Phil Cook wrote:

>> No. I took evening classes for drawing.
> 
> Which you mentioned here and in your blog, except I don't recall seeing 
> any conclusion?

Eventually the course came to a close. (Shortly before Christmas actually.)

Did I meet some new people? Well, I met 4 little old ladies who weren't 
very talkative. (At least, not to me.)

Did I learn to draw? No.

Did I improve my drawing skills? Well, slightly.

Did I learn *anything* useful? Yes, probably.

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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And lo on Wed, 05 Mar 2008 11:35:38 -0000, Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> did  
spake, saying:

> Phil Cook wrote:
>
>>> No. I took evening classes for drawing.
>>  Which you mentioned here and in your blog, except I don't recall  
>> seeing any conclusion?
>
> Eventually the course came to a close. (Shortly before Christmas  
> actually.)

I did wonder, but it seemed you'd only attended about two classes.

> Did I meet some new people? Well, I met 4 little old ladies who weren't  
> very talkative. (At least, not to me.)

Will I never be rid of Chorlton? "Hello little old lady"

> Did I learn to draw? No.
>
> Did I improve my drawing skills? Well, slightly.

Which implies you could already draw and therefore could not be taught how  
to draw :-P

> Did I learn *anything* useful? Yes, probably.

Probably?

-- 
Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com

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>> Eventually the course came to a close. (Shortly before Christmas 
>> actually.)
> 
> I did wonder, but it seemed you'd only attended about two classes.

Actually 11 classes. Most of which just involved sitting around drawing 
stuff. [Which I could have done myself.] And being told about all the 
stuff I did wrong. [Which is also pretty self-evident.]

>> Did I learn *anything* useful? Yes, probably.
> 
> Probably?

I learned the following facts:

- Drawing is FREAKING HARD! I had assumed that there's a special 
technique to it. But no, there isn't. I had assumed that drawing only 
*seems* hard because I'm doing it the wrong way. But no, actually it 
*really is* hard. And that's all there is to it.

- Getting the proportions of shapes and the angles of lines exactly 
correct is insanely important. (I was really shocked when the teacher 
got out a ruler and started *measuring* my hand-drawn image. But sure, 
the line is definitely 8 mm longer than it should be. Jesus, I need to 
be THAT ACCURATE???)

- I tend to obsess about drawing tiny details rather than looking at the 
whole image to check whether it's actually in proportion.

- You can check proportions by lining various image elements up against 
each other. (E.g., a person's nose is supposed to line up with their 
ears. If it doesn't... they look pretty retarded.)

- Empty space is really important.

That more or less summarises what I learned. I still can't draw very 
well - but I've got a little better at copying drawings...

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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And lo on Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:20:26 -0000, Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> did  
spake, saying:

>>> Eventually the course came to a close. (Shortly before Christmas  
>>> actually.)
>>  I did wonder, but it seemed you'd only attended about two classes.
>
> Actually 11 classes. Most of which just involved sitting around drawing  
> stuff. [Which I could have done myself.] And being told about all the  
> stuff I did wrong. [Which is also pretty self-evident.]

Time well spent then :-)

>>> Did I learn *anything* useful? Yes, probably.
>>  Probably?
>
> I learned the following facts:
>
> - Drawing is FREAKING HARD! I had assumed that there's a special  
> technique to it. But no, there isn't. I had assumed that drawing only  
> *seems* hard because I'm doing it the wrong way. But no, actually it  
> *really is* hard. And that's all there is to it.

To be precise you find drawing hard, my cousin finds drawing easy.

> - Getting the proportions of shapes and the angles of lines exactly  
> correct is insanely important. (I was really shocked when the teacher  
> got out a ruler and started *measuring* my hand-drawn image. But sure,  
> the line is definitely 8 mm longer than it should be. Jesus, I need to  
> be THAT ACCURATE???)

Art teacher meet Picasso, Picasso this is art teacher. So long as you can  
tell what it is who cares?

