Reflection: Life Drawing

 I have tried multiple new drawing techniques in the class, such as making marks using fingernails on paper, reverse drawing, and using a paper to make a sculpture of a figure. Those are all exciting practices, which helped me understand more about the human body structure, tones, and how to use drawing tools. The most impressive thing is how to hold a pencil/charcoal; I did not know before: when to apply darkness, need to hold at the top of the charcoal which allow pressing harder to give more pleasure to the paper. The way to hold is so different from holding a brush. The reverse drawing also fun; I used rubber to erase darkness from the paper to create shape and volume of the model. It was useful that I exercise to control my hand; how much pleasure to make on paper shows how bright that area is. It means how many charcoal traces I take out form the paper. I found the sketch rubber is actually good to use as it is soft and easier to give the texture of the human skin. Besides, I like the experiment of drawing with a long stick. The charcoal was taped at the beginning of the stick that I need to draw in a fixed distance. The first time I found it was hard to control. It was different from using a pencil to draw, that the strength is from my arm. After I tried several times, I got used to it, although the outcomes were not as perfect as using hand to draw. However, it is a good way to draw and look at the model at the same time. The sculpturing was a bit confusing at the beginning. It is because I have not tried to sculpt a human body before and also the model kept moving, it was hard to capture. So I did it quickly in class. At home I do it looking at pictures, it becomes lots easier. If I have time, I defiantly practise more. Not only sculpt the whole figure, just concentrate on one part, but it might also be the neck, arm, or legs. Then I can try to make details fo the skin. I would like to make wrinkles and smoothness at the same time.

It is very hard to make detail if it is a figure of the whole body. However, I guess if I focus on a specific area, it might works.