page based on the tonal composition. I also thoroughly enjoyed portraiture and figure drawing. I think the human body and face are both very interesting and I love drawing them. Creating a copy of someone’s face or body movements seems powerful to me. It is as if I am trying to capture the entity of what it is to be human, even though I know this can never truly be done. It is a mystery to me – I love it.

The topics I enjoyed least included line/contour and perspective. Line and contour weren’t as fun perhaps because I like tone so much – it was hard for me not to shade at all as my drawings may suggest. Perspective was bearable and the final product was satisfying, however, I did not like using rulers and confining my drawings to being so measured/perfect. I would much rather use a more gestural style, imperfect and outside-the-box.

In the future, I most certainly plan to continue drawing as a sustained endeavor after completion of the class. Because of this class, I have been considering electing a Fine Arts Minor along with my Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience Major. I love having the creative outlet in addition to more formal-feeling studies, and I would also like to have side jobs as an adult. That being said, I plan to continue both through formal instruction as well as through my own personal practice of sketching and drawing. I have found a love of charcoal and gestural drawings, figure drawings, and portraiture through this class. Additionally, I plan to engage in a few other forms of art making aside from drawing, including photography and music. I have always loved photography and would love to learn more about it. I would also revel in having the ability to produce my own music and to create melodies so that I can sing over the music I create.

From what I originally envisioned about this class, I did not know how well I would do. In fact, I believed I would be significantly behind as far as experience and I believed I would not succeed to my fullest potential. I thought the class would be overwhelming. Now, I know my perceptions were wrong and that my initial curiosities and drive to take the class have been rewarded. I have loved this class and it has been an extremely helpful creative outlet as mentioned before. It has not even once felt like work. It has been a pure delight to be in this class. I feel that the material gained from this class will better inform how I visually and non-visually perceive the world in future experiences. I have developed a more detail-oriented way of looking at the world around me, the colors and tones seem more vibrant, I notice the gentle curves and lines of facial expressions, I see the beauty in the composition of a landscape. These are only a few examples of how this class has benefitted me, but ultimately, I see the world more clearly and more beautifully.