Spring Projects

I think this is the first time in forever that I actually decided to post something. For those who don't know, I just began my interior design classes this semester. One of my projects involved drawing a box full of fruit from the top and from the side in ten different ways:

This is the line drawing of the top part of the box.

This is a rendered drawing of the top (my personal favorite).

 This is suppose be the figure ground of the top (all objects in the box shaded in).

 This one is suppose to be a reverse figure ground (all negative space shaded in).

 This is just a line drawing of the side (don't ask me why it's side ways).

 This is a rendered drawing of the box sideways.
After drawing those six drawings, we had to cut the box in half and draw out the shown slices, like in actual architecture.

 This is the line drawing of the half box (don't ask me why it's sideways).

 This is the rendered drawing of the sliced box, with fruit starting to ripe.

 This is the figure ground of the half box.

This is the reverse figure ground of the sliced box (don't ask me why it's sideways).
In another project, we had to buy basswood and cut into specific pieces based on the instructions our professor gave us:

Basswood: 16 posts: 1/4" x 1/4" x 3"
                  16 cubes: 1" x 1" x 1"
                  8 half panels: 1 1/2" x 3" x 1/4"
                  8 panels: 3" x 3" x 1/4"
Plywood: 1 base: 12" x 12" x 1/2"
Had to them in wood shop, it was not easy (really intimidating) but it was a good experience to get under my belt. 
That's pretty much it for now, I'll let you know any other projects I do (school or personal) hopefully sometime soon.

Absent

Just wanted to explain my absence from posting... now I'm starting to reconsider doing this blog anymore...

During the week before Christmas day, I had to do some Christmas shopping for my family, plus I had to finish a drawing for a secret santa gift exchange I participated in on facebook.

The week after was mostly a little week vacation, I did a few sketches and scribbles here and there, but I'm not too happy to post them. In all honesty, I think I just lost my inspiration to draw... or I'm just having a lot of trouble getting started again. Hopefully this is just a passing thing that I'll eventually get over, like everything else. 

According to many of my colleagues, art professors, and some professional artists, many tend to think that their own art work is never good enough (mainly a sense of modesty). Strangely, this is natural thing, since the key to growing and getting better at something is to fail and keep learning from your mistakes. Yet many tend to take failure as a negative thing, since many of us probably think we're being judged based on success or failure in school and life in general. Though that's natural too, since we all want to be successful and great at what we each choose to do. 

Anyway, I'll try to get back to you all sometime this week with something... but if I stop posting entirely don't be surprised...

Done...

 With finals, so now I'm free for about 5 weeks. I hope to be able to dedicate these few weeks off to drawing; particularly still lives and possibly drafting, and maybe a few cartoons every now and again.
Anyway, back to typing out my issues on my changing majors decision... I'm confident enough to say that I'm still confused with what I should be doing with myself. I keep thinking back and forth, whether what I decided was right or wrong, just like I do with every damn decision I ever make in my life. I think maybe the few regrets I feel about this is not having the confidence I used to have about doing animation and the thought of leaving the good friends I have made in the program. Even though I'm not actually leaving, I feel like I'm walking out on something and just quitting. Though sometimes I think of myself as the many people who try for the program and just end up getting shot down because there is something missing that they just can't grasp. Don't get me wrong, I love to draw, that's why I tried for animation and/or illustration as a major... I could state why I changed, but I may sound like someone discouraging others for trying. To the people who read this and want to try for something like animation/illustration, go for it! Through experience and learning, you'll know whether this is something you want to do with yourself as a career. Or you could end up like me... it's your life, not mine.
Honestly, when I first came into this program, I kind of hoped to become an illustrator/comic book artist. In my second year, my thoughts for career turned to animating for an animation studio. Now, strangely, it's turning to interior design (or something in architecture). Maybe I'm just too concerned about my artwork not being good enough for the entertainment business, or maybe I'm just realizing my own flaws and strengths in matters of art. Whatever the reason, this just either proves how indecisive I am, or how much a person can change over a few years in college.
Just a side note, it helps to have good friends and family who are willing to support and encourage you in your decisions. So I owe a thanks to my good friends (both A/I and regular) for being supportive enough to keep me in this far and accepting my decision (even though it's crazy...) and to my own family for always supporting and encouraging my decisions; I would never even be here if it weren't for them.
I still can't say whether I'll stick with interior design or decide to try animation again, all I can really do is take everything one step and one day at a time (that's what my dad tells me almost every time I talk to him). That's technically all we can do as humans on this planet, make the most out of each day of our lives until we die.

