figure drawing

How many people can say they've taken a figure drawing class? I'm betting not just anyone! And even though I was soooo not great at drawing, this class was fun. There's an extra energy in the air when a nude model walks into your class. There's that awkward feeling of trying to act natural, like this is just an everyday occurance.

Well, for one semester in college, it was a twice-a-week occurance for me!

As I mentioned in my post about Aspen's pear drawing, I almost wasn't allowed to go through the art program at my university (Truman State University)...unfortunately, to get a degree in graphic design, I had to be a general Art Major...so I wasn't just working on the computer to create designs. I also had to take Painting, Drawing, Sculpture, Photography, Art History, you get the point.

And when you reach your Sophomore year there, you have to take a Proficiency Test. You've got to pick out your best work, mat it for show, and hang it on the wall for all of the students and professors to see. The professors evaluated you, and if you passed you were able to continue on with the program. If you failed, you got one more chance to pass before they advised you to move along to a different major. Luckily I passed on my second try.

The first try...well, I'm sure that my mom remembers the tearful phone call after I found out I had failed. Wow. I haven't thought about this stuff in years!

Anyway...after passing, I went on to work for the professor in charge of the Proficiency Test, actually. I was in charge of organizing it. So I witnessed lots of students passing and failing in the two years I worked there. And because of my "greatness" at organizing said event, I was given the Fine Arts Award by the Art Division Head at the Senior year awards banquet. Kind of ironic in a way, eh?

So, I dug up some of my figure drawings...thought it would be fun to share here with you all. I'm sure my mom is dying for me to post my best painting/drawing ever, but that one has a pretty graphic pose where the model is shooting the "beaver"! So we'll keep that one under wraps for now :)


This was a drawing done with black acrylic paint and a brush.


This was a drawing done with black ink and a brush.

It's a weird thing, looking back at this stuff now. College seems like it was so long ago. And I don't do any of this "artsy" stuff anymore. The only painting I do now is with foam stamps on my scrapbook pages!

But these classes made me look at the world in a different way. Made me notice things in a slightly different light. So for that, I am grateful...talent or no talent! :)