> - I tend to obsess about drawing tiny details rather than looking at the  
> whole image to check whether it's actually in proportion.

But that's fine if you're trying to duplicate exactly what you see for  
architectural purposes, but it ain't art.

> - You can check proportions by lining various image elements up against  
> each other. (E.g., a person's nose is supposed to line up with their  
> ears. If it doesn't... they look pretty retarded.)

Okay now you're dealing with faces and yep that's hard because of how our  
brains work

> - Empty space is really important.

Meh.

> That more or less summarises what I learned. I still can't draw very  
> well - but I've got a little better at copying drawings...

Okay once again here's a quickie essentially what lies between my keyboard  
and monitor base, HB pencil, eraser, no ruler and a index finger to smudge  
stuff. It's not in proportion, but if I'd use it as a base drawing.

-- 
Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com

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"Invisible" <voi### [at] devnull> wrote in message
news:47ce9e1b$1@news.povray.org...
> - Drawing is FREAKING HARD! I had assumed that there's a special
> technique to it. But no, there isn't. I had assumed that drawing only
> *seems* hard because I'm doing it the wrong way. But no, actually it
> *really is* hard. And that's all there is to it.

If you're still interested in learning, get yourself a copy of "Drawing on
the Right Side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards.

I went through it a few years back, though I never finished it. The part
that I did work through helped quite a bit with my drawing. I don't draw
much at the moment, very little time, but what I learnt from the book helps
with rough sketches that I sometimes do.

If you do get the book, do all the exercises. Reading it is only a small
part.

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Gail Shaw wrote:

> If you're still interested in learning, get yourself a copy of "Drawing on
> the Right Side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards.
> 
> I went through it a few years back, though I never finished it. The part
> that I did work through helped quite a bit with my drawing. I don't draw
> much at the moment, very little time, but what I learnt from the book helps
> with rough sketches that I sometimes do.
> 
> If you do get the book, do all the exercises. Reading it is only a small
> part.

Yeah, the tutor recommended that book as well. I'll have to see if I can 
find it for sale somewhere...

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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Gail Shaw escribió:
> "Invisible" <voi### [at] devnull> wrote in message
> news:47ce9e1b$1@news.povray.org...
>> - Drawing is FREAKING HARD! I had assumed that there's a special
>> technique to it. But no, there isn't. I had assumed that drawing only
>> *seems* hard because I'm doing it the wrong way. But no, actually it
>> *really is* hard. And that's all there is to it.
> 
> If you're still interested in learning, get yourself a copy of "Drawing on
> the Right Side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards.

Right side instead of the wrong side, or instead of the left side? :)

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"Invisible" <voi### [at] devnull> wrote in message 
news:47ce9e1b$1@news.povray.org...

> I learned the following facts:
>
> - Drawing is FREAKING HARD! I had assumed that there's a special technique 
> to it. But no, there isn't.

       Yes, there are special techniques involved with drawing, (more than I 
know), and especially with a soft pencil or charcoal, but it's not hard to 
get a good 3D effect this way. Your forefinger is your friend in this case 
Andrew!    ;)

     Draw a character with a soft pencil and then smudge with your finger, 
every *verticle* line to the RIGHT or LEFT of your character. You now have a 
lightsource on paper.  :)

      ~Steve~

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"Nicolas Alvarez" <nic### [at] gmailisthebestcom> wrote in message
news:47ced53e@news.povray.org...


> > If you're still interested in learning, get yourself a copy of "Drawing
on
> > the Right Side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards.
>
> Right side instead of the wrong side, or instead of the left side? :)

The latter.

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>> Right side instead of the wrong side, or instead of the left side? :)
> 
> The latter.

Yeah, there's some theory that one side of the brain is more analytical 
and the other is more emotional, or something like that. (I can't 
remember which is supposedly which though.) Presumably it's a reference 
to that.

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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