Decisions 2

Thanks to the people who left comments here and on facebook. I'm still going through identity issues right now, I start thinking one way and then I think another... It's just tough when you know you have very little time to decide... I did a little exploring, and I'm starting to lean more towards interior design as a major.
I know a lot of good friends have been telling me not to go and even asking why, I'm actually still not too sure myself what I should do... I just feel like my reasons for going through the animation program was all wrong... Like many students, I just really enjoyed drawing cartoons and thought this would be a wonderland job (which of course is not). Through my experience, I've learned that drawing well was not something professors could teach you, it's something you must teach yourself and it's something you must dedicate to if you wish to be a professional. It takes a lot of passion and confidence (along with selfishness) in order to go through such a tough program like animation, which is something I'm beginning to lose...
From what I've heard from interior design, it has a balance of art and the idea of constructing something for real life; there's also a little understanding of spacing, lighting, and a passion for building things. Personally, I think that's something I want to do as a career, a little balance with what I enjoy doing (plus I took an architecture class in high school to give me little understanding about drafting). I still like animation, heck, maybe I'll decide by the end of spring that I want to switch back. Though right now I want to at least try this out, and possibly keep animation/illustration as something to do for fun.
Anyway, to all the A/I friends I have gotten to know, I just want to let you know that you've all been great friends, in fact you're all like a second family to me. I think it's really the sad thought of leaving you all is what has been making it hard for me to decide... I will still technically be in the art and design program, so I hope that we can stay in touch. And you never know, if I can pull through this new major, maybe I'll be able to design an animation studio and get to see some of you (that's kind of a dream goal right now).

Decisions

Okay, I know I haven't posted in a while... the truth is I'm starting to have doubts about my drawing skills. I've been trying and trying to get better at figure drawing, but I just don't see anything (in fact I think I'm getting worse). Maybe it's just the overloading work load I'm having, or something, whatever it is it's making me rethink about trying for Animation as a career.
I used to enjoy drawing, at least the last few semesters when I could draw for fun, but now that it's coming down to the big leagues, I'm just not so sure anymore. The hardest thing about all this is that I've managed to improve to the point where I can impress non-art people (friends and family), but I'm not at the professional level I should be... plus I'm afraid of leaving and/or having second thoughts about actually changing.
Honestly, I know I shouldn't be the one complaining about this, since there are upper classmen who are dealing with more hell than I could imagine (then again they choose to). I guess I'm just worried about actually getting in the program (not that I can at the moment) and then having regrets.
I'm still thinking about it, I have been thinking about doing something in architecture if I decide to change... but of course I'm still undecided. I still want to draw and grow (that's the whole reason I made this blog), just maybe in a way that it can be used a stress reliever rather than something to stress over.
If anyone has any say about this, feel free to comment or anything.

Fall Drawing Day #59, #60, #61, & #62

Another busy week, been a bit preoccupied with a bunch of other assignments and such to keep me from drawing on my own...
Monday I ended up with three animation projects to work on, which kept me from going to figure drawing that day...
Tuesday was my catch up day, I had work on 3D animation projects along with studying for the art history exam the next day. In between, I worked in my anatomy book (which seems to sadly be the only thing I have time to draw on my own), this is a copy of a master with anatomy done over it with Netter's Anatomy as reference:

Wednesday I had my exam and animation critique, I only did a few gesture tracings.... though those can only take me so far.
Today I got to meet up with some friends to practice gesture drawing for a bit, though I'm really not happy with any of my gestures. The rest of the day I started working on my art history term essay, along with a little 3D animation work. My dad stopped by in the evening, so we had dinner together and walked for a bit.
I know I've said this thousands of times, but I'm still questioning my choices in whether I want to do this as a career or not... I know no matter what I choose, I'm going to facing lots of stress and anxiety, so why am I even questioning this?

Fall Drawing #56, #57, & #58

Still working on my figure drawing, right now I'm trying to master gesture...

I'm also working weight and balance, which I know is probably off on a lot of figures...

Friday was another rough day in Anatomy class, basically for everyone, including the professor. It's times like these I question why I'm trying for this; I even thought about changing to another major. But after some thinking and talking to some friends and family, I figured this is just a phase everyone goes through, no matter what major or career one chooses, and I'm just going to have to deal with it... Even if I don't make it, at least I can say I gained good experience from it as an artist. 

Saturday I had to do studying for another art history exam Wednesday (which can sadly be time-consuming). I also did gesture traces, I hope to put more action into my figures. Other than that, I went to one of my friend's birthday party (probably a bad idea, but a good way to catch a little break).

Today was more studying, along with a leg anatomy study; this I did copying a figure from my textbook and using Netter's anatomy cards to understand the leg muscles:

I used colored pencil on the muscle to make it fancy, though I'm still unsure if the proportions are correct. Later I went to do a drapery study (I usually do it with other art students, but today it was just me):

I kind of like how the left side turned out, I really tried to work in contrast. I'm not too sure about the right side, I had some hard times with shading due to the poor lighting work I did with the drapery. 

This week I hope to get more of a positive attitude and just draw for fun, which may hopefully bring a little more confidence in my work.