Free and Short

Take a Class, Any Class

We all want to improve. We want to make progress. We want to see gains in what we do. That usually means looking for some means to push us to those strides of improvement. That is often a class.

To re-iterate, there are many free and short classes available for anyone to use. Most of us do not have the amount of time we would like to devote to our art, but we really have no excuse to do nothing - meaning we can all do something.

This evening I decided to do one of the free CRAFTSY online classes, just to check the quality and content. Here is the summary for you:

I took notes.....

.... on the five lessons, each about fifteen to twenty minutes long (unless my computer was stalling... grrr)

... so you have the gist here....

.... though I would recommend you see it for your self. No cost.

Then I drew along with the instructor as he "mapped" his series of models.

This is from the video of the instructor working. I am not showing you my first one, because I was not quite ready.

Then I found myself a piece of charcoal and some scrap papers and worked along. This is the instructor's "map" - that is, the roughed in areas of darks to establish the head form and thus the essential likeness.

Mine doesn't look like the instructors, but he had as long was he wanted and I did mine in five or so minutes, and much smaller. This one needs a more triangular head, a much longer nose, smaller eyes, less forehead, not-lopsided mouth, etc.

model - Tessa - and instructor's "map"

mine of Tessa

Model - James - and instructor's "map"

Mine of James. I can, of course, see much to change and improve in these sketches, but the idea of the class is good: to see large shapes of dark and light first, and then work features into those shapes afterward.

I hope you are inspired to get out your charcoal and find shapes. Take a class!